Suntrap by the shops

ROBYN WELSH discovers a property that straddles the line between the bustle of an inner-city townhouse and peace and privacy

Planted thoughtfully in full sun, this home sits easily in its landscaped, upmarket locale. Just as the hedges have been clipped into order, the subtropicals styled into place and the ground-covers placed to meander with abandon, so this home has been positioned and polished to acknowledge its special surroundings.

This is a two-storey, three-bedroom townhouse, which sits among soulmates in the heart of the Broadway Park development. It's close to Newmarket's shopping and cafes yet far enough away to feel like a real breath of fresh air.

With its cedar and stucco fence, it sits discreetly among similarly styled houses. On a sloping section with its flat roof and timber pergolas, this house has a jaunty air about it, with a pleasant short walk to the front door down a pathway enhanced with appropriately structural native and subtropical plants.

Inside, the tiled front entrance is roomy enough to take a chair - that inviting piece of well-chosen furniture that sets the tone for the decor of any house. On the upper landing there's a charming nook for a writing desk and a chance to glimpse the wider landscaped grounds of the development's common areas.

Off the lounge, a curved, tiled patio brings you out slightly above street level; stainless steel balustrading set within the stucco maximises the sense of being right out in the open. Toughened glass for safety has been used in the exterior ranchsliders to do away with that horizontal aluminium divide which tends to spoil a nice outlook. The result here is an appealing long view from the dining room and kitchen through sandblasted cavity sliders from the lounge.

North-facing windows in the living areas extend almost to the floor for maximum light and warmth. Patterned Roman blinds and venetians, which match the grey-blue aluminium joinery, add visual and practical warmth too.

Rich ash parquet flooring defines the kitchen, which has its own elegant focal point with an upstand finished in tawa timber. Out of sight is one beautiful length of cafe royale chocolate granite benchtop. This spacious kitchen blends a black gas hob into the benchtop and whitewear into the cream cabinetry for a clean, sophisti-cated look.

Such is the attention to storage and effortless living in this home that even the three bathrooms (one with a bath) have excellent storage. The guest powder room near the living area has a vanity and cabinetry along one entire wall.

Downstairs, a vertical row of glass bricks beams extra light into the stairwells, which are finished with stainless steel handrails. The larger of the two downstairs bedrooms has its own paved courtyard with a garden of subtropicals and natives set in white gravel.

Olive trees and creeping ground-covers soften the retaining wall. Although it is below ground level, this room - ideally a den or study - has a charm of its own in the afternoon sun.

Meanwhile, a big bonus in the generous double garage is the double set of storage cupboards behind closed doors. Even the floor has been painted for easy-to-clean-spills appeal.

Built of low-maintenance materials, this house itself still has three years of its five year Master Builder's guarantee to run.

Living in this home - a comparatively affordable entry to Broadway Park - is about enjoying the swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis court, the garden spaces and the short walk to the Newmarket shops.

The key to this home opens the door to an enviable lifestyle, knowing that it's someone else's job to rake the leaves and whistle the lawnmower into life.

Vital statistics

Address: 7 John Stokes Tce, Broadway Park, Newmarket.

Features: Three bedrooms, three bathrooms with under-floor heating, double garage, alarm, central vacuum system, front door intercom, gas fireplace in the lounge, timber and granite used in the kitchen, use of the swimming pool, tennis court and gymnasium facilities. Close to the railway station, shops and good schools.

Body Corporate fee: $888 a year for use of common facilities.

Size: House 170 sq m; land 239 sq m.

Price: Auction tomorrow, 7 pm. Bidding to start at $450,000.

Agent: Wendy Dudson, Ray White United Remuera. Ph 520 9100; 528 4008 ah; 025 746 080 mob.