Some of the townies who came to view a spectacular off-grid property on Wairere Road, in Auckland’s Waitakere, went back to the city again when they realised how off-grid it was, says agent Chris Head from Bayleys Kumeu.
The Grand Designs-style house was on the market for only five weeks at the end of last year before being snapped up by local buyers for $1.95 million, OneRoof can now reveal – well over the property’s CV of $1.725m,
Head told OneRoof the architecturally-designed house with views across the Waitakere Ranges was initially just a bare plot of land and the home was designed to blend in seamlessly with the surrounds.
It is 100% solar powered with a back-up generator and has water tanks and a septic tank.
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But while there was a lot of interest in the thought of living off-grid, Head says for some the reality was not quite as grand as the dream.
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“A lot of them who thought they were in love with the idea would come and go, ‘rain water, what do you mean? What’s tank water?’
“They were in love with the idea of being green but then when it comes down to the day-to-day living and having to explain it to people it was like ‘hmm, you know what, this might be a little bit harder than we thought’.”
When the house was on the market the former owner told OneRoof she had wanted everything about it to incorporate the views.
“When you stand on the deck the world drops away below you. On a clear day you can see all the way to Rangitoto; on an exceptionally good day you can even see the Coromandel.”
On an exceptionally good day, you can see the Coromandel from the deck. Photo / Supplied
High ceilings, dramatic angles, enormous windows, and stackers link the living spaces with the sun-drenched 150sqm deck outside. Photo / Supplied
The house features high ceilings, dramatic angles, big windows and stackers to link the living spaces.
The 150sqm deck has glass balustrades which dissolve the distinction between home and view, so the home feels as if it floats above the canopy.
The former owner said she and her then husband had bought the land back in 1995 for $157,000 and built the house with the help of a Muriwai architect, and she then bought the property and lived there with her daughters.
She fully renovated the property, knocking out four walls to open up the living space and to maximise the views outside.
The 360sqm, six-bedroom, three-bathroom home has a double garage and multiple living spaces. Photo / Supplied
She said the Waitakere village community was a warm one and while there was a “wonderful small community feel” the city centre was only 30 minutes away in off-peak traffic.
At the time of marketing, Head described the property as having views “to the end of the world”, describing it as a sanctuary away from the rest of Auckland.
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