After being cramped in a previous house, buying this large house on large grounds provided a brilliant environment for children to spread out, relax and grow up, its owners say.
David and his wife bought 47 Market Road in Remuera, Auckland – a 567sqm, double grammar school-zoned house on primarily flat, 2714sqm grounds at the foot of Mt Hobson – 13 years ago.
She says: “We were living in a much smaller house in St Marys Bay and we could see this property had loads of space for our three, very rambunctious, sporty kids to grow up with. It’s been such a comfortable family home.”
This spaciousness has allowed them to have parents from the UK stay for extended periods and to throw some brilliant functions.
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“As soon as we bought we had a big function for about 250 people in a marquee on the tennis court. We entertain a huge amount.”
47 Market Road in Remuera, Auckland, is on the market for sale by a set date closing March 8. The six-bedroom, five-bathroom property has a 2021 RV of $9.8 million and, according to OneRoof data, last changed hands in 2011 for $3.775m.
The couple understand the weatherboard home originated around the 1930s, later extended to a size that has made it popular with families wanting a long-term home.
“It has real character to it.”
The double-height foyer feeds a separate living room and formal dining room, transitioning into an open plan kitchen-living-dining room. Photo / Supplied
The 567sqm, double grammar school-zoned house sits on primarily flat, 2714sqm grounds at the foot of Mt Hobson. Photo / Supplied
Its foyer floor and the floor and ceiling of both its dining room and library are heart kauri. Previous owners had undertaken a major renovation, bolstering abundant windows with skylights to make the interior beautifully light.
“One thing that surprised me on our first day here was sitting outside surrounded by large trees and lots of birds and thinking it was miles louder living in St Marys Bay.”
She exercises her love of gardening around the generous grounds. These include a productive vegetable garden, the tennis court and the solar-heated swimming pool and spa pool which the children so loved. They delighted in having their own chickens laying eggs in a bespoke chicken coop known as Cluckingham Palace.
“Our black lab, Ellie, has walks up Mt Hobson twice a day.”
The ground floor’s double-height foyer feeds a separate living room and formal dining room, transitioning into an open plan kitchen-living-dining room. This, and an additional family room, open to a patio curving around the home and introducing the pool.
A sizeable office, laundry and powder room are also on this level, as is the internal-access triple garage (accompanied by considerable off-street parking) with pool bathroom nearby.
The owners had chickens when the children were younger, and the chickens had their own bespoke coop known as Cluckingham Palace. Photo / Supplied
Heart kauri is used in the floor of the foyer, as well as the floor and ceiling of the dining room and the library. Photo / Supplied
There’s plenty of room to exhibit the couple’s art and sculptures inside and outdoors. One part of the upper floor centres around a loft living area.
Flanking it are the ensuited master with walk-in wardrobe, the family bathroom and four more bedrooms (one other also ensuited with a walk-in wardrobe and one alternatively another office.) An upstairs veranda offers tranquil repose.
The second part of the upper floor has a bedroom and bathroom, which can combine with some ground level rooms to become self-contained living with its own entrance. The basement offers significant storage space plus a wine cellar.
This location is two minutes’ walk to the Remuera train station, 500 metres to Kings Prep and a 15-minute walk to Remuera Village.
“We’re so happy here but with our three children gone it’s ridiculous for only two of us and a dog to live in a house of this size,” she says.
Ray White listing agent Richard Thode says: “It’s rare to find this amount of land in Remuera with a substantial ‘forever’ home where you can watch your children grow up.”
- 47 Market Road in Remuera, Auckland, is for sale by a set date closing March 8
