There’s a little-known pocket of waterfront properties on the increasingly popular Avondale peninsula which take people’s breath away, which is exactly what happened when Tess and Matt first saw this villa.
In early 2015 the communications professional and corporate lawyer were renting in Pt Chev and wanting to buy before the imminent arrival of their first child.
“We walked down this driveway and went ‘oh, hell!’ and we still hear people who come here say that all the time,” Tess says.
“From the street front of this family-friendly cul-de-sac you wouldn’t even know this was here. Our home rolls onto quite a large piece of council reserve right by the water which we enjoy almost exclusively.
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“You could almost imagine you’re in England watching the local rowers pass and you can launch a kayak right in front of our home. Friends and family who come to stay say you wouldn’t know you’re 15 minutes from the CBD, peacefully listening to birdsong and watching the sun set over the water.
“We didn’t actually know a lot about the area then, but two lots of our friends already lived around here and spoke really highly of it, which helped us get it on our radar.”
177a Avondale Road in Avondale, Auckland is being listed for sale by Ray White Pt Chevalier, and will be sold at auction on May 24. According to OneRoof data, the property last changed hands in 2015 for $835,000 and, as of June 2021, has a rating valuation of $1.4 million.
The Avondale property has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, garaging for two vehicles and space for more off-street parking. Photo / Supplied
Two owners previously, a builder had relocated a 1930s Westmere villa here to be his own home. Tess and Matt, who now have two young sons, engaged Jose Guiterrez to design their renovation to evolve it further into a wonderful family home.
“We wanted to retain the lovely character of the home but do a modern renovation to make it feel more cohesive and maximise the view,” he says. “When we bought here there was only one bathroom, you had to go outside to access downstairs and we wanted easy flow out to a big, scenic deck soaking up the water view.”
Now an open-plan entertainers’ kitchen-living-dining area features durable oak flooring and wide-opening stackers, flowing out to the 80sqm-plus upper deck complete with Bali-esque spa area. “I can watch the boys in the spa while I cook dinner.”
A big renovated bathroom serves upstairs’ three bedrooms, including the sanctuary-like north-facing master with views over the water. Internal stairs now link downstairs where the ensuited fourth bedroom opening out to a lower-level deck doubles as a guest area, TV room, playroom or office.
The open-plan kitchen, dining and living area flows out to a 80sqm-plus deck complete with Bali-esque spa area. Photo / Supplied
The owners of 177a Avondale Road and their neighbours can easily access the green patch of waterfront council reserve. Photo / Supplied
An internal-access double garage and laundry complete the layout, with four-car off-street parking outside.
Only this family and their neighbours can easily access the green patch of waterfront council reserve with fruit trees in front of them. “It’s fantastic for playing soccer or for our six-year-old son to practice his golf swing alongside his dad,” Tess says.
The couple adore what they’ve created in this special location around five minutes’ drive from the north-western motorway and 10 minutes from the Waterview Tunnel but are ready for their next stage.
Ray White agent Derek von Sturmer, who is marketing the property with Jackson Tariau, says: “This beautifully renovated villa enjoys an absolutely amazing location in a quiet and hidden pocket, right next to the water with beautiful views. Switched-on young families are increasingly being drawn to the Avondale Peninsula and this would have to be one of the most affordable areas for waterfront properties around central Auckland.”
