For the last 40 years, when folk have asked one of the owners of this spectacularly located Milford beachfront property if he’s got a beach house he‘s replied “yes, I live in it every day.”
That beach house at 5 Craig Road in Milford, North Shore, Auckland, is on the market seeking expressions of interest which close on August 24. The property has a ratings valuation of $8.05 million and has been with the same family for the past 40 years.
Owners Clive and Helen had great views living up on the cliff at the end of Milford Beach but wanted to raise their two children right by the sea.
Clive was a developer who recognised the specialness of this wide-frontage, absolute beachfront property. It bore a log house named “Santa Barbara”, a name transferred to the brick and cedar home they replaced it with in 1982.
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“I think we’d have one of the best sea views along Milford Beach. We look from Whangaparaoa to Rangitoto down to Browns Island and there’s always something to see,” Clive says. “There’s a sea view from almost every room. We’ve loved living by the sea every day.”
Rich memories have been cemented during four decades living on 978sqm of beachfront land near Milford’s marina. The children were youngsters when they moved here, tossing off their shoes after school to head down to the sand.
Kayaks, yachts, powerboats and jet-skis interwove into family life, a floodlight mounted on their front sea wall guiding son Philip back when he’d return from the sea at dusk.
5 Craig Road in Milford, North Shore, has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and garaging for three vehicles. Photo / Supplied
The children’s friends flocked to the idyllic, convivial household; its big seawards front lawn a magnet for weddings and significant family events. Guests at Philip’s 21st couldn’t spot him until he and sister Louise drifted down to the sand, arriving via a tandem parachute jump she’d bought as his gift.
“We’ve entertained here so much over the years,” Clive says.
Wife Helen chose the décor here, as she did in the hundreds of homes Clive developed. About 20 years ago they rendered over the exterior for a new look.
A boat takes up some of their plentiful open-air parking. Clive used to keep a race-car in the separate single garage which supplements their internal-access double garage.
He designed the 297sqm home’s layout around the outlook. A big living room and dining area-kitchen flow out to the oceanfront patio, very near steps heading towards the sand.
They fronted the property with a substantial sea wall, extending about two metres above the sand and four metres below it. The couple tweaked downstairs’ family room or fifth bedroom to house guests when required, adding a kitchenette and third bathroom to it.
The view from the property looks out from Whangaparaoa to Rangitoto down to Browns Island. Photo / Supplied
The patio has a solid concrete outdoor fireplace, a waterfall-fed spa pool and is perfect for entertaining. Photo / Supplied
Like the front living room, it flows out to a western entertaining patio admiring the outlook and housing a solid concrete outdoor fireplace and a waterfall-fed spa pool under the eaves.
“It’s lovely to sit and read or meditate in the courtyard,” Helen says.
A balcony fronts upstairs where the ensuited master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe accompanies three more bedrooms and the third bathroom.
The couple are downsizing.
Lewis Guy, of Premium Real Estate, who is marketing the property with Harry Richards, says: “This unique property represents an amazing opportunity for a new family to create precious memories enjoying the beach and direct access to water sports. It can be enjoyed as is or renovated to tailor to personal tastes and add value in this exceptional location.”
