A grand waterfront house in Auckland's Takapuna could break the suburb's sales record year.
The five-bedroom home at 29 Minnehaha Avenue has a 2017 CV of $11.8 million and is on the market for sale.
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The 612sqm house was designed by architect Ron Dijkmans more than 20 years ago and would not look out of place among the grand estates of Cape Cod in the United States.
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In addition to the five bedrooms, it has seven bathrooms, a library, an indoor pool and a games room with wrap around terraces and a four-car garage.
The listing agent, Precision Real Estate's Andrew Dorreen, says it "can only be described as having one of New Zealand’s most admired and sought-after waterfront positions.
"The opportunity to secure a home of this ilk, in this location, is one of the rarest to surface in decades.”
Waterfront homes in Takapuna have a record of fetching big sums. Four years ago businessman Lichun Gao paid more than $28 million for an Italian-style villa at 19 O'Neills Avenue.
The house at 29 Minnehaha Avenue has stunning views of Rangitoto. Photo / Supplied
Two years before that, 26 Minnehaha Avenue sold for $12.68 million and in 2019 neighbours did a private deal for $11.75 million for a beachfront place at Park Avenue.
Last year's record for the suburb and the Shore was for a modern house on the water at 7 Rarere Road, which sold for $12.25 million.
Dorreen says that only certain buyers will be in the privileged position to consider such a waterfront property in Takapuna.
Minnehaha Avenue is one of Takapuna’s most notable and exclusive streets, with swimming at Thorne Bay, fishing off the rocks, kayaking, and paddle boarding. The house opens to the sea gate and the walk way to Takapuna and Milford.
The house was built 20 years ago by architect Ron Dijkmans in the style of homes found in Cape Cod, in the US. Photo / Supplied
Certainly, the owner of 29 Minnehaha Avenue, who prefers not be named, says it has been a privilege to live at the address: “It has been an extraordinary home to live in over the past 20 years. The 180-degree views from the property are close up and mesmerising, at full tide you actually feel like you are in the water,” says the owner.
He told OneRoof his fascination for the property dates back to the 1980s.
“We used to walk around from Takapuna to Milford with our young family. I often stopped and looked up from the rocks at the old, dilapidated house sitting on this amazing site and wondered what it would be like totally re-developed with something very special on it. Incredible, I thought to myself,” he says.
The house features a large games room, above, and indoor pool, below. Photos / Supplied
Some years later, a stroke of luck and a friendship with a real estate agent proved fruitful, and the family bought the property in 1995 for $1.7 million.
“One of the real attractions of the site was the reserve on the northern side which meant no close neighbour on the sunny side of the home which is quite rare on the waterfront,” he says.
Dijkmans conceived a timeless Cape Cod family home that took three years and a fair few challenges, to build.
The principal living space encompasses a generous Shaker-style style kitchen and informal living which opens onto the expansive deck with extraordinary sea views. A third-floor master bedroom includes a private office and balcony and there are two bedrooms above the garage.
