Remarkably, when Robin and Jean were both around 80 years old looking to downsize to the right apartment from a family home, a good lock-up-and-leave set-up allowing them to go skiing was important.
Robin, now about to turn 95, says: “We were looking to the future because we had a fair-sized garden then but weren’t ready to go into a retirement village like some friends had.”
Their well-informed property search was helped by Robin having been a building contractor and the couple having experienced real estate agents in the family.
Robin says: “We’d seen quite a few apartments but walked into this one on the eighth floor of the Ascot in Broadway Park, where my sister already lived, and fell in love with it.
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“We saw it around noon and bought it by 9pm that night. Between then, three of our four sons and one daughter-in-law had checked it out, all giving it their stamp of approval.
“It has a great, ever-changing view and the well-proportioned layout flows well and includes a second living area. It flows out to a north-east facing deck which is nice and sheltered, pretty private and gets lots of sun.”
The vendors say the view from the apartment is ever-changing from yachts going by, big liners coming in to tugs working and trains crossing the Orakei Basin in the distance. Photo / Supplied
The kitchen opens to the living-dining on one side and a compact snug area on the other which is currently used as a TV area. Photo / Supplied
Wife Jean, nearly 92, says: “When we bought it we still wanted to travel and were still quite active, both still skiing and Robin playing golf.
“We were both driving then and it was perfect to lock-up-and-leave and head out or go away. I’ve loved the view always including activity, with yachts going by, big liners coming in, tugs working and trains crossing the Orakei Basin in the distance.”
803/8 Middleton Road in Remuera, Auckland, is on the market for sale by auction on October 5. According to OneRoof data, the apartment last changed hands in 2011 for $950,000. It has a 2021 RV of $2.45 million.
New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty agent Paul Sissons, who is selling the property on behalf of his parents and family, says: “Potential buyers should ignore the CV. I’ve sold numerous apartments in the Ascot before and the feedback I’ve had from people I’ve sold to there has been ‘I thought it would be good but it’s absolutely fantastic’.”
Robin rates the building’s security and likes that only the two apartments on this floor can access this level. Their apartment comes with two internal tandem car parks and a 3.5m x 1.5m storage locker, sizeable enough for skiing equipment, golf clubs, suitcases and more.
Their north-east facing view, on display as soon as you enter, includes North Head and the whole of Rangitoto, stretching around to the Coromandel.
The apartment building has a swimming pool and gym, plus a tennis court, a larger gym and lap pool nearby. Photo / Supplied
The living-dining room and the master bedroom open to the covered balcony with wing walls either side for privacy. Photo / Supplied
Both the living-dining room and the master bedroom (with ensuite including a bath) open to the covered balcony with wing walls either side for privacy. The galley kitchen with granite benchtop is stylish and functional, enabling Jean to cater for about 20 people including their sons and their partners and grandchildren one Christmas.
The kitchen opens to both the living-dining and a compact snug area so keen cook Jean never felt cut off from others. Robin says: “We used the snug as our TV area, leaving the main lounge-dining for dining and entertaining, which worked well.”
The good-sized second bedroom neighbours a second bathroom. They appreciated having a separate laundry. Their building has a swimming pool and gym plus use of a tennis court, larger gym and lap pool nearby. They loved the central location, so close to Newmarket’s train station, eateries and shops where Jean enjoys buying baby clothes.
Robin says: “The plan was to stay in the apartment until one of us kicked off but then Jean broke a few serious bones so we reluctantly moved to a retirement home two years ago, tenanting the property.”
Jean says: “We’d still be living there if it wasn’t for that. We loved it.”
- 803/8 Middleton Road, Remuera, goes to auction on October 5
