It’s certainly impressive that the classic 1920s bungalow which stands on 5 Shipherds Avenue has been in the same family for over 50 years, but the late owner’s son explains that the connection actually goes back even further.
“My mother’s father – my grandfather – worked in banking, and this was a bank house. My mother lived here with her parents for a year or so when she was 13, before the family moved away.
“Later, when she was married and living back in Auckland in the early 1970s, she heard it was for sale again and bought it.”
He says that his parents absolutely loved the home’s original character and kept the most impressive elements – such as the handsome parquet floors, traditional fireplaces, stained glass windows, high beamed ceilings and panelled walls intact, looking after them carefully throughout the years.
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The floor area of the single-level home is currently around 175sqm and consists of four bedrooms and a large family bathroom, plus a smaller one.
The living areas are extensive and comprise a separate formal lounge, a living room and a family room, which forms part of the extension that was built at the rear of the house around 40 years ago.
It includes a light, bright kitchen and opens to a generous deck – in addition to the patio – part of which is covered, while there’s also a single garage and carport.
The character of the classic 1920s bungalow has been meticulously maintained over the last half a century.
A well-known local architect was engaged to come up with a plan to extend the current dwelling further into the backyard and add a master suite and study upstairs.
“It was a great place to grow up,” says the son. “I remember that the people over the back fence used to keep horses.”
This ideal family home is perfectly positioned for motorway access at nearby Gillies Avenue while Kohia Terrace Primary School and Auckland Grammar and Epsom Girls Grammar are all just a short stroll away.
Newmarket with its glitzy 277 Westfield shopping centre is also reached easily, by foot or car.
The late owner’s son says that homes in the street are tightly held and seldom come to market. “There are neighbours who have lived here even longer than my family.”
Agent Ray Chan, from Ray White, Parnell, says that a section of this size is a rarity these days and while the house is perfectly – and indeed very pleasantly – liveable exactly as it is, there is significant opportunity to add value.
The parquet floors, traditional fireplaces, stained glass windows, high beamed ceilings and panelled walls have remained intact.
The floor area of the single-level home is around 175sqm and consists of four bedrooms, a large family bathroom and a smaller one.
Jones Architects, well-known locally for their sympathetic reinterpretations of heritage bungalows and villas, were recently engaged to come up with a plan for extending the current dwelling further into the backyard and adding a master suite upstairs with its own bathroom and study, for a total floor area of around 400sqm.
The redesign – which is included in the sale and can be seen on the listing – is in keeping with the age of the property, retaining its intrinsic character yet providing much more room for alfresco entertaining and a swimming pool for summer.
The level back lawn as well as the wide grassy area at the front are also ripe for imaginative landscaping and garden design.
“There are Epsom offerings, then there is this rare canvas to build an intergenerational masterpiece on,” says Ray.
5 Shipherds Avenue in Epsom, Auckland, is on the market for sale and goes to auction on March 16.
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