All Black star Beauden Barrett and his wife, Hannah, are heading north from Wellington later this year to base themselves in Auckland. At his press conference this morning he says he’s already put OneRoof site to good use searching for their new family home.
"The house prices are tricky, aren't they? I've been looking for a while... but my list on the OneRoof site, it's pretty big."
Barrett, who has played for the Hurricanes since 2011, will join the Blues from mid-2020 in a new four-year deal, planning to take both a non-playing and playing sabbatical as part of a four-year contract extension to stay in New Zealand.
"It wasn't easy at the start but ultimately [my dad] wants me to do what's best for Hannah and I and our family. I grew up dreaming of being a Hurricane but circumstances change and people get older," he said.
Start your property search
The Auckland property market has proven a challenge, Barrett said.
We’ve saved the Barretts some time and came up with some splendid pads that they can make their own.
This spread on Portland Road, owned by Kevin Roberts, formerly of Saatchi and Saatchi, now a global creative guy already has the international sporting mana. The sprawling house of over 1100 sq m, built in 1991 and remodelled several times since, has hosted the All Blacks many a time, spreading out on the tennis court, around the pool. If he asks nicely, Roberts may even leave some of his priceless sports memorabilia. There’s a gym and squash court to keep up the fitness, plenty of bedrooms and guest suite for when the lads from Welly need a crash pad.
Marketed for price by negotiation by Richard Hart and Colleen Strachan of Unlimited Potential, Remuera.
See where Beauden and the lads can hang out
But if the couple want to be closer to the action of Ponsonby and Herne Bay road cafes and shopping, there’s a lovely spread on the tip of the Westmere peninsula marketed by NZ Sotheby’s International’s Pene Milne. Clocking in at 580 sq m, this Pete Bossley designed modern house has five bedrooms, a 13 metre solar-heated pool and eco-friendly luxury. This is the tropical north, mate, you’ll be swimming all year round, surrounded by Auckland's famed pohutukawa trees. There’s a boat house to launch your Sea-Legs into the upper Waitemata (the fishing’s great), plenty of bedrooms and a professional theatre for watching re-runs of the game.
Fish for compliments off your back yard
But if apartment living is more the Barretts’ thing – all that international travel, they’d appreciate the lock-up-and-leave – then a luxury two-storied penthouse on St Marks Road might be just the thing. Bayleys agent Joe Telford is marketing this on behalf of a family who completely gutted and rebuilt the best two apartments in the block. There’s marble everywhere, a media room, gorgeous La Cornue kitchen range (and a spot for the caterers too when the parties get big), four carparks. You get all the Auckland icons in one look – Sky Tower, Rangitoto, Mt Hobson - to remind you you’re not in Welly now, Mr Barrett.
Keep up the travelling with lock up and leave ease
