The owners of this stylish property right on Milford Beach were looking for a beachfront property, but they didn’t expect to find it while they were sitting in a motel at Gatwick Airport in the UK.
It was 2018 and they were at the end of an overseas trip, stuck in a motel and looking at houses for sale on the internet. This one at 61 Milford Road in the North Shore suburb of Milford was actually only eight houses away from their existing home, but it was literally beachfront so they contacted the agent and bought it.
Fast forward four years and the Milford Road property is back on the market for sale by negotiation, and Andrew Dorreen of Precision Real Estate is marketing the property.
“It was originally two apartments so it was in two titles and there was plenty of floor space, but it needed a lot of work,” Sally says. “We came into a real mishmash but it had its good points, one being a four-car garage which was great for a car collection.”
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One of the bad points was that there was a major leak in the deck, so Sally and Derek gutted the whole front of the house, replaced the entire deck, the doors, windows and the roof.
They did consider the option of pulling the building down, but their renovations actually revealed that the structure of the house was in great condition, so they went ahead with their renovation.
There are expansive views of Milford Beach, Castor Bay, the entrance to Milford Marina and Rangitoto Island. Photo / Supplied
“It took about 18 months and it’s now a next-to-new house,” Derek says. With its fresh, white exterior and terracotta barrel-tiled roof, it has plenty of European style both outside and in, and its 450sqm floorplan is ideal for entertaining.
Over the two levels there are three separate living spaces, five bedrooms and three bathrooms. On the ground floor the centrepiece is the bespoke Bella kitchen with top-quality appliances and a standout curved marble island.
“It’s my favourite room. I adore it and the island is beautiful. It was a great job,” Sally says.
The kitchen is open to a spacious dining area and an adjoining sitting space, all tiled, and all opening via outsized sliders to a big tiled patio and lawn separating the house from the water.
“The layout between the house and the beach is lovely,” Derek says. “The lawn is Tiger Turf which Sally didn’t really want but it was such an improvement on what was there before.”
Upstairs is another lounge with a fireplace, accommodating two separate sitting areas and a grand piano. Photo / Supplied
61 Milford Road in Milford, North Shore has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, garaging for four vehicles plus off-street-parking. Photo / Supplied
There are expansive views of Milford Beach, Castor Bay, the entrance to Milford Marina, Rangitoto Island and the end of Whangaparaoa.
Upstairs is an additional lounge with a fireplace, accommodating two separate sitting areas and a grand piano. It opens to the replacement for the leaking deck which kick-started the refurbishment. The new deck is almost as wide as the section and Derek says it was great for watching the America’s Cup. It’s just a few steps from the house across the lawn to reach the sand, with access through the cemented rock wall that borders the property between land and sea.
Derek and Sally love their proximity to the water and most importantly, Derek says, the dog loves it.
