Couple Shar and Dave were facing a real estate pickle when an off-market introduction to this beautiful architecturally renovated home saved the day.
With their son deciding to move back into their previous Saint Heliers home, bringing his girlfriend, that felt too small, time was tight and the numbers to expand it and put a pool looked scary.
Shar says: “Then UP Realty agent Peter Cleave, who we’d talked to when researching pool ideas at open homes, called Dave saying a property not quite on the market could be a perfect solution.”
Dave drew out the suspense, playfully quizzing Shar about what street she’d most like to live in and her preferred part and side of that street. He even got her to use Google Earth to pick her favourite property within that subset, delighting her by revealing they were going to see that one, at 18 Brilliant Street, that day.
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They bought this three-storey 1930s home on 809sqm grounds off-market in 2017 for $3.45 million, impressed by its street appeal, location and the substantial renovation Jones Architects designed for the previous owners. The Cleaves had sold this home off-market before, as it’s the sort of property some buyers instantly desire.
18 Brilliant Street in Saint Heliers is back on the market for sale by way of auction on July 10. And yes, the Cleaves – Peter and Myles – are marketing the property, which has a 2021 CV of $4.1m, again.
The current owners bought the home in 2017 impressed by its street appeal, location and the substantial renovation Jones Architects designed for the previous owners.
The three-storey 1930s home on 809sqm grounds has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a double garage and off-street parking.
Shar and Dave’s pool research didn’t go to waste as there was room in the backyard to install a swimming pool to deliver the resort-like ambiance they sought. They also had a landscape designer evolve the grounds’ structure and planting.
A stand-alone double garage complements the home, which is distinctive for its embellished gables. A front path defined by semi-formal planting leads to the front veranda where they sit admiring the cityscape at night.
The foyer opens into a sizeable living-dining-family room extending into a Poggenpohl double-oven kitchen on one side; framed menus from overseas travels on one wall. This area flows out to the private backyard’s louvre-covered patio and the pool area, substantial enough to accommodate loungers inside its glass fencing.
Shar says: “We’re outdoor people so if we’re not on the front deck we’re often around the pool or sitting looking at the pool. It’s always beckoning and it just sings at night with its lighting and the layered, textured planting.”
A front room can be a living room, office or fourth bedroom and a large bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and a bathroom complete this level. The upper level master suite with walk-in wardrobe, ensuite and a room which can be its living room, office or a nursery has city views and a glimpse of the sea and Rangitoto.
The Cleaves of UP Realty had sold this home off-market before.
The owners installed the pool after much research and hired a landscape designer to evolve the grounds’ structure and planting.
Dave’s lockdown handyman project was putting flooring into the large storage room accessed from this floor. Having another bedroom and bathroom on the lower level, accompanying the laundry, gave their son and their daughter the luxury of never sharing bathrooms.
Shar says: “It’s been a perfect home; calm and retreat-like but also great when our children had parties here.”
They enjoy their proximity to Remuera, Sylvia Park, Newmarket and the CBD. St Heliers School is nearby and they can easily walk to St Heliers village and beach and through nearby Dingle Dell Reserve.
Their two children having now flown the nest for good, the long-time St Heliers residents are relocating to their other property up north.
UP Realty agent Peter Cleave says: “This immaculately presented home will suit empty-nesters or families who’ll appreciate its architectural renovation, beautiful landscaping and pool and great location in sought-after Brilliant Street.”
- 18 Brilliant Street in Saint Heliers is for sale by auction on July 10
