Two years ago former Block winner Caleb Pearson decided to set up his own company, Waihanga Group, with quantity surveyor Logan James.
They successfully sold a seven-home terrace development in Te Atatu Peninsula, in Auckland, and are now embarking on new project, nine terraces in the North Shore’s Browns Bay, called Eastwood Rise.
“We want people to feel this is not just any terrace home, but has really good design, good quality products and is more than they expected," Pearson says.
“We want to be able to drive past in 10 years and be really proud of them."
Start your property search
The first three three-bedroom terrace homes have now been released, with prices starting at $1.15m. The remaining one two-bedroom and five three-bedroom homes will be released closer to the completion of building at the end of the year.
“This is an awesome elevated site, with north and east sun and clear views down the valley,” Pearson said. “We wanted to maximise the view, and that’s hard to appreciate just from renders, so we want people to see this on-site.”
The mostly three-bedroom homes, which start at $1.15m have three customisable interior schemes, including this one featuring smokey green and brushed brass . Render / Supplied
Building is well out of the ground for the two large blocks with a carpark forecourt on the edge of the Eastwood Rise cul de sac. Homes are mostly over 100sqm (one is 89 sqm) with sunny 12sqm courtyards. Each home has a single parking spot with conduiting to add charging for an electric vehicle if owners wanted to future-proof.
Pearson and James worked with their own architects and interior designers and commissioned Sentinel Homes for the build. They wanted to elevate the exterior to more than a row of cookie cutter terraces so used a low maintenance cedar-look fibre cement material called BGC on the upper floors to contrast with the white weatherboard ground floor, and smartened up aluminium windows with stylish steel shrouds.
Inside the pair obsessed over details and finishes, devising three customisable interior finishes, one of which includes smoky green kitchen cabinets and brushed brass tapware throughout. They boosted lighting, appliances and taps, ventilation and insulation to achieve a Homestar 6 sustainability rating.
The terrace homes have and courtyard gardens and each come with one carpark. Render / Supplied
The neighbourhood is close to Albany mall and the public transport hub and in zone for Rangitoto College and popular Murrays Bay intermediate, while Sherwood Reserve and its walkways to the beach are at the bottom of the hill.
Mitchell Eades from Wallace and Stratton real estate, who is marketing the properties with Tamara Markovic, said that the homes are attracting interest not just from first home buyers but also from downsizers.
“These are not similar to other terraces because of the flexibility to customise and the detail and finish. And you’re not paying a body corporate fee as you would for an apartment.
“They’ve really catered for buyers needs and wants,” he said.
- This article has been sponsored by Wallace & Stratton Real Estate Group
