When Ian and Marlene first set foot in 905/88 The Strand, Parnell, Auckland City, the view from the almost-waterfront penthouse apartment took their breath away.
The penthouse is on the market with an asking price of $1.5 million. It is a leasehold tenure and has a ratings valuation of $1.775m. Listed by Sally Giles of Barfoot & Thompson, Parnell, the penthouse has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, five carparks and, of course, stunning views,
“As soon as we walked in, we just thought, ‘wow’,” Ian recalls.
“As you walk in the front door, the view out the floor-to-ceiling windows is beautiful. You’ve got almost 360-degree views over the port and harbour, down past the Coromandel and out to Great Barrier, and up to the Sky Tower and harbour bridge in the other direction. At night, the view is just as beautiful – if not more – because of the city lights. It’s just wonderful.”
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Positioned right on the point of the instantly-recognisable Mirage Apartments building at the bottom of The Strand, the penthouse enjoys all-day sun and seamless connection with the outdoors thanks to four private decks – despite being nine stories up.
The Parnell penthouse apartment has multiple living spaces, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and five carparks. Photo / Supplied
The balcony off the master bedroom comes into its own at night when the cityscape beyond becomes a twinkling masterpiece. Most of the apartment revolves around the view, with vistas from almost every room.
Open-plan living is functional yet glamorous. The family room complete with gas fireplace offers cosy privacy away from the rest of the home, while underfloor heating and multi-zone heating and cooling make the apartment comfortable whatever the weather.
“Wherever you are in the kitchen and living areas, you can still be talking with friends. The lovely long bench and servery make it easy to entertain. With a lounge at one end, kitchen and dining in the middle, and what we like to calla little ‘snug’ at the other end, there’s plenty of room for everyone to enjoy each other’s company,” Marlene says.
Downstairs, a whopping five carparks (two of them in a double lock-up garage ideal for overflow storage, and that number of carparks virtually unheard of so close to the CBD) make getting out and about easy.
Motorway access in all directions is just around the corner, while the amenities, cafes, and restaurants of Parnell and Downtown Auckland along with the Eastern Beaches are mere minutes away.
The current owners say the Mirage Apartments complex is like a five-star hotel with two pools, spas, sauna and a full gym. Photo / Supplied
The apartment enjoys all-day sun and seamless connection with the outdoors thanks to four private decks – despite being nine stories up. Photo / Supplied
Ian says the Mirage Apartments complex is like a five-star hotel.
“Two swimming pools, indoor and outdoor spas, sauna, full gym … the complex is incredibly appointed and superbly looked after.”
Ian and Marlene agree that the leasehold tenure might put prospective buyers off, but in fact it gave them an opportunity to live a lifestyle that been unattainable previously.
“It might be leasehold land, but this is the sort of apartment that, if it was freehold, you’d pay a premium for it,” Ian says. “We happily accepted the reality of leasehold payments and got a glorious apartment that we could never have afforded otherwise.”
Now, it’s with a heavy heart that Ian and Marlene are bidding farewell to Parnell.
“When we purchased it, it was going to be our forever home,” Ian says. “But life has a habit of changing, so while we’re sad to leave this wonderful home, we’re very excited about new beginnings.”
