Some homes are “unapologetically Titirangi,” says agent Mel Tomes who is marketing a quirky house in the trees as just that.
Tomes, from Harveys, says Titirangi means “fringe of heaven” and that’s an accurate description of the suburb in Auckland’s west where the real estate offers a surprise around every corner.
Homes are often nestled high up with views of the sea although access is not always easy.
The house at 30 Wood Bay Road with four bedrooms and an asking price of $1.175 million is a perfect example.
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That’s another thing about Titirangi, Tomes says – you can get a great house for a bit less than some of Auckland’s pricier suburbs.
On the North Shore, for example, $2m would get an average house in some parts but Tomes says that same price tag in Titirangi would buy something pretty special.
OneRoof figures show the suburb’s average property value has jumped $354,000 in the last two years, although values have fallen back 3.5% in the last quarter.
The bush suburb in the Waitakere Ranges is popular with families and has retained its arty, hippy feel.
Houses like the one on Wood Bay Road offer a variety of shapes and angles with interesting living spaces and Tomes says number 30 has a huge atrium at the entrance which is full of light.
“It’s got beautiful bush outlook. You get a peek of the sea, native birds. It’s got a steep driveway which is also so Titirangi, but that’s how you get that lovely elevation, and the sun as well which is pretty lovely.
A four-bedroom at 30 Wood Bay Road, Titirangi, Auckland, has price tag of $1.175m. Photo / Supplied
Titirangi homeowners love being close to nature. Photo / Fiona Goodall
“Even the exterior with that rough weatherboard look is quite a Titirangi style. It blends in with the environment rather than being ‘look at me’ which is really nice and it’s got the big deck out the front so you’ve got a beautiful space to enjoy the natural environment as well.”
Titirangi’s real estate is not like other suburbs, she says: “It’s not like you walk along the street and all the houses [are] similar to the one next door.
“They are all different and often reflect the style of the people that built them or the era that they were built in as well.”
Since Covid, a lot of people from central Auckland and the North Shore have moved out west because of the value and lifestyle the suburb offers with the bush, beaches and atmosphere at Titirangi Village with its cafes and art galleries.
People coming back from overseas have also shown interest, especially if they have been living in big, congested cities.
“Titirangi gives them that beautiful New Zealand lifestyle. I mean, it's the epitome of New Zealand with all the native trees and the beaches.”
Scott Larsen, Harcourts branch manager for Titirangi and Glen Eden, says the suburb features an architectural and natural surprise around every corner.
“Depending on what angle you turn around on you might get the beautiful sunrise and then the house just further down the road might get the beautiful sunset.”
Unlike suburbs seeing a lot of uniform development there’s no such thing in Titirangi with its mid-century homes tucked into the trees with big glass windows to take advantage of views to the Manukau.
Some homes, like one Harcourts is marketing at 44 Paturoa Road, need some work but they are set in picturesque locations.
There are a lot of gems out west, Larsen says, and a lot to do with walking tracks closed because of Kauri dieback starting to open up again.
A waterfront home for sale at 44 Paturoa Road, Titirangi. Photo / Supplied
Art deco in the bush. The instantly recognisable buildings that line Titirangi’s main street. Photo / Supplied
Larsen says the suburb used to be a bach getaway for Aucklanders who might go to the Coromandel and elsewhere these days but the suburb has retained the feeling of being removed from the hustle and bustle of the city.
From the 1950s on, many architects came to the area and designed homes to fit into the surroundings.
“Every home is designed probably for its best position on the site whether it's for access or views or sun, they've done their best to try and maximise the enjoyment out of it for the homeowner.”
Larsen knows doctors and lawyers who have moved to Titirangi, saying they love to leave their job at the end of the day and come home to a friendly community and a house on a decent-sized piece of land.
Much of the suburb is zoned residential large lot housing which he says means it’s highly unlikely to be subdivided, unlike other large parts of Auckland.
“For now, the zoning doesn't allow for the intensification of subdividing.”
The house on Paturoa Road, on the market for $1.05m, needs a reclad and has challenging access, but is private with the bay down below, he says.
While access can be an issue, some properties in the area have monorail lifts which transport people, or at least their shopping, to their homes.
The market has been quiet with Larsen saying Titirangi tends to die down over winter more than other suburbs in the west, but spring is coming and that’s when the market usually comes back to life.
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