Aussie NRL star Addin Fonua-Blake has words of advice for anyone looking to buy a home in Auckland: Flatbush is much nicer than Remuera.
When Fonua-Blake and wife Ana was lured to New Zealand by the “Wahs” in 2021, they turned to former league player Logan Swann for help.
Swann, a real estate agent at Ray White, started the couple off in his home patch of Remuera but the search soon moved south.
“The houses looked a lot better when I went out to Flat Bush and a lot of my friends and family said that Flat Bush is a good family area and nice and quiet,” Fonua-Blake told OneRoof.
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The couple settled on 26 Bellagio Way. They liked the architecture, the entertaining deck, and the fact it was 400 metres from a primary school, meaning they could walk their kids to school.
The player has been a powerful force for the Warriors but his stint with the club came to end this month, and he is heading back to Australia, having secured an early release from his contract on compassionate grounds.
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“We wanted 26 Bellagio Way to be our forever home. The plan was to re-sign with the Warriors and stay here as long as I could. But due to unforeseen circumstances we’ve got to move back to Australia,” he told OneRoof.
Fonua-Blake, who will join the Cronulla Sharks next year on a four-year contract, said his family had loved their Flat Bush home. “All the neighbours are really friendly, and I’ve settled in well here.
“We’ve had a few dinners up on the roof terrace. It’s a good spot for barbecues when the sun’s out,” he said. Guests have included his Warriors teammates. “Not all of them at once, though. They might have fallen through the roof,” he joked.
26 Bellagio Way, in Flat Bush, hosted more than a few sports stars. Photo / Supplied
The family has upgraded the home since buying it in 2022. Photo / Supplied
The couple bought the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home in August 2022 for $1.46 million, just below its CV of $1.55m.
Fonua-Blake said the couple had carried out renovations over the past two years including tinting the windows, re-carpeting to make the house more homely, and turning the garage into a gym for Ana. “My wife likes to keep fit, but having the four kids it’s not convenient to go to a gym,” he said. “So, it was a perfect fit for her.”
Swann, who played 195 times for the Warriors, often provides real estate services to the team’s players. He’s also helped a Hollywood A-lister buy a home in New Zealand, although he’s sworn to secrecy.
“I reach out to the [Warriors] from time to time, especially when there are new marquee players coming across. Nine times out of 10, I get players engaging and asking, ‘yep, could you help me out’.”
He brokered the purchase of the Flat Bush home for the Fonua-Blakes and is now selling it.
“But there is much more to the home than just its famous owner,” Swann told OneRoof. “It’s away from the hustle and bustle. It has a nature reserve park [across the road]. It’s always good to have a park or reserve as a neighbour rather than high-density homes. And it’s a corner site.”
- 26 Bellagio Way, in Flat Bush, Auckland, has a set sale date of October 24
