Auckland’s Avondale is a huge suburb, but 20 Henry Street is located in the small, sought-after heritage precinct that locals, with tongue-in-cheek, call Avondale Heights.
Ray White agent Jerry Chen, proud local, is selling the property and says, “you have 100-year-old Victorian houses in this area and parts of the streets are also heritage protected. Between us neighbours there is a booklet of old photos of what these streets and houses looked like 100 years ago and we pass it around every so often.
“It’s a really old part of Auckland that’s seen a revival. The cafes, like Burnt Butter Diner and Brown Street, are really awesome and part of the community. You can see the changes that have happened in the last five years, there’s been a real shift in energy. It’s the suburb of the future.”
After returning to Auckland from living in the South Island, owners of Henry Street Jim and Katie bought a little two-bedroom villa around the corner on Roberton Road. Their two prerequisites were that their new Auckland property had to have good green space and be in close proximity to the city, so they struck gold in Avondale.
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“It had a huge garden and was amazing, but we started to grow out of it with our little kids. We’ve got two boys and they were sharing a room,” says Katie.
After a long search, they were thrilled they didn’t need to leave the neighbourhood they loved in order to upsize.
“We moved literally around the corner, about 10 houses down the street. We love Avondale. It’s established itself into a real coffee hub – there are so many options now and it’s lovely to walk around,” she says.
“It’s very friendly and everyone acknowledges everyone. I’m from Wellington originally so I love that feeling of a friendly neighbourhood.”
The house is a classic – a solid, good-boned Californian bungalow with wooden framing, big rooms, native timber floors, high ceiling studs and bay windows.
The 120sqm house has three bedrooms, one bathroom, garaging for two vehicles and sits on a 766sqm section.
Their new property’s size and CBD proximity ticked the boxes too.
“The massive north-facing section is 766m2 and it’s only 15 minutes from the centre of the city.”
The house itself is a classic – a solid, good-boned Californian bungalow with wooden framing, big rooms, native timber floors, high ceiling studs and bay windows. The traditional, single-level floor plan sees all three double bedrooms located down one side of the house, with the living room, kitchen and dining space along the other.
Katie says this set-up worked perfectly for their family.
“It’s got great flow, you’re not stuck in the kitchen without being able to see the kids, it is all just so open and lovely.”
Lots of the timber frames are in their original unpainted state, which Katie loves, as well as the practicality of the fireplace.
“The feeling of wood is comforting and the real looking fireplace is actually gas – the mess-free version! We’ve enjoyed the sunny aspect, the huge deck and the expanse of the garden, combined with the warmth and the way that the space works for us.”
As well as the to-die-for coffee on offer, this is also a pooch-friendly neighbourhood.
“We’ve got an old girl and take her to Heron Park, which is an off-lead park, and also the Oakley Creek, which runs between Avondale and Mount Albert,” says Katie.
The traditional, single-level floor plan sees all three double bedrooms located down one side of the house, with the living room, kitchen and dining space along the other.
“If this house was in Mount Eden or Grey Lynn it would be close to $3m,” says Ray White agent Jerry Chen.
Kids are also well looked after. “Our younger one loves the playground at Henry Reserve right across the road. The bike tracks are also great – now that our eldest is big enough, he can bike all the way to the Waterview Skate Park, or closer to the local bike trails.”
20 Henry Street in Avondale, Auckland, goes to auction on October 23. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom property has a 2021 CV of $1.55 million and, according to OneRoof data, last changed hands in 2022 for $1.705m.
Chen explains that the incredibly well-connected area experienced a real lift when the Waterview Tunnel opened a few years back.
“You’ve got really good motorway access to the city, as well as through 18 to the North Shore or 20 out to the airport, you’re on the train line, you’re on the northwestern cycleway and the frequent buses that go out west all come though this part of town. You could live here without a car.”
He also says this property presents a great investment, now and into the future.
“If this house was in Mount Eden or Grey Lynn it would be close to $3m, so you’re getting so much value here for something that ticks all the boxes.
“At the peak, houses around here were going for $2m-$2.5m. So right now you’re getting a massive discount but the future potential is still here. People were going nuts over these houses at the peak and the desire is still there, but the ability to pay more is subdued by interest rates and economic pressures in the meantime.”
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