Most teens are glued to their devices but the couple farewelling 60 Carter Road in Oratia, Waitakere, say it’s helped theirs engage with the real world and the joint family passions of horse riding and surfing.
Leah says: “We moved here in mid-2011 having previously lived in Piha, which was great because my husband Chris and two sons surf competitively. We felt like Oratia was a desirable area where the kids already had friends, that was still reasonably close to the surf.
“The move brought us closer to Oratia District School, where our three children started out, closer to the city for Chris, who works in medicine, and meant we had land for horses.”
Many of the couple’s friends visiting from homes in more central suburbs express surprise about how close Oratia is – about 25 minutes off-peak from the CBD. Their peaceful character bungalow with views into the city is on about 1.4 hectares.
Start your property search
“Our neighbour’s grandfather built it during World War One, and two other generations of that family subsequently lived here. Apparently the build had to be paused for a while due to a shortage of roofing iron because of the war effort.”
A semi-circular driveway fronts the home, passing through a portico entrance which allowed the children to exit cars undercover when they were young. The detached garage near the home didn’t have dimensions suiting their vehicles so they converted it to a one-bedroom sleepout.
Utilising a sunroom in the bungalow as its fourth bedroom meant the sleepout could host extended family, including a prolonged stay by Leah’s cousin, who’s a professional hip hop dancer. Other major improvements they’ve made include a new kitchen extension, fencing four paddocks, adding the three-bay open stables, tack room, dressage rink and heated swimming pool.
A semi-circular driveway fronts the home with a portico entrance.
The home was built by neighbour’s grandfather during World War I.
“Our neighbour just across the road is the go-to-guy for swimming pools in West Auckland so he just drove his digger across to ours each morning.”
The pool luxuriates on the sheltered northern side of the property, where the kitchen-dining space and lounge are, flowing out to decks.
“There are user-friendly, easy entertaining spaces so we’ve had large family gatherings of about 60 people here, spilling outside.”
Three builders needed further backup to lift a very heavy bay window into its new position in the kitchen extension. The re-sited window complements other character, such as native timber flooring, wood panelling in the dining area and the spacious lounge’s three-metre-high ceiling.
Four bedrooms include the master with walk-through wardrobe to an ensuite, plus there’s a family bathroom and a laundry-storage-wet room. Decking links the bungalow to the sleepout with a bedroom, lounge and bathroom.
The bungalow sits on 1.4 hectares and the homeowners have four horses.
Ray White agent Craig Smith: “This character home is an original piece of history in Oratia, West Auckland’s most valuable suburb ...”
The children learnt business principles early, running little chicken-hatching enterprises here. If new owners don’t ride they could convert the stables to an office or studio.
The children all transitioned to ACG Strathallan in Henderson before heading to other colleges. Nearby Sunnyvale train station provides convenient transport into town. The family now have four horses, sparking their desire for a property with even more land.
As a result they’re selling 60 Carter Road in Oratia, which has a 2021 RV of $1.85 million, by way of auction to be held on August 3.
Ray White agent Craig Smith says: “This character home is an original piece of history in Oratia, West Auckland’s most valuable suburb, on a property offering a great lifestyle, tranquillity and a nice amount of land.”
- Sponsored by Ray White
