Their intentions were to downsize and stay in Murray Bays. Instead Jacinta and Ron Brown upsized and moved to Red Beach.
And, after settling in 18 months ago, they couldn't have been happier here.
In fact, Jacinta says she wishes they had been living in this home when their children - Liam, Erin and Elise - were young. The size and land are ideal for family living.
The two-level home was built in the 1980s. Originally it sat on 1.6ha of land but the property had been subdivided just before Jacinta and Ron bought their house on 3722sq m.
"We got lot one. That was the original lot with the house and the sections around it have been sold and are being built on.
"It was totally unexpected to move to Red Beach. We were planning to stay in the Bays because my daughter still had a year left at Rangi. But this property came up."
She says it took some adjusting to the move, though. "We had always lived in Murrays Bay in a triangle of three houses for 30 years and suddenly to be out of our comfort zone was hard. But we all absolutely love it now," says Jacinta. "We have sort of become Coasties."
She says the house was designed on a grand scale at 400sq m. "It has wide hallways and a sunken lounge with sarked ceilings. It is like stepping into a lodge.
"A friend of mine joked we have an east wing and a west wing. It has good proportions; I would love to know who the original people were who built it."
45 Matija Place, Red Beach. Photo / Supplied
When they moved in, the block-and-cedar home needed some TLC.
"We painted inside and out, replaced all the internal doors.
"We rejigged the kitchen to make it more user friendly, so we have extended it and put in a scullery.
"We have put in a new driveway and fencing. A good makeover."
The home has the master bedroom suite on the second level with two walk-in wardrobes and a large en suite, and opening to a private deck. Another room on this level would be ideal as a small bedroom or an office.
"I would have loved it when I had my kids because it could have been a nursery."
45 Matija Place, Red Beach. Photo / Supplied
Jacinta suggests, because the home is large, this second level could be devoted to grandparents in an extended family situation - as long as they were comfortable with stairs.
Downstairs is the dining room and large sunken lounge that opens to the deck, as does the kitchen and family dining area.
There are also the dining room, three bedrooms, family bathroom, office and separate laundry. For heating they have a freestanding woodfire in the lounge, a heat pump in the hallway and bathrooms have underfloor heating.
Being north-facing, the home bathes in sunlight. "My husband says it is the best designed house for the sun he has ever lived in."
Outside they have the lawn, the gardens that Jacinta has landscaped and planted with grasses and succulents, plus the heated pool and spa.
45 Matija Place, Red Beach. Photo / Supplied
"We have never had a pool or a spa pool before and we especially love the spa pool." They look towards Orewa, across the Orewa River.
"We see the estuary, it is a lovely view, whether the tide is in or out because of the patterns the water makes. And at night we look out across the estuary to the lights of Orewa."
A private gate from the small subdivision opens to a 7km walkway around the estuary.
A second dwelling on their property has a bedroom, bathroom, living area and deck. Now that their two eldest children have bought a house together at Hatfields Beach, Jacinta and Ron have decided it is time to get serious about downsizing.
"This was always going to be a stepping stone as we have a section at Snells Beach. Plans are to build. We are finally downsizing."
She thinks this large home would be ideal for an extended family or people wanting to downsize from a lifestyle property but still wanting a large home with a decent amount of land wihout the work a lifestyle block involves.
