SCHOOL ZONES:
Murrays Bay Primary and Intermediate, Rangitoto College.
CONTACT:
Victoria Bidwell, Bayleys, 021 947 080.
Life has been a holiday for the Hunt family -- their house couldn't be much closer to Murrays Bay.
It's a bit like living in a bach, except the house is architecturally designed, on four levels and fits snugly into the grassy slope before the sand.
Rosemary says she and husband John have wrestled with themselves about leaving this spot, which has pohutukawas framing the view out front and which bloom a brilliant red at Christmas.
At Christmas, when other families thought about holidaying at a beach, this family could stay home.
The four children are grown up now, however, and there are travel and other plans ahead, says Rosemary.
"Weeks will go past when I don't even go into that top level. We sort of tossed and turned about it and put it off and thought, 'No, no it's not time', but I think it is time."
They built about 15 years ago, moving the original cottage to the back of the section to make room for the house. That is rented out but they lived in it when they first bought and had only two children.
Rosemary says she was an accountant and worked for Deloittes in London and while in London John went into investment banking, though he has changed direction and is now the CEO of Harbour Basketball. Rosemary has retrained and works for a human resources consultancy.
Between London and building, they went to Hong Kong to earn some money for the build.
She says the design of the house was a slow burn while they lived on the 21st floor of an apartment building and recalls waking up in the night thinking of features she wanted.
"It was sort of before email so we'd be faxing instructions backwards and forwards, you know, ideas, to the architect.
"I think it probably benefited from such a long design process, because we changed it. We needed more bedrooms; we didn't expect to have twins."
They cut quite a bit into the hill and the foundations took the longest time. Under the concrete slab, covered by wooden floors, are more than 20 enormous pillars -- this house isn't going anywhere, Rosemary says.
"And it's got such a lovely relationship with the beach. We really wanted something where you walked out and there was almost like a blurred distinction between inside and outside, and that we weren't all on decks looking down, we just wanted to be able to flow out."
The front has bifold windows and doors and, on a nice day, it's almost like a pavilion, she says.
"For a long time we had a share in a house at Waiheke and, to be honest, we got to the stage where we couldn't be bothered going. It's just so easy to be here."
The children lived on the beach growing up and sailed and went to the surf club nearby.
Image 1 of 5: With the sparkling sea, sand and sun on your doorstep -- plus a cottage for guests -- why would you want to holiday anywhere else
"The kids have grown up jumping off the wharf and fishing off the wharf. We've got that big ship's bell and when they were little I'd just ring the bell when I wanted them."
She has fond memories of four little children sitting under the warm outdoor shower until there was no more hot water.
"The house from day one has been full of kids and dogs and cats. We've really lived in it."
This site has come up for sale only twice in 50 years, she says, showing a framed diagram of the original subdivision. Sections back then were going for easy term plans of £1 down and £1 per month.
