SCHOOL ZONES:
Newton Central School, Kowhai Intermediate, Auckland Girls Grammar, Mt Albert Grammar.
CONTACT:
Diane Jackson, 375 8434 or 021 315 339, or Julie Prince, 375 7414 or 021 894 071, Bayleys.
AUCTION:
November 18.
In the 18 years John Mills has lived in his Auckland apartment, it's been extremely rare for a first-time visitor not to say "Wow!" as soon as they walk in.
The sheer size, the abundance of windows letting the light flood in and the wall of greenery provided by several large trees alongside the balcony never fail to elicit an impressed response from people who haven't been there before.
And then there's the character. John's home, which is often described as "New York loft-style", has original matai floors, exposed brick walls and industrial style tilting windows you just can't replicate in a new building. No wonder people are wowed.
"One of the things you have to get used to when you live here is people's reactions," says John. "They always say how amazing it is, and that I'm lucky to live here.
"This has happened so much that I started to wonder if I might tire of it. But I haven't. I love hearing that, just as I have loved living here."
When John moved in back in 1997, it was as a tenant. Having previously lived in a flat in a large Herne Bay villa, he'd been looking for an inner city rental with plenty of space, but quickly became discouraged by the tiny apartments he was shown.
"It got to the stage where I had to take a tape measure with me to make sure my lounge suite would fit in," he says. "It was getting demoralising, so when I was shown this, I was completely blown away by the size and I snapped it up immediately."
The top-floor apartment is one of 16 in a former warehouse that had been converted into dwellings about four years before John moved in.
He was keen on the mix of new fixtures, fittings and appliances combined with the original features.
"It really was a dream come true for me," he says.
Four years later his landlady died and John was able to buy the apartment from her estate.
His home has fitted his lifestyle perfectly -- it's easy to look after, which is ideal as he works seven days a week running a retail business, but at the same time it is great for entertaining because there is so much space.
Image 1 of 7: St Benedicts St could hold the answer to an apartment-seeker's prayer. Photos / Ted Baghurst
The open plan living/dining/kitchen opens out to a deck which is extremely private thanks to the trees, including a pohutukawa that is a spectacular blaze of colour in summer.
The top of the Sky Tower peeps over the trees and from the deck is a view toward Ponsonby and a glimpse of the harbour.
The downstairs area has a high stud that contributes to the feeling of spaciousness, with the ceiling over the lounge area double height.
Upstairs is a mezzanine floor that houses the large bedroom and bathroom, as well as two big storage cupboards.
Original wooden beams have been painted a crisp white to match the rest of the apartment.
The apartment also comes with a laundry concealed in a hall cupboard and a parking space and storage cupboard in the basement.
The area has changed a lot since John first moved there. "Urban cool" is the expression often used to describe the neighbourhood, with its mixture of stylish new buildings and trendy renovations. John still remembers when the striking building across the road that now houses the popular Benediction Cafe was a vacant site full of junk.
Symonds St with its many eateries is a two-minute stroll away and handy for public transport, although John says in all the years he has lived there, he has never caught the bus. Instead he walks to his business off lower Queen St, which only takes around 20 minutes.
He's decided the time has come to get out of the retail trade, and is planning to start a completely new chapter of his life, most likely outside Auckland. John admits putting the apartment on the market has not been an easy thing to do.
"It has been such a unique place to live and I feel quite sad to be leaving, but now somebody else gets to experience the joy of living here."
