For Shelley Clements, it was the view out to Waiheke and the easy flow of the house that caught her eye. For her partner Grant Eveleigh, it came down to the garage.
Grant needed a big garage for his classic cars. Originally, there were three down there but now Grant, who restores cars, is down to his 1964 white Cadillac - imagine a sequined Elvis Presley in the back - and a 1968 Mustang.
The garage door has a "man cave" sign on it, and Grant says: "One of the reasons we bought the house in the first place was because the garage could house three cars." Of course, the garage is not the only reason. Shelley says the couple's modern and roomy two-level house, built around 2008, has been a pleasure to live in.
Upstairs, the sea view spans Waiheke and Motutapu islands and takes in Rangitoto. The house is designed so the view can be seen from the front deck, kitchen and living areas, the covered back deck and the backyard's sitting area.
Downstairs, the concrete tiled entryway goes past the garage on one side and the guest bedroom on the other. That room has a walk-in wardrobe and en suite, and access to a lower deck that also looks out to sea.
Stairs lead up to the home's main level, and open into a spacious open plan kitchen, dining and living area that is flooded with light.
Shelley likes the main living being higher than the street level.
"It feels different to being at street level, so you've got the beautiful views, you've got all your functional, flowing living on this floor and it's kind of like the hub, really."
There are multiple living areas in this space, including the deck out the front and the one out the back that the couple have covered in to create an extra room.
There are heaters for winter cosiness but the space can be opened up in summer, and it leads to the fenced back yard.
"It's great because I can see or hear the kids wherever they are. It's a good family home, it functions well," says Shelley.
The yard is hedged with Maori Princess pohutukawa, which Shelley says is a genetically modified variety of the iconic tree that can be trimmed.
There is a play area for their two small children. It is grassed and landscaped with concrete paths and steps leading to a storage area under the house.
The master bedroom upstairs opens to the deck and has a large, walk-in wardrobe and en suite with a double shower.
The couple had been living in Golflands but used to drive their cars over to this area a lot, Shelley says.
They say the location is wonderful. Their house is close to reserves, the beach and there is a new shopping centre just up the road with a pub, coffee shop, gym and more.
Pine Harbour, where there is a ferry to the city, is nearby, as is stunning Maraetai Beach and Omana Regional Park.
The family is moving because they want a lifestyle change - so they are "joining the Auckland exodus". For them, that is a move to Kinloch, about 20 minutes out of Taupo.
