SCHOOL ZONES:
Marina View School, Hobsonville Point Secondary and Massey High.
CONTACT:
David Whitley, LJ Hooker, 020 4005 2167.
AUCTION:
April 17 at 2.30pm, on-site (unless sold prior).
After many years of hard work -- and especially the past 10, as busy franchise owners at McDonald's in New Lynn -- Dinesh and Anita Mani felt the time was right for building their ideal home.
Having found the perfect section they got a blank "dream" notebook and started cutting and pasting ideas they liked from architecture and decorating magazines.
Their designer went to work and even went so far as to produce 3D versions of the plans so the couple could imagine exactly what living in their special spot, overlooking the marina, with extensive city views, would feel like.
"I was very heavily involved with the project from the start and oversaw every little detail," says Dinesh. "I wanted it to be utterly perfect."
And perfect it was. After 18 months the couple moved in with their adult son, and started getting to know their new three-level house.
The ground floor has a handsome front door and soaring ceiling. On this level is a triple garage, featuring a small kitchenette, and a "man cave" or media room with a seven-speaker surround-sound system and huge LED screen. There's a bedroom and bathroom down here, too, along with Dinesh's pride and joy: his wine cellar.
"This was something that I had always dreamed of," he says.
On the second level are three more bedrooms, the laundry and a bright, glossy modern kitchen and dining space, which has the added bonus of a scullery, and luxury Bosch and Panasonic appliances. Extensive decking on this floor provides ample opportunity to soak up the sun at practically any time of the day and the heated swimming pool is adjacent.
On the third level the couple's master suite features a large bedroom with remote-control blinds, a sumptuous bathroom, private living area and Anita's favourite touch of luxury: an enormous walk-in wardrobe in a room she uses for changing and make-up.
Image 1 of 8: You can get lost on the way to the wine cellar in your own house. Photos / Ted Baghurst
"It's more or less the size of another bedroom," says Dinesh.
"The deal was that I got my wine cellar, and she got this."
No expense has been spared and the property is highly specced with quality fixtures and fittings.
Dinesh, who confesses to being a technical freak, added many extras to his original wish-list as the build progressed.
"I can even see who's at the gate while I'm at work in New Lynn, then open it remotely, using my phone," he says.
There's LED lighting and duct-controlled air conditioning throughout the house. When Dinesh said that he wanted nothing but the best, he wasn't joking.
He and Anita are rightly proud of what they've achieved here but there's one small problem -- or, rather, a sort of big one.
"I have to be honest and say that the house is too large for us," says Dinesh. "We get lost in it and sometimes have to call or text so that we can find each other."
"It's a wonderful home and we've loved living here but it would really be better suited to a young family or extended family."
He says the neighbourhood is friendly and most of the occupants in surrounding properties are also business people.
Access to the city, and to all the new West Auckland developments, is easy.
For now, he and Anita plan to look for something a bit closer to their business and although they haven't ruled out building again, at the moment it seems likely that they'll buy an existing house -- then turn it into a smaller version of their current property.
