4A Tower Hill. Photo / Supplied
When Yuen Fei Wei went looking for an apartment in Auckland's CBD in 2003, the Tower Hill building in Emily Place was only six years old.
Yuen liked the purpose-built freehold Tower Hill apartment block because it had a good location, it came with a car park, plus the body corp fees were relatively low.
"And it was a good quality building compared to others I had seen," he says.
The modern apartment he bought was this two-bedroom, one-bathroom on level four.
Yuen says it offered good security with an on-site building manager, plus occupiers have access only to the level they live.
"The site manager is always helpful. The body corp handles matters cautiously and professionally."
The apartment gets the sun from late morning until evening.
"It's warm during winter and cool during summer, which saves energy," says Yuen. "And water usage is included in the body corp fees."
Other residents are a mix of owner-occupiers and tenants who include professionals, retirees, students and families.
His apartment faces northwest, with views out to Takutai Square and a peep of the waterfront. It is just across the road from Britomart, and close to Auckland University.
"It's an easy walk to Fort St, the Britomart precinct, waterfront, with a selection of dining, shopping and nightlife."
The solid concrete Tower Hill block was built in 1997 and has 164 apartments on 16 levels. It was designed by ADC Architects and has studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Shared facilities include the gym on the second level.
Yuen's apartment layout has the entry straight into the open plan living space, the kitchen then bathroom on one side of the lounge and dining areas, and the balcony off the other. The kitchen has a laminated benchtop, new Elba ceramic stainless cooktop, new Fisher and Paykel dishwasher and a new Samsung fridge.
The two bedrooms, measuring 3.7 x 3.2m and 4 x 2.9m, have wardrobes, plus windows looking out to the street below.
"One of the bedrooms has a bi-folding door which has a magic of creating a feeling of larger open plan space when it is opened," says Yuen who owns the property with his wife, Tak Wai Wen.
"The whole apartment has been professionally re-painted and re-carpeted, about a year ago. The kitchen and bathroom are in the same condition as they were when the apartment was built."
Yuen has had tenants in the apartment.
"It is now rented to a professional couple for $650 per week."
But a change of circumstances has led to him selling. "That necessitates giving up this valuable investment that I have held for more than 15 years."
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