As blokey yarns go, buying a house after you've downed a couple of ales partying at it makes for a good tale.
Add in the fact your wife has barely seen through it, and you're talking the stuff of bloke legend.
But Andrew Pollock wasn't anywhere near as gung-ho as this highly potted version of the purchase suggests. He was just keen to secure this home, which boasts spectacularly sweeping views, for wife Philippa and himself.
The Pollocks understand this house originated as a builder's own, circa 1970. The second owners, who lived here for 25 years, were parents of a mate of Andrew's and hosted that party more than 12 years ago.
"My buddy was back from his OE for Christmas and we came around here for a bit of a barbecue party," says Andrew. "We walked because we lived only about 10 houses away around the corner in a house we were renovating on the main road."
Andrew's now a quantity surveyor for property consultancy Prendos and spends much of his time working in Christchurch. Back then, though, he was a builder who recognised the solid construction of a weatherboard home on a concrete block base with a concrete tile roof.
He also appreciated the home's sense of privacy, tucked away down a driveway.
The partying couple hung outside, chatting near the front door. It wasn't until Andrew nipped inside to get food that he spotted the stellar northerly and easterly views.
"I thought, 'Wow,' because you just don't realise from the front door what sort of a view there is. When we were walking home I said to Philippa, who hadn't seen the view, 'I got a funny feeling when we were in that house that we're going to own it one day."'
Months later, Philippa was away at her parents' beach house when the fate of this home came to a head, given Andrew's mate's parents were building a new home elsewhere.
Andrew discovered it was being prepared for sale and bought it before it was marketed.
Philippa laughs, "I drove back from Whangamata to sign the papers and Bob, the dad, said to me, 'What do you think of the house?' And I said, 'I haven't actually really seen through it!"'
Since then the property has been a lovely family base for the Pollocks, including son Joshua (nearly 14), black lab Coco and cat Sam.
They've mainly focused on exterior improvements such as creating indoor-outdoor flow to multiple sizeable decks and upgrading grounds.
Its semi-original interior suited them while Joshua grew and selling now allows new owners to choose their own interior decor and maximise the versatile layout.
The interior-access double garage with good storage is bolstered by off-street parking which can take a boat. A front patio announces mid-floor entry.
Philippa finds keeping blinds down on two narrow vertical windows maintains the surprise of the views.
The sun-drenched lounge/dining room and family room beside the kitchen open wide to big wrap-around decks built a couple of years ago and views from Whangaparaoa to Rangitoto. Yachting, moonlight on the water and the weather rolling in help ensure the view is diverse.
Downstairs there's a rumpus opening to the lower deck, laundry, shower room, the garage and under-house storage.
Diverse grounds include a level rear lawn, mature trees and a great tree fort.
With Andrew now working in Christchurch so often, the couple want to downsize to somewhere more "lock-up-and-leave" in Auckland, passing the next stage of renovation to new owners.
