East to west, views are best

9/25 Stanley Point Rd, Devonport. Photo / Getty Images

APARTMENT 9, 25 STANLEY POINT RD, DEVONPORT

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SIZE: Land 1/9th share of 1778sq m (cross- leased), house 150sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: CV $1.425 million.

INSPECT: Open home Saturdays and Sundays 12-12.45pm, until tender closes.

ON THE WEB: harcourts.co.nz #DP6749

SCHOOL ZONES: Stanley Bay Primary, Devonport Primary, Belmont Intermediate and Takapuna Grammar.

CONTACT: Glenice Taylor 021 943 021 or Gary Potter 021 953 021, Harcourts.

FEATURES: A three-bedroom penthouse apartment featuring panoramic views in every direction, on the fourth floor of a small complex with nine tenants. Recently refurbished with a new kitchen and bathrooms, American oak flooring and carpets. In a sought-after location of established gracious homes and close to beaches, parks and the commuter ferry to Auckland.

For Ann Stewart, leaving won't be easy.

From her Devonport apartment she not only has views of the city and busy Waitemata Harbour, but also Stanley Bay Beach, Rangitoto Island, Ngataringa Bay, Mt Victoria and the Harbour Bridge. She can even see Auckland Museum.

Ann has loved her 10 years in the penthouse three-bedroom apartment.

Her favourite spot is on the couch in the lounge. From there she can see Mt Victoria, Rangitoto and the glistening green waters of Ngataringa Bay. She also loves relaxing on one the three outside decks, depending on which view takes her fancy.

"It's a brilliant sunny day but it really doesn't matter what the weather is like. It's always lovely here. You don't need anything, you just need the view. It's beautiful, and it's beautiful at night as well," she says.

"And, of course, if there's anything on in the harbour you've got a bird's eye view. When the Rugby World Cup was on, the firework display - there was no better place than here, it was absolutely amazing."

Ann loves a good storm, too, and will sit on the couch or lie back in bed and watch the lightning.

The master bedroom has an en suite and its own deck and looks out over the city from one window and the Harbour Bridge from another.

The second bedroom also has its own deck, where Ann often sits and reads the paper at the weekend. This room looks out towards Ngataringa Bay, and the harbour and city.

The third bedroom, which is being used as an office, doesn't lose anything just because it's the third bedroom - it also has envious views.

And from the open-plan lounge/kitchen, with newly laid warm American oak flooring, the views are to die for.

"We really do have north, south, east and west," Ann says.

She says the fourth floor it is perfect viewing - it's not too high and not too low.

"You get the right perspective, so when you see a boat it really is that size, and you're not up above and trying to gauge the height, and, also, if you're sitting you don't have to get up because sometimes if you're very high you only see sky and distance."

You can look out over rooftops and backyards or into the trees, including many pohutukawa, which are lush with bird life.

Sometimes tui land on the rail of a smaller standing deck, which runs the entire way around the apartment, and there are sometimes orca and dolphins in the harbour.

Swimming at Stanley Bay is just down the road or it's only five minutes walk, if that, to a little cove the locals call the "secret cove".

Ann and her family have lived in other homes in Devonport and rented here first, but when the apartment came on the market they decided to buy it.

"I loved it because, well, the view's number one. But the security, too, and the neighbours are great, lovely people, and the area.

Image 1 of 6: 9/25 Stanley Point Rd, Devonport. Photo / Getty Images

She says the kitchen is only a year old and all the windows, and even the roof, have been replaced. The new windows mean the apartment doesn't get rattly when the wind blows.

Ann and husband Reid are selling with heavy hearts but now that their children are grown up it's time for some travel.

Next stop: South America!