Mt Eden: Who Bought That House?

Zone 23, 23 Edwin Street, Mt Eden.

Sold by: John Shaw, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 307 6340.

When Jade Pilimon decided to uproot from the distant east Auckland beaches to settle in the inner city, she hadn't expected to find such a vibrant and friendly mixed neighbourhood. After four or five months of viewing downtown apartments which she found more like hotel rooms, she couldn't believe her luck when Barfoot & Thompson agent John Shaw showed her this industrial look development (featured in Heraldhomes on August 17) on the city fringes of Mt Eden. Only two apartments were left in the complex.

"This is such a neat community - in the 23 apartments we have families with kids, singles, couples in their 60s, a great mix of people," she says.

Jade was drawn to the well-designed building with its double-height ceilings (some as high as 5m), warm polished concrete floors, welcoming entrance, water feature and clever design. All the balconies face the sun and catch glimpses of the city, Mt Eden, even a tiny corner of Rangitoto. She has wasted no time in organising a neighbourhood get-together and expects the community courtyard and barbecue area to get good use. Jade is intrigued by how well the apartment designs adapt to the various households tastes: decor in the complex runs from Victorian eclectic to modern minimalism.

With Mt Eden across the road, the emerging Normanby Road shopping and eating complex around the corner and Mt Eden village or Newmarket a few minutes walk away, Jade is finding she barely needs to use her car.

And Jade's friends and family are delighted to no longer be dragged round open homes all weekend (a real test of friendship, she reckons). Instead they are using her apartment as their city stop-off.