Remuera: Who bought that house?

175A Victoria Ave, Remuera. 

Sold by: Megan Jaffe, Harcourts, ph 021 611 461. 

Alex Joyce loves to tell people that she retired late last year after 20-something years in high pressure marketing roles. But the mother of Michael, 3, and Grace, 2, admits she is surprised at how being home-based changed her attitude to the family house. 

"It's like putting all the pieces of the jigsaw together," says Alex. "Home becomes one of the pieces of the puzzle, and I realised being home all day that the house wasn't working for me or young children." 

The character 1900s house was in a traditional floor plan, but Alex wanted a space where kitchen, living and outdoors were open to each other so she and the kids could stay within sight of each other. With husband Sean, she began searching for a house which would suit the family's change of lifestyle, and within easy reach of schools as the children approached five. Their brief was open - they didn't mind a brand new or a character house with a modern renovation. 

Early in the search their agent, Megan Jaffe, had shown them a modern Brent Hulena-designed house, but negotiations had fallen over. As the women kept hunting, they realised after discarding many others, that the Victoria Avenue house (featured in Heraldhomes on November 19) was the only one. Negotiations reopened, but by this stage two other families were also bidding. With Megan's help, the Joyces secured their dream home and one of the key pieces of Alex's new jigsaw was in place. 

She's also delighted at some of the pampering the brand new house offers: a walk-in master closet, a master bathroom with luxury shower heads, a kids' bedroom zone that includes their own living space. The open plan kitchen, living and dining space opens right out to the pool area, just as the couple had specified. 

With the old house on the market and plans afoot for furnishing and decorating the new house, Alex still hasn't seen much leisure in her new lifestyle. But she's looking forward to the ease and balance that their new house will bring.