Sandringham: Who bought that house?

14 Royal Terrace, Sandringham.

Sold by: John Erceg, Bayleys Mount Eden, ph 631 1888.

There's nothing like planning ahead for a good possie for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, reckons Garyn Hayes. He and his partner, both sport lovers, have just bought their dream house around the corner from Eden Park.

"We'd looked at more than 50 houses, and missed out on two others at auctions," he says. "So this had to be third-time-lucky or we were ready to give up looking."

The couple had a very particular brief: a proper double garage, decent wardrobes, two bathrooms and great flow to a flat outdoor area. When they saw the Royal Terrace property (featured in Heraldhomes, December 17) they could tick everything on their list, and more. They were delighted at the care taken by the sellers to renovate the property, the good kauri floors and sunny outdoor living.

"This is a great street because it's no exit, nice and quiet," says Garyn. "It has a lovely bunch of houses and a good feeling."

The couple are delighted at how neighbourly the area is: several neighbours watched the auction and welcomed the lucky buyers into their neighbourhood, so they expect to feel settled very quickly. And across the railway are the cafes and shops of Kingsland.

Eventually they plan to put their own stamp on the landscaping and perhaps do up the kitchen, but all in good time.

In the meantime, Garyn's company is negotiating for passes to the World Cup, and friends have already started making bookings for the big games.