Every T's been crossed in St Heliers

89 Long Dr, St Heliers, Auckland. Photo / Ted Baghurst

89 LONG DR ST HELIERS

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SIZE: Land 452sq m, house 237sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected in the $1.45 million-$1.6 million range. Auction July 20 (unless sold prior).

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1-1.30pm.

ON THE WEB: barfoot.co.nz/457356

SCHOOL ZONES: St Heliers Bay Primary, (Year 1-8), Glendowie College.

CONTACT: Karin Cooper, ph 0274 912 158 or Veronica Schoonraad, ph 021 358 270, Barfoot & Thompson.

FEATURES: One of two new four-bedroom Linea weatherboard homes, built by family business with local roots. Well thought-out indoor and outdoor spaces with good storage, equally suitable for either family or downsizers.

After 16 years of working in various capacities at Fletcher Residential, George Evangelidakis, with his wife Sarah, set up their own house-building business, Principle Homes, in 2003.

"We're a small company," Sarah explains, "but I think what really sets us apart is that we live locally. We want to produce beautiful homes, not just for our own satisfaction, although that's a big part of it, but because the people who buy them are our neighbours. We want to be able to meet them in the shops, or drive past something we have built and be proud of what we have done."

This pride in workmanship is evident in every corner of George and Sarah's latest development, two beautifully designed and built homes on the sunny reaches of Long Dr.

Whether it's the carpeting in the garage or the finishing in the cupboards under the stairs, it's clear that someone has gone to a lot of effort to get things right, and ensure the homes are a pleasure to live in.

"I can't do without a million cupboards, so we look for corners everywhere to add storage, but George is absolutely crazy about quality," says Sarah.

"He is on site seven days a week and there isn't an inch of either of these buildings that he won't have crawled all over. He makes it a point of pride."

As a consequence of this commitment to quality, 89 Long Dr really does have everything that makes a house a pleasure to live in.

It might not be summer at the moment, but double glazing, lots of insulation, a gas fire in the cosy second living area, and a massive heat pump in the heart of the home ensure it's always warm. On top of that, a well-considered layout means that all living areas, indoors and out, make the most of the sun.

Conscious that prospective buyers may be either families taking advantage of the excellent local schools, or downsizers looking for an easy-care lock up and leave, they have provided a home that would suit both groups.

Featuring a generous kitchen, the ground floor also includes a luxurious guest suite, two living areas and the carpeted garage. Upstairs are two large secondary bedrooms which share a bathroom and, to the front, the master suite.

Views, sunshine and lots of walk-in cupboards are to be expected in a house of this quality, but the en suite is something quite out of the ordinary. It features a dual-access shower as big as an average en suite, a free-standing bath and lots of vanity space.

The ample storage means that downsizers don't have to be too brutal when disposing of the belongings of a lifetime, while families will always have space.

The gardens of these homes have also been given a lot of thought. "Everyone wants some greenery. That's why there's room for a trampoline, but not so much lawn or garden that looking after it becomes a problem. We think Strachan Group, the landscape architects we employed, got the balance just right."