SCHOOL ZONES:
Albany Junior and Senior highs, Greenhithe School, Kristen, Pinehurst.
CONTACT:
Lewis Guy, Premium, 021 867 355.
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Ross Burgess could see a tree-covered section high on a cliff when he was out on the water, and thought, "I want that."
"Most people don't know it's here," he says. "I spent 12 years trying to buy the site. I knew the guy that had it.
"He'd designed a house, changed it and gotten divorced and still held on to it. I tried a few times and every time he went to sell it he changed his mind, so I had to make a very instant decision when he rang me and said, 'I want to sell it now, today'."
Ross said yes immediately and cleared the top to build a house which is big on space and views. The result is a hidden gem close to the motorway, but private and tranquil.
Past the industrial shed, which Ross says is a super man cave, past the pool and outdoor covered dining area, you walk into a tiled kitchen then up a few stairs to an expansive lounge with a deck overlooking native bush, with wide harbour views.
Ross likes to read the paper out here in the morning when the water looks like glass.
"Just behind the trees is Hobsonville wharf, and the new Hobsonville, all the houses -- the ferry comes into Beach Haven there."
He loves this view of the harbour, saying it's a different way of looking at Auckland, and prefers it to the east coast where he says everyone is looking down on top of you.
"Here there's something going on all the time, there's jet-skis going out, people going out fishing."
The bush, which goes down almost to the water, is his and there's a bit of reserve across the bottom so the property cannot be built out. Sky Tower can be seen in the distance, and the views stretch across to Pt Chevalier and Te Atatu.
Image 1 of 10: Eye-popping harbour views and privacy season this great big steak of a property
"It's just lit up at night, all night. Guy Fawkes is good. We don't need fireworks, we just watch everyone else's."
Ross, a mechanic who has built houses before -- designed the property as three houses in one five years ago to accommodate his children, so everyone could have their own space. They are 24 and 28 now. "Because my son was older, and he had a partner, I built the flat at the other end for him, and my daughter -- I kept her down that end."
That end is a separate wing with three bedrooms down a hall past the kitchen -- and the kitchen boasts an enormous butler's pantry with sea views of its own: "I call it the spare kitchen."
He drew up the plans and got his architect mate to make them work, but his prerequisite was space because he doesn't like to be cramped. The space is evident upstairs in the huge master bedroom.
"I drew in some walls and I came up here and I didn't like where the walls were so I didn't put any in. That's why it's big."
The space is large enough for a lounge as well as the bedroom, which has a walk-in wardrobe and a bathroom. A partition wall could be added.
His son's roomy, self-contained pad is at the other end of the house, through the four-car garage.
Ross is selling as his wife died recently and though he is not sure what is next, he says it's time to move on.
