CONTACT:
Robin Grant, Ray White, 021 657 220, (09) 425 1633.
*Estimated value range derived using data from CoreLogic.
If it weren't for the fact they have a section just down the road with similar views, Graeme and Judy Maker wouldn't even consider selling their home at Sandspit.
The 360-degree views over Kawau Bay and the new Sandspit Marina to Great Barrier Island and the Pakiri Hills are spectacular, and the house Graeme and Judy built 29 years ago takes full advantage of them.
But the two have decided it's time to downsize from the big house they built to accommodate the children who have now left home. And Graeme is looking forward to building again, although he acknowledges it may not be quite so easy this time around.
"When we built this house it wasn't a big deal," he says. "In fact it was very easy. We drew up the floorplan ourselves and then took it to a local architect to draw up the final plans, and we used a local builder for the construction."
They had come from a 25-unit motel unit in Warkworth, so they were used to space and wanted a large house for the 0.9ha site. It's a well built, 80s-style house of brick and tile with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, lounge and family areas. And though the exterior is of classic design, the interior is definitely 21st century.
"We've revamped it more than once," Graeme says. "The last time not so long ago. We had all the floors redone with solid tongue-and-groove flooring, and put in a new kitchen."
The house had a kauri kitchen when it was first built, with benchtops of the Formica that was popular in the era. Later, Graeme and Judy upgraded to stone benches, and when they did the latest modernisation, they rebuilt the entire kitchen around those benches, adding glossy, blue/grey cupboards and stainless-steel appliances. The master bathroom also benefited from a renovation which saw the bath removed and a very large walk-in shower installed.
Image 1 of 8: Solid and roomy house with views to Great Barrier has all the modern comforts a big family needs
The entry to the house, which was originally open to the sky, has been covered by a glass conservatory bordered by a tropical garden, and the two downstairs bedrooms were altered when Graeme and Judy decided to run the house as a B&B. They stole space from the rumpus room and created two self-contained studio apartments with expansive viewing decks, private outdoor patios and access to a barbecue area and plunge pool.
"We put the pool in when we built the house and it was a split-level design," Graeme says. "But it was a lot of work and we were always having to clean leaves out of it, so I filled half of it in. Strangely enough, guests used the area far more after that."
The remaining half of the pool is wired for a heat pump and can be heated to spa pool temperature. "We've had a lot of fun with this house. We love renovating; that's our forte."
The new house will be future proofed for their retirement years but will still be spacious. "We will really miss the view out to Kawau. We look at it and appreciate it every day without fail," Graeme says. "But we'll still have a great view from the new place, although it'll be picturesque rather than panoramic."
And they'll still be just as close to the vineyards and cafes of Matakana, scenic Warkworth on the Mahurangi River, the beaches at Omaha and Pakiri, Kawau Island, Leigh and the new marina in the Matakana River.
