New Neighbour Stonefields development. Photo / Supplied
New Neighbour Stonefields development. Photo / Supplied
BABARICH DRIVE, STONEFIELDS, MT WELLINGTON
ON OFFER:
39 three-level terraced houses constructed by Fletcher Living in the Stonefields development, Mt Wellington. Five are ready to move into now; with the balance coming to the market on completion progressively over the next couple of months.
OPTIONS:
Terraces have either three or four bedrooms, plus offices, and parking for two cars. Four-bedroom homes also have a media room. Prices range from $1.265 million, to $1.395 million-plus. House sizes range from 180sq m to 205sq m and land sizes from 168sq m to 398sq m.
INSPECT:
The showhouse at 183 Babarich Drive, Stonefields, is open daily from 9am-5pm.
CONTACT:
Linda Burrell, Fletcher Living, 021 494 944.
It's not that long ago that we Kiwis used to turn our noses up at terraced housing.
We weren't used to the idea of living in a row of adjoining homes, but now that has all changed, and we're embracing the concept.
Carol Morrison, the sales manager responsible for selling Fletcher Living's terraced housing in the Stonefields development near Mt Wellington, is delighted to see how attitudes have changed.
"Ten years ago a lot of people didn't like the idea but once people started living in them, they could see how good they were. Word of mouth has been one of the best ways of getting the message across."
The 39 terraced houses currently for sale in Babarich Drive at Stonefields may have neighbours on the other side of the wall, but those party walls are built of solid concrete, creating soundproofing between homes.
An added bonus of terraced homes is that they are insulated by the houses on either side, helping to keep them warm.
There's privacy in the back gardens thanks to fencing between houses and nobody can peer in windows along the side of the house because there aren't any.
And, as Carol points out, many detached homes these days have very narrow strips of land between them and the house next door, which are rarely used.
"It's often wasted space so it makes much more sense to extend your wall to be alongside your neighbour and use that strip of land to provide extra room inside your house," she says.
One common perception about terraced homes is that they're small, but in fact many in this latest release at Stonefields are larger than average homes, at between 180 and 205sq m.
New Neighbour Stonefields development. Photo / Supplied
The Fletcher Living houses are spread over three levels and come with two-car garaging and either three or four bedrooms.
But there's also plenty of bonus living space - for example, the four-bedroom houses have an office on the middle floor, and a media room on the lower level that could be used as an extra bedroom.
The three-bedroom homes also have an office, and both types of houses have open plan living areas that include a dining and family area on one side of the kitchen and a living room on the other.
"People are always surprised when they see how much space there is," says Carol.
"They've been really thoughtfully designed and there's no wasted space, but still plenty of storage."
As well as being sales manager, Carol has also been responsible for the interior design of the terraced homes.
New Neighbour Stonefields development. Photo / Supplied
Her innate sense of style - "I'm that person who goes into other people's houses and starts moving their furniture around," she admits - has resulted in classic design using practical but stylish materials.
Italian porcelain tiles have been used for the flooring in much of the open plan living area (apart from the living room zone, which is carpeted) and also feature in the bathrooms.
The European-style kitchens are both sleek and functional. "I'm a big fan of islands, so they're included in all the kitchens," Carol says.
They come with Caesar stone benchtops, which provide plenty of counter space, and Fisher & Paykel appliances.
The bedroom area on the upper floor is carpeted and there are good-sized fitted wardrobes in all the bedrooms.
New Neighbour Stonefields development. Photo / Supplied
Other special features include large picture windows in the front facade that not only allow plenty of light in, but also look striking from the outside.
The contemporary exterior fits in well with other properties in the Stonefields development, which include standalone homes and apartments.
Located on 110ha in what was once the Winstone quarry, work began on Stonefields in 2007.
