SCHOOL ZONES:
Stanmore Bay School, Whangaparaoa College.
CONTACT:
Elizabeth Hansen, Harcourts, ph 027 436 8957 or (09)283 7929.
AUCTION:
3 February, 6pm.
Things didn't go to plan when David and Debbie Graham decided to buy a slice of beachfront land north of Auckland they could park their caravan on.
David reckons they drove to the end of every coastal road around the Matakana area, looking for a section that would fit their plan and budget.
After a fruitless search, they changed tack. The price of bare land seemed illogically high -- why pay seven figures for just grass and dirt when beachfront houses were selling for not much more?
So they broadened their search -- and immediately found the perfect property: a clifftop home in Whangaparaoa.
Not only had their plans grown bigger, but by a significant number of square metres. The house was 380sq m split across three levels, on a full section. Dating from the 1950s or 1960s, it had been extended into a four-bedroom home, with three bathrooms, multiple decks and courtyards, two kitchens, and several large living spaces.
The design made the most of the unimpeded view to the northeast -- a sweep of ocean from the Mahurangi and Tawharanui peninsulas, past Kawau, to the Barrier islands, with a soundtrack of waves dashing on to the beach below. A private 100-step staircase led down to a small grassy council reserve -- one of those obscure forgotten spaces no one else knows about -- and a near-deserted pohutukawa-fringed stretch of Stanmore Bay.
With a reasonably painless city commute, plenty of shops nearby, and a quiet, private beachside lifestyle, it promised to serve both as a permanent base and a holiday home.
They bought it. It was a reality check of the gentlest kind. Not only did they get a great deal more comfort than the caravan, but far more room to accommodate the comings and goings of their blended family of six children, the youngest of whom were teenagers. "Not quite the Brady Bunch, but not far off it," says David.
Image 1 of 6: Stroll down a private staircase to a near-deserted beach, or let the sea views wow you from the deck and through double-height floor-to-ceiling windows in this spacious seaside pad
They moved in with ambitions to extend and develop the home, but Debbie fell ill before they could start, so they concentrated on just enjoying the view and the serenity.
An artist, Debbie spent happy hours at her easel in the light-filled downstairs living area, which looks out to the sea via double-height floor-to-ceiling windows. The kids came and went, and two rock-pool-loving grandchildren arrived. David would come home from the city after work, amble down to the beach, hang his towel on the nearest pohutukawa and dive into the gentle waves.
They'd sit quietly at the outdoor bar and watch flocks of birds pursue great swarms of fish, while looking out for dolphins and whales, or host dozens of family and friends across the two main open-plan living areas. In the evenings they could retire to what they called the "honeymoon suite" on the top floor, with a huge view, an enormous deck, a study nook and such a large wardrobe that Debbie had to make a concerted effort to fill it.
When Debbie died at the local hospice last October, the family took comfort that her final years were spent in an environment so soothing for the soul. They granted her last wish in December, when one of their daughters got married at the property.
Now, David feels that the house has served its purpose and is looking to downsize.
"I don't need all this room just for myself. It's been a house for family -- it's always been a great gathering spot and, with the light and the view, it was a place my wife could enjoy."
