SCHOOL ZONES:
Wentworth College, Gulf Harbour School.
CONTACT:
Steen Nielsen, 0275 578 336, Ryan Dixon, 027 632 3285, Ray White.
*(Semi self-contained flat above the garages)
Paul Lamb likens the two homes he is selling at Gulf Harbour to those found at Australia's waterfront marina developments.
"It's like Sanctuary Cove," he says. "You walk out your door, go across the path, get on your boat and go and try to catch a fish. That's how it works."
Paul, owner of development company Project Solutions Limited, bought the two houses at 23 and 25 Rue D' Amarres in Gulf Harbour eight years ago along with three neighbouring vacant sections. All sections and houses are now on the market, being sold individually, and each property comes with a 14m marina berth about seven metres in front of the land.
"The houses have been freshened up and the sections have been landscaped," he says. "Silverdale Landscapes did the work for us; a lot of tropical, hardy planting."
Paul says the houses were built to the same design about eight years ago,
"We have had them all inspected and thermographed. The builder, whoever did the work, did a great job. They are well built, in an area that is facing good demand, also you have very good primary and high schools within 15 minutes' walk. And there is a daily ferry direct to downtown Auckland.
"They are big homes, each is approximately 415sq m, and they have a huge amount of storage." Construction is concrete block with a combination of timber and plaster, asphalt roof and external guttering. The vacant sections have the same lot coverage entitlement.
"They are contemporary modern homes, almost like an Australian home; very big and open," says Paul.
"They have sliding doors on the sides and the front. For example, the downstairs bedroom flows out to the lawn; the top ones open to decks."
There is also a separate apartment above each garage, with a full kitchen, big bathroom, bedroom and lounge.
"So if you have teenage kids who are driving you mental, or you have your in-laws or friends staying, they have separate access," says Paul. "Or you could rent it."
Image 1 of 6: Soak up the sun and enjoy the sea air with one of two homes or a section in Gulf Harbour. Photos / supplied
As you walk into the main entrance of the homes, on the left hand side is a guest bathroom and then a bedroom and en suite. On the right are storage, laundry and then stairs. The rest of the downstairs is the open plan living area including kitchen equipped with DeLonghi appliances, with bi fold doors to the lawn outside.
Upstairs is another bedroom with en suite and walk-in wardrobe, and then large master, en suite, wardrobe and a study (big enough to be another bedroom) to one side. These bedrooms also access the upper decks.
There is gas fire heating and underfloor heating in the bathrooms. Each home has two-car garaging and two off-street parks.
Paul imagines the homes appealing to families or retirees.
"It is a situation where, because it has primary and high schools within 10 minutes, it is made for a family. And there is a big retirement community up here, if you are into your boat and your fishing and you don't want the hassle of driving and putting your boat in the water every second day.
"Gulf Harbour has a five-star golf course about a 10-minute drive away; all the shops you need."
Paul says there is a lot of new housing being built at Gulf Harbour.
"Where we were fortuitous is we got the last north-facing marina waterfront sites. That is one of the main reasons we purchased it. It's north-facing, you can walk out to your boat, the land is flat and you are able to build very big homes on the sites."
