Peaceful and luxurious family retreat

10 Birchwood Grove, Greenhithe. Photo/Ted Baghurst

10, BIRCHWOOD GROVE, GREENHITHE

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2.5

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SIZE: Land (approx) 2419sq m, house (approx) 492sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: 2014 CV $2.975 million.

INSPECT: By appointment or Sat/Sun 1-2pm.

ON THE WEB: harcourts.co.nz #TK25364

SCHOOL ZONES: Greenhithe School, Albany Junior and Senior High Schools.

CONTACT: Hussein Kubba, Harcourts, 021 658 667.

AUCTION: Nov 30.

You may think it would be the park-like setting, the resort-style pool area or the serenity, but Amanda Robinson says what nailed buying this house for her was the walk-in wardrobe. That's upstairs off the master bedroom and is the size of another bedroom.

"They had an ironing board already set up in it so, you know, awesome, nailed, boom," she laughs.

The en suite bathroom is also large and the bedroom itself faces out over the pool and across a field to the sea.

Amanda says this house was her forever home but when her father-in-law, David Robinson, passed away, his dying wishes were for her, husband Mark and three-year-old Zorro, plus Mark's two daughters, to be nearer to family so they have already moved to Herne Bay.

They lived here for about four years and Amanda says there is nothing not to like about this luxury property. On the ground level are four stunning bedrooms, all with built-in wardrobes.

There's a large hallway and off it is Zorro's room, which has a funky acoustic wall covering.

The wall covering doesn't stop the sound but does muffle it and can be found on the walls in the formal lounge and the dining and living area, which is off the entertainer's kitchen and has a butler's pantry.

The formal lounge has the acoustic wall covering because this room doubles as a theatre. It has a video projector fixed to the ceiling and one wall has been covered in special paint -- so you don't have to pull down a screen.

They also have an acoustic fabric inside the curtains which pull right around so, when they watch a movie, the room is blacked out. There's full surround sound.

Outside the dining area is an open outdoor room which has a TV and a high wooden ceiling with a stained glass feature. It also has blinds that can be pulled down to enclose the entire area if needed.

This room is perfect for parties or for watching the football on a Saturday afternoon, she says.

"Right in front of us here is council land, and that's usually occupied by some beautiful horses for riding for the disabled," says Amanda.

Cut concrete paving flows from the outside room to the pool area that is landscaped with palms, then there is lawn beyond and, to one side, a sauna.

"You have a sauna, get really hot and then you run and jump in the pool. It's so cool. And it's an old-school sauna, so it's the proper one where you put eucalyptus in and you put the water on the coals."

Image 1 of 7: With a sauna, resort-style pool and horses in the paddocks around the property, this could be your forever home

Along with the walk-in wardrobe, she loves the property's tranquility the most.

"When you come in and that gate closes that's the last we hear of anybody."

Friends loved to come and stay here, she says.

"They'd come out to what they called the retreat for the peacefulness. It was our dream home and we planned to stay forever and ever and ever, but that wasn't meant to be with David's passing."