SCHOOL ZONES:
Victoria Ave Primary, Remuera Primary & Intermediate, double grammar.
CONTACT:
Cathy Roselli, Ray White, 021 750 454.
AUCTION:
June 29
Coming from a draughty 1920s bungalow in Wellington, lawyer Lucy McGrath and accountant Dougal Evison were delighted to discover a cool, breezy, 1970s character weatherboard home, high on a hill in Remuera. They have lived there for the past eight years with their young daughters, Alex and Claudia.
"It was perfect for us right from the start because we're not great renovators and all we've really had to do during that time is install a heat pump and put some effort into the garden," Lucy says.
"And of course we've kept up all the general maintenance."
The result is a neat and compact, quality, family home which enjoys loads of sun and has wonderful views of Remuera's northern slopes.
With three pleasant bedrooms and a bathroom it's not the biggest house on the street but it has been carefully designed and laid out -- and works well. The views are definitely one of its stand-out features.
"Even when I'm at the sink, washing dishes, it's no great chore because there's always something happening in the neighbourhood and I can see it all so well from here," says Lucy.
"Guy Fawke's night is the very best night of the year and we certainly never need to buy our own fireworks."
The family's main living area is open-plan with kitchen, dining and plenty of lounge space -- all with polished floors and tall windows.
It's nice and cosy with the heatpump in winter, and in summer it allows a seamless flow on to what is essentially a true outdoor room, filled with all-weather furniture for lazing or dining.
Not surprisingly, Lucy's favourite place to sit with a coffee is under the vine covered pergola.
Image 1 of 6: Offering great views of Remuera this neat home is perfectly formed. Photos / Fiona Goodall, Getty Images
"The section's fully fenced so it's ideal for little children. Ours roam in and out of the house very happily and they can ride their bikes or jump on the trampoline out there with their friends and I don't need to watch them."
There's an added attraction in that the master bedroom and spare room also open out onto this idyllic, leafy scene.
Back inside, the house has a single, basement garage, with laundry, which is internally accessed. There's also good storage space underneath.
The family is moving to nearby Meadowbank, mainly because the girls want a swimming pool.
"You could probably put one in here but we've found a house that has one already and that seems like a lot less work," says Lucy.
"There are loads of things that we'll miss about this place but I think it's good to have a change of scene sometimes." If they'd been staying, Lucy and Dougal had considered putting another storey on.
"I've never been on the roof but he tells me you can see the sea from up there," she says. Lucy feels the next owners may well be another family with young children.
"Victoria Avenue is a great little primary school and the walking school bus from up here has been fantastic. We've made some lovely friends, purely through that, and hopefully we will all keep in touch.
