CONTACT:
Liza Clark and Mark Wilson, UP Real Estate, 021 378 145 (Liza), 021 970 006 (Mark).
AUCTION:
Thursday, February 4, noon (unless sold prior).
Courtney and Mike Kitchen's reward for prioritising was this cottagey duplex, handy to the Eastern Bays.
Courtney says: "We were probably a bit naive initially as first home buyers. We'd been flatting in Ponsonby so started looking there, then adjusted our sights to Grey Lynn, then to Pt Chev and then adjusted them again."
They got savvy and prioritised. Architect Courtney and men's retail company buyer-merchandiser Mike had lived in big overseas cities and in apartments.
They rated living close to the CBD over a big section.
Courtney says: "I think part of that is when you travel you learn how good it is living in the thick of things."
Scottish-born Mike, who originally came to New Zealand to snowboard, says: "We're eight kilometres from central Auckland so we can cycle or run to work rather than taking a car. And it's easy to get a bus or taxi."
Courtney says: "Mike loves New Zealand's beaches and weather so finding somewhere handy to town, Kohimarama and Mission Bay was brilliant."
They had missed out on a couple of places before seeing this as a slightly tired ex-rental at an ill-attended rainy-day open home in 2011.
They checked structural integrity before swiftly negotiating to buy it.
The 1940s home is most easily explained as a duplex, built with a double-brick party wall. However it's one of three, as a third residence was built at rear in the 70s. All the units have dedicated grounds.
Drawcards include being close to Kohimarama School, about 700m through the nearby local reserve to Kohimarama's shore and a kilometre from Mission Bay.
Courtney says: "It's got a west-facing garden so we get the sun in the morning and all day until we see the sun set."
Tui and kereru seek kowhai nectar in re-landscaped, fenced front grounds.
The couple joke Mike was 'tea boy' while Courtney and her dad re-built the front deck opening off their living area.
Image 1 of 6: This cottagey duplex is handy to town and popular beaches. Photos / Ted Baghurst
But he did his bit, including installing underfloor insulation complementing topped-up ceiling insulation.
They initially tackled what Courtney describes as "sensible but boring" improvements, including largely re-wiring and replacing the switchboard and a couple of piles.
They re-painted the interior white, arranged custom-made window coverings and re-carpeted the two larger bedrooms.
Cairn terrier-poodle cross Hamish invariably welcomes visitors arriving either at the main entrance or via the front grounds' side gate.
The couple ripped up old carpet to have rimu floorboards polished throughout the foyer and living-dining area. An exposed brick fireplace delineates living-dining; now bolstered by a heat pump.
Mike says: "The living room is probably my favourite place. In summer we have the doors to the deck wide open but in winter it's cosy with the fire burning."
The couple, who met as flatmates, wed at the Anglican Parish of Kohimarama behind their property. Their daughter Sadie, named for Courtney's 102-year-old aunt and Mike's Scottish heritage, was christened there, too.
Now 16 months old, Sadie sleeps in a smaller front bedroom with polished floors.
A wall of fully-outfitted wardrobing has hugely boosted the master bedroom's functionality. Flatmates rented the rear bedroom for the first year.
Cat Nadal mews for yet more food in the composite bench kitchen; renovated before their time and upgraded further with a new oven and dishwasher.
The bathroom, with laundry, bath-shower and additional storage, is tidy but largely unchanged by the couple.
Their late-2000's oversized single separate garage with washing line area behind provides good storage for their car and outdoor gear, including bikes and snowboards.
The property has a side vege strip with more veges in the front garden. Front planting also includes fruit trees and flowering plants,next to the lawn and a brick patio and path.
The family are selling so they can to move to the North Shore to be near Courtney's parents for babysitting.
