SCHOOL ZONES:
Mangawhai Beach School, Otamatea School (Maungaturoto), Rodney College (Wellsford).
CONTACT:
Robbie Robertson, Bayleys, 021 959 798
AUCTION:
May 18, 1pm.
When Sherrill and Murray Glen moved to Mangawhai from Auckland 20 years ago, part of the appeal was the golf course.
"We had been to Mangawhai for a number of holidays in the 80s and early 90s," says Sherrill. "We liked the area. It was a small community and we also heard there was a really good golf course, one of the top 10 non-resort courses in New Zealand."
The couple bought a four-acre block, built a house and Sherrill continued teaching as well as helping Murray, who had been in the printing industry, as he branched out into growing sandersonia flowers for export to Japan.
Murray also got involved with the ambulance service, and, of course, they joined the golf course, playing and serving on the committee.
"We then decided we didn't need the flower growing business anymore," says Sherrill. "We subdivided and we sold the existing house on the property, which we had built, and the flower growing business.
"We built this house on the front of the 6000sq m section, and moved in, in March 2012.
"We looked at a number of housing groups and we went with a company called Homeworld from Whangarei.
"We worked closely with them, making changes to a basic design to suit our needs.
"We were after a single-level, north-facing, open-plan design with lots of views. We wanted to be able to open out to the front from the kitchen, for family and friends, and entertaining."
Their five-year-old home is built of rustic brick and steel with pillars at the front of the home, under the portico roof. Weatherboard detailing on the pillars and front of the house provides a contrast to the bricks.
129 Tara Road, Mangawhai. Photo / Supplied
Spread across the front of the home, and facing north are the kitchen, dining and lounge. "This area gets the sun in the morning and the afternoon," says Sherrill.
The kitchen, with its island breakfast bar, purpose-built pantry, cabinetry and soft-closing drawers, was built by a friend who was a master craftsman.
Two large double-fold doors open from the kitchen out underneath the portico, onto the patio where the couple have outdoor furniture.
More sliding glass doors, from the dining room and the lounge, stack back so the front of the home can be opened out to the patio.
The master bedroom is at the western end of the house; the other two bedrooms are at the back.
"The house is easy living, very warm," says Sherrill.
129 Tara Road, Mangawhai. Photo / Supplied
"Because the windows are double-glazed, the home retains the warmth after the sun. We also have a heat pump above the kitchen table for the months when we have cooler temperatures, and the heat flows right through to the lounge."
They look out to the Brynderwyns and a large farm across the road.
"We sit at the breakfast table or out on the patio and enjoy the tranquil, peaceful views," she says.
"Working at the bench in the kitchen with the large bifold doors open to the outside on a lovely sunny day is probably my most favourite place in the house."
At the side of the house, coming in from the driveway, a double garage has space for storage and a wine cellar, and allows internal entry to the home.
The couple also have a Versatile garage shed behind the house that they use for storing gardening equipment and their ride-on mower.
129 Tara Road, Mangawhai. Photo / Supplied
The home is framed by the landscaping, which includes natives, buxus hedging, screening trees planted for privacy and shelter, and fruit trees - olives, feijoas and citrus - as well as thriving raised vegetable gardens.
"Something else we love about the place is the expanse of the front lawn which allows the grandchildren to have a great time with outdoor games, volleyball, croquet, golf and kicking a ball around," says Sherrill.
Their property, classified rural residential, sits just outside the village. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the village and three minutes to drive.
"Mangawhai is so close to Auckland as well, that was another plus," she says. "Our daughter was still in Auckland and we weren't too far away."
Sherrill and Murray are selling because they want to downsize and move into the village to be within walking distance of local shops and cafes.
