SCHOOL ZONES:
Auckland Grammar, Epsom Girls’ Grammar, Maungawhau.
CONTACT:
Kirstin Elia, Bayleys, 027 600 2757.
*1 off street parking space.
When Karen Worth was house-hunting a few years ago, she was looking for a home in a quiet neighbourhood with a garden where it was safe for her small daughters, Lily and Rachel to play in.
Eventually she discovered a pretty little character bungalow, which was perfect for their needs and the family moved in.
"I really love the section, which is sloping, with lots of trees and a terraced path. I had the property fully fenced and the girls were out there all the time in summer," she says.
"It's the sort of garden that makes you think of fairies, and it's lovely and private.
"The tamarillo and feijoa trees always do well, too."
The house itself exudes a storybook sort of charm.
Neat and compact, it has three bedrooms, one of which could be used as a home office or sunroom. There's one bathroom, a tidy kitchen with a sunny dining space adjacent and a large living room with a gas fire. A separate laundry has a second toilet.
The real surprise is a playroom in the roof, reached by attic stairs. This was the girls' favourite inside place and Karen put up low walls to keep them safe there.
She says it was good for them to have their own cute hideaway and that their friends all loved coming over to play up there.
Image 1 of 13: Children love to come and play when they have their own hideaway and a garden that looks like it might house fairies
"It's also been useful for storage with masses of space for odds and ends such as Christmas decorations and of course, all the girls' toys," she says. "Plus, it's a good spot for getting washing dry."
Karen, an operations manager who works in the city, has made sure to retain and protect her home's 1930s character features, which include polished rimu floorboards, beamed ceilings, leadlight windows and art deco light fittings.
"It's a warm enveloping sort of house," she says. "And a lovely blend of old and new. In the daytime it's flooded with sun and on a cold winter night it's very cosy."
She enjoys the convenience of living close to bustling Mt Eden village, which is on a main bus route.
"I'm a keen cyclist and I enjoy biking around the neighbourhood," she says. "I never take the dog out for a walk without bumping into at least one or two people I know."
The family's favourite spots for coffee or hot chocolate in the village are Olaf's and Chapter.
"Bolaven just around the corner is excellent, too, and there are lots of restaurants to choose from. There's a nice new Thai five minutes' walk away from us and it's very good."
The house is on the market because Karen only has Rachel at home now and it's a bit too big for just two people.
Karen wants to be able to do more of her favourite activities: travelling and tramping -- and the girls both enjoy surfing, so she's keeping that in mind, too.
She's looking for something smaller, with less land and less garden, but hopefully not too far away. "The neighbours have been so nice and we've had a very happy time living in this road with them. I'm really hoping that we can all stay in touch."
