SCHOOL ZONES:
Snells Beach Primary School and Mahurangi College.
CONTACT:
Mick Fay, Ray White, 021 544 769.
AUCTION:
April 17.
Just over a year ago Michelle and Pete Staples were camping at Martins Bay when they decided to tag along with friends to see sections for sale at Hampton Mews, near Whisper Cove villas at Snells Beach.
Their friends didn't buy a section there, but Michelle and Pete, and their teenage daughter Beth, fell for the show home at number 14 Hampton Mews, built by The House Company. With a wide view of the water and the path to the beach just across the road, they realised this home would be like being on holiday year-round. After that, things moved quickly. They bid at auction and moved in just two weeks after their camping weekend.
Besides its prime location, this house appealed to the Staples because as a show home, everything had been done already.
"It was all waiting here - the clothesline and the vege garden planted," Michelle says. Pete works in logistics for a gold mine in Papua New Guinea, so the benefits of having a new house with nothing left to organise appealed to Michelle.
"The house has been designed perfectly," she says. "The sun comes in in the winter, but not in the summer when it's too hot. Michelle loves the "decent-size" en suite, walk-in wardrobe and laundry hidden behind sliding doors. "The builders did everything. It's been very well thought-out."
The home's red front door opens on to a laminate timber hallway, which runs the length of the house and culminates in a full-height window that overlooks a sculpture Michelle bought especially for the spot.
The hall features cupboards with extensive storage, as well as sliders that open on to a deck also linked to the tiled living area. Wrapped by the house on three sides, the timber deck is effectively a second living space. "We had more than 20 people here for Christmas and it worked very well," Michelle says. The festive celebrations included walks down to the beach. Michelle says most streets in Snells Beach are hilly, but she likes how flat it is around Hampton Mews - and even better, the flat, easy stroll to the sand from her house.
Image 1 of 7: A family friendly bay is a short walk across the road. Photos / Ted Baghurst.
The carpeted garage fits Michelle's SUV comfortably and there's extra space for overflow guests to stay. Michelle set up a family member here at Christmas with a single bed and bedside table. But guests only need to stay in the garage when there are a lot of visitors.
There is a guest bedroom, which is well equipped with a double wardrobe. Beth's room also has a big wardrobe. The main bathroom is spacious, with a glass-walled shower and bath.
There is a separate toilet, with a hand basin. Michelle points out features like these that show how the builders didn't take any shortcuts with the design.
"They could have just put the shower over the bath, but they chose not to."
The shower in the master en suite is even bigger than the one in the main bathroom.
The walk-in wardrobe has plenty of space, including a shelf where Michelle keeps just some of her fascinators. She spends a lot of time in Papua New Guinea with Pete, where they head along to the races. "You can't buy fascinators there, so I always take some up for the ladies."
With her parents away a lot, Beth boards at Epsom Girls'. That will change though as Pete has a new "fly-in, fly-out" job in Papua New Guinea.
After only one year here, the family needs to move to Auckland City to be closer to the airport.
