Takapuna

CHARLOTTE COSSAR checks out this sought-after waterfront location.

This unique North Shore suburb is bordered by the sea and a lake. Not only are there exclusive sea-front properties but only a few blocks back from the beach, there are gorgeous lakefront homes.

Although the homes on the water's edge of the beach fetch higher prices, it's hard to pick up much for less than $3 million, the homes nestling on the lake don't sell for much less.

With houses reaching these prices, Takapuna is a sought-after suburb in Auckland and it is now threatening some of the eastern suburbs for having the street that is the most expensive in Auckland.

And before we move away from the beach, which is a safe swimming beach shaded by large pohutukawa, we mustn't forget the popular boat ramp. Used regularly by locals who are fond of their recreational water toys, and others who like the easy access to the sea, the boat ramp is often chock-a-block. But being the laid-back type of people Takapuna folk are, there is just friendly banter exchanged while people wait their turn.

Just a stone's throw back from the beach is Takapuna's popular strip, which is packed with restaurants, cafes and boutique shops. Within walking distance of most homes in the flat suburb, it is a hit with older residents who don't need to use their cars to get there.

The suburb is more cosmopolitan than its more historic neighbours, Belmont, Bayswater and Devonport, which tend to have more period bungalows and villas, and mainly hosts contemporary architecture. This is what attracts many families with teenage children looking for a suburb with easy-care sections and good schools - there are a host of private and public schools near by.

A townhouse a few streets back from the beach will range in price between $350,000 and $800,000, with the newer ones starting from $500,000. Units are generally on the market for more than $200,000.

This is a suburb people aspire to, and once there residents tend not to leave, making Takapuna very settled. These residents tend to upgrade and move close to the water's edge, both lake and sea.

Most of the sections are a half share of between 900sq m and 1000sq m, due to the old quarter-acre block that was common before the suburb was made more accessible because of the construction of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The bridge and motorway make Takapuna very handy to the city, Albany and beyond. It takes about 10 minutes, not in peak-hour traffic, to whizz across the bridge into town.

And you get quite a bit for your buck - the suburb is home to a hospital, shopping complex, movie theatres, public swimming pool and a theatre and close to two North Shore-based university campuses and two large shopping centres.

And if you're up for a long, peaceful stroll, you can meander your way around the bays - a pleasant way to while away the afternoon.

Although many people are put off by the house prices, Takapuna is becoming more affordable - house prices haven't seen the erratic leaps some other suburbs have been experiencing - making it more accessible for families, professionals and retirees looking for a relaxed, but sophisticated, lifestyle by the beach or lake.