There is a lot of property for sale right now, but which listing suits you best? OneRoof’s Buyers’ Club series brings you the best in New Zealand real estate, from affordable starter homes to luxury mansions. We’ll highlight a range of homes from around the country that are worth your attention.
Architect Roger Walker is a purveyor of pure joy. He is known for his uniquely expressive designs; you’ll find bright colours, turrets, towers, cylinders, cubes, round windows and pyramids in his homes.
He made his name in the 1960s and 1970s with his “Noddy” houses, and his work has won him many accolades and awards, including being made Associate of the New Zealand Institute of Architects in 1973 and a Fellow in 1987. He received an ONZM for services to architecture in 1999, and in 2016, he was awarded the New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal – the highest individual honour an architect can achieve in New Zealand.
Owning an original Roger Walker is to live in a slice of New Zealand’s architectural history. His homes are highly prized, and when they come up for sale, you can be sure they’ll attract crowds and media attention.
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We’ve rounded up four Walker gems currently up for grabs. Cookie-cutter homes, these are not.
22 Scott Street, Moturoa, New Plymouth | Auction August 15
Walker pulled out all the stops with this early 1970s New Plymouth showpiece, with his signature moves on full display: soaring rooflines, circular windows and interconnected spaces, as well as the iconic glass turret that enjoys a 360-degree outlook.
Suchy & Co listing agent Sukha Singh says the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home last changed hands in 2005 and has been turned into a “world-renowned bed and breakfast, welcoming hundreds of guests and rising to #1 on TripAdvisor”.
Dubbed Tivoli and run as a bed-and-breakfast, 22 Scott Street, Moturoa, New Plymouth, is heading to auction. Photo / Supplied
Visitors have described the property as a “wonderfully quirky architectural gem”. Photo / Supplied
Visitors, he says, have described it as a “wonderfully quirky architectural gem” and a place of “magical hours in the sky”.
The property sits on a 934sqm section, enjoys clear views of Mount Taranaki, New Plymouth and the coastline, and has an RV of $1.13m.
>> Click here to find out more
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5/80 Hobson Street, Thorndon, Wellington | Enquiries over $745,000
A far cry from many modern townhouses built today, this two-level, two-bedroom Thorndon offering has the soul and character of a Walker design and is rich with timber detailing. It’s also one of a boutique collection of just five.
The townhouse at 5/80 Hobson Street, in Thorndon, is looking for a buyer with over $745,000 to spend. Photo / Supplied
Tommy’s Real Estate agent David Vaughan says the location is superb. “It’s in the best part of Thorndon – we’re right in the heart of embassies and high commissions, and you’ve got Queen Margaret right opposite.”
“The thing I’ve heard so many people say is that they love that area because to get in and out of the city, you just nip onto the motorway.”
>> Click here to find out more
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913 River Road, Queenwood, Hamilton | Auction August 12
The bold design of 913 River Road is matched by an equally impressive setting, with sweeping views over the Waikato River and St Andrews Golf Course. The property boasts six bedrooms and three bathrooms, and all the Walker hallmarks you’d expect, including a glass-topped circular tower, timber-lined spaces and raked ceilings.
It has been the home of prominent Kiwi and art collector Nancy Caiger for the last 33 years. She told OneRoof that it was love at first sight for her and her late husband.
The chateau for sale at 913 River Road, Queenwood, in Hamilton, was built in the 1970s. Photo / Supplied
The property features signature Walker touches, including a spiral staircase and porthole windows. Photo / Supplied
“We walked up the lovely spiral staircase in the turret and at the top you’re looking out to the golf course. We were fledgling golfers at the time, and as soon as he saw the golf course, it was love at first sight. It was paradise. He was sold straight away. I could not persuade my husband to look at any other house. It had to be this one.”
Bayleys agent Jo Harris says the property is a well-known local landmark, quirky and full of personality.
“Its location is just spectacular, overlooking the golf course and with those views down the river. The home is perfectly liveable, but it’s time for its new lease on life.
“It’s perfect for someone who’s looking for something different, and there are so many spaces to use in whatever way suits your family.”
>> Click here to find out more
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398 Horokiwi Road, Horokiwi, Wellington | Price by negotiation
It’s design drama in a countryside setting at this Wellington property, with the architectural family home nestled into one hectare of gardens and grazing paddocks.
Bright colours are another Walker signature, with a nod here in the distinctive green exterior trim, along with the timber features inside and windows that frame views of the rural landscape and Wellington Harbour beyond.
One of Walker’s lifestyle properties, 398 Horokiwi Road, sits on just over 1ha and comes with two grazing paddocks. Photo / Supplied
The owners have been here for 40 years and have developed the gardens into an oasis, resplendent with specimen trees, meandering walkways and a flourishing orchard. Plus there is space for a farm pet on the gently contoured paddocks.
>> Click here to find out more
