Having been impressed by Hobsonville Point, Isobel and her husband Darryl loved the fact this 1930s former air force house had been meticulously renovated while retaining its intrinsic character.
It’s one of a handful of original homes along Sunderland Avenue which developers Willis Bond & Co retained and thoroughly updated in deference to their history as staff housing for the former RNZAF air base.
Isobel says: “We moved in in February 2021 when our second child was nearly due and it was a beautiful space to get settled into and bring our little boy home to.
“For us it has been the perfect combination of the sense of character that we love and thorough renovation to a very high standard that has made it a warm, dry and easy place to live. We have two young children, Sadie, who is four and a half, and two-year-old Jasper, so we love the fact that it’s all on one level on a big flat section with a big front yard.”
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8 Sunderland Avenue in Hobsonville Point, Auckland, is on the market for sale by auction on June 25. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home has a 2021 RV of $1.675 million, and, according to OneRoof data, last sold for $1.475m at the end of 2020.
Heritage architects Salmond Reed guided the preservation of the existing housing while envisaging how they could be brought up to modern standards of living by builders Haydn & Rollet.
Isobel says: “Everything was beautifully done and highly specced, so it almost feels like a new house inside.” They’ve found it great for entertaining and relaxing to come home to, with its spacious 680sqm of land with lots of greenery.
The former RNZAF air base staff housing on Sunderland Avenue at Hobsonville Point was thoroughly updated in deference to its history by developers Willis Bond & Co. Photo / Supplied
CEO of a digital content production company, Isobel, and national business manager, Darryl, previously lived in St Marys Bay. They don’t have family in Auckland so Hobsonville Point’s strong sense of community appealed.
Isobel says: “Hobsonville Point is a beautiful place with amazing amenities including its schools, daycares, and farmers’ market. There are lots of local activities and green spaces and you feel like you’re part of a real community.”
More senior air force officers resided in grander homes around an oval, whereas Sunderland Avenue is characterised by its wide berms and sizeable flat, hedged properties, evoking that classic kiwi suburban lifestyle.
Off-street parking for two cars complements the stand-alone single garage where the couple charge their plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Their weatherboard home in the English Domestic Revival style is prefaced by the big front lawn surrounded by hedges, where their children and two little dogs enjoy running around.
The home is on a flat section with a big front yard and a deck at the back for al fresco dining. Photo / Supplied
The open-plan kitchen-living-dining room flows through French doors to a sunny deck. Photo / Supplied
A quaint entry porch introduces the foyer and hallway. This opens into the open-plan kitchen-living-dining room flowing through French doors to a sunny deck.
Original elements include matai tongue and groove flooring, doors and character ceilings. There’s an open fireplace in the living area which this family hasn’t used as they installed ducted central heating. The ensuited master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe accompanies two more bedrooms, a family bathroom and cupboarded laundry.
The most direct walking route to the Catalina Bay hub, where Isobel sometimes catches a ferry into work, is under 10 minutes although they often choose the more picturesque waterfront walkway. They’re selling to accommodate their evolving household needs.
Ray White agent Kris Cunningham, who is marketing 8 Sunderland Ave with Cindy Zhang, says: “This property offers the best of both worlds, being a kiwi classic home updated by a meticulous and thorough renovation, amidst a modern area with lots of amenities and a tight sense of community.”
