When Teresa and Mark bought their unique home in a private hideaway, down a long tree-lined driveway off Remuera’s Combes Road, 22 years ago, they immediately sensed that there was something very special about the property.
“Both Mark and I are from small communities, outside Auckland, so we didn’t want to live in a typical big city situation, and this struck us as an ideal location,” says Teresa.
“We’re right by the dog-walking track and most people don’t even know that it’s even here, so it’s a beautiful, secluded spot, surrounded by native plantings that draw in morepork, fantails, kereru and other native birds, which is just lovely.”
The house itself is a Sumich design, dating from the 1990s, and Teresa says it was originally built for a French family.
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“Until quite recently all the floors were tiled, but we’ve replaced them with timber now.”
41A Combes Road in Remuera, Auckland, is on the market for sale by auction on February 28. The property has a 2021 RV of $3.225 million and, according to OneRoof data, last changed hands in 2002 for $1.05m.
The house is a Sumich design, from the 1990s, and was originally built for a French family. Photo / Supplied
The sunken lounge means having a clear, uninterrupted view of the surrounding vegetation. Photo / Supplied
Teresa says that it’s a lovely peaceful house to be in, with clean, modern, neutral decor.
“The sunken lounge design means that you can be sitting on the couch surrounded by a beautiful vista, with a background of birdsong. Our two lovely daughters grew up here and it was very versatile as their needs changed – plus we own a construction company and being able to have Mark’s office within the house has been really useful too.”
Teresa says that the girls were Winnie-the-Pooh fans and referred to their family property as the “Hundred Acre Wood”.
“They used to take the dog and tie him to a tree, then enjoy a special lunch which I’d made for them, sitting on a picnic blanket, while I watched from the kitchen window to make sure they were safe!”
In terms of layout, the house offers high ceilings, a huge, open-plan, kitchen dining and living space, a separate lounge, two bedrooms and a laundry on the first floor, with extensive decking and a spa.
The owners daughters’ were fans of Winnie-the-Pooh and called their home, which bordered Waiata Reserve, the Hundred Acre Wood. Photo / Supplied
On the first floor is a huge, open-plan kitchen-dining-living space, a separate lounge, two bedrooms, a laundry, with extensive decking and a spa. Photo / Supplied
Mark’s company office is just inside the main entrance to the home on the second floor and could be a fifth bedroom while the master suite and a large guest bedroom enjoy their own balconies. The garage is internally accessed and an attic on the third level provides lots of useful storage space.
Teresa says that the house acted like a magnet to the girls’ friends when they were growing up.
“It’s a fantastic place for entertaining and I really believe that whoever buys it will enjoy living here as much as we have.”
Now empty nesters, Teresa and Mark feel that they have finished adding value to the property and are moving on to a new challenge.
Listing agent Steve Koerber, from Ray White, Remuera, says that it’s relatively easy to find a luxurious executive home in double grammar zone Remuera if you have the time and the budget.
“It’s virtually impossible, however, to find your dream home in such a desirable and cloistered park-side position, with Waiata Reserve as your neighbour. Nature will nurture you every day.”
- 41A Combes Road in Remuera, Auckland, goes to auction on February 28
