HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

The reopening of New Zealand’s international travel borders has seen a renewed interest in residential properties for sale around Central Auckland’s western city fringes – thanks to the growing number of cashed-up new arrivals coming into the country.

Leading residential real estate salesperson Blair Haddow from Bayleys Ponsonby said the change in buyer dynamic had been evident since the end of March when travel back to New Zealand became easier for those coming from foreign shores, both as Kiwis returning home and new migrants.

“In that time alone for example I’ve been working with an expat’ Kiwi who has returned to New Zealand after an extensive period in London, and an Australian company executive who has relocated to Auckland and is specifically looking to buy in the Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, or Westmere areas,” said Blair Haddow.

“The international interest trend is also tracking through emails where I’m now regularly receiving enquires, and the first thing they say in the email is something like: ‘Hi Blair, I’m currently based in London/New York/Middle East/Sydney/ Melbourne etc. and looking to come back to Auckland in the next month or so and just wondering if you can tell me a bit more about your listing's. I haven’t seen that type of tone for 18 months.

“That shows they’re doing their groundwork/homework on the property market before they arrive. So while the number of physical ‘feet on the ground’ coming in from abroad is a trickle at the moment, there is a definite bigger flow looming on the horizon in the very near future.

“Virtually all of those international buyers I’m corresponding with tell me that they have sold up their existing homes and are coming to Auckland cashed up and ready to buy, thereby avoiding any of the issues first home buyers are experiencing as a result of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act. Saying that, a mortgage broker who presented to the Bayleys Ponsonby team this month has indicated that the banks are becoming more liberal with their lending policies to existing borrowers and reverting back in many cases to assessing mortgage borrowing potential in a more traditional framework which the market is more comfortable with.” Blair Haddow said the bubbling activity he was tracking at the upper end of the residential property market in his specialist western central city fringes, indicated that the sector was somewhat different from patterns seen elsewhere around the region in the mid-price range.

“My buyers are experienced and highly-funded property owners who are well up the proverbial property ladder and this is reflected in the style of homes which they are seeking,” said Blair.

With listing stock still ticking over in the Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay and Westmere suburbs, Blair has two new listings in June, featuring:

17 Harcourt Street in Grey Lynn – a fully transformed designer three-bedroom/two-bathroom villa, with stunning newlyadded high-stud extension housing the kitchen, dining room and lounge in an open-plan format with full height windows opening onto the deck and manicured rear lawn with its inground swimming pool.

Immaculately presented, the split-level home, with design aspects spanning two centuries, features American oak floorboards and marble counter tops engendering the epitome of style and luxury in a light-filled residence which comes straight out of the pages of an interior design magazine. Blair is marketing the home with a set sale date.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum and representing very loyal longstanding clients with one of their rentals on Blair Haddow’s books is:

A two-bedroom/one-bathroom flat in a block of four units in Don Croot Street, Kingsland. With two car parks, the 1970s style concrete block flat has been recently refurbished with new carpet throughout, along with the addition of a new kitchen and new bathroom making it perfect for a ‘readymade’ entry level residence, or well situated for an investment property thanks to its proximity to the vibrant hospitality hub of Kingsland.

www.facebook.com/BlairHaddow

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Lahood® Window Furnishings will help you make design decisions to create bedrooms that you and your family can retreat to for quality sleep, relaxation, and that cosy feeling of luxury and comfort.

Creating the perfect bedroom relies on strong decorating decisions, from paint colours and fabrics to stylish headboards, statement lighting and sumptuous window furnishing from Lahood.

The good news is your bedroom is full of design potential. All that's required is a little creativity to make the most of the space you have and turn your room into a dreamy retreat.

Knowing your style helps to narrow down your choices when shopping for furniture and décor. Are you looking at light and neutral palettes with a touch of simplicity and shape or the soft romanticism of pastel colours with occasional deeper highlights? Maybe you are yearning for a lot of metallic with dark accent colours and sleek silhouettes. Once you’ve established your style you can get to the fun stuff:

The bed is most likely the largest piece of furniture in your bedroom. Choose carefully and let the bed be the focal point of the room. Consider your senses and embrace how things look, feel, smell, and sound. When it comes to your sense of touch, start with your sheets. Consider the options of fabrics such as linen, bamboo, or organic cotton. It's always a good idea to splurge on your bed linens, pillows and cushions. When you're making your ultimate bedding checklist, don't forget a sumptuously cosy throw blanket for an extra dreamy finish. All these can match or contrast with your beautiful bespoke window furnishings by Lahood.

Headboards are a practical as well as a décor element. Fabric on a headboard can be completely personalised depending on the bedroom. Whether you’re looking for a neutral tone or a bright splash of colour, you can pick and choose with fabric headboards. Upholstered and buttoned headboards can add the ultimate luxury style and add real comfort to the bed. Stepping from the bed the rich warmth of a plush bedside rug adds cosiness and warmth while adding additional design interest.

Visit Lahood’s stunning showroom at 104 Mt Eden Road and talk to our experienced and award-winning design team about your bedroom window furnishing ideas.

From inspiration to installation, Lahood® Window Furnishings have it all. Phone 0800 LAHOOD to book an in-home design consultation. www.lahood.co.nz

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

After spending several years modernising their lovely family home at Cheltenham Beach with beautiful results, the owners now wanted a new kitchen to match.

Through a friend they found kitchen designer Jane Fergusson from Takapuna-based Kitchens By Design, and have been delighted by the transformation she has achieved.

Could you tell us a little about you and your family, and also about your home – in particular, describe the existing kitchen before the makeover? We are a family of four and are lucky enough to live in a very special part of the world, Cheltenham Beach. My kitchen was about 15 years old and while the materials were still fashionable, such as marble and stainless, it wasn’t a well-functioning kitchen in terms of storage and design.

How did you come across Kitchens By Design, and why did you choose them to design your new kitchen? They were recommended by a friend. I actually started the process with another kitchen designer, but wasn’t satisfied following the initial consultation and drawings, as I felt they were very happy to draw up what I wanted without actually making any recommendations, or suggesting alternatives. As I am not a kitchen designer, I really did need someone to take the lead and be confident enough to tell me if my ideas might not actually be the right way to go.

What was your brief to the designer, and how did it evolve? My brief to Jane was that I wanted a sophisticated kitchen that stayed pretty much in the same footprint, but that allowed for ease of access to kitchen items, with good pantry storage, space for a new double fridge, and one that was going to last the distance by using classic yet practical materials. For example, I love the look of marble – however it was suggested that I instead use Dekton, which is a man-made blend of natural quartz stone, porcelain and glass, and is super strong.

How did the designer translate your brief – and was it what you expected? Jane was perfect in every way. She listened to my ideas and understood my vision. She was very good at listening to suggestions and re-directing me if she felt, due to her vast experience, that perhaps a move in another direction might achieve a better outcome.

What were some of the most enjoyable and memorable moments of the process? Meeting Jane at the kitchen factory and seeing it all coming together was amazing and a huge relief to see it was looking exactly as we had planned. There were never any surprises, as everything was explained clearly every step of the way.

What are your favourite parts of your new kitchen? I love all the wonderful storage and ease of access to everything. Also, the way the materials all work together to reflect my personality and taste is wonderful.

What would be your advice to anyone who’s thinking of having a new kitchen designed? Whilst the process is reasonably long, it is worth it in the end, as every day you get so much pleasure from being in a gorgeous, well-designed kitchen.

How did you find the experience of working with Kitchens By Design? As well as meeting at their showroom in Takapuna, Jane arranged regular after-hours, on-site consultations to fit in with our busy working lives and to ensure my husband could also be part of the consultations and design process. Nothing was ever too annoying, and no question was too silly to ask. Jane also liaised with all the contractors when needed and was on site to meet them if I had to be at work. There was a constant calmness throughout the process. Honestly, I was so impressed with Kitchens By Design, and I will be shouting that from the rooftops.

If you thinking about putting in a new kitchen, give the team at Kitchens By Design a call, or pop into their showroom at 3 Byron Avenue, Takapuna, T: 09 379 3084. And for inspiration, take a look at their website at www.kitchensbydesign.co.nz

Selling your family home can be one of the most stressful and emotionally draining times for a home owner.

It can look a bit worn and tired from everyday living with marks on walls, worn carpets and fading furniture, making it harder to sell. But with Rigby & Co Home Staging it doesn’t have to be.

Well executed home staging draws the eye away from these ‘sale inhibitors’ and allows buyers to focus on the positives. We ensure that it stands out from other properties on the market by making it look warm and inviting, modern and contemporary, and we have a range of home staging styles to best suit your property and help it sell more quickly and for a higher price.

When working with Rigby & Co Home Staging, you will work directly with me, Vanessa. I am the owner of the company and a qualified interior designer so you can be assured of professional and personalised one-to-one service.

I’ll help ensure we: •maximise the sale potential of your home •sell your home faster •sell your home for greater value •make your home more appealing to more people •attract better buyers

And we do this by treating the property like it was our own and it was our property we were selling. In this way we ensure we don’t miss ’the little hidden things’ that can mean the difference between success and failure, a great sale, or no sale at all.

“Thank you Vanessa. Your amazing vision and wonderful sense of style most certainly helped us achieve a fantastic sale price for our property. Potential purchasers all made comments about how well the property was presented. Your easy manner and great communication made it so easy for us. We applaud you and could not recommend your services highly enough. Well done!” - ANNIE

For more information please contact Vanessa Rigby on 027 772 0606; vanessa@rigbyandco.nz; www.rigbyandco.nz

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