Plenty Of Options For Income As Versatile Suburban Home Is Placed On The Market For Sale

A newly refurbished suburban home configured into upstairs downstairs extended family separation – and with a separate consented gymnasium premises overlooking the back lawn – has been placed on the market for sale.

The classic 1940s weatherboard and tile property in the inner-western Auckland suburb of Westmere sits on a landholding 718-square metres – including 20-metres of street frontage – zoned mixed housing urban under the Auckland Council Plan.

The substantial Westmere home in a quiet neighbourhood surrounded by similar sizeable residences, features three distinct spaces, encompassing:

• A recently refurbished north-facing three-bedroom home with an open-plan kitchen, lounge and dining room along with an outdoor deck area beside a flat lawn

• A recently modernised one-bedroom downstairs with an outdoor entertaining deck

overlooking a rear lawn bordered by mature trees

and

• A consented gymnasium with bathroom - currently configured as a two-bedroom guesthouse.

The property neighbours a triangular bush reserve maintained by Auckland City Council, while the slightly bigger Warnock Reserve is directly across the road – delivering a green backdrop for any potential development intensification of the site.

With generous road frontage and in demand land zoning developers could explore intensification or enjoy the property over the years as a land bank. On the other side of the road is the upmarket designer home formerly owned by corporate high-flier Theresa Gattung who previously headed up Telecom before becoming a cofounder of home meal delivery service My Food Bag.

The multi-faceted property at 4 Livingstone Street in Westmere is now being marketed for sale at auction on October 27 through Bayleys Ponsonby. Salespeople Jock Kooger, Pawel Smuga, and MJ Kooger said the configuration of two-storeys of residential spaces, along with the adjacent multipurpose building, would appeal to a broad gamut of potential buyers – ranging from owner/occupiers through to investors looking at the property’s residential and commercial aspects.

“The three-bedroom home occupies the upper floor of the premises, with the one-bedroom separation underneath. Both have their own separate outdoor living spaces, and access to a grassed lawn at the back of the address,” Jock Kooger said.

“The current owner has just spent a considerable six-figure sum extensively modernising both levels of living spaces to a high standard. They are now in a ‘turn-key’ state ready for any new owner to move in or rent it all out.

“The layout of the two levels and the independence they deliver to occupants means that the property could be purchased as an extended family living opportunity – for the likes of an adult child or aged parent to live in the very spacious one-bedroom with bathroom on the lower floor.”

A recently compiled rental evaluation of the three-bedroom and one-bedroom portions of the property based on current market conditions estimates a weekly income of between $1,380-$1,450 could be derived.

“Meanwhile, a self-contained building adjacent to the residence is consented as a gymnasium and has its own bathroom” Jock Kooger said.

“There’s ample space on the communal back yard to install a trampoline or for the kids to kick a football around.”

The three-bedroom home, one-bedroom apartment, and gymnasium building each have their own separate electricity metres.

Pawel Smuga said the property was perfectly configured to take advantage of the social upheaval caused by Covid-19 lockdowns across Greater Auckland over the past two years, and the impact that had on Aucklanders’ working habits.

“While consented as a gymnasium, the stand-alone structure on the property could easily function as a work-from-home office – capable of sustaining several employees in a comfortable professional environment,” Smuga said.

“In addition to the open-plan central area, there are two adjacent bedroom-sized spaces which, subject to any necessary council approvals, could accommodate a professional services or consultancy-based business, or a small healthcare type practice such as a physiotherapy studio or hairdressing salon,” he said.

“Under this dynamic, someone could live in the residential component of the property, and work in what would be the commercial portion of the address.”

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