Freedom of choice
GREENHITHE 11 DENE COURT LANE
Colin Greenwood is spoiled for choice when it comes to places to hang out around his resortstyle property.
He can cosy up in front of the gas fire he recently put into the redecorated formal lounge or grab a book and sit in front of the wood burner in the large, airy room he converted from a gym into another living area.
This one has the bifold doors the book seller also put in that lead out to the deep blue, heated swimming pool in the lush, palm-surrounded setting.
Or he can sit at the dining room table in the open plan kitchen area, or move opposite the kitchen where there is yet another separate living area.
Colin moved to his country setting in the city eight years ago after a heart attack. He wasn’t so much downsizing as making a lifestyle choice — he wanted a property that would exercise him instead of hitting the gym every day.
For many years he did that by mowing the lawns, until he caved in a couple of years ago and bought a ride-on mower.
Other than that, the property is easily maintained. The landscaped grounds and gardens are wellestablished since the five-level home was built around 1995.
He has put in a lot of work, though he didn’t really intend that to happen when he bought.
“When I bought the property I thought, ‘Ooh, great, nothing to do’, and I’ve done nothing but spend money and change it ever since I’ve been here.”
He is only the second owner and says it feels like a new house because he has painted, put in new blinds, floors, carpets, and revamped the bathrooms, kitchen and the lounges.
The house was also reclad by the former owners, he says.
When they came to build their triple-car garage a couple of years after they built their dream house, they found the building code had changed requiring them to use a different cladding, even though there was nothing wrong with the house.
“So they reclad it in what’s called Rockcote. They still wanted that Mediterranean look, so it’s all been reclad, it’s got treated timber, it’s got everything and a new Code of Compliance.”
Colin looked at 20 or 30 properties before he found this one. “I looked all over the place to be honest, as far out as Karaka. I was living in Albany. I used to have a property just across the road which was two acres of nothing but bush but it was very steep so I knew the area quite well so it was a bit like coming home.”
He loves that half this property is bush and that it is private. He also likes the high ceilings and that there are interesting and leafy views out of every window.
“It just had all the elements that I need. It had a pool, it was new, it was modern, it had the bush, it had some gardens. It was just the sort of thing I was looking for at the time.
“And it’s literally two minutes to the motorway, in both directions. Five minutes to the Albany Mega Centre, so you’ve pretty much got a place in the country but you’re two minutes from the city. It’s the best of both worlds I guess.”
Big doors lead to a covered courtyard and the property is well off the road so is safe for animals and children.
At 63, Colin is making some decisions over whether to retire or travel and says it is time for a change.