A home with a sea view is a dream for many Kiwis, but what if you could actually live in a house on the water?
An Auckland developer is building the country's first-ever floating homes, and there has been plenty of interest.
"As far as I'm aware it's the first in New Zealand," says Fairway Bay development consultant Michael Webb-Speight. "But it's not an uncommon thing overseas to have people living in house boats or floating houses."
The stretch of Gulf Harbour in north Auckland will soon be home to 20 of them.
Building begins in April, and the homes will literally be floating on water.
"Sleeping on the water, for me it's a wonderful experience," says Mr Webb-Speight. "Get up, get out of bed, jump off the side."
Jumping on board are last year's winners of The Block, Alex and Corban Walls, who will be project managing and designing the interior of the homes.
"I like to choose projects that are out-of-the-box – you know, the ones that inspire you to get out of bed in the morning," says Mr Walls. "I look at this one and I just think this is so cool."
The site was originally a paddock – the developer has already had the title before the marina was created, so they own the seabed.
In terms of size, each floating house will be about 32 square metres, which is only about the size of an average hotel room. But there will be an additional mezzanine level for the bedroom, which will be about 12 square metres.
Almost 300 people have already expressed interest in owning a so-called glamorous houseboat, and the developer expects they'll mainly be used as baches.
"I can definitely see myself living in something like that," says Ms Walls. "I just think it's actually going to be a bit of slice of luxury in your life."
3 News
