This November, Landmark Homes Waikato opened their biggest show home to date.
Situated on a 5000-square-metre lifestyle block in Te Kowhai, the show home is designed as a “family sized home with everything needed for a lifestyle block”.
And, in just two weeks on the market, the concept has proven itself a winner for the company.
Owner and managing director of both Landmark Homes in the Waikato and Coromandel Nigel Watson admits he has been “blown away” by client response to the 422-square-metre home’s debut onto the market.
With a build price tag of between $1.3-$1.4 million the home is at the top end of Landmark’s extensive portfolio – but the show home sold early to an investor and, within just two weeks of opening, the company has “four or five” clients signed up to draft stage based off the show home plan.
That’s extremely good traction for a home of that price and size bracket.
The new show home is a modified and upsized design based around Landmark’s popular Waihi model. Nigel says the large show home offers a perfect solution to those with a teenage family or who love to host house guests.
With a master suite privately tucked away at one end of the home, the design incorporates three living spaces and five bedrooms plus an office.
An extra living area is encircled by bedrooms and is designed as a retreat space to enjoy as an entertainment centre, home gym, for listening to music, or as a computer space.
But perhaps the strongest feature of the home is the roofed-but-open outdoor entertainment deck at the centre of the home.
Nigel says he had noticed an increasing demand in the market from buyers looking for a large outdoor covered area which still afforded protection from the elements. Covered decks, he says, “are certainly one of the main features buyers now want in their homes”.
The home is planned in such a way the deck can be directly accessed from two of the living areas, the main bedroom, and two other bedrooms.
Entry to the home is equally impressive as visitors find themselves in a large living room with an extra high (3.3m) stud. The north facing wall is made up of 2.7-metre-high folding doors seven metres wide which open directly on to the covered deck.
The outdoor area has a raking Hardiegroove ceiling with four Velux skylights sheltering a 68-square- metre Kwila-decked entertainment area on the northern aspect of the home. Included are a woodfire and an inbuilt BBQ. Both the wide portico columns fronting the covered deck and the fireplace/BBQ are lined with Te Kuiti limestone. Finishing touches include feature lighting on the deck and in-built speakers in the ceiling.
As well, a triple garage is standard, providing the space for the boat and ride-on mower. As an added touch, garage doors and some house lighting can be controlled from a smart phone.
The show home is a new initiative for Landmark – the company usually do show homes in urban settings and this is the first time they have built a show home on a lifestyle block.
The home was scheduled to open for viewing in April, but Covid-19 put paid to that.
“But, as it happened, the pandemic-delayed opening date has meant we have hit the market at the right time,” Nigel notes.
In the first two weeks the home attracted potential buyers from as far afield as Auckland and Wellington – many of them either cashed up or on transfer as businesses, such as Wellington-based Rabobank, prepare to move to the Waikato.
Nigel says feedback from visitors to the very busy show home suggests they have been impressed by the features of the home, the style of the build, and the furnishings and fittings.
A case in point is the very large master en suite which features both a shower and bath on a raised area with the bath looking out to a feature garden.
“It’s a home,” says Nigel, “that you can see yourself moving into straight away.
“We’re over the moon with the response we have had. We are experiencing very busy times and the new show home will add to this. But we’ll grow with the demand, it’s all part of the process for Landmark, although, that said, we do not want to get too big.
“However, the new show home is a big commitment for us, and I have to say all our suppliers and sub-trades played a large part in what is fast becoming a major success story for Landmark.
“We’re fortunate in that we have sold the show home to investors and will lease it back for the next two years.”
‘We’re confident it is going to be what people want.”
Planning for the home started about 18 months ago and it is expected the home will stand the test of time as a show piece for Landmark until the end of 2022. But there will be no resting on their laurels, Nigel says. “Sometime next year we’ll have to start thinking about the next one.”
The show home is open Tuesday – Friday 1-4pm and Saturday/Sunday 12-4pm or by appointment. The team would love to meet with you and show you this beautiful home located at 8 Captain Stone Road, 714 Te Kowhai Road.
The show home boasts: three living spaces; five bedrooms (plus office); a family bedroom wing separated from the master suite; a sheltered outdoor living area; a spacious separate laundry with walk-in linen cupboard and triple garaging.
Contact Landmark Homes Waikato & Coromandel today to start designing your stunning new Landmark home.
07 849 5565
Office at 87 Church Road, Pukete, Hamilton
