Before moving into Oneoneroa, Joanna and Peter Maskell were long-term renters in the Belmont area. They’d spotted plans for the Oneoneroa development well in advance of it coming to fruition, and had always loved the idea of the tight-knit community it would provide, alongside the beautiful and convenient surrounds the area is known for. 

You could say that the Maskells were some of the earliest Oneoneroa adopters for this reason – and two years on, they’re more in love with their home than they could have ever predicted!

The house itself was an initial drawcard for the Maskells for a variety of reasons – since Oneoneroa’s homes are all new builds, they are inherently warm and cozy while also designed with a modern feel to maximize spaciousness and storage. The Maskells love the fittings of their house – the marble benchtops, their little back garden, and the well-constructed nature of the home.

The nature of the Oneoneroa development meant that over a dozen families and couples moved into their houses at approximately the same time, which the Maskells say has led to an integrated and unique community vibe. “We’re a really nice mixture of groups – some with young children, some older families, singles, younger and older couples. Since we all relocated to this area at basically the same time, everyone made an effort to get to know each other. You don’t tend to get that in older, more developed neighborhoods,” Joanna says.  

Their street has gathered for Christmas BBQs for the last few years, and they attend wider community events several times a year.

Oneoneroa’s stunning location is another key reason the Maskells are grateful for where they live. Their 12-year-old son takes off on his scooter every morning for a five-minute journey to his intermediate school, and when the time comes for high school, he will be even closer than this to Takapuna Grammar. The family can walk 15 minutes to get to Takapuna Beach, or seven minutes to St Leonard’s Beach. Oneoneroa’s unique placement between Takapuna and Devonport means the Maskells are spoilt for choice on evenings out – choosing between Devonport’s historic cinema and great restaurants on the water, or over to Takapuna for a beach stroll and dinner at one of their coastal restaurants.

The development backs onto a reserve which is home to a children’s playground, harbourside walk and a cycleway for residents. The Maskells love riding their electric bike (which was kindly gifted to all residents in the first round of Oneoneroa homes) along the cycleway and spotting their neighbours doing the same.

Joanna loves the cafés in the area, too – a two-minute walk up the road on a work-from-home day will land her at Daily Bread for a perfect flat white before she heads back home.

The Maskells love their Oneoneroa lifestyle, and highly recommend the second stage of houses for anyone who is after a modern home with an unbeatable community feel – the best of both worlds, in their eyes!