707 Massey Street Akina, Hastings District

You'll drive right past it if you don't keep an eye out.

Set back from the road, behind the purply grey hedge and the hydrangeas that are coming
along nicely; nestled under a mature cherry tree where the TÅ«i like to sit and natter, and down
the path, past the orange blossom bushes, is the front door to 707.

Built back in 1937 or maybe 38, it's one of those places they mean when they say a house has
'good bones'. At least that's what Paul said, and he's just done the building report, so he'd
know. The solid polished Rimu floors bounce light around all through the day. It playfully
follows you from the generous bedrooms in the morning, through to the kitchen in the
afternoon, making a light cheery space, which is handy because you'll spend a lot of time here.

It's the heart of the house where things happen. Where tummies are filled, homework gets
done, plans are made, and schemes get hatched.

Out back is a private, sheltered and secure full size, grown up section. Big enough to put
another house on if you wanted. But that's unlikely. This is a place where kids have grown up.
It's where others will grow up. It's where you'll blow up the pool, the dog can roam, and the bbq
will fire up anytime from now on.

There's a couple of trees that are growing Christmas cherries while you read this, and a little
later in January you'll have what looks to be a bumper crop of Golden Queens. And plums.
Then the apples will come in. Raspberries until March. The lemons seem to be pretty much
year round. Mandarins are a nice treat in the Winter.

Like every garden of this size it's a work in progress though. You'll work it out once you get
your eye in. It's home to a decent garden shed you could do something with, and a chicken

coop right at the back, which is good for keeping all sorts of stuff that you probably should
have got rid of sooner but never got round to it.

707 definitely has a feel to it, there's no two ways about it. It's been looked after and lived in.
Laughed in. Loved in. It's proof that downsizing is about simpler not just smaller.

There's a bit of a bach-y vibe. You know, if the bach had a New World, the library, the opera
house, and the best of Heretaunga St only ten minutes walk away.

There's no garage, but there's off-street parking for three cars. Four if you liked Minis.

707 has everything you need and nothing you don't. You might see things you want to do, but
nothing you need to do. Tim and Sam have just freshened the whole inside with a couple of
generous coats of Resene's quarter wheatfield with a half sea fog around the windows.

"Just to make things pop," said Tim knowingly. And he's not wrong. Pop it does.

But come on over. You can see all that for yourself.