Listing of the day
Location: Queenstown, New Zealand
Price: NZ$3.995 million (US$2.9 million)
"Beautiful, "timeless" and "solid" are the three words David Palmer used when describing the mountain-facing home he and his wife Liz have called their own since 2001.
Nestled within Queenstown's exclusive Stonebridge development, to say the Palmers are invested in both the French Norman-style house and the surrounding area is an understatement: The couple bought 50 acres of land in 1996 and turned it into Stonebridge themselves.
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"We wanted to create an environment in which we wanted to live," Mr. Palmer said. "We'd been attracted to the idea of living in a small rural village or hamlet [and] we came up with the concept that's become Stonebridge."
The couple approached building the single-family home in which they themselves would live with impeccable attention to detail; Vanessa Sharp of Sotheby's Realty calls it "a real labor of love."
"The tiles in the kitchen and living room were imported from France, and the roof [slate] from Wales," she said. "You'd never be able to replace that house in that location." Even seemingly innocuous details have a story, including door latches and hinges—also from France—and wooden ceiling beams that come from demolished Australian railway bridges.
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But, according to both Mr. Palmer and Ms. Sharp, one of the home's biggest perks lies in the fact that a buyer will get all the benefits of authentic country living without the caretaking hassle that usually comes with rural property.
The common land—which includes two tree-lined driveways, a park, and a 1.5 mile walkway —is managed by staff who tend to weed control, tree pruning, and lawn mowing. (A major part of the common land is farmed, which provides income contributing to Stonebridge's upkeep.)
With mountain views, walls that are 12 inches thick, and the fact that it's cool in the summer and warm in the winter, the property on Domain Road is, as Mr. Palmer says, "a house that's built to last."
The stats
The 6,918-square foot home home has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a conservatory, an extensive outdoor entertaining area, and a separate cottage containing an art studio and workshop that can easily be converted to include two or three additional bedrooms, plus living space.
Design pedigree
The home was designed by award-winning architectural firm Mason and Wales.
Amenities
Extras include a sports court, pond and vegetable garden bends. Inside, there’s a dishwasher and washing machine.
Neighborhood
Stonebridge is in the heart of the Wakatipu Lakes District, halfway between Arrowtown, Queenstown, a historic town that borders Sir Michael Hill's Championship Golf Course, home to the New Zealand Open.
The property is also located between two of the area's main ski facilities, and it's a 10-minute drive from shops, restaurants, and the Queenstown International Airport.
Talking Point
You don’t have to be from New Zealand to purchase it. Approval from the Overseas Investment Office for international buyers has already been granted.
Agent: Vanessa Sharp, New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty
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