38 Ward Beach Road, Ward, Marlborough

Negotiable Over $1,095,000

Some houses are simply built. Others are grown. At the end of a long white stone drive, well away from the road and the rest of the world, sits a place where someone once had a vision, planted it row by row, and then had the patience to wait for it to bear fruit. Today the groves are well established, the oil has a name and a loyal following, and the home has been thoughtfully refined into something quietly special. This is the home of Flaxbourne Olive Oil, and it is ready for its next chapter.

The house wraps itself around a sheltered courtyard, and the layout is cleverly considered. On one side, the generous master bedroom opens straight onto the courtyard and features a walk in wardrobe and a new ensuite. From there the updated modern country style kitchen leads you along a wide, elongated hallway to the dining wing, past a separate office, and finally into the lounge. And what a finale it is. The ceiling is vaulted, a fireplace waits for cooler evenings, and a gorgeous picture window frames the olive groves below with Mount Tapuae-o-Uenuku rising in the distance, a view that is lovely at any hour but truly comes into its own at sunset. Each room flows into the next, yet there is always just enough separation to find a quiet corner. Practicality has not been forgotten either, with a separate toilet, a storage room, and an updated laundry with its own shower that leads into the large internal access garage. Beyond the garage is a games room that would happily work as a guest bedroom. Across the courtyard, a separate accommodation wing offers two bedrooms and a Jack and Jill bathroom. Originally designed to house WWOOFers, it has since proven itself as a very handy Airbnb income. New flooring, carpets, blinds, LED lighting, internal paintwork and a water filtration system mean the work inside has already been done.

Step outside and the real story unfolds. The property spans 3.8445 hectares (approx.), home to 627 established and irrigated olive trees across eight mainly Italian varieties, plus around 150 hazelnut trees. Every drop of Flaxbourne’s single estate extra virgin olive oil comes from olives grown right here, harvested, pressed and bottled on site. Fifteen Jinko 440W solar panels with a battery quietly and efficiently power things along, while a high hedge and electric gates greet you at the entrance. The exterior has been well maintained throughout and was repainted around four years ago.

This is the rare kind of opportunity where the hard yards have all been put in. The trees are established, the reputation is built, and the plant and equipment are included in the sale. All that is left is for someone new to pick up where the current owners leave off and be ready for the next harvest. A beautiful home, a working estate and a lifestyle that most people only daydream about, simply waiting for its next custodian. Purchase price is plus GST, if any.