Villas may be the most sought-after home in New Zealand, but colonial cottages have just as much charm and can be the more affordable option.
OneRoof has searched current listings to find the cutest cottages for sale in New Zealand. Some are in need of a renovation, while others have magazine-style finishes. Depending on the location, buyers could pick up a slice of architectural history for less than $200,000, although one of the colonial cottages on the market has an RV of more than $6 million.
Take your pick from the listings below:
School house rocks!
Start your property search
OneRoof’s personal favourite is a one-bedroom early 1900s cottage at 35 Maungawhare Place, in Otumoetai, Tauranga. The 70sqm former schoolhouse sits on a massive 3308sqm section and has a price tag of $945,000.
Former owner Billie Kay was in her 70s when she shifted the Kauri school house from Maramarua to Tauranga in 1995. It has been given a few makeovers since then and is one of the most striking tiny homes on the market.
The most expensive
Possibly the most expensive cottage in the country is at 295 Broomfields Road, in Whitford, Auckland. But realistically it’s not the tiny one-bedroom cottage that will draw buyers, but the 2.02ha land area with uninterrupted sea views. The CV is $6.45m.
295 Broomfields Road, in Whitford, Auckland, has a CV of $6.45m and sits on 2.02ha. Photo / Supplied
The cheapest
The cheapest cottage on the market at the time of writing was 82 Hastings Street, in Ohai, Clutha, on the market with Harcourts’ Bruce Thomas. It’s looking for offers over $135,000 and sits on 1012sqm of land. Thomas has billed the property as a renovation project. That’s not an understatement; plenty of elbow grease is required on this one.
82 Hastings Street, in Ohai, Southland, is looking for offers over $135,000. Photo / Supplied
Another tiny home with a tiny price tag is 22 Torquay Street, in Kaitangata, Clutha. The one-bedroom cottage, which is being marketed by Property Brokers agent Judd de la Roche, is priced from $189,000. It has been repiled and rewired, and comes with a heat pump - in the words of de la Roche, it has been “re-energised”.
22 Torquay Street, in Kaitangata, Clutha, has been re-energised. Photo / Supplied
No work required
8 Wilsons Road, in Oxford, Waimakariri, is the cottage for those who don’t relish DIY projects. The two-bedroom home is for sale by way of negotiation and has a 2022 RV of $730,000. It comes with a butler’s pantry, skylights and a separate insulated studio/office. It also sits on 2428sqm of landscaped gardens. Agent Di Moreira, of Mike Pero Real Estate, describes it as “representing the ultimate blend of semi-rural living and urban convenience with plenty of distinctive features”.
This two-bedroom cottage at 8 Wilsons Road, in Oxford, Waimakariri, is for sale by way of negotiation. Photo / Supplied
Another renovated cottage in Waimakariri with a mixture of new and original features is 14 Parsonage Road, in Woodend, which has two homes on one title for $739,000. The original cottage has been lovingly restored. It has solar panels and a new roof, says Harcourts Agent Jayne Martin.
14 Parsonage Road, in Woodend, Waimakariri, is for sale for $739,000. Photo / Supplied
Original features abound
For those who want partially renovated, but as original as possible, the home at 29 Russell Road, in Huntly, Waikato, could be a winner. The cottage section of the home has many original features including battened ceilings, fireplaces, sash windows and coal range. The modern kitchen is country-style. A mid-century lean-to at the back has been redecorated and houses a dated bathroom and some of the bedrooms. Outside is a potager garden. The home is on the market for $575,000 with Property Brokers’ Cathy O’Shea.
29 Russell Road, in Huntly, Waikato, is priced at $575,000. Photo / Supplied
Without a doubt the colonial cottage with the best fireplace is 702 State Highway 6, in Runanga, Greymouth. The 90sqm three-bedroom home has cottage-style gardens and a modest asking price of $285,000.
702 State Highway 6, in Runanga, Greymouth, has an asking price of $285,000. Photo / Supplied
Quaint understatement
Quaint is an understatement when it comes to the cottage at 54 State HIghway 3, in Turakina, Rangitikei. Possibly the best do-up on the market, it is seeking offers over $470,000. The cottage was built circa 1880 and has many original features, some of which have been partially restored. It was rewired in 2018 and comes with native timber flooring, high stud ceilings, staircase, ornate mantelpieces and Shacklock Orion coal range. A barn-style shed adds further charm to the home, which is being sold by Property Brokers’ Sapphire Beaumont. It’s one of several two-storey cottages on the market around the country currently.
This quaint colonial cottage at 54 State Highway 3, in Turakina, Rangitikei, is seeking offers over $470,000. Photo / Supplied
Bachy cottages
Some baches fall very much into the cottage-sized homes, even if technically they’re not colonial style. A perfect example is “The Greenkeepers Cottage'' at 1339 Whangaparaoa Road, in Army Bay, Rodney.
1339 Whangaparaoa Road, in Army Bay, Rodney, goes to auction on November 6. Photo / Supplied
It sits adjacent to the Whangaparaoa Golf Club because it was the original greenkeeper’s cottage, says Harcourts agent Chris Triscott. The cottage was “a wreck” last time Triscott sold it in 2015. It has been lovingly restored by its current owners, who have the highly relevant occupations of quantity survey and earth moving contractor.
Triscott says some first-home buyers have inspected it, but the majority of potential buyers are downsizers. “Most are either looking at what they can do with the backyard with the new [Auckland] unitary plan coming in. You can build a 150sqm [minor dwelling] at the back, or extend the original cottage out and capture the north-facing sun. We’ve had two Australian couples over here looking for ‘New Zealand cottagey’ with views scenarios.”
Cottage in the capital
Wellington’s difficult terrain leads to a great number of small charming cottages. One example is 197 Marine Parade, in Seatoun. Renovated to a high standard, the cottage sits across the road from the sea. The tiny home doesn’t have the open gable roof common for the period, but is nonetheless the right size at 80m2 and from the era. OneRoof has previously profiled the cottage, which has been on the market since July.
197 Marine Parade, in Seatoun, Wellington, is for sale by way of negotiation. Photo / Supplied
One of the issues with selling the property, which has a renovated kitchen and bathroom, could be that the current vendors have obtained resource consent to create a separate lot that could be built on or land-banked.
