An empty miner’s cottage in Waihi, an opulent villa in Remuera and an abandoned school in Whangarei have the topped list of New Zealand’s most popular properties this year.
New data released by OneRoof.co.nz reveals the most-viewed properties on the property portal in the three months to the end of March.
The most popular listings attracted tens of thousands of visits, and were standout homes in an extremely crowded market, with the latest OneRoof figures showing a 28% leap in the number of homes for sale since the end of last year.
The data also underscores the strength of Kiwis’ addiction to real estate, even at a time when interest rates are high and the economy is in recession.
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Many of the most viewed homes were entry-level properties, reflecting the tighter budgets of the most active group in the market right now – the first-home buyer. However, trophy homes and beach locations also featured highly, indicating Kiwis’ property aspirations haven’t really changed.
OneRoof talked to some of agents linked to the country’s most popular homes and found that they even were surprised by the level of interest in their listings.
No.1 - 91 Kenny Street, Waihi
The three-bedroom miner’s cottage was OneRoof’s most-viewed listing so far this year. The property, which had an RV of $450,000, hadn’t been occupied for several years and needed a complete reclad, new piling and rewiring.
Amazingly, it sold in March for just under $300,000, five months after it was first listed.
Harcourts agent Dee Stevenson told OneRoof interest in the cottage had been “through the roof”.
“I was inundated. I could not tell you how many emails I had,” she said.
Stevenson said buyers liked the character of the home, the lower price point and the large shed at the back of the property.
“The shed is fantastic. More people were interested in the shed than the miner’s cottage.”
The Kenny Street house needed some TLC. Photo / Supplied
However, the fact the cottage was heritage B listed and required a lot of work did narrow the buyer pool. “That eliminated a lot of people because it was about servicing and having the ability to do the work that was required.”
Stevenson expected it would be done up and potentially be used as an Airbnb due to its central main road location and history.
The agent is also selling the two-bedroom cottage next door, at 93 Kenny Street. Both properties were acquired in 2021 by gold mining and exploration company OceanaGold (number 91 for $375,000 and number 93 for $395,000).
Both properties had been vacant since OceanaGold had taken ownership of them.
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The second most-viewed home on OneRoof was a striking 19th century villa owned by prestige real estate agents Terry and Diana King, of Remuera Real Estate Register.
Terry told OneRoof he believed the property’s amazing gardens and the attention to detail exhibited in the restoration and build are behind the listing’s surge in popularity.
And while anyone can view the four-bedroom masterpiece online, the Kings only let qualified buyers see it in person.
37 Bell Road, in Remuera, Auckland, can only be inspected by qualified buyers. Photo / Supplied
Terry and Diana King at their house in 2020. Photo / Fiona Goodall
“Anyone who sees it goes, ‘Oh my God this is fantastic. I’ve never seen anything like it’.”
The interiors are impressively dressed, with Terry joking that with the wallpaper costing $200 a roll, it probably wasn’t a home for young children.
“It’s full of expensive European everythings,” he said. “It doesn’t fit with your normal villa of that size. It’s for a sophisticated couple. When the right person comes, I think they will buy it on the spot.”
The agent said they loved the house and had only decided to sell so they could renovate another villa before they were unable to do so.
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No.3 - 9 Ford Road, Hikurangi, Whangārei
Not exactly a home you could live in, but abandoned Northland school that was bought on a whim for $125,000 more than a decade ago still caught the attention of thousands of buyers – partly due to the uniqueness of the property but also because of the promise it could be picked up at a bargain price.
Since the now-deserted Towai School at 9 Ford Road, near Whangarei, hit the market last month, Northland’s Ngāti Hau has been in talks with the Crown to buy it back so it can be returned to hapū, whose members have set about occupying the property.
The Northern Advocate reported that the Crown had advised the hapū it did not have scope to consider purchasing the property this financial year.
The property, which is being marketed by Ray White agent Alex Smits, was set to go to auction on April 4 with a low reserve but switched to price by negotiation.
The former Towai School, on Ford Road in Whangarei, Northland, is still up for grabs. Photo / Supplied
The Ford Road building was last used as a school in 2004. Photo / Supplied
Smits had told OneRoof the owner hadn’t planned on buying the school, and had only come across it by chance.
The former school had closed its doors to pupils for the last time in 2004, and while the students are long gone signs of its former life are evident from the dilapidated school building, drained swimming pool and deserted toilet block.
Housing NZ bought the 2.02-hectare property for $250,000 two years after the school’s closure with plans to build four low-cost homes on the site. Opposition from residents and restrictions preventing multiple dwellings to be built on the rural land saw it put on the market nine years later.
Smits said the current owner was driving home from visiting family in Northland when he spotted a For Sale sign outside the school.
The owner had no real plans for it other than falling in love with the nearly 130-year-old timber building and thinking it was a good opportunity, he said.
“I think it was bought on a whim. [He] had some cash in his back pocket and thought at that price it’s a good buy.”
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