Buying a first home in Auckland for under $600,000 can be tough.
Last year, 74 percent of first homes buyers were moving into single homes, but only one in ten buyers were lucky enough to find that house for under $600,000. The 17 percent who bought flats were luckier - 35 percent bought under $600,000.
And, despite their apparent proliferation, apartments are only the first home of choice for eight percent of buyers. That’s where affordability kicked in, 61 percent were under $600,000 - although 71 percent were a pretty compact 80 square metres or less.
Even a KiwiBuild home price in this region (and Queenstown) can be more than that - up to $650,000. In the rest of the country it’s $500,000.
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So what a budget of $600,000 gets a buyer. We checked some current OneRoof listings with CVs of less than $600,000 and/ or set prices of less than $600,000 to find just what you get around Auckland. (Remember, CVs are a only guide to a property's value and not a guarantee that a property will sell for that figure.)
1. Manurewa
Back in the 1960s and 70s, as the motorway stretched further and further south from the city, some cool new housing opened up. From old Manurewa, new suburbs stretched further west into Clendon and Weymouth.
This brick and tile three bedroom split level on Damian Way, on a generous flat 627sqm lot has been renovated to show off the mid-century bones. Sunken living makes the room seem big and airy: fancy new kitchen and bathroom, a second living room or utility room, internal garage and a great deck already done. Bus stops at either end of the street, 10 minutes from Manukau City. CV $495,000. Price by negotiation.
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2. Parnell
Strictly speaking this is a unit-title flat, but one bed and 54sqm in town is worth a close look. There’s a smartly done up kitchen and bathroom, but the big appeal is a pocket of courtyard garden that could be a very pretty extra living space through the summer months. There’s even a carpark, but the point of city-side living is the frequent public transport, easy walking to Newmarket or Parnell and the Domain nearby. CV $590,000. Auction March 27.
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3. Stanmore Bay
There are plenty more bargains to be had in the furthest city fringe towns - Warkworth, Pukekohe, Tuakau. But living on Hibiscus Coast has the benefit of old-style beachy living, increasingly frequent buses (connector services every 30 minutes) so there are travel options beyond long drives in the car.
This cool two level house, built in 1984 has striking high ceilings to open up the living areas, a second bedroom/bathroom set up downstairs if you wanted semi-independent flatmates to help pay the bills. There’s a wood burner, smart kitchen and decks for extra outdoor living. Better still, there’s room to improve the whole place, particularly the gardens and grounds, on one of the suburb’s favourite streets seconds from the boat ramp. CV $640,000. Enquiries over $599,000.
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4. Conifer Grove
It’s on the Takanini side of Conifer Grove, but handy to bus stops and not too far for the kids to get to the local primary school (it’s in zone for Rosehill College). This 1970s brick and tile is typical of the era, a useful three bedrooms in its 96 square metres a deck and enough back yard to spread out (it’s a unit title property). Recently insulated, with a perfectly workable kitchen, it could be a good starter, particularly if work is in Manukau City or points south. CV $510,000. Asking price $540,000.
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5. Massey
A standalone 1970s house with a well-organised three bedrooms on 326 square metres (cross-leased) still has some scope for updating and DIY on the functional kitchen and nearly-finished bathroom. There’s a wood burner, decks, but lots of scope for getting stuck into the garden to make the most of the old-school fruit trees. Off street parking, under house storage and decking that could be updated (the wide-valley views are a bonus). It’s not far from Triangle Road shopping and buses. CV $530,000. Auction March 30.
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6. St Johns
Very few places come up in Eastern suburbs of Auckland at this price point that have anything like a garden. So we squeezed in a 1960s cross-lease flat into the list. The house itself is 60 square metres, but it’s the clever use of the 136 square metres land that makes this place: a series of layered decks framed in hedges and olive trees that create a whole sunny outdoor living. The hard landscaping’s done, but there’s room to add more planting around the lawn for a real oasis. Crisp, smart kitchen and bathroom, wood floors and smart carpets it’s handy to the University, bus stops right outside (more on St Johns and College Roads. There are finally food and cafe choices - either Stonefields with its groovy town centre and pub, or Meadowbank for big shopping and more food. CV $580,000. Price by negotiation.
