The demand for real estate in St Heliers is such that some buyers will pay up to $20 million for their own slice of beach paradise.
Housing in the Auckland suburb was largely built in the 1960s. Back then it had the feel of a small beach town and the vibe has largely remained the same since. “You have to pinch yourself sometimes living here,” says Barfoot & Thompson agent Paul Neshausen, who lives in the suburb. “If you're going to live in Auckland with all the challenges that you face with traffic, then you might as well live by the beach. Here in St Heliers it’s only a 25 minute commute to Auckland at worst. As you’re driving downtown, you’re looking at Rangitoto and sandy beaches. It feels like you’re on holiday every day. We’re very lucky.”
Entry level homes start around $750,000, says Neshausen. That's for a unit, most likely on the southern slopes.
“One typically thinks that it's unaffordable for most average New Zealanders. St Heliers is very reachable considering its affluence. But prices here range from under a million dollars to $20m. You can live here and enjoy all the things it has to offer without being a multi-millionaire.”
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Easy living: The view out to Rangitoto from St Heliers Beach. Photo / Fiona Goodall
Neshausen says he has one client who bought five homes in the suburb, and lived in all five, as well as housing family in the ones they still own.
On the northern slopes looking out over the Hauraki Gulf, entry level is more like $1.4m, says Bayleys agent David Nightingale. But even then it will be a unit.
“For a three bedroom, two bathroom family home, you’d find it very difficult to find anything under the $2m range,” says Nightingale.
Some of the vintage houses that have survived the changes in the suburb. Photo / Fiona Goodall
Families can pay up to $4m for a decent sized home, depending on proximity to the village. Larger, top-end properties go for a lot more, but few come onto the market because owners hold them tightly.
Thanks to the Auckland Unitary Plan, and the push towards intensification, larger sections in the suburb are high sought after by developers, says Nightingale. New terrace homes and apartments have recently come on stream, and they can trade for $4m to $5m-plus.
New-build properties vie for attention, but much of the housing stock dates from the 1960s. Photo / Fiona Goodall
“We’ve seen a lot of sales of traditional 1960s and 1970s homes that sit on large sections. Somebody buys them. They’re liveable. But over time they might think about subdividing and perhaps putting two or three houses on it.”
He adds: “The change in zoning has also allowed for developers to put in some very upmarket apartments. There are price tags in excess of $4m, even $5m, for these apartments on the northern slopes of St Heliers.” They're often sold to empty nesters who want to stay local, says Nightingale, but don’t need the big family home any more.
Despite the prices, St Heliers is very family friendly, says Nightingale. “There are only a handful of traffic lights between St Heliers and the CBD. And then you've got the lifestyle benefit of walkways, the costs, and the cafes. Yet it’s still so handy for the city and the main arterial routes.”
