There's nothing Kiwis love more than individuality and quirk and real estate is no different.
This summer there are some great properties with an abundance of character, from a paint box explosion on the edge of the Bay of Plenty to a large section with a floating Middle-Earth-style hideout and a lifestyle property with a super-funky barn-style farmhouse.
This colourful 1920s villa located between the Karangahake Gorge and Waihi is the ultimate in quirky rural charm.
Marketed by Tall Poppy agent Chris A’Court the 14 Banks Lane property is sitting on the 1012 sq m section just off the main road through Waikino.
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The village has always been known as a "very hippie place", says A'Court, and the colourful villa is attractive to buyers in the creative community who are looking for an alternative lifestyle.
"I have a lot of artists interested, people who practice alternative therapy or those who want to dig into the tourism market," she says.
The home strikes a strong note right from the get go, with and artsy yellow exterior. Inside, the surprises continue with a bright colour palette of red and lime walls, yellow ceiling and blue window and door frames.
The character villa in Waikino defines quirk and serenity. Photo / Supplied
However, the lounge and four bedrooms have neutral white walls and neutral wooden detailing for the fireplace. The historic character is enhanced with original ornately carved features, two fireplaces and a wood burner.
The quirky 130sq m residence has been re-piled and re-roofed by the current owners who also put new plumbing, wiring and insulation in the roof and most walls.
The rural community is a 15-minute drive to Waihi Beach and less than half hour drive to Whangamata.
Also not shy of colours is this quirky classic home in a rural lifestyle block near Masterton.
This colourful property in Carterton, near Masterton, has a CV of $310,000. Photo / Supplied
A striking blue and red exterior is only a tip of colour spectrum that the three-bedroom 1930s bungalow in Carteron shows off.
The kitchen and dining areas are bright orange, the bathroom is painted bright green, and one bedroom is painted in yellow.
Another two bedrooms and the lounge have white walls, apart from a wide painted golden segment on one of its walls.
The 1930s house has orange kitchen and lounge, green bathroom and yellow bedroom. Photo / Supplied
The lounge has a wood burner with a bigger fireplace at the back of the kitchen, in the dining area.
Wooden joinery and detailing features throughout the property with beautifully crafted outside seating area. There's also a garaging and lean to, a fabulous studio ideal for those guest who will never want to and even a quirky tree hut in the rambling cottage garden on 1857 sq m of freehold land.
Ray White agents Tim and Karen Gardner, who are marketing the property in a small town 15kms southwest of Masterton, are expecting enquiries over $435,000.
A tiny house floating on the pond of this Whangaripo property near Matakana is a quirky addition to a lifestyle property. Photo / Supplied
A property with less colour, but more rural dwellings, is tucked away in the Whangaripo valley, on Whangaripo Valley Road
just over an hour away from Auckland and 14 km from Matakana and handy to the white sands of Pakiri beach.
This lifestyle property has two alternative living options, including a tiny hideout floating on the pond at the edge of the 18,700 sq m section.
The tiny studio with round windows is a hideaway for kids or adults looking to escape from the world.
958 Whangaripo Valley Rd property has a cosy shed and a floating hideout. Photo/ Supplied
A bigger dwelling is the 72 sq m insulated shed with a living room, a kitchen and wood burner set up in the heart of the living area.
The Mike Pero Real Estate agent marketing the property, Angela Wain, says that wooden shed is consented but it’s lacking a temporary accommodation consent (that means the two sleeping areas, a shower and a laundry). The property does have most services in place.
The well-fenced property has sunny and flat site below the shed which is ideal for a future house construction and enough land to have a self sufficient farm, with an orchard and a garden already in place.
The previous owners have changed their mind on building a dream family home and the property is now to be sold by tender, closing February 7.
