'This would cost you twice as much on Waiheke. You’d be up for $5m'

- Kawau Island's property market is attracting attention, with prices ranging from $198,000 to over $3 million.

- Waterfront properties with private wharves are highly sought after, offering unique access and privacy.

- There is a shift in ownership, with younger buyers and expats showing increased interest.

Want to dock your boat by the front lawn? On Kawau, in the Hauraki Gulf, that's not only doable but part of everyday life for the island's population.

Bayleys listing agent Robert Hood told OneRoof that the island's housing market had attracted increased attention, with sales bouncing back strongly after the post-Covid slump. Separate OneRoof figures show the island's average property value has grown almost 5% in the last two years.

Buyers willing to take a punt have more than 20 Kawau properties to choose from, ranging in price from $198,000 for a 1000sqm section at 10 Wilson Avenue to $3m-plus for the island's most desirable homes.

Lot 97 North Cove comes with its own private wharf. Photo / Supplied

The property boasts a Hawaiian-style home, which looks out over the water. Photo / Supplied

Hood said that Kawau's market was relatively affordable, noting that property prices were less expensive than those on Waiheke Island. Buyers also loved that the island was largely undeveloped and unspoilt. "They just want to go somewhere that offers peace and privacy.”

He said the most sought-after properties on Kawau were those on the waterfront, although one of the homes Hood is selling has access to a helipad instead of a wharf.

“There are very few properties north of Auckland where you can have a private residence by the water and actually park your boat on a wharf at the end of your garden,” the agent told OneRoof.

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“On Waiheke, there may be one or two private wharves, but basically, boat-owners have to use a marina or anchor in the harbour. On Kawau, there are about 85 wharves, and people value them. They like that they can tie their boat up and jump on, jump off. That's a huge driver, and it's very hard to replicate anywhere else.”

One of the private wharves Hood is selling is at Lot 97 North Cove. It comes with a four-bedroom Hawaiian-style home with wraparound decks and 2.5ha of native bush. Billed as the ultimate family getaway, the property is for sale by negotiation and has an RV of $2.72m.

"Firstly, it has a deep-water all-tide wharf. You can get in there at any time with a large recreational vessel. And the land is flat, which is quite rare for waterfront Kawau.

165 Bon Accord Harbour is for sale at $595,000. It comes with a private wharf, but the price point reflects the land slip suffered during Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo / Supplied

“You have access to great bush walks up to Vivian Bay, a swimming beach right in front of you, and you're on 2.5 hectares of land in total privacy. It ticks an awful lot of boxes."

Although much of the housing stock on Kawau dates from the 1950s to 1980s, there are more modern builds on offer, including one that Hood is selling at 3 Elizabeth Point Road.

The five-bedroom 241sqm home sits on 2418sqm of land that boasts a pool and a “semi-tropical Balinese-type garden”. It has an RV of $1.3m and is for sale by negotiation.

"The main house has high-spec interiors and appliances. On Kawau, you don’t tend to get contemporary designs of that nature. It’s much more Waiheke-like," Hood said.

"And while it’s not waterfront, it has road access to the public wharf, which is five minutes by car, and there is a helicopter pad at the end of the road, should anyone wish to fly in.”

He added: “That would probably cost you twice as much on Waiheke. You’d be up for $5m."

Hood said entry-level on Kawau was about $200,000 for a 1000sqm section, but the sweet spot was $950,000 to $1.2m. Hood said there wasn't much above $3.5m, and properties at that level typically had a significant tract of land.

One of Kawau's mid-market homes is Lot 279 Smelting House Bay. It is popular on Airbnb and brings in a good income, according to the listing agent. Photo / Supplied

Independent agent Debbie Aldred had noticed an uptick in listings on the island, telling OneRoof she was about to bring eight to market.

She said that there was a changing of the guard, with older Kawau residents selling up to move to the mainland and buyers, mostly in their 30s and 40s, taking over. She had also seen an increase in interest from expats.

Aldred has a range of properties for sale on the island. Lot 279 Smelting House Bay would be mid-range in terms of pricing. It’s the former manager’s residence for the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, has direct access to the water and a share of a wharf. The four-bedroom property, which is currently rented out on Airbnb, is for sale at $1.09m.

"Currently, people who visit the island - pest controllers, the electricity board etc - they all stay there. It has a reasonable income and is close to the ferry. It's nice and private, and away from all the weather; a really cosy home.”

A bargain buy, said Aldred, would be 165 Bon Accord Harbour. The waterfront property suffered a significant slip during Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 and is priced accordingly at $595,000. “It has its own private wharf and has amazing views.

"The next people are going to have to spend money on it. But that's going to be a good pick up for someone because it's very rare to have anything that's north-facing in Bon Accord. One hectare is a lot of land. It's not for the fainthearted.

“We have got neighbouring properties coming up in the million shortly. So that will look very cheap after we put the next one on the market.”

- Click here to find more properties for sale on Kawau Island