Affordable baches still exist in New Zealand. You just have to hunt for them.
This week a vintage two-bedroom beach house overlooking Hokianga Harbour in Northland sold under the hammer for $330,000.
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To put that figure in perspective, a beach house in Mt Maunganui, in Tauranga, also sold at auction this week for almost seven times that amount.
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Bayleys Kerikeri agent Sheree Robinson, who marketed the two-bed bach at 9B Akiha Street, in Omapere, told OneRoof it was a good buy.
“Do I think it’s a fantastic beach bargain? Yes I do. But it’s also good price [for the vendors]. It’s where the market said it should be, and the vendors really wanted to sell on the day.”
The 60sqm bach sits on a flat 575sqm section one plot back from the beach, and included a carport and generous deck overlooking the harbour.
“It’s a beautiful cottage and where else to you get views like that for that price?”
Robinson said two phone bidders - one from Auckland and one from Hawke's Bay - competed to secure the property. Bids jumped from $200,000 to $320,000, and after a nail-biting 24-minute pause for negotiations, the property was on the market at $330,000 and sold to the Hawke's Bay buyer.
The bach has great views of the harbour and the beach. Photo / Supplied
Robinson said there was not enough stock to meet buyer demand right now.
Labour Weekend open homes had attracted over 15 groups through the property (that’s high for the area, Robinson said), with potential buyers coming from Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
“We’re getting a lot of interest from Whangarei people. We sold a lot of properties last year and this has always been a hot market.
“Hokianga is a beautiful community, a mix of holiday homes and permanent residents. The west coast is just more laid back."
