Urban Homes branches out to the Coromandel
Urban Homes is bucking the trend in the building sector by opening its first franchise in the Coromandel.
In spite of the downturn in the economy and high interest rates affecting the number of homes being built, Urban Homes’ founder Daniel Klinkenberg says the demand in the Thames Coromandel region is steady.
The franchise is located in Whitianga and services the Thames-coromandel region.
“Urban Homes competes in the mid to upper end of the new home market, and communities such as Whitianga, Matarangi and others are seeing steady demand.”
The announcement in a press release comes on the heels of the company’s 20th anniversary this month. Franchising was was first proposed by Klinkenberg in 2020. The company has eyed up Auckland and Bay of Plenty as the next natural regions for franchisees and plans to turn its attention there next.
“In the future, I want to see our business being prominent in every region throughout New Zealand, led by dedicated franchisees who share the same DNA and values my wife, Bronwyn, and I founded
In five months’ time, walking into Hamilton Gardens will be an entirely new and, for some, pricey experience.
The new visitor precinct is hitting its milestones and is on budget, according to Hamilton Gardens director Lucy Ryan, who said she is touching wood the building will be ready to welcome visitors by mid-september.
“Everything is as on track as it can be,” she tells the Waikato Times.
On a sunny weekday morning, visitors have already made their way to the enclosed gardens through a temporary trail, passing the temporary visitor centre.
Local Amanda Williams’ favourite activity is to stroll the gardens and pick one to enjoy for the day. She is curious about what the precinct will end up looking life.
“I think it could be a real treasure but I have no idea what it’s going to be.”
Originally from the UK, Williams says she appreciates how Māori design has been used on the fern court structure.
“I love how Māori culture has such strong iconography and motifs that can be incorporated into so many different designs. The reference to tukutuku panels here is an attractive design.”
Ryan says they’re yet to name the fern court structure with mana whenua, but the design symbolises lashings used in Māori gardening tools and the bends of the Waikato River.
Williams’ friend, Lindsay Wills, says it’s great to see public spaces getting the attention they deserve.
While she hasn’t examined the construction site closely, she hopes the final building will tell a story about the kaupapa of the land. the business upon,” Klinkenberg said.
“While each region we launch in will operate independently, together I want us collectively to make a huge, positive impact on the housing sector.”
The new Coromandel franchisees are husband and wife Daniel Blok and
Williams says she loves the gardens and strongly agrees with what one tourist had told her.
“This shouldn’t be called Hamilton Gardens, this should be the World Museum of Garden History.”
The camera shutters and compliments in the enclosed gardens are testament to that.
Sheryl Wilson from Tauranga says the gardens are the main reason for her Hamilton trip.
With many gardens to explore, “it piques your interest for the whole day”.
Wilson was ready to pay for a ticket, but was “pleasantly surprised” that the visitor precinct is yet to be completed and entry is still free.
In the Italian Renaissance Garden,
Tanya Jones-blok, who have been branch managing for Urban Homes in the Coromandel since last year.
Blok has been head of construction at Urban Homes since 2018, and JonesBlok has been a colour consultant and new homes sales consultant for the same
Terry and Lauren O’carroll, who biked from Tamahere, also have plenty of compliments.
Once the visitor centre opens in September, out-of-towners like the O’carrolls and Wilsons will have to pay $20 to visit.
With the ticket, Ryan says they’re anticipating a visitor number drop of 40-60%.
“I sort of feel like that won't happen. “We're taking a conservative approach at the moment because we don't want to over promise and under deliver.”
Lauren O’carrol thinks it’s fair to charge, but it would be nice if an annual pass is available.
“It costs a lot of money to maintain these gardens, and what don’t you pay for period. The pair have already secured sales through to the end of 2025, Urban Homes said.
“We've yet to see any significant downturn in the Coromandel, as our team has been consistently busy. Traditionally, our summers are bustling with activity, these days?”
Ryan confirms an annual pass is on the table but they are still discussing how much it should be.
The visitor precinct will also come with a souvenir shop and an expanded product range, including jams and honey from the gardens, as well as Dr Peter Sergel’s new book on the hidden meaning of Hamilton Gardens.
“A lot of people fall in love with the gardens when they visit, so it'd be nice for them to take a bit of it home,” Ryan says.
The next five months will see amenities such as picnic tables installed around the precinct, which Ryan hopes will make the space enjoyable for both paying visitors, and those who use the free surrounding public space. and although winter brings a slowdown, we anticipate a robust final quarter ahead,” Jones-blok said.
Last year Urban Homes revised and standardised payment terms to suppliers as tougher economic conditions and uncertainty hit the house building market.
It was described by Urban as the company taking a proactive approach to managing business during the current economic climate.
At the time Klinkenberg wouldn’t give specific details of the new payments regime when he spoke to the Waikato Times. But, while in most cases it wouldn’t change the actual way suppliers were paid, the new system standardised and clarified the way everyone would be paid, he said.
Klinkenberg confirmed the issues were discussed at a meeting of about 30 major suppliers and partners.
He said Urban previously had various payment terms but these had been standardised with 100% agreement from those attending the meeting.
To commemorate 20 years of building homes across the Waikato, Urban Homes has organised a Celebration Tour on May 3. Tour-goers will be able to see homes that have defined Urban Homes for two decades as they explore 10 unique homes.
“In planning the Celebration Tour, it’s been really difficult to whittle our home selection down to just ten. There’s one of our houses in Tamahere that’s 15 years old and still looks amazing,” Klinkenberg said.
Tickets for the Urban Homes 20th Anniversary Celebration Tour are available on urban.co.nz with all proceeds going to support the True Colours Children’s Health Trust.