Here’s what $450k could buy you around the country now
These properties won’t break the bank but they may require you to relocate, writes Anabela Rea.
If you’re looking for a place at the more affordable end of the property spectrum, you’d be right to think that in the urban centres, options are thin on the ground. However, if you’re willing to live a little off the beaten track, or swap an apartment lifestyle for a traditional standalone home with grass, there are still bargains to be had.
So what does $450,000 buy you around New Zealand, this week? Here are five good-value finds around the country, all with something different to offer.
A single’s (or couple’s) sanctuary in Otahuhu
Still within the confines of Auckland city, this one-bedroom apartment at 1C/1 Jack Browne Place in Otahuhu has an asking price of $375,000.
Renovated throughout, it might be petite but if you like privacy, it offers the opportunity to potentially live alone in a home that you own. Otherwise, it could fetch you $425-$450 a week, according to a recent rental appraisal.
Highlights include a sunny private courtyard and a furniture package worth $5000 so you or your tenants could move straight in.
A charming cottage in Buller
Pretty as a picture, this two-bedroom cottage at 23 Springs Junction, Buller, comes with mountain views and a cottagestyle garden.
Open to inquiries over $359,000, this 79m² home on a 809m² section represents seriously good value for those able to work remotely or return to the simple life.
The home features split-level living, a double garage, a potting shed, and access through the back gate to a 12-hectare reserve, meaning there’s plenty of space to take pets for an amble.
Inside, it needs a little love. But it also looks like a great place to curl up with a book right now.
A renovated, workman’s cottage in Dunedin
Redecorated throughout, from $399,000 this three-bedroom home at 7 Prendergast St, South Dunedin, could be yours.
The home features a modern kitchen, a new heat pump, double glazing throughout, new plumbing and wiring, a new hot water cylinder and a new bathroom.
So if you’re looking for a first buy with multiple bedrooms in the Dunedin area, this could be a strong contender.
The outdoor area is a blank canvas, as is the home itself, but you could say that means there’s plenty of room to add your own personality.
Repaint the front door in a bold pop of colour, add some window boxes and planting at the entrance, and then let your imagination take flight out the back to add value.
An arts and crafts style character home in Timaru
Up north, it seems the days of affording a two-storey character property for under $450,000 are well and truly gone. But if like period style and you’re willing to relocate to live in the house of your dreams, towns like Timaru could be the place.
This four-bedroom house near Caroline Bay at 50 Evans St, Māori Hill, has room for the whole family or to pick up a hobby, and some well-proportioned spaces that are ripe for redecoration.
At $393,000, if you’re looking for a home with good bones that doesn’t break the bank, this could be it – and wait till you see the staircase.
Other features include character woodwork and leadlight windows, two sunrooms, a modern kitchen and an updated bathroom, plus two toilets.
A garden surround and a 556m2 section complete the feeling of faded sophistication. Just think what a place like this would look like all polished up.
A tidy townhouse in Christchurch
If the convenience of a larger centre still holds appeal, this two-bedroom townhouse in the Christchurch suburb of Linwood could be a great way to get on to the property ladder.
Renovated throughout by the current owners, 2/358 Worcester St appears to be well-maintained inside and out.
The home even includes a private, fully enclosed outdoor area, which is a definite benefit for those who have pets, children or just like to get their toes in the grass.
Special features include double glazing throughout (with the exception of the front and kitchen door), a heat pump, HRV system, polished timber floors, LED lighting, a single-car garage, and a multipurpose shed which you could use for everything from extra storage to a home office, gym, man cave or even a personal yoga studio.
To be sold by a deadline of February 21, the property has a CV of $405,000 as of August 2022.