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Apartment growth on the rise

The dream of the Kiwi quarter-acre section is now a distant memory. Buying a standalone home of any kind is now far beyond many people’s financial reach. This, along with people realising the benefits of living in smaller spaces, is driving more of us into apartment living, said Bindi Norwell, chief executive at REINZ.

‘‘Over the past few years apartments have become more popular as people realise the benefits of being in a more compact environment, including less maintenance and less gardening. Apartments in the CBD and fringe suburbs hold the obvious appeal of being close to work, close to the motorways and also close to entertainment options. Some areas are also in excellent school zones,’’ she said.

‘‘We’re also seeing an uplift at the luxury end of the market. Apartments are proving to be more popular with high-end buyers as they look to buy apartments that are architecturally designed, have high-end fixtures and fittings, lots of natural light and amazing views.’’

‘‘Neutral is boring. Paint is so inexpensive and so easy to apply and change if you muck it up.’’ Carson Kressley

Get a Room with Carson & Thom premieres December 3 at 7.30pm on Bravo.