Mistake made on Kiwibuild homes

Five KiwiBuild properties put on the open market should have first been made available to people who had entered the ballot, a move that both KiwiBuild, and Housing Minister Phil Twyford have dubbed a mistake.

Five of the 25 total properties at Auckland’s 240 Onehunga Mall Development were rejected by the ballot-winners, and the runners-up. Bayleys Realty, which is managing the development, was given approval by KiwiBuild to list the properties on a first-come, first-served basis to anyone eligible for KiwiBuild.

A KiwiBuild spokesperson said the homes should have been made available to those further down the ballot first, before being put on the market. ‘‘That wasn’t done, it was a mistake, which is part of the learning process,’’ he said.

The properties consisted of two studios and three one-bedroom apartments, valued between $380,000 and $500,000. The properties had between five and 14 people on each of the ballots.

A KiwiBuild spokesperson insisted that the buyers pulling out of the sales wasn’t a worrying sign.

‘‘It was never expected that all the houses would sell ... not every sale goes through for whatever reason. It happens in private sales, too, especially given you’re selling off plans.’’