North Canterbury Property In Demand

For immediate use 8 February 2008 (4 pages)

North Canterbury Property In Demand

Christchurch’s loss is North Canterbury’s gain, with two historic towns noticing an increase in property transactions.

High demand for subdivision space for new homes in Christchurch means more families are looking further afield, so Kaiapoi and Rangiora are benefiting from what one market analyst calls a “spillover demand”.

Phillip Wilkinson, Simes registered valuer, says “There is a lack of sections in Christchurch, so subdivisions in Kaiapoi and Rangiora are showing substantial building activity.

“Our research shows section sales in the North Canterbury District are at a median of around $150,000. The median house sale price is around $325,000.”

Simes has responded to this growth by expanding into the two towns, to offer residential, commercial and property management services locals are asking for.

Kaiapoi manager Paul Biddington and Rangiora manager Noel Walker are both well-known in their areas, each with a history of local and industry knowledge.

Despite a rumour of longtime rivalry between the two towns, these two managers say working for iconic Canterbury real estate company Simes gives them much in common.

“Our towns are different, but people’s interest in property is the same,” they say.

Noel Walker says the combination of his local knowledge and Simes’ reputation for market research means he has dozens of commercial properties on offer at the moment.

“Simes has a reputation for knowing the market inside out, so people often call into my office to talk about what the market is doing at the moment,” he says.

Paul Biddington agrees the Simes advantage is being a full-service, centralised and established business, rather than a franchised operation.

“We offer a big-city company range of services, with a small-town company feel,” he says. “Clients tell me all the time it’s the perfect combination.”

He doesn’t expect the demand in his area to end in the near future.  “Kaiapoi property is in very short supply, with no new subdivisions coming on stream for some time yet."

Paul Biddington and Noel Walker say they are both getting more requests for help with commercial property, from valuation, marketing and sales to full property management.

ENDS –

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