Mangakino enjoys real estate boom

Mangakino enjoys real estate boom

Long-time resident and Century 21 real estate agent of Mangakino and Whakamaru, Christine Stevens says she enjoyed the busiest winter in a long time helped by some recent media publicity and the fact that the small town is not far from popular Taupo.

“Recent Real Estate Institute figures showing buyers heading out of Auckland and into the regions is certainly what we’re experiencing. The fact our listings often feature alongside Taupo’s real estate and that we’re pretty close geographically also helps spark buyer enquiries,” says Ms Stevens.

“For instance we’re getting people via the likes of TradeMe typing in Taupo and getting Mangakino’s listings too. They then see just how much more affordable it is to buy a little bolt-hole or bach not far up the road.”

For Christine, the town built after the war around hydro-electricity is "paradise in the middle of the North Island", with prices for freehold cottages around the $100,000 to $175,000 mark or a little bit more to secure a view of the golf course or a view of beautiful Lake Maraetai and surrounds.

Predominately most of the properties are now freehold. However there are still a few leasehold properties with freehold options.

QV says the latest average value in Mangakino remains less than $150,000.

“People are increasingly shut out of the old Kiwi dream of buying a bach, However our solid little Ministry of Works two-bedroom cottages are proving a real hit for those wanting to get some solace or just get away for the weekend,” she says.

Mrs Stevens has been a real estate agent in Mangakino for over 12 years and is the principal of Century 21 Stevens Realty situated in the town’s main street. Normally she sells about eight cottages a year. However in the first six months of this year she sold 23 alone.

She is also the president of the Mangakino Golf Club where her husband Bill works as its greenkeeper. She is excited after some quiet years that more people are now waking up to Mangakino’s appeal as an affordable holiday town with 660 cottages and a permanent population of 860.

“It’s only a 40 minute drive to Taupo and that fact has huge appeal to many, as well as being only 20 minutes to Tokoroa and 40 minutes to Rotorua. What’s more it’s just over an hour and a half to either Hamilton or the ski fields and has great freshwater fishing, boating, hunting and cycle tracks.”

Ms Stevens says Wellington buyers seem to have been the first to discover Mangakino’s appeal and affordability, as have buyers from Napier, Tauranga, Hamilton, Rotorua. However three of her last sales have come from Auckland buyers.

“For those looking at for a quintessential piece of Kiwiana, away from the hussle and bussle of the bigger cities, and where peace and quiet, along with affordability is a major contributing factor it’s easy to understand the increased popularity of Mangakino and Whakamaru.

“Buyers are looking for life-style change, holiday homes, investment or retirement. It is paradise after all,” says Christine Stevens.

Geoff Barnett, National Manager of Century 21 New Zealand, says Christine is a legend across the Century 21 group.

“We just love her success and her passion for real estate and Mangakino. When you genuinely love an area as much as Christine does, buyers can see that and positively respond. We’re very proud of her. She just gets out there and just does it, and is getting some great results this year,” says Mr Barnett.

International real estate agency business Century 21 has 20 offices in New Zealand, over 250 offices in Australasia and over 7,500 offices in 80 countries worldwide. Its global websitewww.century21global.com has listings from all over the world that can be instantly translated into 16 languages.

ENDS

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