Coastal property prices are rising but there are some bargains to be had.
It's that time of the year - you return to work after the summer holidays and yearn to be back at that bach you rented for one short, glorious week.
The sights and smells of that sunkissed break, the icecreams and beach walks, the sand beneath your feet - you want that feeling to last forever.
So you think about buying your own bach. You want to be the person who has the potential to earn enough in one month of holiday income to pay the mortgage for six months.
Coastal property prices are on the rise but there are still a few beach bargains.
Somewhere for owners to pitch a tent or park a caravan in the Coromandel. Photo / Supplied
In the Coromandel, 59a Whiritoa Beach Rd offers owners the chance to pitch the tent or set up the caravan on a large (2500sq m) flat and sunny section.
It has a pond, bridge and power - phone and sewerage have been installed - all for just $189,000.
10 Chingford Rd, Lake Rotoehu
This gorgeous 1950s bach is right on the lake front in hidden Otautu Bay, Lake Rotoehu. Photo / Supplied
Or you can leave your worries behind and relax at 10 Chingford Rd, Lake Rotoehu, Rotorua.
This gorgeous 1950s bach is right on the lake front in hidden Otautu Bay, Lake Rotoehu. It has a freehold section, plenty of room in its three bedrooms and amazing views of the trout-filled lake. Asking price: $349,000.
Papamoa, 224a Dickson Rd
The property has a double garage and plenty of space on the front lawn for tents. Photo / Supplied
Papamoa's 224a Dickson Rd, just one street back from expensive beachfront properties, is close to the beach access walkway and is a lock-up-and-leave getaway.
The property has a double garage and plenty of space on the front lawn for tents - upward of $350,000 is expected at the upcoming auction.
Not a fan of having sand in your swimsuit, but still fancy a rural retreat and a pint?
Taheke Tavern, Hokianga
Built in the mid-1800s, this historic tavern has the same floor space as an Auckland section. Photo / Supplued
Well head inland and put an offer on the Taheke Tavern, Hokianga.
Built in the mid-1800s, this historic tavern has the same floor space (420sq m) as an Auckland section and there are 4.5 hectares to explore.
After a hard day restoring your getaway to her former glory, you can pull yourself a pint in your own bar. Asking price $250,000.
46 Cowes Bay Rd, Arran Bay
This Arran Bay, Waiheke Island getaway has it all: beach, boatshed and bach. Photo / Supplied
And if you're looking for something a bit more glamorous and have a spare couple of million to spend, check out 46 Cowes Bay Rd, Arran Bay, Waiheke Island.
It's definitely not a beach bargain but if you owned this 1700sq m absolute waterfront property you would never leave. It has it all: the bach, the beach and the boatshed. It's one for the Lotto winners among us. Price indication upwards of $2.5 million.
Where else can you invest?
Colleen Milne from the Real Estate Institute said holiday properties were generally a positive investment.
From January 2005 to November 2015, coastal areas such as Thames/Coromandel saw a 50 per cent increase in the number of properties sold compared to the same period in 2014. There was also a 7 per cent increase in the median sale price for the region.
One of the most affordable areas was Paihia in Northland, which had a median sale price of $280,000 in November 2015.
"For many the idea of owning a beach bach comes from what has been passed down from generation to generation and the memories attached to an area or property," Milne said.
