Bargain hunters bagging properties in Northland

The wealthy are snapping up luxury homes in Northland, with four million dollar-plus properties sold in the first three months of this year.
But bargain hunters need not despair - there are still plenty of houses selling for less than $120,000 across Northland, although their location, location, locations may not be quite as celebrated as higher priced homes.
The latest figures from QV show the top 10 highest-value homes sold in Northland for the first three months of this year were on the coastline, with a property at Doves Day, Kerikeri, the top seller, going for $2.25 million on January 26.
The property, at 73 Doves Bay Rd, is a secluded 510 sq M waterfront home with views over the bay and marina and a beach at the bottom of the garden.
It has large indoor and outdoor entertaining areas, three bedrooms, three bathrooms plus a self-contained one bedroom apartment, and is surrounded by lush bush with kiwi, tui and kukupa.
The views are described as "nothing short of spectacular from nearly every room, especially so from the lounge with floor to ceiling glass" and it's only a few minutes from Kerikeri Cruising Club, with parking for six vehicles.
The property was sold by Sandra Peters and Esmae Farrington of Bayleys, Kerikeri. Ms Peters declined to comment on the sale to protect the privacy of the buyers and vendors.
She has a number of other top of the line properties on her books and said there is plenty of interest in such properties.
A search of internet real estate sites found at least another 60 homes for sale in Northland that were going for at least $1 million, including about 15 in and around Kerikeri.
At the other end of the scale, the cheapest property sold in Northland in the first quarter of the year was at 2660 State Highway 12, Waima, which sold for $90,000 on February 25, followed closely by 1001A Fairburn Rd, Kaitaia at $92,000 on March 7.
Lynnette Mitchell bought the Fairburn Rd property and couldn't believe how much of a bargain she got, especially as she's originally from Auckland and acknowledges she wouldn't be able to buy a garage in the city for that price. And you could buy 24 such houses for the cost of 73 Doves Bay Rd.
Despite receiving a small inheritance Ms Mitchell was seen as a high risk by banks and couldn't get a mortgage and thought her dream of home ownership may be beyond her.
"It's a beautiful little home. It's on more than half an acre and you'd need to be the Sultan of Brunei to buy that much land in Auckland.
"I'll get a nice garden going," she said. "The kitchen and dining room will need doing up, but it's a very good buy for $92,000 and it meant I could pay cash for it, without needing a mortgage."
 

Top 10
1.    73 Doves Bay Rd, Kerikeri - $2.25 million.
2.    43 Russell Heights, Russell - $1.5 million.
3.    14 Whangaumu St, Tutukaka - $1.285 million.
4.    26 Whangaumu St, Tutukaka - $1.2 million.
5.    35 Kendall Rd, Kerikeri - $952,000.
6.    14 Wairahi Rd, Langs Beach - $950,000.
7.    9 Kaiwaka Rd, Onerahi - $910,000.
8.    40 Du Fresne Pl, Russell - $815,000.
9.    11 De Haven St, Opua - $790,000.
10.  39 Rangiputa Rd, Karikari Peninsula - $787,500.
 
Lowest 10
1.    2660 State Highway 12, Waima - $90,000.
2.    1001A Fairburn Rd, Kaitaia - $92,000.
3.    11 Fitzgerald Rd, Pukenui - $96,000.
4.    43 Mason Ave, Moerewa - $100,000.
5.    3 Buchanan St, Hikurangi - $102,500.
6.    34 Dominion Rd, Kaitaia - $105,000.
7.    34 Otiria Rd, Moerewa - $109,997.
8.    12 Sir James Henare Pl, Moerewa - $110,000.
9.    2000 Pouto Rd, Te Kopuru - $110,000.
10.  57 River Rd, Dargaville - $117,500.