Just two months after giving up on the Auckland housing market, Hannah and Ian Spanhake have bought their dream home in Hamilton.
The couple viewed about 20 houses and missed out on one - but on Friday they went unconditional on a three-bedroom, one-bathroom brick-and-tile house in Hamilton's northeast for less than their $600,000 budget.
The Spanhakes decided to move south two months ago after it looked as if the only way of getting on Auckland's property ladder was through buying an apartment.
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Hannah said the Chedworth house they had bought ticked so many boxes for them. It was in a decile 10 schooling area, was across the road from a park and had been newly renovated. It was also just down the road from her parents' home where they had been staying while they hunted.