Suburbs boom: Manukau City

First-home buyer Italia Toelei'u paid between $250,000 and $300,000 for her colonial cottage-style Manukau Central home. Picture / Paul Estcourt

A 1980s Manukau Central home built by the Beazley group is the first step on the property ladder for Italia Toelei'u and she is pleased to have taken it.

After a year's researching the market and attending open homes, she found the colonial cottage-style house and in March negotiated a sale price "in the $250,000 to $300,000 range".

"Dad had given me some money and I matched it for the deposit. I saw this house on the Sunday, made an offer on the Monday and the loan was approved by the end of the week."

A communications adviser with the Manukau City Council, Ms Toelei'u said the house met all the things on her checklist - it's on a public transport route and within walking distance of the shops, and she has a choice of two onramps for the neighbourhood east of the Southern Motorway.

"It was immaculate with a nice garden and I don't have to do anything to it except mow the lawn. Everyone who visits says I got a good buy."

Ms Toelei'u said she had started with her heart set on Papatoetoe-Otahuhu.

"But Papatoetoe was too pricey for me and in Otahuhu I didn't find anything that was not a do-up.

"I grew up in Otara and I saw prices were getting into the $200,000 mark, which had been unheard of.

"So I was pleased to get this one, though it was $1000 over my limit and I live more to a budget now."

Real estate agents say she made a good buy.