Mt Albert

By ROBYN WELSH

One of the first suburbs in Auckland where bungalow-style houses were built in great numbers, Mt Albert is now the location for some of the city's most sought-after homes.

Most of these are situated on both the northern and western slopes, and in the streets between New North Rd, Alberton Ave and Mt Albert Rd in an area known locally as the Golden Triangle.

Many such homes are hidden behind trees in established gardens and their appeal lies partly in their generous grounds, which are safe from being subdivided under current town-planning regulations.

These are homes that rarely come onto the market and into public view. When they do, someone from a queue of patient buyers in the top $500,000 to $700,000 buying range is likely to secure a low-key sale.

Mt Albert is popular with professional families on transfer from Wellington because of its familiar topography and it is equally popular among young families for its sought-after primary and secondary schools.

Among the most active buyers are people who are already living in the area but keen to trade up for a quality lifestyle with long-term capital gain.

Mt Albert also has a small selection of units, which are popular among investors with an eye on the student population at the nearby Unitec campus.

Modest homes in the $250,000 price bracket come on both full and half sites and they are as popular with investors as they are with first-time buyers.