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Residential properties are usually urban properties within city or town boundaries but you will find the same styles of homes on lifestyle blocks and farms. For examples of a cottage, gothic influence homes, Californian bungalow, grand old houses New Zealand style, post war homes, railway and state homes also modern homes view the properties listed below.
The styles of New Zealand residential properties vary considerably. Because you’re going to view a lot of them before you make your choice, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the different styles. Even if you’re buying from overseas, you need a good working knowledge of what you can expect from each category.
New Zealand has a short history of ‘western’ settlement (less than 200 years) so there’s no comparison in age with many of those in the USA or Europe. And often it’s difficult to put an exact date on homes, as many are ‘hybrids’ that have been renovated over the years.
Post-war homes
Scarce building materials and little money after the Second World War is reflected in these low-cost homes. Around the 1940’s and 1950’s more homes were designed in an L shape with the bedrooms in the longer wing, the living areas in the shorter wing. They were designed to let the winter sun in and keep the summer sun out. Often the living rooms have a terrace in front (although the rooms did not open to this area). Today they are still sought after because of aspect and simplicity of design. When renovated these homes still have the charm of yesteryear but with all the modern conveniences.
Railway and State homes
Railway homes (built for NZ Railway employees) and Government-built state homes are quite popular today, because although they were built to a limited number of floor plans, they were of extremely sound construction. This provides an excellent base for renovations and they are hot favourites of first time homebuyers. Because of a shortage of building materials, asbestos panels were used for roofing. Most of these homes have a very simple exterior and a box like shape. Some are two-storied. As a general rule you will not find expensive panelling, but some of the utility rooms have tongue and groove timber boards and the floors were Rimu tongue-and-groove boards that look stunning when sanded and sealed.
The 1960s and beyond
The swinging sixties…it was an experimental time for many, including architects! For the first time the garage was designed to be part of the house but as always there was a transitional time and you will find some of the homes of this period with separate garages. The “sausage” block homes were economical and modern for the time. Usually the roof is just one large long low construction. A variation of this theme is the “banana” or “boomerang” shaped home. Split-level homes and A-frames also became popular. Sliding doors became a feature for the first time. These homes are still popular – they are basic, but I’ve seen some renovated and they are very comfortable for smaller families.
The 1970s also left its mark. If you look at online advertising you will see a lot of brown interior features, often highlighted with orange, typify this era. Amber glass was used as a feature for some windows, the kitchens were brown and orange, and sometimes the old carpets were also brown. As a general rule these homes can be updated and upgraded, as the designs are good. Most of the homes are only 3 bedroom homes with one lounge and a dining room. The laundry is separate from the kitchen in most of them. Depending on individual requirements, renovations can cost from $20,000 to over $100,000.
During the 1980s, owners had more choice in building claddings. The sections were now much smaller and both mom and dad were working so there was less time to plotter in a garden. More building companies were providing a one stop service and people could choose from a variety of plans for their new homes. This trend still continues today and sometimes one gets the feeling there is a sameness to certain home styles. Architecturally designed homes are common, but because these are usually more expensive to build, the majority of houses in the average to above-average suburbs are designed and built by building companies.
Modern Homes
Building companies are still playing a major role in forming New Zealand’s architectural landscape with standardised plans, complementing the work of qualified architects producing commissioned one-off designs. Good building companies will have a floor plan, or will alter standard plans for good quality homes to suit your lifestyle. It’s also important that the home should have street appeal as this factor alone can make or break your future sale.
Sea View Property
There is no special category for properties with sea views on most of the property websites, but this sought-after feature is highly likely to be mentioned in the headings of any advertising. Be sure you know exactly what type of sea view you are going to get - you don’t want a glimpse of the sea only when you are standing on the kitchen table.
Ski field property
In New Zealand the ski fields don’t have private homes on the snow-capped mountains. If you’re a ski enthusiast, you’ll need to look in the towns close to the ski-field (such as Methven, near Mt Hutt, Queenstown or Wanaka in the South Island or Ohakune near Mt Ruapehu in the North Island). Therefore, most property websites don’t have a separate category for ski field properties. An easier option is to contact us, as a personal shopper ‘on the ground’ will gain the results you’re looking for, if you’re not coming to view in person.
Townhouse
This term is pretty flexible, as townhouses can be freestanding, or semi-detached, and they come in all price ranges. It is not clear from advertising when a separate dwelling is a townhouse or house as these terms are interchangeable for smaller, freestanding homes on smaller sections. Most designs are similar, and while townhouses were usually two and three bedrooms properties, nowadays they could be four bedrooms with three living rooms.
Unit
This term is mostly used for semi-detached single storey flats. Some of the older units have a glass screen to protect the front door from the wind. I suspect this glass screen was a fashion statement at one point in time. Units are usually at the lower end of the price brackets in New Zealand.
Properties with lake/river views
Foreign buyers can only purchase land of less than 2000m² without consent of the Overseas Investment Commission. (Link to OIC) Most websites doesn’t have a separate category for these types of properties. You would have to search all the ads to find a suitable property. It is easier to employ us as a personal shopper to shop on your behalf if you are not coming to view in person.
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