Millionaires’ Row is now just Main St
Part Two
SOURCE NZ Herald
5.00AM Sunday February 10, 2008
By Anna Rushworth
“In the very early 90s, $350,000 was a hell of a lot of money for a property. It would get you a premium property, and $400,000, you were rocking along.”
Over the harbour bridge, Ted Hill has been selling in Devonport since 1981. He first hit the million-dollar mark in 1987 when he sold 36 Cheltenham Rd for $1.5m. “That was a huge price and that price stood as a record for many years.”
In 1981 he sold 3 Ascot Ave in Devonport for $78,500. He estimates you’d now need $830,000 to get any house on the street.
Most Auckland agents agree you have to head out of the city to make your million go further. Damien Henaghan of Bayleys is listing a modern four-bedroom house with a garden water feature on 1300sq m in Campbells Bay. The property is set to be listed early next week for almost $1.3m.
Boulgaris said the same pattern had been seen in high-growth areas outside Auckland, such as Tauranga.
“It’s getting very expensive.”
Alistair Gillespie, president of Capital Property Investors in Wellington, said inflation, wages and affordability had to be considered when asking the million-dollar question.
He said $1m today would probably be the equivalent of $30m three decades ago. But he said it would still go a long way in the capital.
“A million would still get you a very tidy apartment in Wellington.”
Prices in many places outside Auckland took longer to reach seven figures.
Hamilton agent Bobbie Jarvis said there hadn’t been a million-dollar sale in the city until in the past five years and that amount would still go a long way.
“Generally a million would get you something pretty smart. It doesn’t necessarily mean brand new but it would be with a river or lake view.”
Jarvis has been selling Hamilton property for 26 years and remembers her first sale was $35,000.
Six years ago she sold 117 Harrowfield Drive in Queenwood for $1.5m. The four-bedroom home had an indoor heated swimming pool, tennis court and orchard.
In 1989 it sold for just $150,000.
“A $100,000 sale back in 1983 was big time. Property has come a long way.”