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everyone reads the wanaka sun
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Willis on track at Wanaka school page 2
gardentips
Flying high The PG Open Wanaka 2013, FAI/CIVL category 2 event is being held in Wanaka this week. Competitors were pictured yesterday from the Treble Cone launch zone. The competition continues until Saturday.
The magic of garlic page 7
photo: wanaka.tv
Building on the rise Tim Brewster
Off their trolleys page 12
Golden time for Morgan page 16
rental listings
sunclassifieds
page 15
The Wanaka building industry is on the rise after a sluggish four years, with optimism, increased mortgage approvals and a large range of sections on the market credited with the increase in activity. Building consents have been showing consistent increases during the past few months compared to previous years with 35 lodged just in the first few weeks of January. The figure is more than the combined number of consents lodged in Queenstown and Arrowtown and Lakes Environmental building officer Alex Russell said there are more on the way. On Tuesday he received four in one day to process and said there are now concerns there may not be enough builders to keep up with demand. Peter Teal has been building spec houses and project managing in Wanaka since 1999 and after a quiet four years he’s noticed a definite lift in activity. “It’s real. Even just in the last three months there’s been a change in
people’s mindset. Interest rates are said to be the lowest in 35 years. People are just doing it. People locally seem to be more secure in their jobs and they’ve decided they’ve just got to go and build,” he said. Peter is managing three projects and building three spec houses and said his workload is full for the first time in years. The local
back. The margins aren’t too good but there’s clearly a bit of optimism and interest rates are the lowest they’ve been for a long time,” Mitre 10 trade sales manager Jason Pryde said. A Placemaker spokesperson said, “more builders have more prices to quote for and section prices are good.”
It’s real. Even just in the last three months there’s been a change in people’s mindset. Interest rates are said to be the lowest in 35 years. People are just doing it. economy benefits from construction and while there often may not be huge margins in projects, a healthy building industry helps money move around the community he said. Building supply merchants Mitre 10 and Placemakers are both reporting a good increase in quotes for building projects. “Confidence seems to be
The Hidden Hills and Peninsula Bay subdivisions have had several house projects started in the past few months, and the recent release of a number of sections onto the market has kept land prices down. The first stage of the new Northlake subdivision between Aubrey Road and the Outlet was launched in late
December ,placing 30 one-acre sections on the market of which 17 have already been sold, Ray White real estate director Fiona Reid said. A further nine were released last week with two sold. “We have definitely found that there is a revived interest in the real estate market and are seeing interest in all types of property across all price ranges,” she said. Wanaka mortgage adviser Mark Magill said inquiries were up an estimated 20 to 25 percent from the same time last year, with a major difference being a big increase in approvals from banks. “Clients now have access to huge numbers in KiwiSaver which is changing the market as many first time buyers can access all of their money, employer’s contribution, returns, and possibly a grant from housing New Zealand of up to $5000 for each buyer. Previously people needed a 20 percent deposit for a house or for building, now it is 10 percent. This is the year to come on board before interest rates go up and people start to panic,” he said.