Relax and unwind with amazing views from leasehold land in Raglan for $235,000. Photo / LJ Hooker
If you are looking to buy a bargain bach this summer it's official - the further you travel the better the deal.
New figures from home valuation site Homes.co.nz reveal every hour you drive out of Auckland saves you $100,000 off the value off your beach pad.
Some of the best beach bargains for under $320,000 were found in the Far North towns of Opononi, Karikari, Mangonui and Ahipara - some with coveted sea views.
Buying a bach or cabin in a campground also gave the same sand between the toes for a fraction of the price.
"There were quite a few sales at that price this year in those areas."
Figures from QV also reveal slim pickings for affordable holiday home spots within three hours of Auckland.
Andrea Rush from QV said many coastal spots that may have been affordable two years ago have now seen values jump as much as $200,000 in the past couple of years.
One place to bag a bargain however was Baylys Beach near Dargaville - just over a two hour drive from Auckland.
The coastal settlement had a QV.co.nz median E-Valuer of $336,400.
"There is great surf at Baylys and there are still plenty of properties for under $300,000," Rush said.
Another of Rush's picks was Port Waikato which is just over an hour South of Auckland on the West Coast and still had baches available for under $400,000.
Rush also pointed to popular surf town of Raglan - but warned that some properties were on leasehold land.
"Raglan offers some great cafes, a pub and music scene in the summer months and boutique shops as well as its famous surf break," Rush said.
Once affordable Waiheke Island has seen massive value growth over the past 18months.
Values on the island in the Hauraki Gulf had been slower to rise than other parts of the super city region but they are now climbing.
"Even Surfdale, which offers some of the island's more affordable properties, now has an QV.co.nz median E-Valuer of $841,250 and values there have risen by around 60% since the previous peak of 2007," Rush said.
Rush said the best bet for an affordable bach on the east coast side within three hours of Auckland was the Thames side of the Coromandel Peninsula where coastal settlements like Te Puru still offer more affordable coastal property.
The small town has a Median QV.co.nz E-Valuer $494,550.
And even at Kuaotunu on the other side there are opportunities to buy into holiday parks with leased holiday homes that are affordable.
"Kuaotunu is an amazing spot a short drive from Whitianga, with white sand beaches," Rush said. "It's idyllic and not built up at all and has the biggest icecreams on the peninsula."
Mangakino has been very popular recently for those looking for affordable lake properties central North Island, and QV.co.nz median E-Valuer there is only $160,000.
Rush said Taupo and Rotorua also offered reasonably priced properties with strong growth over the past two years.