1970s dream home for new buyer (+video)

Mark Janssen knew the minute he stepped into his new retro-styled Springfield home that he had found the one.

At the auction he opened the bidding and was determined to end it.

"I found it quite daunting going to the auction as it was my first but I was determined to buy this house and that I did."

Mr Janssen, returning to his hometown from Nelson, was thrilled with his buy.

"I was drawn back to Rotorua for work and family. I saw this house and it was perfect - exactly us.

"When I walked in I turned to Fiona [Marshall], my real estate agent, and said I'm buying this. With a bit of luck, that's what happened."

Mr Janssen said he was prepared to pay what he did for the property and was pleased with the end result.

"Everyone has their little quirks and for us we loved this house's retro 1970s style, the fact that it's in a cul-de-sac and has a nice glimpse of the lake from the balcony. It's right up our alley."

He said his overall buying experience was good, putting a lot of that down to his agent.

"I felt completely comfortable with Fiona, she has been wonderful."

Mr Janssen said the market was "starting to go crazy" but felt like he still got good value for money.

"It's good to see some movement in Rotorua, it needed to play catch up a bit. Overall the market is what it is and I'm just thrilled we got something that suited our needs."