New affordable housing option in Queenstown starting at less than $300,000

A potential solution to Queenstown's housing-affordability crisis was unveiled at Lake Hayes Estate on Monday.

A transportable two-bedroom, 60sq m house that cost the owner just $230,000 was trucked on to a section in Howards Drive.

It was the first home completed by Queenstown-owned Clever Homes Ltd, which is building transportable, affordable houses.

Owned by Kahn Winters and his partner Alexandra Huitt, the company is also building three-bedroom, 97sq m homes priced from $285,000, and 106sq m, four-bedroom homes from $308,000.

The Lake Hayes Estate two-bedder itself is only $211,554 — the balance was for onsite works and transport costs.

Winters, an electrician by trade who has been in the construction industry for about 15 years, says he "saw a gap in the market", and believes the homes will suit the Central Otago and Southland regions.

Rachel Albers, Clever Homes' Queenstown-based business & development manager, says they are "definitely entry-level houses, but really comfortable".

"There are options to upgrade things like your carpets, or if you prefer stone benchtops.

"You've got a full choice of colours, and you can add cedar to the front, if you want."

She says they would also suit someone who wanted a sleepout, or a little investment property.

Winters says he has also had inquiries from local people with a development site they will eventually build on, but who would meantime like a return on a small home which they can later onsell and move off the land.

Albers says their houses also comply with healthy-homes legislation, and will be redesigned to fit in with new insulation rules due out next year.

"The main saving is the five-month build timeframe, meaning it is easier to lock in a fixed-price contract and avoid ongoing interest rate increases."

She adds they're building in partnership with Bunnings, "which is how we've got guaranteed supply".

"'Kiwis have traditionally built 200sqm houses, but with the current economic situation I think they're going to be looking to build smaller."

Winters says they could not find affordable Queenstown industrial land to build their homes on, so they chose a site in Alexandra, where they've also been able to source builders.

Albers is keen to discuss opportunities with the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust.

She also believes the Queenstown council's proposed inclusionary zoning district plan provisions, aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing, will open up possibilities for their product.