He has owned a couple of properties on the island with wife Janice, with whom he lives in Auckland. The latest property - which used to be a restaurant - they bought in February 2003 for $800,000 when the valuation was $360,000. It is now worth $1.15 million.
Built in 1995, the 140sq m brown weatherboard dwelling sits on a 1113sq m section. The rates this year were $4134.97.
Mr Leitch said he and his wife, who own a handful of properties around Auckland, "tidied it up a bit".
"We just wanted to put a bit of our own touch to it ... a little bit of gardening."
Their two daughters and four grandchildren often came to stay and he planned on spending most of January at the home.
"I'll hopefully be down there all of January. We don't really plan anything, just play it by ear."
"Waiheke is so convenient, you hop on the Sealink car ferry, we go by the car ferry all the time, and it's just a 40-minute drive. You chill out, listening in your car to a bit of music, go upstairs, watch a bit of TV, and you get there nice and fresh."
The 69-year-old has several friends on the island and loved kayaking with them, he said.
"It's a great place, we have some great friends down there. It's just a lovely place mate, simple as that."
Other Waiheke holiday homeowners include yachtsman Brad Butterworth, former All Blacks coach Graham Henry, the country's richest man Graeme Hart and former Olympic runner Sir Murray Halberg.
