Home buyers scurry North

Northland real estate agents have had their confidence restored by increased house sales to Aucklanders moving north in search of cheaper homes and better lifestyles.

With Real Estate Institute figures showing median house prices were $555,000 last month in Auckland, where many suburbs have average prices of more than $1 million, Northland homes are comparative bargains with their June median of $293,000.

And while home prices are the main attraction, Aucklanders are also coming north to escape transport hassles and other pressures of supercity life.

Daniel Frean and his partner are typical of them. They moved from West Auckland with their two children in January to a home they bought at Ruakaka that he said was better than they could afford in Auckland and was close to a school, the beach and his job with Carter Holt at Marsden Pt.

Others seek homes in the North because houses they rented in the supercity have been sold. Hamish Cates said half of the 30 inquiries he received when he advertised a Kamo house for rent had been from Aucklanders, most of whom were moving because their former homes had been sold.

Bayleys Real Estate Whangarei manager Tony Grindle said 14 of his office's last 30 house sales had been to Aucklanders and Bayleys had started contract negotiations with another two Aucklanders buying property in Whangarei.

First National Realty principal Allan Inglis said a woman who had sold her Mt Albert home for $1 million had paid $400,000 for a home in Kerikeri and put $600,000 in the bank.

"When I told her 'about $400,000', she thought that was cheap," Mr Inglis said.

Real Estate Institute figures show 157 homes were sold in Northland last month.

I told her 'about $400,000' ... she thought that was cheap.Allan Inglis, First NationalThis compares with 185 in May, 153 in June last year, 110 in June 2011, and 99 in June 2010.

In Whangarei city, 75 houses with a median of $283,000 were sold last month, compared with 83 for $255,000 in May, and 70 sales for $282,000 in June last year.

In Whangarei district, 17 houses with a median of $430,000 sold last month - down on 25 in May - while 27 sold in June last year had a $400,000 median.

Eighteen homes sold at Kerikeri last month had a median of $426,000, compared with 24 for $429,500 in May and 18 for $323,750 in June last year.

The Real Estate Institute says that Northland sales volumes continue to improve, with the region now having the strongest volume growth in New Zealand.