In the 24 hours since Rotorua's Ashworth Villas went on the market the registrations of interest have exceeded expectations, says one of the agents marketing them.
The 50-lot subdivision officially went on the market after a launch on Tuesday evening. Bayleys Rotorua sales assistant Jacquie Bishop said since then about 27 full information packs had been given to potential purchasers with genuine interest.
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"Many other parties that are very interested also are in discussions with family.
"The anticipation around Ashworth and what the village has to offer has been extremely well received. Ashworth is what people were expecting and some."
Bishop said the villas had attracted interest from out of town, and registrations of interest had exceeded expectations.
Bayleys Rotorua branch manager Beth Millard said none of the lots had sold because there was a lot of reading to be done before people finalised a purchase. She said some interested buyers were going through the information packs with their solicitors.
The subdivision was officially blessed and put on the market this week. House and land packages in the subdivision would range from $697,000 to $758,500.
They were being marketed by Bayleys' Millard, Bishop and Julie Brake.
At the launch Millard said there had been almost 100 people on the waiting list for information on the properties before they officially came to market.
The lots in the gated complex would have floor areas ranging from 134sq m to 157sq m and land areas ranging from 284sq m to 378sq m.
There would be a mix of two and three-bedroom villas designed for those aged 50 and older who were looking to downsize from large family homes.
At the launch Millard said the development would have a positive effect on housing availability as those over-50 sold to move in to the complex, freeing up family homes.
"The timing couldn't be more perfect. We're in the midst of a housing crisis, we've got the lowest levels of stock available.
"This will get people moving from big family homes because they've now got a choice. They don't have to leave town to live somewhere slick and this is going to be slick."
The land the villas will soon sit on was put on the market and sold in March this year by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after plans to build a church there never eventuated.
Ten tenders were received from prospective buyers all over the country, but the property was being developed by local developers The Holmes Group.
The Holmes Group was Rotorua-based and was behind other developments in the city including Parklands Estate, Eastgate Business Park, Lynmore Lake Vista Estate and Lynmore Junction.
The complex would include a shared leisure facility with a lap pool and a plunge pool, both geothermally heated.
Each owner would own their own land but also have a one-fiftieth share in the shared facilities.
The 20,011sq m site had been empty since 1988 and was previously the site of a transit camp for families awaiting state housing before the Voyager Resort Hotel was put there between 1983 and when it was demolished in 1988.
It has had a few owners since, including a Japanese businessman who intended to build a hotel on the site before his plans were crushed by a market crash.