For over 20 years Peter Newbold was like most Kiwi lifestyle block owners - happy to get away from it all and run a few head of stock as a weekend farmer.
Recently though, he moved to a new piece of land, a two-hectare property near Arrowtown in central Otago. And this time he decided he no longer wanted the hassle of looking after animals or a vineyard.
"My previous place I called a workstyle property, not a lifestyle," he says. "It was all encompassing and would tie me up most weekends. While it was fun, I wanted something more low maintenance, somewhere I could enjoy the peace and quiet. I've got that now and I'm living the dream."
It is a choice that he believes is gaining momentum as more Kiwis seek a quieter life away from the bustle of big cities. He should know. Newbold is speaking not just as a lifestyler, but as an industry insider through his role as New Zealand general manager for rural property specialists PGG Wrightson Real Estate.
Operating out of PGG Wrightson's Christchurch office, Newbold has watched as more Kiwis come to the company seeking a more pure lifestyle experience. "Migration from city to rural areas is a strong trend and is likely to continue," he says. "But people are now thinking less about 'workstyle' blocks.
"Historically many of these were sold after seven years because owners couldn't handle the work anymore and were thinking about how to get out."
There are 175,000 lifestyle blocks in New Zealand and while the those wanting "horses and stock" on their land still make up a significant group, Newbold believes the trend away from this traditional use opens up new possibilities for the sector which, despite a spectacular boom in sales up until a year ago, has experienced a slow-down in the last 12 months.
"We've come off an incredible peak where sales rose 20 to 25 per cent," he says. "Now we're back where we were before that burst. But appraisals and listings are up, resulting in a larger pool of properties on offer than in the peak, so it is still a solid market and the interest in lifestyle is strong."
Latest Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) figures bear out Newbold's views. While it shows a fall in the number of sales across the country, prices have risen - the median price sat at $1.02 million for all properties sold in the three months to the end of August, a jump of 11 per cent or $103,000 compared to the same period in 2021.
In the same three-month period 1439 lifestyle properties were sold, a drop from 1893 sold in the three months to August 2021, while in the 12 months to August, 7491 were sold nationally, a number 3389 fewer than the previous year.
Newbold says PGG Wrightson have identified a number of factors at play in shaping how people now view the lifestyle block option. Since Covid there has been a distinct market change as remote working has become more commonplace.
"A lot of people have high disposable incomes and can operate quite freely when they move to these areas. Technology - and the social acceptance of remote working - makes the whole lifestyle thing really easy," he says.
He also believes maturing provincial towns and cities are having an impact. "A lot now have facilities that 10 or 15 years ago they lacked - amenities like restaurants, coffee shops, weekend markets and good schools - and which make living near them an attractive proposition.
"Some are moving from a big city like Auckland to properties in the Waikato, for example, to clear or reduce debt," he says. "Improving infrastructure also plays its part - the Auckland to Waikato freeway means it's now only a short trip back to Auckland to catch a plane or get to a meeting."
Security is also a factor Newbold believes, especially in the face of crime issues in the big cities.
He says most move to locations closer to where they currently live or are more familiar with (like Aucklanders moving to the Waikato area). "We know of those who have gone from Auckland to Southland, from Auckland to Canterbury or central Otago, but these numbers aren't big."
For Newbold his new block is the perfect solution. He says he puts in "big hours" in his job and when not working from his home office he can spend days at a time travelling to meetings up and down the country.
When he gets home, he appreciates being able to put his feet up in a tranquil environment knowing his main 'work' commitment around the property is cutting the grass on his ride-on mower, a job that usually takes not much more than two hours.
Newbold moved to his previous lifestyle property (near Queenstown) from Wellington 22 years ago. "We had a desire to be in the country. I liked the environment, and it looked a good place to bring up the kids.
"Now with no stock or vines to look after at our new property I have more time to myself. On a Saturday I might cut grass for a couple of hours, do a bit of garden maintenance then go hit golf balls. I can do as much as I want or put my feet up and do as little as I want," he says.
"I'm 12 minutes from Queenstown Airport, 10 minutes from a coffee and have all the benefits of a big city while living in a rural setting. It's a special thing; privileged is not the right word, but when I'm here I pinch myself."
For more information go to: https://www.pggwre.co.nz/we-live-here-too