Living the Kiwi dream in Mahia its now within reach

The coastal township of Mahia is enjoying some revitalisation thanks to the availability of new sections in the area and the confidence that people are showing in investing in the popular holiday spot with its safe swimming beaches, world renowned surf breaks, great fishing and numerous other recreational opportunities.

“For at least eight more families, regular Mahia summer holidays are going to be a reality now that they’ve bought land and made the commitment to live the Mahia dream,” says Ms Bowen Bowen, Bayleys Gisborne’s Mahia Peninsula specialist.

In the last month, deals have been completed on six sections at Mahia Beach and two other properties at Mahanga, and Ms Bowen – who lives in Mahia - believes the flurry of sales can be attributed to several factors.
“For many people on my database, the fundamentals of owning seaside properties are now coming back into line. Prices are more affordable, interest rates lower and there’s a realisation that good times always follow bad – so it is reasonable to assume that coastal property will rise in value again in the future,” says Ms Bowen.

“But at the heart of all buying decisions in Mahia is the dream – the holidays by the sea with family and friends and the chance to escape the routine of everyday life.”

Mahia Peninsula - with a permanent population of around 700 - is a place that Kiwi families gravitate back to year after year. Whether they pitch a tent in the local camping ground, rent a bach, have their own place or bunk in with friends, it’s a destination that transcends generations and is also a great leveller.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are a corporate big shot, a farmer, a local, a family with young children – the simple life is the attraction of Mahia. There are no flashy shops or big ticket items to tempt the dollars out of your pockets; a Mahia holiday is all about kicking back, enjoying the beach, catching up with friends, going for a surf, throwing a fishing line off the rocks and generally capturing a taste of New Zealand as it used to be. Not a lot has changed over the years at Mahia!” says Ms Bowen.

Properties in Mahia – and sections in particular – are now more affordable than they have been for many years. Recent data released by Quotable Value New Zealand showed that average capital values (land plus improvements) of Mahia properties are down 36 percent on 2006 figures while land values were down 47 percent.

“Like the majority of other coastal areas of New Zealand, Mahia had something of a property boom in the early-mid 2000s and there are examples of classic Kiwi baches in original condition on absolute beachfront sections that now have rateable values of around half that of 2005 rateable values,” says Ms Bowen.

“The boom attracted developers who acquired and then sub-divided large blocks of land into smaller residential parcels and today, because of an over-supply and recent recessionary times, this land is coming to the market now at prices that are within reach of many families looking to secure their future holidays. People are saying ‘yes, I’m in at that price’, and this will ultimately be good for businesses in the area and for the livelihood of Mahia.”

The realistic and motivated vendors of sections within the 32-lot Mahia Heights subdivision have seen buyers coming out of the woodwork from Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Wellington. The sections range in size - from 650sq m to 1830 sq m - and in price, with the cheapest being just $92,000. Building costs are reduced within this subdivision as reticulated water and waste systems are in place for new owners, eliminating the need for individual site systems and tanks. At the upper end of the scale is an elevated $450,000 section with stunning views which is most likely to appeal to someone looking to retire to Mahia or to the financially-secure who recognise and appreciate that a coastal property does not come much better than this.

“Two of the sections I have sold recently have been to buyers who have watched the Mahia property market for some years and believe now is the right time to buy. One couple has bought the section for themselves, their children and grandchildren to enjoy and they intend to relocate a shearer’s quarters from their farm on to the site, renovate it and make the very most of the location,” says Ms Bowen.

A couple with three young children intend to build a contemporary-style cottage on their section to cement future family holidays, while Roslyn and Michael Thomas of Wairoa secured their section earlier this year and intend to build a home that caters for holiday living for their extended family and friends.

“This suits us really well,” says Roslyn Thomas. “This summer we’ll just be happy to camp and really get a feel for the site and have a bit of fun with it.”

As much as the DIY spirit is very much alive in Mahia, there will always be those who would prefer to move straight into a completed property. To tempt buyers, Mahia Titan Ltd (developers of Mahia Heights) has built a brand new bach on one of the sections to be sold as a house and land package.

“It’s a great option at a very reasonable price and is a modern take on the traditional Kiwi beach bach – low maintenance, and a bit of sand won’t hurt either!” says Ms Bowen.

Meanwhile, sections in another subdivision – Mahia Estate – are covenant-free, opening the way for those with more modest holiday accommodation plans, such as camping, or using the caravan or motor home.

With properties on her books right around the Mahia Peninsula and including Mahanga, Opoutama, and Te Mahia, Ms Bowen says the holiday home spectrum is covered from a section to park the caravan on, to the ultimate beach house with more comforts than home. With a general store, bar and bistro, takeaway outlet, Fishing Club, renowned nine-hole links golf course, a second store and Cafe Mahia at nearby Te Mahia and petrol at the recently re-opened Foster’s Service Station at Opoutama, the basics are covered. Not forgetting the boat ramp which, according to many seasoned boaties is better than most.

“This sleepy seaside town is waking up – as the pace of life quickens in the cities and technology extends into every aspect of our lives, I think Mahia offers an antidote to all of that. People are returning to Mahia in droves. I think they find comfort in the fact that it’s somewhere they can be themselves and spend quality time with their families,” says Ms Bowen.