Harcourts Property Focus Bringing you news and information from the world of New Zealand real estate. ISSUE 5 // 2020 During this year’s lockdown, as our homes became ‘our castles’, many of us started to pay more attention to our surroundings. We noticed what we liked and what we didn’t like about our properties, what we needed most and what could improve our quality of life. Some people, for example, have found remote working to be good for their work-life balance, and an increasing number of businesses have embraced this seismic shiſt. So, how has the arrival of a pandemic affected New Zealanders’ housing needs and wants? Here’s some food for thought for homeowners who are looking to win the hearts of buyers with well-planned, on-trend renovations. The end of open plan living? This year has shown us firsthand the pros and cons of having all members of our household at home simultaneously. Open plan living has been on trend for several years, but some buyers may feel the need to have separate spaces now and will be looking for a property designed to carve out some personal space when needed. Functional home office design Anyone who has tried working from home when children are around knows how challenging the lack of privacy can be, particularly when you don’t have a dedicated home office to work out of. The home office is predicted to become a major interior design trend in the future, as millennials prefer flexible or mobile workspaces according to Archipro.co.nz. Even if you aren’t targeting the millennial market, in these Covid times adding an elegantly styled home office could be a worthwhile investment. Thermal comfort and energy efficiency With more people working from home and realising just how cold their homes can be when sitting at a desk all day, thermal comfort and energy efficiency have become top of mind. Buyers may favour properties with low noise pollution and good indoor air quality, as well as increased insulation, draught-proofing and double or triple- glazing. If you are looking for ways to add value to your property, these are key factors to consider. Nature, health and being more self-sufficient During lockdown, easy access to outdoor spaces was truly a godsend, especially for families with young children. In the post-Covid world, outdoor areas will no doubt remain popular for entertaining guests, children’s play areas, outdoor exercise and vege gardens. “A growing preoccupation with exercise and health could see more people thinking about the impact internal environments can have on our well-being – prioritising natural light and access to nature,” says architect Tara Hipwood. For some there is an increasing desire to become more self-sufficient. "This could lead to more people becoming interested in producing their own energy at home using solar panels or other renewables," says Hipworth. Again, these are all great ‘extras’ that you could implement in your renovation project. How Covid-19 is changing what we need and want from our homes While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in the publication is accurate we recommend that before relying on this information you seek independent specialist advice. Harcourts Group Ltd Licenced Agent REAA 2008. Harcourts is the largest real estate group in New Zealand, with over 194 offices along with more than 2,280 sales consultants and a growing property management team. Please visit www.harcourts.co.nz for more information.
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Harcourts Property FocusBringing you news and information from the world of New Zealand real estate.
ISSUE 5 // 2020
During this year’s lockdown, as our homes became ‘our castles’, many of us started to pay more attention to our surroundings.We noticed what we liked and what we didn’t like about our properties, what we needed most and what could improve our quality of life.
Some people, for example, have found remote working to be good for their work-life balance, and an increasing number of businesses have embraced this seismic shift. So, how has the arrival of a pandemic affected New Zealanders’ housing needs and wants?
Here’s some food for thought for homeowners who are looking to win the hearts of buyers with well-planned, on-trend renovations.
The end of open plan living?This year has shown us firsthand the pros and cons of having all members of our household at home simultaneously.
Open plan living has been on trend for several years, but some buyers may feel the need to have separate spaces now and will be looking for a property designed to carve out some personal space when needed.
Functional home office designAnyone who has tried working from home when children are around knows how challenging the lack of privacy can be, particularly when you don’t have a dedicated home office to work out of.
The home office is predicted to become a major interior design trend in the future, as millennials prefer flexible or mobile workspaces according to Archipro.co.nz. Even if you aren’t targeting the millennial market, in these Covid times adding an elegantly styled home office could be a worthwhile investment.
Thermal comfort and energy efficiencyWith more people working from home and realising just how cold their homes can be when sitting at a desk all day, thermal comfort and energy efficiency have become top of mind.
Buyers may favour properties with low noise pollution and good indoor air quality, as well as increased insulation, draught-proofing and double or triple-glazing. If you are looking for ways to add value to your property, these are key factors to consider.
Nature, health and being more self-sufficient
During lockdown, easy access to outdoor spaces was truly a godsend, especially for families with young children. In the post-Covid world, outdoor areas will no doubt remain popular for entertaining guests, children’s play areas, outdoor exercise and vege gardens.
“A growing preoccupation with exercise and health could see more people thinking about the impact internal environments can have on our well-being – prioritising natural light and access to nature,” says architect Tara Hipwood.
For some there is an increasing desire to become more self-sufficient. "This could lead to more people becoming interested in producing their own energy at home using solar panels or other renewables," says Hipworth.
Again, these are all great ‘extras’ that you could implement in your renovation project.
How Covid-19 is changing what we need and want from our homes
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in the publication is accurate we recommend that before relying on this information you seek independent specialist advice. Harcourts Group Ltd Licenced Agent REAA 2008.
Harcourts is the largest real estate group in New Zealand, with over 194 offices along with more than 2,280 sales consultants and a growing property management team. Please visit www.harcourts.co.nz for more information.
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While every effort has been made to ensure that the information in the publication is accurate we recommend that before relying on this information you seek independent specialist advice. Harcourts Group Ltd Licenced Agent REAA 2008.
Harcourts is the largest real estate group in New Zealand, with over 194 offices along with more than 2,280 sales consultants and a growing property management team. Please visit www.harcourts.co.nz for more information.
Auctions are go!
It’s rare to hear of thriving areas of industry during these unprecedented times we are in, yet Harcourts auctions across most of the country are smashing records.Auctions were used in 16.1% of all sales across the country in August, with 1,232 properties selling under the hammer – up from 10.6% at the same time last year, when 650 properties were sold via auction. This was the highest percentage of auctions for the
month of August in 4 years. Gisborne had the highest percentage of auctions across the country with 51.4% (19 properties) sold under the hammer, up from 31.5% (17 properties) in August 2019. Auckland had the second highest percentage of auctions in New Zealand with 31.0% of properties (811 properties) sold under the hammer up from 18.3% at the same time last year (332 properties). This was the highest percentage of auctions Auckland has seen for 5 months. In third place was Bay of Plenty with
17.5% (90 properties) sold under the hammer up from 13.2% in August 2019 (63 properties). This was the highest percentage of auctions for the month of August in 3 years. With some of the finest and most experienced auctioneers in New Zealand, it’s no wonder Harcourts are seeing such fantastic results for our vendors.
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Happiness and wellbeing
This year’s events have highlighted the importance of taking care of our physical and mental health. We learned that our homes can be our sanctuaries – a haven from the stresses of daily life. There are many ways to bring Zen into a home using natural light, calming colour combinations and the all-important indoor-outdoor flow.
How you can add value to your property
To date, the New Zealand property market has defied economists’ predictions, with median prices up in every region in August and buyers coming out in force, motivated by low interest rates, the removal of LVR restrictions and a desire to have more space or a bigger backyard.
If you are thinking about ways to give your property’s value a boost, check out Lifestyle Finance’s Renovate Now, Pay Later option at lifestylefinance.co.nz/renovation-finance or give them a call on 0800 100 265.
Sources:
https://archipro.co.nz/articles/interior-design/putting-the-
pro-in-productivity-top-home-office-design-ideas-gaggenau
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-an-architect-
on-how-the-pandemic-could-change-our-homes-
forever-138649
https://reinz.co.nz/Media/Default/Statistic%20
Documents/2020/August/REINZ%20Monthly%20
Property%20Report%20-%20August%202020.pdf
Disclaimer: Please note that the content provided in this article is intended as an overview and as general information only. While care is taken to ensure accuracy and reliability, the information provided is subject to continuous change and may not reflect current development or address your situation. Before making any decisions based on the information provided in this article, please use your discretion and seek independent guidance.
Karen JacksonLifestyle Finance
Roger Dawson of Harcourts Grenadier called his 10,000th auction in August.
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