{"id":253665,"date":"2026-01-27T05:58:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T05:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/253665\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T05:58:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T05:58:11","slug":"renovated-family-home-in-wealthy-auckland-suburb-for-155k","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/253665\/","title":{"rendered":"Renovated family home in wealthy Auckland suburb for $155k"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>There is a lot of property for sale right now, but which listing suits you best? OneRoof\u2019s new weekly Home Hunt series brings you the best in New Zealand real estate, from affordable starter homes to luxury mansions. We\u2019ll highlight a range of homes from around the country that are worth your attention.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no sugar coating it &#8211; Auckland house prices are among the highest in the country and have sent a shiver of fear down the spines of many first-home buyers. However, owning a home or an investment property in Tamaki Makaurau might not be as hard as you think.    <\/p>\n<p>To purchase a property under $500,000 in New Zealand\u2019s most notoriously expensive market \u2013 under half the median house price for context \u2013 compromises are almost always involved whether it\u2019s leasehold land, apartment living, or putting a plan in place for remedial work down the track.<\/p>\n<p>A quick explainer on leasehold properties \u2013 this means you own the building but\u202fnot the land\u202fit sits on. So you\u2019re basically long-term renting the land from the actual landowner for a set period under a lease agreement, paying them ground rent as you go.  <\/p>\n<p>While they\u2019re much harder to come by than those further south or north, we\u2019ve rounded up five cool Auckland properties for under $500,000 that will appeal to first-home buyers or savvy investors.  <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/parnell\/503-88-the-strand\/H9elk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">503\/88 The Strand, Parnell, Auckland | Asking price $329,000 <\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Mirage apartment complex gives Melrose Place vibes with its tropical resort-style amenities and chic design.  Think indoor and outdoor pools, two spas, a sauna, a gym and a tennis court in a trendy Parnell location.<\/p>\n<p>This north-facing, one-bedroom leasehold apartment enjoys use of all these, and has a walk-in robe, modern kitchen, secure basement carpark and storage locker.  <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"How to get on the property ladder on a budget in NZ's most expensive city: this three-bedroom home in Auckland's St Johns is perhaps the city's cheapest. Photo \/ Supplied\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/03f5bd31f1404bc1fcf5798f7ebebe5c.jpg\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"image-caption\">A one-bedroom apartment in The Mirage, in Auckland\u2019s Parnell, is on the market for $329,000. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n<p>Agent Sherry Shao, from Barfoot &amp; Thompson, says the lifestyle here is dreamy thanks to the well-connected location and onsite amenities.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven though you pay body corporate fees, you don\u2019t have to pay for a gym membership because you have one at home, same with people who might sign up to swim at the pools for a year. You don\u2019t need to pay for that,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re also close to the train station and close to Mission Bay beach, without Mission Bay prices.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/parnell\/503-88-the-strand\/H9elk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&gt;&gt; Click here to find out more<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/pakuranga\/1-elizabeth-street\/Y985U\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">1 Elizabeth Street, Pakuranga, Auckland | Asking price $499,000 <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ian Smith, from One Agency, says this is great buying for a brand new apartment. \u201cIt has to be one of the cheapest in Auckland.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 50sqm, one-bedroom apartment at the soon-to-be-built Elizabeth Views can be bought off the plans and is strata-titled in freehold. It comes with a north-facing living area, a carpark, a 10-year built guarantee and 12 months of maintenance included. Completion is expected in July 2026.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"How to get on the property ladder on a budget in NZ's most expensive city: this three-bedroom home in Auckland's St Johns is perhaps the city's cheapest. Photo \/ Supplied\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/16ac53ee28792801bf52b930e65dff6d.jpg\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"image-caption\">One-bedroom apartments at Elizabeth Views can be picked up for $499,000. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n<p>The neighbourhood is also a winner, he says.  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cPakuranga Heights is a great location, nice and quiet but close to the new flyover and motorway, as well as the mall, which is going to be totally rebuilt,\u201d Smith says. \u201cIt\u2019s also walking distance to the new bus depot, so it is great for kids going to university in the city.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/pakuranga\/1-elizabeth-street\/Y985U\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&gt;&gt; Click here to find out more <\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/auckland-central\/2-55-mahuhu-crescent\/3mL4F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">2\/55 Mahuhu Crescent, Auckland Central, Auckland | Asking price $375,000 <\/a><\/p>\n<p>With a look and feel that\u2019s more New York than Auckland Central, this cool, two-level townhouse overlooks Mahuhu ki te Pangi park and is just one street back from the harbour.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s leasehold, but the ground rent has now been settled until 2032 \u2013 which means peace of mind for a savvy buyer (and the banks). <\/p>\n<p>Part of the Brownstone complex, it\u2019s an easy amble from Commercial Bay, Britomart, the Viaduct and Parnell, plus Spark Arena for the music lovers. It comes with a patio, a study and two carparks \u2013 although you probably won\u2019t need a car. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"How to get on the property ladder on a budget in NZ's most expensive city: this three-bedroom home in Auckland's St Johns is perhaps the city's cheapest. Photo \/ Supplied\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/54e11cb67a00d26a116b73d4203f4439.jpg\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"image-caption\">Next to Spark Arena for $375,000 is a three-bedroom townhouse at 2\/55 Mahuhu Crescent, in Auckland. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n<p>Scott Dunn, from City Sales, says the numbers here make it a no-brainer for buyers. \u201cThis townhouse is quite genuinely the best opportunity to buy what the Auckland Council values at $1m, at a fraction of the price purely because it\u2019s leasehold,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is one of the most exciting and convenient locations in the greater Auckland area, and the vendors are serious and have asked us to present ALL offers.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/auckland-central\/2-55-mahuhu-crescent\/3mL4F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&gt;&gt; Click here to find out more  <\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/onehunga\/105-287-onehunga-mall\/NMeLK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">105\/287 Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland | Asking price $459,000 <\/a><\/p>\n<p>One of the few freehold opportunities available at this price point in Auckland, this Onehunga apartment presents great value in a well-loved complex \u2013 Atrium on Main.<\/p>\n<p>Barfoot &amp; Thompson agent Elvira Abdrazakova can vouch for it, as she owns a three-bedroom place there herself. \u201cI know the complex really, really well, it\u2019s predominantly owner-occupied, very well run and a nice little community.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"How to get on the property ladder on a budget in NZ's most expensive city: this three-bedroom home in Auckland's St Johns is perhaps the city's cheapest. Photo \/ Supplied\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/281536b33c2f32d01293bb57cc99d383.jpg\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"image-caption\">Under $500,000 in Auckland\u2019s Onehunga is 105\/287 Onehunga Mall. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n<p>This 52sqm, one-bedroom apartment has been freshly painted and has a private patio, plus comes with two carparks and a storage locker.  <\/p>\n<p>Security is paramount, with swipe-card access, security cameras, and an on-site building manager, plus there\u2019s a pool for summer dips.  <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/onehunga\/105-287-onehunga-mall\/NMeLK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&gt;&gt; Click here to find out more <\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/saint-johns\/17-howard-hunter-avenue\/wj2An\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">17 Howard Hunter Avenue, St Johns, Auckland | Asking Price $155,000 <\/a><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s out to St Johns for this tidy, 90sqm three-bedroom home, which was built in the 1960s. The sellers have spruced it up, but there is plenty of scope to add further value.<\/p>\n<p>The leasehold property is a very generous 609sqm of fully fenced land, with the back lawn a great spot for kids and pets to play. This makes it an enticing opportunity for young families wanting to get on the property ladder or investors seeking a good rental.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"How to get on the property ladder on a budget in NZ's most expensive city: this three-bedroom home in Auckland's St Johns is perhaps the city's cheapest. Photo \/ Supplied\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/bbeabd2dd7e7fde9e3d55280e0a920ed.jpg\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"image-caption\">A leasehold home at 17 Howard Hunter Avenue, in St Johns, can be picked up for less than $200,000. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n<p>In their listing on OneRoof, Ray White agents Suzie Cox and Margaret Simpson write: \u201cThe benefits of buying a leasehold property mean you can enjoy living in this much sought-after St Johns location without the cost of a large mortgage. The perpetual lease means that the lease is renewed every 21 years and the ground rent is currently $18,580 pa, fixed until February 2030.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneroof.co.nz\/property\/auckland\/saint-johns\/17-howard-hunter-avenue\/wj2An\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">&gt;&gt; Click here to find out more <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There is a lot of property for sale right now, but which listing suits you best? OneRoof\u2019s new&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":253666,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[42,1258,43,40,38,41,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-253665","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-headlines","9":"tag-latest-news","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-top-news","12":"tag-top-stories","13":"tag-topnews","14":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=253665"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253665\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/253666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=253665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=253665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=253665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}