[alawrence10360]

Can anyone advise the areas/locations in the North which are going through a growth period in tems of property prices

[bartons]

When we were in the Bay of Island everyone around there was saying how much Kerikeri was growing and quickly the house and land prices were rising there.

[Nick88]

Kerikeri will be one of those areas that has a bit of a price contraction in the next few years. There is alot of property on the market up there, especially sections, and all of it very expensive. There just aren't enough people to spend $500-700k on a bare section (yes, I know they aren't all that price!).

It is mainly a retirement town, where rich Aucklanders go to die, as they say. There is a bit of industry in the area, but beyond property it is not lively economically or socially. For a young person it would be very quiet.

If I were buying in Northland I would be very defensive, and looking for areas that will hold their value in a downturn. This is likely to be nearer the main centres (well, Whangarei really) where there are lots of jobs and so more buyers. There has been a bit of a mad scramble to invest in property in the last few years, and so alot of people with much better local knowledge than a new immigrant have been looking for those areas first. Once found, the prices go up and they are no longer a bargain.

Have a look at this article

http://www.realestate.co.nz/blog/web-statistics-clearly-show-a-very-slow-property-market.html

This shows that the property supply in Northland is the most exaggerated in the country with 23 months supply on the market. Kerikeri is likely to be much more so, there are sections in KK that have been for sale for years with the sellers holding out for a silly price.

Please feel free to PM me, if want more insider info.