First-time buyers: Around $730K in lovely Lower Hutt

Finding an affordable property is hard – but there are still some gems out there. Each week, Homed is featuring a first time buyer-friendly home on the market that might (just about) come in within budget.

Simon and Joanna Borrie didn’t have to move far when they bought their first house – they were already living in it.

The couple had been renting the sweet little three-bedroom brick home in Waterloo, Lower Hutt for a while, but were keen to get a foot on the housing ladder. After putting a few offers in for homes in the valley, and as far away as Tawa and Newlands, they decided to take a chance and see if their landlord might be open to selling.

“We didn’t approach the idea with much hope though,” says Simon. “Why would someone part with such a good earner? But turned out he was amenable to the idea.

“It was almost a try before you buy, unintentionally of course. Easiest move we’ve ever had. It’s never going to be that easy again.”

Ten years later, and the couple could be set to move for real this time. They have a daughter, and are both working from home, so it’s time to move up the ladder to something slightly bigger “with a garage”, but they hope they won’t have to move far.

Waterloo has been the perfect place for them to start their married and family life.

“The schools are fantastic. We took our daughter to Waterloo kindy and Waterloo Primary School. The neighbourhood’s great. Just on Bauchop Rd alone there are three or four children from her class, so it’s just a great family neighbourhood.

“In Waterloo, the proximity to both the little village shops and the train station are fantastic, walking distance to those.”

Also nearby is one of the Hutt Valley’s best fish and chip shops in the village, and it’s also walking distance to Hutt City and Queensgate Mall, with the newly opened Event Cinema and Imax screen.

“If you’ve got a bit of energy, you can walk it in about half an hour, but these days, you want to get around quickly, you can jump on an e-scooter and be there in no time at all.”

The home is an 8-minute walk to the main rail and bus interchange at Waterloo, with a 19-minute train ride to Wellington Station. A six-minute walk in the other direction is Te Whiti Park and access to the riser walk over the Wainuiomata hill.

The Borries have done a little cosmetic work to the home, painting the kitchen and fitting a new shower. The home is move in ready, but there are still plenty of ways a new owner could add value.

“If we had stayed, we certainly would have targeted the kitchen in the bathroom for modernisation. As they are, they are completely functional but probably a little bit dated,” says Simon.

“This home is eminently liveable. We’ve lived here for 10 years and had no problems. Everything is functional.”

Simon reckons it would suit someone who wants somewhere move in ready and isn’t keen to jump into a big DIY project, or equally someone who, “really wants to get stuck in and add value immediately”.

The property is on a crosslease, which can be a complicated form of land title, but is not impenetrable. Buyers should ask a lawyer to talk them through what a crosslease means.

The home is for sale by deadline, which closes on Wednesday, March 22, at 4pm. The listing is with Lorraine Girvan for Harcourts.

The RV for the property is $730,000, which is about $90,000 below the median for the suburb.