As house prices soar in the Bay of Plenty, buyers are increasingly looking at Katikati and Te Puke as more affordable alternatives to nearby Tauranga, Mt Maunganui and Papamoa.
Thursday, September 16th 2004, 4:24PM
by The Landlord
Tauranga City Council's environmental planner, David Phizacklea, said rising costs of sections and properties in the bigger centres had increased the desirability of outlying towns which were in easy commuting distance of Tauranga.
Another trend emerging was more demand for apartments, he said.
A joint report released yesterday by Tauranga City and Western Bay of Plenty District Councils showed a cross-section of buyers, from retirees to young professional people, wanted property in a "compact urban environment".
"It highlights a changing cultural shift away from the Kiwi quarter-acre, largely because of price pressure, to apartment-style living," said Mr Phizacklea.
