Hamilton not cheap, affordable

Hamilton, says Mayor Julie Hardaker, is like a teenager.  It’s about to grow out of that slightly awkward, insecure phase - and shoot up into a productive, exuberant city with a strong sense of identity.  And Hamilton’s growth spurt isn’t just a reflection of national economic strength; the local economy is punching well above its weight.

The mood among local real estate professionals and investors is strongly confident, and there’s one praise that keeps coming up when you ask them why they’re so positive: inland port.  Work is scheduled to start in 2018 on a massive inland port and commercial hub in Ruakura, right on the fringe of the city. The $3.3 billion project is being developed by Hamilton-based Tainui Group Holdings, and will service Auckland, the Bay of Plenty and the Waikato. The plans allocate space for logistics, plus residential, commercial and industrial zones.  The landport is predicted to create 12,000 new jobs, only a quarter of which are likely to be filled by locals. 

Supporting the development of the inland port and the city will be the Waikato Expressway, which will join the Bombay Hills to the south of Cambridge; about half of it has been completed so far.  Once finished, it will make driving between the ‘golden triangle’ of Hamilton, Auckland and Tauranga faster and easier.  All this, plus a new plan to develop the riverfront, means there’s a lot to get excited about for Hamilton residents and investors.

“Hamilton sometimes gets a bad rap, but a lot of that’s historic,” Hardaker says.  “When you come here you see the enormous growth, the roading network, and the cranes everywhere.  The population growth is right, there’s a great lifestyle and great schools.  It’s going through an enormous transformation.  We’re starting to move into our prime.”