- 6 hours ago
Location Location Location NZ - Season 2 Episode 6
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00:00Cut to the chase.
00:02Two young couples climbing the property ladder.
00:05Let's do it!
00:06I'm with first-time buyers, Aaliyah and Michael.
00:08Look at this fancy thing.
00:10Trading tiny bricks for big bricks.
00:12And I'm with Seb and Ayla.
00:14Buy a place.
00:16Their family is growing.
00:18Just don't ask Seb to do the cooking.
00:20Rice is too hard to cook.
00:22Not anymore. We've improved.
00:24And Paul's therapy cat has had enough.
00:26Sorry.
00:28Do you want to try that again?
00:30Two couples.
00:32Stop. You need to stop.
00:34No more mucking around.
00:36Two challenges.
00:38We're still in buying mode.
00:40Finding a home that changes everything.
00:42Save the best for last.
00:44And one scratched ego.
00:46Yep.
00:48We're relying on you Paul.
00:50No pressure.
00:54Kia ora.
00:55This time we're in Taamaki Makauri.
00:57Where I'm helping a young family hunt for their next home.
01:00A place where they can watch their children grow up comfortably.
01:03While staying in a community that's close to their hearts.
01:07And I'm helping an aspiring young couple swap out inner city lifestyle.
01:11The space in the suburbs.
01:13Nailed it.
01:14Oh thanks.
01:15Now.
01:18The New Zealand property market is tricky.
01:21Like ordering a coffee.
01:22The options are endless.
01:23And it always costs more than you think.
01:26For first time buyers.
01:28It's about getting that first taste of home ownership.
01:31For second timers.
01:32It's about upgrading to the bigger cup.
01:36Today we're with two young couples.
01:38Both ready to take the next step.
01:40And both hoping the property market finally serves them up the right blend.
01:47Five years ago.
01:48Anatomy lecturer Seb and brand manager Ayla.
01:51Climbed onto the property ladder in Stanmore Bay.
01:54But with baby Kit now in the mix.
01:56They've outgrown it.
01:57I think the next move is about upsizing and providing a really kind of firm platform to grow our family.
02:04They're focused firmly on the high viscous coast.
02:07We're kind of keen to not move too far.
02:09This is the place that we'd like to root.
02:12Steady on Seb.
02:13I think there's that really lovely feeling about kind of settling now.
02:17Yeah.
02:18And expanding.
02:20Kit throw.
02:21Woah.
02:22They met at a friend's party and Seb pulled out all the stops to win Ayla's heart.
02:28And you then made me dinner.
02:31Don't go there.
02:32Italian viewers block your ears now.
02:35He made his famous curry and pasta.
02:38Famous for what exactly?
02:40You haven't tried it.
02:42Although he's a terrible cook.
02:44It's not good.
02:45He does have an incredible sense of humour.
02:47I think there were other things that were distracting you.
02:50What?
02:51I don't.
02:52Me?
02:53Me maybe?
02:54So what is Seb and the actual chef in the house Ayla looking for in their next property?
03:01So we need our new house to have three beds at least.
03:06Two baths.
03:07The indoor outdoor floor.
03:08Maybe another space as well.
03:09Yeah.
03:10Like an office space.
03:11Yeah, because I work from home.
03:13I need a big garage, yeah.
03:15So I've got a lot of surfboards, a lot of toys, and I also like to have a kind of work space.
03:20Oh no.
03:21Oh, okay.
03:22When it comes to the property hunt, Ayla is in charge.
03:25Seb does none of the pre-work.
03:28Turns up on the day.
03:29Seb does know what he wants though.
03:31It's like our old home, but bigger.
03:33Oh, this is going to be a challenge.
03:34Ayla's more of the business mind in the family as well.
03:37She handles numbers, she's got a business degree.
03:40I don't deal with that.
03:42And again, hence why I leave most of it to Ayla.
03:44That's a wise choice, Seb.
03:46History does show that when women take charge, things get done properly and on time.
03:51I'm more than happy for her to do the work and me to reap the rewards.
03:56That's the spirit, Seb.
03:59First curried pasta and now this.
04:02Ayla is one lucky lady.
04:04So, my job, should I choose to accept it, is find you that perfect home.
04:12But you need to tell me, what is that perfect home?
04:15Three bedroom at least, two bathroom, a big garage, garden space for our son to play in.
04:23And then there's some additional, you know, if possible, extra space, the annex, the granny flat, that family could come and stay comfortably.
04:33What is probably driving you the most?
04:36It's definitely been having Kit and the newborn days in the house were fine.
04:41We were kind of just nesting and happy, but it's been since he's been really active.
04:46If I take him outside, it's like, oh, he's running onto the shared driveway or he's falling down the hill.
04:51So, it's all about family.
04:53It's all about family, yeah.
04:55The money, the budget.
04:57So, our top budget is to a mill.
05:01Room to push that a little bit for the right.
05:04For the perfect, perfect place.
05:06So, Ayla's parents might step in and give us that little extra, but I think we're keen to not go there if we don't have to.
05:14Concerned about being able to service the property afterwards as well.
05:17So, it's one thing to buy it.
05:19It's another thing to be able to afford the rates and the power and all that.
05:23No, you're in good shape.
05:25Now, we actually have picked a day for the perfect house buying expedition because you should always buy a house on a grey day.
05:32And we've got grey and torrential rain.
05:34Torrential, yeah.
05:35So, we'll be not only checking out the house, but checking out the guttering while we're there.
05:39Yeah.
05:40Good due diligence day.
05:41And we can use our imagination to picture it on a sunny day.
05:44Yeah.
05:45Yeah.
05:46Alright, shall we go?
05:47Yeah, sounds good.
05:48Okay, let's go find a big broly.
05:50Seb and Ayla are looking for somewhere with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, room for an office, a garage or a workshop, and they have a decent million dollar budget.
06:01First time buyers are on the rise, especially in Auckland. Prices are still high, but even a small dip can make the first rung on the ladder feel within reach.
06:11With KiwiSaver and low deposit mortgages lending a hand, that first home dream is closer than it's been for years.
06:18Aliyah, who's originally from Hamilton, and Michael, who's from Tauranga, have spent the last 18 months enjoying the buzz of living in the centre of Auckland city, making the most of everything on their doorstep.
06:28There's quite a few restaurants around here. I've been enough too that they're like, hey, Michael, and I'm like, hey, stop saying my name.
06:34But we know that we're going to have to make a few sacrifices.
06:37With Aliyah's financial know-how and Michael's insurance expertise, they've got the numbers covered.
06:42We want to be able to preach. No.
06:45Practice what we're preaching.
06:47Yeah.
06:48But the words are subject to market fluctuations. They currently live in a tiny home in the sky.
06:54Our apartment's obviously quite snug. It's a bit tight, 36 square metres.
06:59That's roughly three car parks worth of living space.
07:02We're just feeling like we need a bit more space, you know, having a lounge, having a dining room, being able to hang my washing outside.
07:09In a home this small, every inch counts.
07:12I've got quite a few hobbies that I love to do that are messy hobbies, painting, drawing, and just kind of creating things with my hands.
07:20And we don't have a lot of space to be able to, for me to be able to do that at the moment.
07:24I really want to get into like content creation and things like that.
07:28But I've just, I've been planning to do that for about two years.
07:31I'm too nervous to do it with Michael behind me.
07:33In 36 square metres, even our equipment gets in the way.
07:37Sorry, there's a mic in the shot.
07:38Oops.
07:39Do you want to try that again?
07:42Well, I suppose you're bound to notice something out of place when your shared hobby is building detailed Lego sets.
07:48Having a shared interest in Lego is that it's an activity we can do together.
07:51We're building it together.
07:52We really like colour and celebrating, you know, brightness.
07:55And there are so many little activities that we've done in our lives which are us building something together.
08:00We're quite like the Legos though, they're quite fun.
08:03Buying houses, building Lego.
08:05Same rules apply.
08:06Start fresh or build on what you've got.
08:08But, however you do it, everything is awesome.
08:12And yes, now you've got that song stuck in your head too.
08:15You're welcome.
08:16We want to have a house that's low maintenance on the inside and the outside.
08:21A three bedroom home with two bathrooms.
08:25But we know that with the budget, that is a bit of a challenge or a bit of a stretch.
08:30So we've done quite a bit of searching to try and see if we can find that.
08:34But it's proven a bit difficult.
08:36We're kind of getting that decision paralysis.
08:39Yeah.
08:40So that's where Paul comes in.
08:41We need that good home, Paul.
08:44He'll get it right first time, right?
08:46Hi.
08:48Welcome.
08:49Thanks.
08:50We're going to schedule that and, you know, in a couple of weeks time we could be turning
08:53the key on our first home.
08:54Tell me about my challenge.
08:55Okay.
08:56So our budget, we'll start with $900,000.
08:59That's the line in the sand.
09:00That is the line.
09:01Anything kind of between 800 and 900 would be just perfect for us.
09:06How many bedrooms are you in now?
09:08So we live city central.
09:10Snug.
09:11Very snug.
09:12So 36 square meters.
09:13So if I could triple the size of your footprint and get you into something about 90 squares,
09:18sounding good?
09:19Definitely.
09:20We definitely want three bedrooms just because it's going to facilitate what we wanted to
09:23do with the home.
09:24Yeah.
09:25At your price point, freehold's probably going to be off the menu.
09:28Yeah.
09:29Unless it was a townhouse.
09:30Are you open to that?
09:31We are open to townhouse and just to get in there and get the asset.
09:34Yeah.
09:35Whereabouts are my shopping?
09:36We do not know the suburbs.
09:37I've had to go on Google maps every night just to familiarise myself.
09:40So a lot of opportunity.
09:42I'm really looking forward to finding you something really special and start to make
09:46a nudge into this next big chapter of your lives.
09:49Let's do it.
09:50Let's do it.
09:53Love the coffee.
09:54To move Aliyah and Michael from Lego bricks to real bricks, we're looking for three bedrooms,
09:59two bathrooms, room for an office and some outside space.
10:04And that's not as easy as it sounds with their budget of 900,000, so I need to make
10:08sure there are no missing pieces.
10:19We all know that climbing the property ladder is tricky.
10:22But no one warns you that that next step can be just as wobbly.
10:26New needs and new pressures mean it's never as simple as it seems.
10:31My house hunters Aliyah and Michael want to swap renting for owning.
10:35And for them, this means finding the right place to start while balancing their budget
10:39for future plans.
10:41And I'm with Seb and Ayla who've outgrown their first home and are looking for more
10:45room to grow their family.
10:47Both couples want value for money and both need to get it absolutely right.
10:51And that's where we come in.
10:54My young family are just gorgeous.
10:56They are looking for their second home.
10:58They're on the property ladder, but they go to run out of space.
11:02They've got one adorable little boy, but they want more children.
11:05Family focus, lots of friends hanging out.
11:07So they just need something a bit bigger.
11:09I want to make this experience really good for them.
11:11And so they feel confident that they're doing the right thing.
11:14Yeah.
11:15Yeah.
11:16I've got a young couple that are getting out of an apartment.
11:17They're in a 36 square meter studio.
11:20They're really family oriented.
11:22It's all about whānau.
11:23Yeah.
11:24Extended family come to stay all the time and they love entertaining.
11:27It's nice working with really young couples.
11:29Yeah.
11:30Full of energy, full of enthusiasm, and it's just a really lovely experience for me.
11:35And it sounds like you as well.
11:36Yeah.
11:37Yeah.
11:38To get started, I'm taking Seb and Aila somewhere a bit special.
11:42Hatfields Beach is one of those places where life feels tucked away.
11:46No shops, no hustle, just the beach and the locals who love it.
11:50However, if you do get cabin fever, then Odiwa's beaches, cafes and restaurants are just around the corner.
11:56Close enough for convenience, but far enough away to feel peaceful.
12:00The average house price on this part of the coast is just over 1.1 million.
12:08I'm feeling excited.
12:09Right.
12:10Looking good.
12:11Yeah.
12:12Very cool.
12:13Surprise, surprise.
12:14Home sweet home.
12:15Yeah.
12:16Very tidy.
12:17Very treehouse vibe too.
12:18Yeah.
12:19I really like the outside.
12:20Mmm.
12:21At the end of the quiet private drive, this newly renovated two-storey home is split over
12:26two levels.
12:27Upstairs there's three bedrooms and a bathroom, and downstairs there's open-plan living and
12:32dining area, space for a home office and a handy extra toilet.
12:37There's a generous double garage with internal access, and outside there's a large flat lawn
12:42for kit and a couple of sheds for Seb's DIY projects.
12:46It's going to auction with a CV of a little over a million.
12:52Alright.
12:53Wow.
12:54Fireplace.
12:55Love that.
12:56Very nice.
12:57Nice and open.
12:58Really bright.
12:59Mmm.
13:00Loving this kitchen as well.
13:02Who's the cook?
13:03Me.
13:04Ah.
13:05Do not let Seb anywhere near that stove.
13:08I love that when you're doing the dishes, you're looking out to the green.
13:12That's really nice.
13:13See the flow to the outside as well with those doors just hung open.
13:17Easily soak up 20 people.
13:19Oh, easy.
13:20Yeah.
13:21Yeah.
13:22So this is the little office space there.
13:23Oh.
13:24This is cute.
13:25Is this plus bedroom, or is this a bedroom?
13:26This is not a bedroom, mate.
13:27This is not a bedroom.
13:28I don't know some state agents can push the limits when they're describing a property,
13:32but I think this is...
13:34But a great work from home space.
13:36Yeah, really cute little office.
13:38Ooh, this is a seppy space.
13:39Yeah.
13:40A decent double garage.
13:41A true double garage.
13:42Yeah.
13:43Oh, this is nice.
13:44I like the pitch ceiling.
13:45The beam's really lovely, hey?
13:46I do like the wooden accents through the house.
13:47Yeah.
13:48Okay.
13:49Second bathroom.
13:50Nice.
13:51Big.
13:52Big.
13:53This would be the only bathroom in the house, but there is a second toilet.
13:55Right.
13:56Okay.
13:57Okay.
13:58Second bathroom.
13:59Nice.
14:00Big.
14:01Big.
14:02This would be the only bathroom in the house, but there is a second toilet.
14:07Right.
14:08Oh.
14:09Oh.
14:10Okay.
14:11This is the primary bedroom there.
14:12Yes.
14:13Pretty ceiling.
14:14Yeah.
14:15Nice with the beams.
14:16Yeah.
14:17Little bit more storage at least.
14:18It's like an open walk-in wardrobe, I suppose, right?
14:20Yeah.
14:21Ooh.
14:22That's a cute little space.
14:24A kit room.
14:25A kit room.
14:26The whole reason we've brought Seb and Ayla and Kit on this journey is to find them their
14:31next family home, and I think this is a wonderful start.
14:35We don't have a shared driveway.
14:37We have a flat backyard.
14:38No tumbling down the hill.
14:40We've got decks.
14:41We've got bifolds.
14:42We've got this really lovely kitchen, and they love entertaining.
14:46How'd it go?
14:48I think for house number one, fantastic.
14:51It's got great vibes.
14:52The brightness.
14:53Yeah.
14:54It takes a lot of boxes, but I think from a practicality sense, it's maybe...
14:57Mm.
14:58There's only one bathroom.
14:59There's no bath.
15:00With babies, bath is a lot easier.
15:02Yeah.
15:03There's oodles of charm, but we're looking, going, where do our drawers go?
15:07Where do our clothes go?
15:08Location-wise, how does it stack up?
15:11Ideally, I still would like more, closer to Stanmore Bay, closer to daycare, but it's
15:16not a no.
15:17But no, I hear what you're saying.
15:19I think we've got off to a really good start.
15:21Yeah.
15:22We've got a whole new day tomorrow, two more properties.
15:24Let's get home, get a good night's sleep, and go house hunting.
15:28Well, that's a good start, but not a great one.
15:31A million bucks is a healthy budget, but another hundred grand would totally open things up
15:36for them.
15:38The first stop for my house hunters, Alia and Michael, is Waterview, a coastal family-friendly
15:43suburb that's basically city fringe, with parks and green spaces.
15:47The area is well-connected to public transport.
15:50The town is about 15 minutes by bus, or you could take the nor-western cycleway straight
15:54to the CBD.
15:55The property average is just over one million, and there's some real opportunities around
15:59here.
16:00Here we are in the wonderful suburb of Waterview.
16:03Not much view of any water, except for the water falling from the sky at the moment.
16:07Yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:08This is the home I wanted to show you.
16:10We've got a beautiful three-bedroom home, a little bit of yard.
16:13Exactly what we're looking for.
16:14Should we get out of this water and into the drive?
16:17Absolutely.
16:18After you.
16:21This three-bedroom townhouse is brand new and tailor-made for first-time buyers.
16:26It's modern, low-maintenance and designed so that every bit of space works hard without
16:31wasting an inch.
16:33This place is a perfect example of good things coming in small packages, and it's on the market
16:38for $829,000.
16:39This would be your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen.
16:47Yeah.
16:48And we haven't even seen upstairs yet.
16:50Yeah.
16:51Their entire apartment could fit down here.
16:53Real modern fixtures and so much space.
16:57New-build townhouses usually have a lower price point than traditional detached homes, making
17:03them a great entry point for first-time buyers.
17:06This feels really comfortable.
17:08They're land efficient, which helps make them a great way to stretch your property dollar.
17:12A really good amount of space.
17:13A bit more of the space than I've got in my cupboard.
17:15Oh, much more space.
17:16This is a fantastic room.
17:17Bedroom number two.
17:18It comes with a lot of space, eh?
17:19This would be like the office space.
17:20Yeah, definitely the office space.
17:21Tune out the bathroom.
17:22Oh wow, this is really flush.
17:23Definitely an upgrade.
17:24This is definitely an upgrade, yeah, hugely.
17:25This is really exciting.
17:26They've come together, they've lived together, they've done the stress test and now they're
17:42ready to take the plunge.
17:44Obviously a big responsibility because I'm trying to find a home that'll tick all those boxes
17:48for them.
17:49And I feel like I've done it here.
17:51Three bedrooms, nice big open space and a property that doesn't have any body corp or
17:56society fees.
17:57I hope it ticks all of those boxes.
18:00So far I'm really happy with the place.
18:02I think it's awesome.
18:03Yeah.
18:04I mean, I'm new to the whole kind of townhouse thing.
18:07I don't know.
18:08I'm still not fully set my heart on it, but I can see us living here.
18:12Like it's so comfortable.
18:13It's nice and warm.
18:14You know, we'll always come home to a cosy home.
18:16Yeah.
18:17This is a great house.
18:18Definitely started strong.
18:20Hello.
18:21Very exciting stuff.
18:24We're pretty stoked with the overall.
18:26It's got all three bedrooms, two bathrooms and every room has a wardrobe.
18:31You're doing very well.
18:32Just checking many boxes.
18:33Good start.
18:34Great start actually.
18:35Yeah.
18:36There is one box that we haven't talked about.
18:37Okay.
18:38Price.
18:39Yes.
18:40It's priced at $829.
18:41Oh wow.
18:42Okay.
18:43That's awesome.
18:44That is cool.
18:45If you're saying, hey Paul, done well.
18:47Yeah.
18:48Can do better.
18:49What does the next home look like?
18:52Single level, a bit more space around, around the edges.
18:57Potentially.
18:58I mean, that's going too far.
19:00I was going to say garage.
19:01Oh my God.
19:02You're crazy.
19:03That's crazy.
19:04Like parking on the property.
19:05That's crazy too.
19:06Stop.
19:07Stop.
19:08You need to stop.
19:09Hey look, if you can build magnificent displays of Lego magnificence.
19:14Sure.
19:15You know what I mean?
19:16Surely I can find your house to work your magic.
19:19Yeah.
19:20In the meantime, you get some sleep and can't wait to show your property number two.
19:24Cool.
19:25I'm excited.
19:26Yeah, me too.
19:27Property number one has laid a solid foundation and softened their stance on townhouses in general,
19:32but they're hoping for more outside space.
19:35That's going to be tough on their budget, but not impossible.
19:38Now it's about Paul finding a home that clicks into place.
19:46My house hunters Seb and Ayla love life on the Hibiscus Coast,
19:50but their little family has outgrown their current space.
19:53Now they need a home big enough to ride the next wave of family life.
19:56House number one wasn't quite right.
19:59So for their next place, I'm taking them about four k's further south from Hatfields Beach
20:03to another coastal community.
20:05Well guys, I brought you to Red Beach because I know you want to be close to the daycare.
20:10I know that you park and ride is important.
20:12You don't want to be too far away.
20:14It's a really lovely community.
20:16It's a safe community.
20:18Red Beach is a bit of a hidden gem.
20:20There's a relaxed lifestyle centered around the water,
20:23a little food scene, and it's the sort of place where neighbours know your name.
20:27So it's not hard to see why families are drawn here.
20:30The average price is around 1.2 million.
20:35Nice sunshine.
20:36Wow.
20:37It's nice.
20:38Yeah.
20:39This little planted garden out the front here is very cute.
20:41This has got a really nice street appeal.
20:44Very cute, very welcoming.
20:45Yeah, it's got that sort of cottagey feel.
20:47I've found them a really warm, inviting home with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
20:52It has an open plan lounge and dining space, plus a modern kitchen.
20:57Outside the flat, fully fenced garden is framed by mature trees and dotted with fruit.
21:02There's a double garage with internal access, and the workshop space ticks the practical box for Seb.
21:08And for little Kit, there's even a secret sandpit hidden away.
21:12It's for sale by negotiation with a CV of a million.
21:15Oh, nice living space.
21:17Sweet.
21:18Yeah.
21:19Nice windows.
21:20Very similar open kitchen through to the living, dining room.
21:24And also we've got more of a definitive lounge room in this home as well.
21:28Yeah.
21:29Good sized kitchen.
21:30I'd say maybe a bit bigger than what we've got currently.
21:32And you've got the lovely flow.
21:34Yeah.
21:35Kitchen, dining, outside.
21:37This is nice, isn't it?
21:39Oh, this is really sweet.
21:40Really tranquil.
21:41It's a little small, I guess, to what we were maybe thinking, but it's all fenced in.
21:47And there's still lots of planting space, you know, you can have your flowers and your veggies.
21:51Yes.
21:52The vision is coming.
21:53Yeah.
21:54That's good.
21:55Right.
21:56Into the bathroom.
21:57Oh.
21:58That's cute.
21:59I don't know.
22:00It's a nice bathroom.
22:01Yeah.
22:02Oh, this is sweet.
22:03A kid's room.
22:04Yeah.
22:05Very little to be done.
22:06A perfect child sized room.
22:07Yeah.
22:08Ooh.
22:09Oh, this is cute.
22:11So again, another small room.
22:13Yeah.
22:14It is a bit small.
22:16This is nice.
22:18This is a much nicer sized room for sure.
22:21Yeah.
22:22Ooh.
22:23Very big.
22:24So there's space in the house.
22:26Not necessarily the way we want.
22:27Office?
22:29Wow.
22:30It's a big space.
22:31Oh, yeah.
22:32Wow.
22:33Considering the lack of space upstairs, could we use it as additional living space?
22:37Potentially, you know, we'd have to think about that.
22:41Well, I'm feeling really buoyant at this stage about their reactions so far.
22:46I mean, they've got the garden.
22:49They've got that lovely little flow out here.
22:51The house is sunny and they love the area.
22:54As an investment, this is a great opportunity for them.
22:58I just wonder if they see it that way.
23:00So what do you think?
23:01I love the outside.
23:04Dining, lounge space is really nice.
23:06But those bedrooms, a bit tight, hey?
23:09I just can't see where we could even get more space into those bedrooms.
23:14I love the location, though.
23:15And the light.
23:16Like I said, it's just those rooms, really.
23:20Such an emotional journey, looking for a house.
23:23We'll find it.
23:26So, are we still euphoric?
23:29Are we still in buying mode?
23:31The beginning was great.
23:32The garden is so charming.
23:34The house itself is really lovely.
23:36But the more we looked through those three rooms,
23:39two of them are so small.
23:42I just feel like this is a good opportunity
23:44if you purchase it now on a slightly lower market.
23:47In five years' time, when you've got maybe, let's say, two children,
23:51who are five and seven, then it's time to move to the next level.
23:54And this house could take you through that period beautifully.
23:57Mm.
23:58Just a thought.
23:59Yeah, no, it's definitely good to consider
24:01and kind of, yeah, maybe adjust our expectations.
24:04Well, let's see what happens with house number three.
24:07Keep an open mind.
24:08Totally.
24:09Always.
24:10Don't know about you, but my stomach's rumbling.
24:11I'm starving.
24:12Yeah.
24:13Let's go and have some lunch.
24:14Okay, let's go.
24:15Okay, house number two could have been a wise investment for a few years,
24:18but Seb and Ayla aren't thinking short-term.
24:21With more little ones on the horizon, small bedrooms are a deal-breaker at this stage.
24:27For Ayla and Michael's second property, I'm heading to Beechhaven,
24:31which is a little slice of paradise sitting on the Waitematā harbour.
24:35There's plenty of green space, access to water, and it has a family-friendly vibe.
24:40One of the other great things about this neighbourhood is that price point for homes
24:44is generally really good for people wanting to get on the ladder.
24:48The area has the perfect blend of natural beauty with easy suburban living, and the best bit.
24:54I think Ayla and Michael have a chance to get their foot in the door here.
24:57And as a bonus, I have Lady Luck herself coming to join us for the viewing.
25:02So.
25:03Oh, wow.
25:04It's very cool.
25:05Freestanding.
25:06Yeah, yeah, yeah.
25:07And lots of nice big windows, so.
25:09Yeah.
25:10Heaps of light on the inside and just, yeah.
25:13I'm loving it so far.
25:14Should we go and have a look?
25:15Okay.
25:16Definitely.
25:17This three-bedroom weatherboard home is all about easy living.
25:22It's light and bright, with open spaces, a modern kitchen, and three decent-sized bedrooms
25:28that tick the everyday boxes.
25:30There's a spacious garage with plenty of scope for the future, and the asking price?
25:35$899,000.
25:40Ooh.
25:43Whoa.
25:44Very open plan with the kitchen and the dining and lounge.
25:47And I do love the light.
25:48You've got plenty of space to sprawl out.
25:50I've heard stories that some of your guests have to sleep under the computer table.
25:54Yeah.
25:55Yeah.
25:56We've got a little air bed that goes under the table, and they're like, good night.
25:59Even though we're just right over here.
26:01All right, so we'll just see the rest of the house?
26:03Yeah, let's have a look at the kitchen.
26:05I know you're just trying to get your head around the door.
26:07I am.
26:08Trying not to, eh?
26:09Trying not to look.
26:10Yeah.
26:11This is such a jump from 36 square meters.
26:13They won't know what to do with the extra space.
26:16This is a really nice kitchen.
26:18Michael, how about you and I hang out?
26:20Ellie, you can come with me.
26:21Awesome.
26:22We'll go and check out the rest of the house.
26:23Go and have a look at the entertainment space.
26:25Come on.
26:26The barbecue space.
26:27Come on.
26:30Oh, wow, this is really nice.
26:31Isn't it?
26:32Yeah.
26:33The rooms here are a bit bigger than the last place we got shown, so yeah, this is definitely
26:36an improvement here.
26:40Oh, my gosh.
26:42You can see yourself entertaining out here.
26:44I really can.
26:45Yeah, definitely.
26:48Wow, this is way bigger.
26:50This is huge.
26:51Yeah, this is a massive bedroom.
26:53So this option is a complete switch up from how you live and where you live.
26:58Yeah.
26:59Are you ready for this big a change?
27:02We're definitely ready to get out of that city area and get more into like an actual
27:07home feeling kind of vibe and I'm very happy.
27:10So I'll pull that.
27:11He'll be really pleased to get this.
27:16So what do you think of the house?
27:17There's a lot more space than we're used to.
27:19Yeah.
27:20The flow of the lounge into the kitchen.
27:22It's got a lot of potential for us to have a lot of fun.
27:24What about the most important question?
27:26Where does the Lego cabinet go?
27:28Out by the front door where everyone can see it.
27:30Yeah, yeah.
27:31A lot of pressure for the third one.
27:32Yeah, definitely.
27:33I really feel like with what we're offering, it's going to be tough for them to be able
27:41to make a decision.
27:42It's good to have a dilemma between properties, isn't it?
27:44Well, it's good to have a dilemma where they like both of them.
27:46Yeah.
27:47Yeah.
27:48Oscar's a therapy cat.
27:49Did I tell you about the time I got bitten by the neighbour's dog?
27:58Righto, Jane.
27:59Now that I've changed my underwear, I'm keen to hear how these guys are feeling.
28:03So, cut to the chase.
28:05Okay, okay.
28:06Hardball time.
28:07Yes.
28:08Is this the one?
28:10We do really love the property.
28:12It's got just the perfect amount of space.
28:14It's kind of like a Goldilocks home, so to speak, for us.
28:18But the price does matter.
28:20What do you guys think it's worth?
28:22$920?
28:23$900 or like $890.
28:24I'm not sure.
28:25Oh, that's pretty good.
28:26That's good.
28:27The property is priced at $899,000.
28:30Really?
28:31Oh wow.
28:32Yeah.
28:33Could we say this is a front runner at the moment?
28:35I would.
28:36Yeah.
28:37I don't know about more.
28:38Yeah.
28:39Yeah, I would.
28:40Look at that.
28:41I can just like see us living in here.
28:43Oh wow.
28:44Number three.
28:45Dying to hear how that goes.
28:47On with house number three.
28:49Yes.
28:50Let's go see.
28:51So, they are positive about this one.
28:53Aliyah thinks it could be their Goldilocks house.
28:55Not too big.
28:56Not too small.
28:57Just right.
29:03Kia ora Nancy.
29:04Lovely to have you.
29:05Thanks for having me.
29:06We're looking to pick your brains.
29:08We've noticed that property maintenance is a condition of our insurance.
29:12We're just hoping to get a bit of clarification on what exactly that means.
29:15Regularly maintaining your home can help you avoid gradual damage.
29:19This is deterioration that's not sudden and is a common exclusion in home cover.
29:23For the interior, if you notice any unexplained pooling of water or any damp spots, probably
29:29a good idea to investigate where that water is coming from as it could point to a leak or a plumbing issue.
29:35And so, I presume outside is equally as important?
29:38Correct.
29:39My top three tips for the exterior would be ensuring that fences are structurally secure,
29:44regularly clearing your drains with any blockages, and checking the roof for any misplaced or loose tiles.
29:50So, we're also quite focused on budget.
29:53What should we be looking out for?
29:55Consider creating a budget for your ongoing insurance costs.
29:58Insurance is an annual contract, and there are many factors that go into determining its costs,
30:03such as the sum insured you set for the property and information specific to the home,
30:08like its location, size, age and construction materials.
30:11Is there anything else that you would recommend we keep in mind?
30:14A couple of other things you could look into are the rates that the local council will charge for the home
30:19and the costs of home improvement projects.
30:21That's cleared up a lot of our questions, so thank you so much for your time today.
30:25You're welcome.
30:29My house hunters, Seb and Ayla, have blossomed on the hibiscus coast,
30:32but their roots are spreading, and with a growing family, they need a home that can grow with them.
30:38For their third property, we're meeting Paul in Red Beach.
30:41It's just a few hundred metres from house number two,
30:44and a short drive from their current home in Stanmore Bay.
30:47The average house price is just over $1.2 million, and it helps they already know the area pretty well.
30:54Good to see you.
30:55You too.
30:56Kia ora.
30:57Lovely to meet you, Paul.
30:58Yeah, likewise.
30:59Nice to meet you.
31:00Kia ora, kia ora, kia ora.
31:01Good to see you.
31:02So these are my gorgeous house hunters.
31:04We've been having the best time.
31:05Pressure's on for house number three.
31:07This one's magnificent.
31:08Jane's absolutely gone and pulled out all the stops.
31:11Okay, exciting.
31:12Saved the best for last.
31:13More modern than the last two, which will be an interesting change to see.
31:17Shall we have a look?
31:18Yeah.
31:19Great.
31:20Alright, lead the way.
31:22This immaculate home sits on a single level, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
31:27The cul-de-sac is quiet and just minutes away from everything Red Beach has to offer.
31:32It has a bright modern kitchen, open-plan living and dining, and its windows flood the rooms with natural light.
31:39It's going to be sold at auction and has a CV of 1.17 million.
31:44Ooh, nice wallpaper.
31:46Interesting.
31:47The decor is fun.
31:50Oh, wow.
31:51Oh, wow.
31:52Lots of lines.
31:53Love those windows.
31:54Very large, yeah.
31:55Bigger living space than the other two houses, hey.
31:58Lovely big kitchen, connected through in the same way.
32:01A little dining space down here is fun.
32:04Okay, so is this the primary bedroom?
32:07This is the primary suite.
32:09A lovely natural light with those almost floor-to-celling windows there as well.
32:12And you've got an old suite in here.
32:14Yeah, this is gorgeous.
32:15Wow, this is very spacious.
32:17Yeah, this is great.
32:18It's very big.
32:20Oh, this is a much larger bedroom than the last place.
32:25Oh, wow.
32:26Oh, wow.
32:27So that's an interesting idea, having it so you can just tuck it away.
32:31Big garage again.
32:33Sizable.
32:34Huge.
32:35Yeah.
32:36Heaps of rack storage on the back.
32:37For your surfboards?
32:38Yeah, I could fit a few in here, for sure.
32:41This is a nice private-feeling spot.
32:43It's almost like an internal courtyard sort of feel, hey?
32:46It is.
32:47I could definitely see the shelves being uplifted and repurposed.
32:50Yeah.
32:51And you could really use it nicely in terms of re-landscaping the space out here.
32:56Yeah.
32:57And create more sort of liveable entertainment space.
33:01Okay, now for the moment of truth.
33:04Let's see if this is the place that fits.
33:06I really like it.
33:08I see more potential probably than the other two properties here.
33:12Yeah.
33:13It's got character.
33:14It's got something.
33:15And I noticed you looking around the home and you're poking underneath the house
33:19and having a good look around.
33:20And see, there's different kind of buyers, aren't there, Jane?
33:22There's people that are in and out in two minutes and they're bang and they're gone
33:26and they barely, you wonder if they've actually even looked at anything.
33:29I mean, certainly if we're going to consider a property of the houses, it is the best by far.
33:34All those house things that we're trying to tick off, I think it offers it.
33:37Rooms are a nice size.
33:38We've got two bathrooms.
33:40Styling is so different to what we would have thought we would be looking for.
33:43And it feels like compared to the other two houses that it would be even higher in the price.
33:49Well, you're correct.
33:51Yes, this is the most expensive property out of the three.
33:55Feedback is we are around the 1.1-ish mark.
34:00But this is a big, over 600 square metre freehold site in Red Beach.
34:06It's a modern home.
34:07It's a healthy home.
34:08It's a warm home.
34:09It's a sunny home.
34:10You're on a really great investment opportunity to make capital gain in this house and this area.
34:17Have a good think tonight about those three properties.
34:20Obviously, we're going to reconvene tomorrow.
34:22Hopefully, you'll have some good news for us.
34:25Yeah.
34:26We'll go away and have a good chat.
34:27Think about it.
34:28Yeah.
34:29Brilliant.
34:31Let's go.
34:32Like a plan.
34:34That is a reaction we always hope for.
34:37Keeping an open mind really can pay off and can open doors to homes that they might not have considered.
34:43But there's a catch.
34:44The dream move hinges on selling their own home.
34:47And at the moment, it's not even listed.
34:50For Aliyah and Michael's third property, we're off to Hobsonville.
34:53Originally the home to the giant Sunderland flying boats of World War II.
34:57The only thing taking off here now are the house prices.
35:00The city centre is 30 minutes by ferry and there's also easy access to motorways.
35:05It's a community full of parks, cafes, bars and schools.
35:09The average house price?
35:11Just over 1.1 million.
35:13Brace yourself, team.
35:15It's another townhouse, but I think this one might just change their mind.
35:19Look at this fancy thing.
35:21Potentially your fancy thing.
35:23Comes with such better weather too.
35:25The sun came out.
35:27Yeah.
35:28Let's have a look.
35:29Come on then.
35:30Okay.
35:31Fancy thing.
35:32It's a sun-soaked three bedroom, two bathroom build.
35:35It's been designed to reduce household bills and ensure maximum comfort all year round.
35:40On the ground floor, there's two good sized bedrooms with a sleek bathroom and laundry.
35:45Upstairs has an open plan living, dining and kitchen area.
35:49A second bathroom and the third bedroom which opens onto a deck.
35:53It's up for negotiation with a CV of 930,000.
36:00Wow.
36:01Oh my gosh.
36:02That was very cool.
36:03This is stunning.
36:04This has all been designed by Europeans.
36:06They are Scandinavian.
36:07They have spared no expense in cutting this out.
36:10So this townhouse is good to go.
36:13It's beautiful.
36:14And I do love the Scandinavian feel.
36:16Excellent.
36:17I'm going to get out of here and look forward to hearing what you guys have to say.
36:20See you soon.
36:21Alright, thank you.
36:22Cool.
36:23This is so awesome.
36:24Oh nice.
36:25Yeah, this is really cozy.
36:26It's got a good amount of space.
36:27Yeah, huge amount of sun too.
36:28Yeah.
36:29Oh this is cool too.
36:30This is a really big room.
36:31It's gorgeous.
36:32I do just love the design of the house.
36:35Whoa.
36:36There's a bath.
36:37There's so much space.
36:38Yeah, this is incredible.
36:40Oh wow.
36:41You can feel the breeze on you.
36:42Yeah.
36:43Perfect amount of space for just a little bit of gardening.
36:44Yep.
36:45And you never have to mow.
36:46Yeah.
36:47I mean, no, no, no.
36:48Yeah.
36:49Perfect amount of space for just a little bit of gardening.
36:52Yep.
36:53And you never have to mow.
36:54Yeah.
36:55Yeah.
36:56I love the design of this home.
36:59Mm.
37:00Very posh.
37:01Yeah, so being able to have a place that we can, again, share with those friends and
37:06funnel that come around, that's really awesome.
37:08How do you feel about being kind of this far away from the city?
37:11Like we've got pretty good access to fear and everything.
37:14I'll be really happy to move in here.
37:17Aaliyah and Michael are looking for a reason to leave the city.
37:20I've found them this.
37:21I've left them no reason.
37:23No way out.
37:24There is nowhere left for them to go.
37:26They just have to say yes.
37:28That's it.
37:29Oh, I'm good.
37:31Ah.
37:34Oh.
37:39Here he is.
37:40Yep.
37:41We love this place.
37:43Yeah.
37:44It's pretty epic, right?
37:45Yeah.
37:46We felt at home in all of the houses that you've shown us.
37:49It's stunning.
37:50It's a really good starter.
37:51Exactly.
37:52I agree.
37:53How much would you expect to pay for this?
37:55The burning question.
37:56940.
37:57Oh, okay.
37:58I was going to say like 910.
38:01Right.
38:02Yeah.
38:03It's asking 900 plus.
38:05No way.
38:06Awesome.
38:07We're pretty keen for this house, yeah.
38:09Yeah.
38:10It's epic.
38:11Yeah.
38:12It is.
38:13It's so good.
38:14We don't want to miss that chance, you know?
38:15Well, I'll give the agent a call.
38:16You sleep on it.
38:17We'll get the ball rolling.
38:18Can't wait to meet up with you tomorrow.
38:20Cool.
38:21We're super excited.
38:22Yeah.
38:23Definitely.
38:24Bring on tomorrow.
38:25I'm not going to sleep.
38:26Paul, you clever little sausage.
38:29That's a fantastic response.
38:31It's wonderful to see them so excited about what could become their first home.
38:43Once upon a time, buying a house was simple.
38:45Pick one, sign the papers, fire up the barbie and live happily ever after.
38:50For young families today, that happy ending is harder to find.
38:54Prices have outrun wages.
38:56Deposits feel like mountains to climb.
38:58And at auctions, that dream home can vanish in a heartbeat.
39:02And just like that, happily ever after becomes eventually.
39:06Maybe, or hopefully.
39:08Seven Ailer's first home has shrunk now that they have a toddler in the mix.
39:13They're chasing that same cosy magic that they already have, but with more room to grow.
39:17On their budget, it might not be a fairytale ending.
39:21I lined up three strong contenders, and it's time to see if one of them casts the right spell.
39:26I'm dying to hear what you both think of the properties that we looked at.
39:31Property one, do you want to start there?
39:33Take me back to that torrential day of rain.
39:36So I think when we turned up, it was great vibes.
39:39Exterior of the house was exciting, blended into the background like a kind of cabin in the woods.
39:44Open living space, views to the garden, birds around.
39:48And then, I think as we started to move through the house a bit more, I think again realistically we've got three rooms that are in effect smaller than the ones we currently have.
39:59It's okay. House number two, Red Beach.
40:02Yeah. That beautiful garden in the front, all lovely, beautiful back garden.
40:08And then when we got to the bedrooms.
40:09Too small.
40:10They were just too small. The primary bedroom was great, but those other two bedrooms were really only set up for kids.
40:17Yeah. I don't think you'd get a queen bed in either of them and be able to open the cupboards.
40:21Okay, house number three.
40:23All right.
40:24Definitely a big step up in terms of space.
40:28The house was really characterful, really bright and the rooms were really spacious.
40:33Yes.
40:34A lot to love and I think we were both surprised.
40:36I think maybe where we have drawn away from it then is timeline.
40:41Three weeks to mark it, we're going to have to get a move on if we want to even have a shoe in the ring.
40:48What you've probably ascertained is how important it is for you to be in a cash position.
40:56Yeah.
40:57Massive advantage over a lot of other buyers.
40:59Yeah.
41:00You're on the right track.
41:01We're energised.
41:02Yeah.
41:03Energised.
41:04Yeah.
41:05I think it's more exciting now because I feel like we're going to have more fun going into the next stage.
41:10I'm so excited to hear that you are actually going to rattle your dags.
41:14Well done.
41:15And I think we should say cheers to New Beginnings.
41:19Cheers to New Beginnings.
41:20Cheers.
41:21And more babies.
41:22Yay!
41:23Seb and Ayla didn't find their fairytale home this time but they've cracked the story.
41:29By stretching their budget, staying flexible and getting sale ready, they'll open a path to something bigger and better.
41:36And next time they might just find their happily ever after.
41:40Usually at this stage I have absolutely no idea which way my house hunters will go.
41:47I'm so excited.
41:48No way.
41:49But after all my conversations with the young couple, I have a good feeling that everything is going to be just fine.
41:55Hello again.
41:56Hello.
41:57Hi.
41:58How did you get on?
42:00We definitely slept on it.
42:02Right.
42:03Had some good thoughts go through a bit of back and forth about the properties but we're pretty confident.
42:07So talk me through the pros and the cons of property number one, the Waterview townhouse.
42:12It was modern, really nice feel.
42:15You know, the two stories was actually quite cool.
42:17I guess on the flip side there was not much of a yard.
42:20We just had a little front kind of section.
42:22It's easier to clean.
42:23It is easier to clean.
42:24You know, we don't have to mow anything.
42:26Knowing that that was the first house, if this is what we're starting with, I wonder what the next one's going to be like.
42:31What did you think of property number two?
42:33I loved that one too.
42:34It had just this really nice atmosphere and it was sunny and warm and cosy and it felt like a family home.
42:41And it felt like a house, you know, like something that we can experiment with this.
42:44We can experiment with that.
42:45We can see how things go.
42:47Which takes us to property number three and really was a whole lot of home.
42:51Talk me through that.
42:52It was beautiful.
42:53Yeah.
42:54And I feel like it was really homely, cosy, inviting, also just a bit chic.
42:58And it made us feel like we're not completely leaving the city life behind.
43:02I actually feel like all three properties are plausible in terms of your budget.
43:06Yeah.
43:07Which property are you going to choose?
43:10Our hearts are set on property three.
43:12Yeah.
43:13Yeah.
43:14Are you saying, Paul, I want you to call the agent and organise getting some paperwork together so we can make an offer?
43:20Yes.
43:21Yeah.
43:22I thought you'd never ask.
43:26I gotcha.
43:27Oh, g'day, Alex.
43:28I'm just here with Alia and Michael.
43:30We'd love to proceed with making an offer.
43:32It's great news.
43:33The vendor will be fizzing.
43:35I know, right?
43:36Well, Alia and Michael are fizzing.
43:37And so am I.
43:38If you'd be so kind to send through the paperwork and the sale and purchase agreement and everything
43:44else pertaining to the property and proceed with making an offer for you.
43:48It'd be my pleasure.
43:49I'll get it off to you.
43:50Very soon.
43:51Thanks so much, Alex.
43:52Thanks, mate.
43:53Hope so.
43:54Bye.
43:55I am stoked, like, over the moon.
43:57I can't wait to see what happens next.
43:59Cheers.
44:00Here's to the future.
44:01I'm so excited.
44:02Paul, this is awesome.
44:03And fingers crossed that everything works out just right for them.
44:07Yep.
44:08It could be their first home, their first mortgage, and it's awesome we got to help them with everything.
44:13Absolutely.
44:14Awesome home, awesome couple, awesome everything.
44:17If only there was a catchy way of putting that.
44:20Yeah, I can't think of anything.
44:24Every fairy tale has a twist.
44:26Seb and Ayla got their own house on the market and under offer, subject to the limb and finance.
44:32Then came the big one, an auction in Stanmore Bay.
44:35They loved it.
44:36They bid.
44:37They won.
44:38And just an hour later, the sale of their own home went unconditional.
44:42After two victories in one day, they all lived happily ever after.
44:48And I have awesome news.
44:49Aaliyah and Michael did everything right.
44:52And after negotiating hard, they nailed it.
44:55Their offer on house number three clicked.
44:57They went unconditional and have secured a home that fits their future together.
45:01And from here, well, everything is shaping up to be pretty awesome.
45:06Looking for a new home?
45:09Make sure you check out the AA Insurance Home Buyer's Guide.
45:13Live a little freer.
45:15Next time.
45:16We're on a mission.
45:17We are.
45:18Two sets of house hunters.
45:19Two very different rungs on the ladder.
45:20Are you sure we can afford it?
45:21We're going to upsize.
45:22Two whanau.
45:23Tick, tick, tick.
45:24Perfect.
45:25Two unique searches.
45:26You said it cosy.
45:27It is cosy.
45:28And one goal.
45:29Oh, wow.
45:30A home that's picture perfect for the next stage of life.
45:31I think I'm going to have some fun with you two.
45:32And Paul's brimming with confidence.
45:33Have I done enough?
45:34Not quite, Paul.
45:35Oh.
45:36Not quite.
45:37Not quite.
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