PRICES HIGH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 142, 19 June 1939, Page 4

PRICES HIGH.

AUCKLAND HOUSES.

BUYERS SEEK MODERNITY.

TENANTS ARE A DRAWBACK.

Auck landers seeking to buy houses to-day are, in most instances, prepared to pay from £1000 to £1.">00 for modern residences in good localities. Where there is a tenant, however, buyers arc not prepared to take the risk and trouble of yarning possession in view of the protection offered the occupier by (!ovennnent legislation. I his was the general opinion expressed by Auckland land agents when they were asked what was happening <'ii tlte house market. The greatest demand was for modern houses, thev -aid. and there was a fair demand, suliject to the possibility of get t in'_r the rental occupier out without trouble. I i ices in Auckland were, in most instances, higher than in the South I -land, though probably jio different II om Wellington, whicii suffered from •I definite housing shortage. and where 'he cost of erection was higher. fn Auckland there is also a fair demand for houses ranging from imiii to £1000, of the old-time villa tvpe. Tl.ese are obtainable m..s. I v in Midi fiiburlw as Ponsonby and (irev J.vnn Small bungalows are" obtainable'in Sandnngharn, Point Chevalier and certain -ect ioiin of Dominion Koad. most of them being from 1.3 to 20 years old. Social Security Effects. There ha* also been a tendency— though not as much as was expected towards the purchase of small hoiir-e properties bv people of limited means who are eligible for benefits under the Social Security Act. The spare ca.-li they have that might debar them from benefits is put into a house, usually on the outskirts of the city where properties can be purchased cheaply. A number of these have been sold in such places as Howick. Brown's Bay and .-irniUr localities, at prices up to about £500. The tvpe of dweHin" ordinarily sought is something between a bach and a cottage. On the rental market there is a failnumber of flats offering. Though ,isi n g -harply during the housing-short age crisis, these rents have been stabilised tor. approximately, the last IS months Mouse rents, are, of course, still hi-],. It is rare, however, for a house agent to have a rental house to let. 'It is usually friends of tin. J :l st tenant who snap these up." said one man to-day. "They realise thev have a better chance of getting a place bv •no.s ln g- about among their friends and acquaintances than coming to us." As far as straight-out purcba-ers are concerned, the majority are on terms though in a few cases—and with a high total price—cash has been paid down.