With March signalling the end of the financial year, it is an apt time to look at property sales in Wanaka over the past two years and consider how the market is going.

There have been 688 sales since the start of the financial year beginning April 2018, with a total sales value of $502m.

If you compare this to the prior year, the numbers are very similar: Wanaka saw an increase in the median house price of 11.8 per cent in 2019.

“For the year ended March 2018, there were 680 sales and a total of $504m,” First National Wanaka sales manager Lynette Winsloe said. “There wasn’t a lot in it.”

Things are humming along smoothly however, and March 2019 saw a total of 41 property sales, which included 15 sections or land sales and 26 apartments or houses.

Sections started at $302,000 for a 288m2 site in Northlake, and went through to $1,285,000 for a 20 hectare site in Mount Barker Rd.

Lynette said an 856m2 section in Albert Town that sold for $365,000 and an 806m2 site in Sentinel Park (Lake Hawea) which went for $334,000 were two of the more interesting sales.

Houses and apartments started at $450,000 for a two bedroom, 54m2 apartment in Warren St. At the top end was $2,150,000 for a beautifully appointed three bedroom, 223m2 apartment, with stunning views, in Lismore Street.

“Last weekend Stage 8 was released at Timsfield in Lake Hawea and the local developer had a great response to this,” Lynette said. “Thirty-six of the 42 sections sold with a further two under contract. Who says the market is slowing?”