The lap of luxury
An unprecedented two-thirds of new dwellings in Christchurch are attached. In the first in a series on the explosion of apartments and townhouses, LIZ McDONALD looks at luxury living.
It’s all gleaming benchtops, European appliances, sweeping views, and press-button convenience at this end of the housing market.
If you want to impress, and the traditional house-with-lawnmower option is not your thing, a few million will buy you one of Christchurch’s fanciest apartments.
At the top of newly restored The Oxford building in the central city, agent Adam Heazelwood of Bayleys shows what is on offer in the $4 million-plus bracket.
The lift to the 11th floor opens directly onto the 237m² penthouse apartment – larger than many standalone homes. It overlooks the city thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and a 32m² entertainer’s balcony.
Features for the discerning buyer include 360-degree views, oak floors, bespoke cabinetry, chilled or sparkling water at the kitchen tap, an ensuite for every bedroom, bathroom windows that turn opaque at the flick of a switch, and secure basement garaging plus room for a gym and wine storage.
“This is the ultimate in luxury, in the heart of the city,” says Heazlewood in his best agent-speak. We could set a per-metre price record here – an apartment in this building already went for $18,000 a square metre, and we should beat that.”
Heazlewood specialises in upscale homes. He says top-end apartment buyers are paying for a lifestyle, and must-haves include privacy, security, top-quality finishes, and secure garaging.
“They want easy living – the lift takes you up to your apartment, and you get to watch the world go by.
“And they don’t want to have to do anything to it – they want turn-key and ready to go.”
For many buyers, such a home will not be their only one, he says. “Often they are not locals. We sell a lot of apartments to people from Auckland and Queenstown”.
At the top end, prices are determined on who is buying, Heazlewood says.
“The thing is with these more exclusive apartments – they come up so irregularly there’s no way really to know what they will sell for. It does just depend who is in the market at that time.”
The city’s dearest apartment so far is a two-level penthouse in the Upper House building on Park Tce, bought by businessman John Butterfield for $5.97m in 2017, before construction started. The other three apartments in the building sold for more than $4m, and the building was only completed last year.
Harcourts agent Grant Chappell handled the sale of the penthouse, which has 680m² of floor space including decks and balconies plus six-car garaging. He said it would sell for nearly twice the price now.
“It’s a rarity because you wouldn’t build it now – construction costs have gone up 60%, 70%, and you can’t find land like that.”
Chappell said the security and lock-and-leave advantages of apartment living made it attractive to people who travel frequently.
“People who are looking to downsize from Merivale and Fendalton to move into the central city, or moving from Wellington or Auckland and working remotely.
‘‘People are talking really positively about the central city now, and they’re definitely moving in.”
Just down the road from Upper House, the Parkbridge Apartments by the Carlton Mill bridge are large with high ceilings and access to gardens and a covered swimming pool. One with a 280m² floor area, two living areas and three bedrooms, sold last December for just under $3m.
Other luxury apartments for sale for $2m-plus buyers include the 376m² double-storey penthouse in Carlton Mill Rd’s Riverside building, with 360-degree views, and a 193m² apartment in the Paragon building on Armagh St with timber panelled walls and marble benchtops.
A little further from the city centre, buyers could opt for the penthouse in the Oceanside apartment building at Waimairi Beach, which comes with access to a shared tennis court, gym and sauna, or the lakefront 390m² four-bedroom penthouse in the Clearwater Quays building at Clearwater Resort.
For a home at ground level, if you don’t mind living across two or three levels and would like a few metres of garden, there’s the option of a luxury townhouse or terraced house. Latimer Square has some of the city’s priciest townhouses, as new medium-density housing fills post-earthquake demand in the central city and suburbs. These luxury homes include the three-level terraced housing built by Fletcher Living as part of the east frame development. One now for sale facing Latimer Square, next to the Christchurch Club, has a rating valuation of $2m. One nearby in the same complex sold for $2.04m in late 2021.
Homes have open-plan living on the first floor, oak floors and tiled bathrooms, a garage and spare bedroom at street level, and two bedrooms including a master suite up top. Each level has a courtyard or balcony. On the other side of Latimer Square, two of a pair of adjoining townhouses previously owned by the directors of Williams Corporation sold for about $2.2m each earlier this year. The three-storey homes have timber and stone cladding, floor areas of about 300m², and triple garaging. They include an entertainment balcony with inbuilt fireplace, barbecue and kitchen, ensuring you can share your comfortable lifestyle with family and friends.
Next, part two: Bang for your buck: the cheaper end of the market.