Property markets around Christchurch’s periphery have continued to hold heat this winter ...7/16/2018 ... even as listings dipped in the city, indicating the “untapped potential” of surrounding areas is starting to be realised, one of the region’s top realtors says. James Twiss, co-owner of Harcourts Four Seasons, oversees eight offices spanning the area from Hanmer Springs to Lincoln. About 40 per cent of the company’s business is in Christchurch, and Twiss says while listings there are about eight per cent down on this time last year, activity outside the city has shown no sign of the usual seasonal slowdown. The area encompassing Kaiapoi, Woodend, Ravenswood and Pegasus is now looking like “the next Rolleston” and offers a lot of potential for people getting in early, he says. “There’s a lot of value there that I don’t think people have properly understood yet. Historically, if you were picking residential property in North Canterbury you would be looking at Kaiapoi and Rangiora but that’s widened a lot. “What’s happening is all the transport links are opening up, and the council is focusing a lot of its growth attention into that corner.” Twiss says commercial investment and jobs would likely follow the population, which would in turn help drive capital gains for the area's current homeowners. Commuting into Christchurch for work will also become more attractive as transport options continue to improve, he says. In a little over a year, there are due to be three major routes into Christchurch, with the Cranford St bypass joining passages along Johns Rd and Main North Rd. “When you’re talking about growth, it means the jobs don’t need to be on your doorstep,” Twiss says. Harcourts Four Seasons is well-positioned for a wide overview of the market. Having expanded last November to incorporate offices in Hornby and Rolleston, the team formerly known as Twiss-Keir Realty gained a territory that sweeps from its North Canterbury base, around and through Christchurch, out to Lincoln and Rolleston. They soon noticed many buyers were looking for homes both north and south of the city. “Its eerie how similar it is. It’s like we’re discovering a new market,” Twiss said in May. He says it now appears the Woodend region is following a similar trajectory to Rolleston – for several years the country's fastest growing town. Lincoln is also performing well, he says, noting that value for money is a big part of the equation. In Christchurch, meanwhile, lower-than-usual listings over winter don’t necessarily mean a slump, Twiss cautions. Rather, the high number of appraisals being done by Harcourts Four Seasons suggests owners are gearing up a for spring listing. This is despite advantages to listing in winter. “There’s always more competition in spring but the number of buyers is usually the same,” Twiss says. For people looking to buy, he advises contacting with a salesperson because there are usually properties available that aren’t being actively marketed. * Harcourts Four Seasons has offices in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Hanmer Springs, Belfast, The Palms, Hornby, Rolleston and Lincoln (opening soon), as well as a dedicated property management division. The expansion of North Canterbury’s top real estate firm southwest of Christchurch is fast closing the divide between two of the region’s most prized lifestyle areas. Twiss Keir Realty bought fellow Harcourts franchise Four Seasons last November, incorporating offices in Rolleston and Hornby into a long-running operation that now has seven branches reaching as far north as Hanmer Springs.
It is the largest and busiest real estate team in Canterbury, with 92 salespeople, 40 office support staff and 12 in a property management division. Harcourts Four Seasons co-owner James Twiss says the expansion was designed to help the business better weather periodic slow downs in the market, with the Harcourts model providing strength in numbers by letting salespeople show or sell any property listed with the company. This emphasis on networking gives sellers the greatest possible reach and lets home buyers access a vast market through a single point of contact. However, Twiss says it quickly became apparent that connecting North Canterbury with the fast-growing Selwyn District had a value greater than the sum of its parts. In both markets, people were essentially looking for the same thing, he says; modern, spacious homes in safe communities within easy commuting distance of town. People looking in Rolleston were often looking north of Christchurch, too. “It’s eerie how similar it is. It’s like we’re discovering a new market where we’re able to transfer buyers and sellers across the city. With our structure of offices, we’ve got both sides covered. We’re the only company doing that.” Twiss says the success of this crossover was made possible “almost overnight” by the Western Corridor motorway, which takes people from Belfast to Hornby and beyond on high-speed roads that are collapsing traditional notions of distance. “There is really good value in North Canterbury and people are realising that. Prices haven’t spiralled out of control, so you might be saving $100,000,” he says. Harcourts has 470 real estate agents working cooperatively across Canterbury, and Twiss says while this network helps, the emphasis on family and “good people” is equally important at Harcourts Four Seasons. Twiss’s father, Geoffrey Twiss, founded the business in the mid-1980s and co-owner Greg Roberts also has numerous family members on the team. Harcourts Four Seasons has offices in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Hanmer Springs, Belfast, The Palms, Hornby, Rolleston and a new branch opening soon in Lincoln. Contact information: 0800 789 1011 or harcourtsfourseasons.co.nz. Good Night Sleep Tight Charitable Trust’s mission is “ensuring that all children in the greater Christchurch area go to bed warm by supplying children in need with winter bedding and sleepwear.”
Harcourts Twiss-Keir Realty Ltd is proud to support Good Night Sleep Tight with a donation through the Harcourts Foundation, which will go towards purchashing 400 new packs that include pyjamas, singlets, slippers, dressing gowns, sheets, duvets, hats and gloves. No matter what the cause, the Harcourts Foundation provides support to hundreds of organisations, enriching the lives of thousands of people in our communities. The Harcourts Foundation has been around since 2008, so this year we are celebrating being 10 years-old. |
James Twiss
Licensed Business Owner of Harcourts Four Seasons Realty 2017 Ltd Greg Roberts
Licensed Business Owner of Harcourts Four Seasons Realty 2017 Ltd Archives
September 2020
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