In February, TVNZ reported that the average rental price in mid-range suburbs such as St Albans was $430-$460, the same rentals being paid in mid-range Mt Roskill, Titirangi and Papakura in Auckland. However, it costs renters more to live in Christchurch because the city has not been granted the same level of taxpayer subsidy as that offered in Auckland.
The city’s average rental prices have gone up 12 per cent over the past year.
On a more positive note:
Christchurch City Council is paying for up to 10 red-zoned houses to be relocated onto Council land and is in the process of setting up a new entity to work out ways to increase the supply of innovative, affordable housing in the city. There are 11,000 fewer homes in the city and fewer ratepayers as a consequence. More information here.
Government Minister Paula Bennett’s initiative to offer supported flatting for teen mothers is underway. A three-bedroom house is welcoming its first tenants this week. Presbyterian Support Services runs Holly House but it is not available for longterm accommodation.
Harcourts, and other accommodation managers, are meeting demand from rebuild workers for single rooms by renting out single, furnished rooms rather than on a whole flat basis. The rooms, with facilities shared with strangers, are available for six to 12 months. Harcourts prices range up from $200 but there have been some available in St Albans for around $130.
Meanwhile, young travellers to Christchurch are beating the shortage of backpackers in the city by using an online service called AirBnB. Prices for the rooms or even whole apartments, offered by local people, range from $12 per person to $1000 a night. Haven’t seen any igloos, yachts or tree houses on offer in the city, but apparently these are on offer in some overseas cities. For those planning a longer stay in Christchurch, it’s a good way to move around the city before deciding on a longer term rental or house purchase.
The airbnb service is growing more sophisticated (and expensive) but a similar service on a less glamorous and more affordable scale called couch surfing is being used informally to deal with the city’s accommodation crisis.
