30/07/2026
Ask first-home buyers what they actually want, and the list is remarkably consistent.
Standalone. Freehold. Something they can move into without a renovation budget hanging over the first two years. A bit of land, because most of them grew up with a backyard and aren't keen to give that up on their first purchase. And some scope to put their own stamp on it eventually, without needing to gut the place to do it.
That combination gets harder to find every year, especially under $600,000.
It still exists in Kaiapoi.
The property I'm currently marketing at 47 Cam Road is a good example. Two bedrooms, freshly renovated kitchen and bathroom, freehold title, 674 square metres of section. Priced in the $500,000s.
For a first-home buyer, that's the checklist. All of it, without the compromise most people expect to make at this price point.
The properties that tick every box on that list won't stay in this range forever.
