Blog: Top 5 Hill Suburbs To Build In
It’s no secret that land on the hill is hard to come by! That said, good sections are still out there, and the prices are reasonable, given the market we’re in… honestly we’re surprised they aren’t more expensive. In no particular order, here are our top 5 Hill Suburbs to build in:
1. Mt Pleasant
Positioned on the northern flank of the Port Hills and only 16 minutes from the city centre, Mt Pleasant is arguably the pick of the bunch. This suburb is home to an extremely desirable primary school, and is 5 minutes away from the great restaurants and shopping in Ferrymead. In keeping with its ‘pleasant’ name - the majority of the properties feature well-established gardens. There are stunning sea and city views from the upper slopes, or more intimate views across Heathcote valley and Mc Cormack's bay from the lower slopes.
Median house price: 920k
2. Clifton
Nestled between Mt Pleasant and Sumner, this beautiful hillside ridge suburb has long been home to some of the most desirable real estate in the city. With varying views over pegasus bay, the alps and down to Scarborough beach, and in close proximity to the Esplanade and Sumner Village, it’s an awesome spot. Whilst the sections are among the more expensive of the suburbs listed, there are good capital gains for anyone building in the area.
Median house price: 1.07M
3. Huntsbury
For those who want the best of both worlds - Huntsbury is a mere 3km from the city centre, with spectacular cityscape views. Once known as ‘hospital hill’, it was populated with open-air shelters, where those suffering from tuberculosis were sent to recuperate with fresh air and sunlight. In more recent times, extensive renovations and rebuilds post Earthquake mean the homes in the area are in great condition. There’s a regular display of spectacular sunsets and it’s in close proximity to St Martin's Hub.
Median house price: 920k
4. Cashmere
The most established of the hill suburbs listed, Cashmere is located at the southern end of Christchurch, immediately above Colombo Street. Cashmere takes its name from Sir John Cracfroft Wilson’s farm named Kashmir. With a reputation as one of the city’s well-to-do suburbs, Cashmere also plays host to some of Christchurch’s most iconic heritage homes. Whilst it lacks the ocean views of some hill suburbs it does provide a unique perspective of the central city and the Southern Alps.
Median house price: 919k
5. Kennedy’s Bush
We call this suburb ‘Cashmere’s cool cousin’. Perfectly positioned on the lower slopes of the port hills, Kennedy's Bush has a lot going for it; outstanding views towards the hills, excellent schooling, and a great outdoor lifestyle with the quarry on its doorstep. The newer subdivisions feature decent sized sections being built out with high calibre homes. An ‘up and comer’ to keep your eyes on.
Median house price: 1.3M
(this number is skewed ‘upwards’ by some of the large scale rural properties in the area).
If you know how to make the most of a sloping section, huge value can be imparted. Every single one of our clients in the last few years has made significant capital gains before their build is even complete and we are red-hot passionate about continuing this trend. Beautiful homes, great locations … and big fat equity to boot. We’d love to help you out with this - get in contact below.
Interested in median house prices elsewhere in Canterbury? Here’s a helpful article by Opes Partners