Nestled on the southernmost tip of the South Island, Invercargill is known for its rich heritage, friendly community, and relaxed pace of life. A gateway to the stunning wilderness of Fiordland and Stewart Island, it combines the conveniences of urban living with easy access to some of the country’s most spectacular natural landscapes.

Bayleys Southland General Manager Tarl Barnes was born and bred in Invercargill and has called it home for the past 14 years. She says it’s a great family friendly city surrounded by breathtaking attractions.

“We’re close to Te Anau and then there’s Queenstown and the lakes up there. The ski fields are all a couple of hours drive away, but another huge draw card is the area’s affordability.”

Barnes says right now the median sales price for a home in Invercargill is sitting around $470,000.

“I don’t think there’s too many other centres where you can spend less than $500,000 and get a three-bedroom family home.”

Which makes it the perfect location for first home buyers and young families to lay down roots.

“It's got those old-fashioned family values, and a great community feel. It’s the kind of place where you feel comfortable letting your kids still play on the street with each other, and I think that's getting quite rare these days.”

But Barnes says even with a smaller town feel, there’s still lots of professional opportunity too.

“There’s some great infrastructure and career options. We've had a lot of people relocate to Invercargill who are also working in some of the bigger centres. They’re able to work here remotely and enjoy a slower pace and environment.”

As for those working in the area, Barnes says there’s plenty of jobs available, especially within the rural sector.

“There’s so much opportunity there. We’ve got the smelter which is a fantastic employer, and there’s a number of large businesses, logging companies and sawmills as well.”

When it comes to culture, she says the town is full of great beaches and events.

“We’ve got the Burt Munro motorcycling event in February which is fantastic for the town with all of the bikes coming down to use Oreti Beach. The beach itself is beautiful and one of the only ones you can still drive on.”

With so much to offer, what are the four up and coming areas across Invercargill, and what can you expect from each of them?

RICHMOND

Nestled among Invercargill’s inner-city suburbs, Barnes says Richmond is experiencing a lot of buyer interest.

“It's close to Queen's Park, which is a beautiful area that we have down here and close to the shopping centres. There’s also great schooling too.”

Which means there’s a strong appeal for young families.

“It's known for having some charming character homes, and we've also seen an increase in the renovation of those homes which is making the suburb even more desirable to live in.”

But there’s also an increase in newer housing stock too. Barnes says many quarter acre sections have been subdivided to make space for the construction of a new townhouse next to an older property.

While the newer housing stock comes with a higher price tag, there are also some options for first home buyers looking to secure something in the low $400,000 bracket.

“You'd be able to get something in the lower fours where you could add a little bit of value yourself, whether it be through some small, minor DIY renovations, painting or modifications. There are some great opportunities.”

As for the nearby amenities, Barnes says Richmond is just a short 5-minute walk into the CBD as well as Windsor Shopping Centre which has all the supermarket and medical centre resources.

So what can you expect to pay? Right now, the median sale price in Richmond is $499,000.

GLENGARRY

Barnes says Glengarry has seen a big boost in sales numbers over the past three months, primarily due to its overall affordability.

“That’s made it really attractive to first home buyers and investors especially with some really great rental yields.”

“You will be able to get something from a rental investment point of view, for probably under the $400,000 mark, and an average three-bedroom house could be rented out for around $500 - $550 per week.”

Barnes says particularly in the lead up to Christmas her team noticed a big uptick in inquiry from investors which she believes are starting to solidly return to the market.

“It’s also quite close to the CBD - a little bit further out than Richmond, but nothing is too far away when you're in Invercargill.”

Council infrastructure improvements to things like roads and local parks have also enhanced Glengarry’s appeal.

As for the housing, Barnes says there’s a big mix on offer.

“The housing there is probably slightly older with a lot of 1950s properties, but we are seeing some of the newer townhouses being built as well. Those have some great appeal especially to our investors because it’s easy to keep occupied when you've got a nice new townhouse.”

The median sale price for a home in Glengarry is $459,000.

WINDSOR

A hub of cafes, shopping centres and boutique shops, Barnes says Windsor is known for its vibrant community feel.

“There’s a big appeal for families with lots of great schooling, but it’s also attractive for retirees. Windsor is the perfect blend for them in terms of convenience and lifestyle because they're in close proximity to the shops and cafes and they can walk to the supermarket if they need.”

“There’s also a high number of modern townhouses, and the suburb is quiet which is also appealing to that older generation.

With smaller sections and newer builds, Barnes says the maintenance on a lot of these homes is low and offers great lock up and leave options for buyers.

“The homes are also really appealing to young professionals or young families too because there’s no pressure to renovate.”

Barnes says the median sales price is slightly higher than the other suburbs and currently sits at $543,000.

WALLACETOWN

On the outskirts of Invercargill, but still just a short 15-minute drive away, Barnes says Wallacetown offers the best of convenient rural living.

“It's a peaceful, semi-rural environment, while still remaining close to Invercargill’s CBD. It’s got its own primary school, but there’s also school buses to take students into town. It's a real family-oriented area.”

The sections are a lot larger and if you’re on the outskirts of Wallacetown you can also secure a farm style property.

“But you're still within that urban living zone, so you're not sacrificing any of those conveniences.”

“There’s a great selection of local amenities too like a dairy and takeaway store, local garage, fish and chip shop, community centre and school.”

Barnes says over the last six months there’s been a significant level of buyer interest in the area.

“There's a real mix of housing out there. We've got some older homes, and older character homes out there, as well as a mixture of new builds. So, there’s potential across all different markets.”

“That means Wallacetown is a great fit for a range of buyers including families, young professionals and retirees.”

As for how much it costs to secure a piece of Wallacetown, Barnes says right now the median price is $450,000.