29 Bennett Street, Waipawa, Central Hawkes Bay

Honey, have you seen the kids? The house is quiet, and their devices are gathering dust (wishes ever parent ever!) With its central location and a park right next door, this charming turn-of-the-century villa won't allow for bored or idle children. From here, it's an easy walk or scooter ride to the shops, library, local primary school, and the many sporting and recreational facilities Waipawa has to offer. While the kids entertain themselves, you can turn your attention to refurbishing this beautiful villa. Think traditional street frontage, soaring ceilings above, stunning native timber floorboards below and where space comes in abundance, as you'd expect, with two generous living areas complete with grunty free standing fireplace, three large bedrooms, plus a separate kitchen and bathroom. All very neat, tidy and perfectly liveable as is but with great potential for a re-fresh. The elevated positioning provides excellent under-house storage and laundry facilities, while the private rear garden has veggie boxes and a carport. A home with heart and huge potential - a little bit of work will bring a lot of reward here!

Buyers $479,000+

This character filled three bedroom home is one to get excited about, so keep your blood pressure under control because she is all things character, potential, location and opportunity rolled into one sharp price. You can tell from the street, she is packed with original features including that big beautiful bay window. Inside is all high ceilings and some gorgeous original details with a good floor plan and a whole lot of potential if you complete the makeover. There are three good sized bedrooms, the bathroom has a shower, bath and vanity and there is a separate laundry. The dining and kitchen area flow betwen the separate living area and out to the garden through french doors. The master bedrooms also has doors out to the back garden. Beyond the character appeal, its the upgrades here that will impress with so many big jobs have been ticked off. The house has been rewired, new roof, painted exterior and there is a fabulous concrete driveway and good fencing with a single garage and wood shed too. If you are not shy to a bit of work and putting in some elbow grease, this is a property that is going to repay you in time. The section is well set out with a nice front garden and a lovely back garden with a good sized lawn which is secure for kids and dogs. The location is a winner too - in a quiet cul-de-sac with popular Waipawa School across the road, your school drop off does not get much easier!

Buyers $435,000+

Still reeling from the shock of your winter power bill? Then the idea of being a little more self-sufficient might be sounding pretty good right now! And without totally giving up the convenience of town living, this one has already done plenty of the hard yards for you, with solar panels on the roof, 50,000 litres of rainwater storage, raised vegetable gardens and citrus trees all tucked behind the white picket fence – and that's before you even get to the house! Step through the gate and you'll quickly discover there's a whole lot more to this property than first meets the eye! Relocated in 2006 and beautifully updated since, it's a home that's not only easy on the eye but practical too. The open-plan kitchen, dining and living area is the social heart of the home, where conversations flow as easily as the sunshine through the bi-fold doors. Throw them open and suddenly the deck becomes another living room. Covered for year-round entertaining, it's the perfect spot for barbecues, birthday parties, Friday night wines or lazy Sunday coffees. There are three bedrooms, a family bathroom, a wood burner for chilly winter nights, heat pump and gas hot water. And if you need even more space, you've got options. The oversized double garage includes a separate studio with its own facilities, ideal for working from home, teenagers wanting a little independence, guests, or somewhere to escape with a hobby. Plus, there's still a separate cabin if that's not enough. The 1,011m2 section has been cleverly terraced and beautifully established, with lawn for kids, pets and backyard fun, raised vegetable gardens, citrus trees, a woodshed, garden shed and plenty of space to spread out. There are 14 solar panels feeding excess power back into the grid, plus two 25,000-litre rainwater tanks with filtration system. Tucked away on one of Waipawa's most desirable streets on the north side of town, you'll enjoy a fantastic neighbourhood, easy access to the highway and an easy 30-minute commute to Hastings.

$620,000