From a purely residential property investment perspective (as opposed to buying to live in), the numbers I feel simply don’t make for a compelling case for buying as an investment in Hamilton City (Waikato, NZ) at this present time. Current interest rate settings with low rent yields along with the quality of housing stock make this proposition challenging.

If you need to invest in property, I feel better value could be found in other areas such as Pukekohe (satellite town to Auckland) and the larger urban centres in Canterbury and will be redirecting my search to those areas as of February 2025, have since purchased a rental in the Pukekohe area. Bear in mind that we are also in the midst of a nationwide rental glut.

Some of the issues I’ve found with Hamilton is that large areas of Hamilton have been marked as potential flood zones. Much of the land appears to be built on relatively soft ground and the majority of houses have various issues including (but not limited to) the need to spend tens of thousands to get it up to Healthy Homes standards.

Other issues encountered during my search is that the rent appraisals given by different agencies across the city appear to be about 5-10% above the current market (for new tenancies).

With all that said, I wish to emphasize that this is from the raw perspective of investing. If you are planning to buy a place in Hamilton to move in to (as an owner occupier), then it will obviously be quite a different story and would strongly advise not letting the above dissuade people making the move to Hamilton.

Hamilton city from a living perspective I feel is generally good with the river, the world renown and highly regarded Hamilton gardens, commnunity gully restoration initiatives along with many pockets of Hamilton having exceptionally strong neighbourly community relations / vibe (unlike Auckland). Not to mention access to a full range of amenities as you would expect to find in cities.

Hamilton City Council have also been exceptionally responsive to any enquiries I’ve had. Particulary around obtaining property information files and other related documentation.

Admittedly, I’m a landlord (boo, hiss!). This “system” (from policy, banking sector, entrenched real estate industry lobbying) relentlessly encourages and rewards people for investing in housing as opposed to more productive enterprises.

You know this system is broken when the price of an ordinary family home appreciates at a rate faster than what one earns in their full time job and that is before the taxman takes his take off of my full time salary in software development.

Furthermore, It is not lost on me that houses are for people to live in first and foremost. Not instruments of financial speculation based almost purely around betting on future capital gains. The current system, while not alone in being responsible, is clearly contributing to both growing and intensifying social issues we all know too well.

Sadly, None of the politicians I spoke to across the poltical spectrum in the run up to the last election seem to show any real geniune care.

The situation I feared almost two decades ago has materialized.

Facebook has begun and is already replacing having a website for a lot of businesses. Often when I do a search for a business, I find they now only have a Facebook page. The issue with this is that it effectively forces people to get a Facebook account to look at their page. (Scroll a handful of posts and FB now demands you login or create an account)

I will admit to buying shares in Facebook (now Meta Platforms Inc.) as a psychological analgesic to try and take the edge off of my high disdain towards the company. The stock price has now since quadrupled.

Despite my attempts to set up alternative self hosted platforms for friends to use (this site, peak.nz originally being one of them) to try and stop Face-borg taking over in this fashion, this was ultimately in vain. In hindsight and upon blunt reflection, I stood no chance.

The old web is dead. 15 years ago I was panned for being “Oh so pessimistic” for suggesting what has now eventuated today.

Admittedly, I really dislike the “new” Internet and have responded by drastically cutting down my personal use of it