It's a growing trend and Tauranga's riding the wave.
The number of state house tenants becoming owners of state rentals is on the increase.
Tenants renting state houses are working on buying them so they don't have to move. File photo.
So far this financial year more than 30 tenants around the country have invested in state houses.
That includes two families here in Tauranga and another two in Rotorua.
Thirty more properties are 'in the pipeline” – either under offer, awaiting settlement or under valuation.
'Making state houses available to buy is a great way to help tenants purchase a home of their own,” says Housing NZ”s deputy chief executive Greg Groufsky.
'However, the agency's priority is still to provide social housing to people most in need, wherever that need is.”
There are many state houses built decades ago in small towns and rural areas where there is now little demand and they are properties which no longer suit Housing NZ's needs.
Funds from sales are reinvested in the building of new homes where there is higher demand for state houses.
'So it's a win win situation for tenants and Housing NZ,” says Greg.
17 comments
here we go again
Posted on 14-03-2016 12:18 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
Where Mr Greg do they get the money from if the rent is paid by WINZ.IMMMMM Thankyou NO1 in the Bay
I dont get it???
Posted on 14-03-2016 15:21 | By Kenworthlogger
So if the tenant is in state housing because they dont have any money then how do they suddenly afford to buy the house?? How does that work??
@Kenworthlogger
Posted on 14-03-2016 16:50 | By Colleen Spiro
they rent to buy? do you think?
@Kenworth & Trucker
Posted on 14-03-2016 17:08 | By Taffy
Do you really think that everyone renting a State house is on the bones of their ass? Yes there are some in dire need due to various reasons but there thousands who have jobs even if it is on the min wage and have been in their houses for years.I haven,t got the space here to expain how the system works no doubt you can investigate yourselves.Whether you agree with well that,s another question alltogether!!
Hmmmmm
Posted on 14-03-2016 17:53 | By Old
As long as they are working,,I say good on them. If on winz , defeats the purpose really rent to buy.
But......
Posted on 14-03-2016 18:08 | By Jimmy Ehu
Colleen in most cases the rent is paid by the taxpayer, can we please have a little clarification here, for example, are the purchasers in paid employment?, otherwise what a bloody scam!!!,
No mention of rent to buy
Posted on 14-03-2016 19:03 | By Kenworthlogger
If these tenants can afford rent to buy they should not be in state housing. These houses are meant for people that truely cannot afford anything. If they are buying houses then clearly they have got money.
State House ownership
Posted on 14-03-2016 22:01 | By Theodorus
This is a brilliant idea.As private ownership is going to the Pack.At present day prices to buy a home makes it impossible for the average people!By Theodorus.
Im thinkingthe same thing.....
Posted on 15-03-2016 06:54 | By Angel74
How are they affording to own their own home!!! theres also rates and insurance that have to be paid when one is a home owner plus maintenance and repairs...............
Perhaps
Posted on 15-03-2016 08:56 | By nerak
there is some misconception out there. http://www.hnzc.co.nz/buying-a-house/tenant-home-ownership then scroll down to related downloads, Tenant Home Ownership. State tenants will buy at market value, have a mortgage like most folk do. And will have to learn to step up to the responsibility, or lose the house in a mortgagee sale.
Perhaps
Posted on 15-03-2016 10:03 | By Old
Thanks for clearing that up.
Nobody
Posted on 15-03-2016 10:05 | By How about this view!
has asked the question.... Why are we selling off state housing? I was under the impression from all of the left-wing political zealots, that we don't have enough available and that we need to be building more.....
2 families out of 1200
Posted on 15-03-2016 11:33 | By Colleen Spiro
Yes they are selling off State Houses 1200 of them in Tauranga....so what the hell are people whinging about that TWO families will be able to purchase their homes.....and to all the people BLEATING about them being able to afford to buy.....it will be a rent to buy. EVERYONE pays RENT, even POOR people. People in State Houses pay a portion of their income in RENT...nobody lives rent free
@ How about this view.
Posted on 15-03-2016 22:23 | By astex
Nobody has asked the question because most people actually read the article above. Particularly the last few paras explaining your question.
@nerak
Posted on 17-03-2016 15:57 | By morepork
Thank you for a sensible post. I grew up in a State House (in Lower Hutt). Even in those days, various governments offered deals to State House tenants to help them to buy older properties. Few did. We treated our house as if we owned it (Father did maintenance and improvement on it) for our own comfort, but we couldn't really afford to buy it. I'm glad there are people now who can afford to buy their State Houses, and I don't think it is a scam at all. All of us want to improve our situation and it's reasonable to suppose that some State House tenants are working on that, just like the rest of us. Good luck to them, I say. (I now live in my own home, partly due to the sacrifices my parents made, and hard work over many years, but I remember Lower Hutt.)
here we go again
Posted on 20-03-2016 10:51 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
This has really hit a nerve,i live in a hollow log on my 200acres with my news paper and cardboard which is now wet with this weather, im going to Aunty Winz to see if i can get it replaced,and get a food pack while there,i took my hard pill this morning with the water i collect off my rusty piece of iron at the entrance to my log,so i get my iron each day and vitamin D with the sun no cost, so stop complaining about a state house,my log gets warm when the neighbours wife comes over she is 92,NO1 in the Bay Thankyou
Seems like a win-win situation
Posted on 09-04-2016 14:40 | By Cydifor
Almost like a hire-purchase situation where you own the item, in this case, a home, and pay it off rather than pay rent forever. I guess the buyers are a low income family who are getting of their backsides and doing something to help themselves so good on them!
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