ABOUT HAWKE’S BAY
With its mild climate, stunning scenery, beautiful beaches and abundance of wineries and local produce, Hawke’s Bay is a popular destination for tourists and those looking to move out of the North Island’s bigger cities.
The Hawke’s Bay region includes the hilly coastal land around the northern and central bay, the floodplains of the Wairoa River in the north, the wide fertile Heretaunga Plains around Hastings in the south and a hilly interior stretching up into the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges. The prominent peak Taraponui is located inland.
Five major rivers flow to the Hawke’s Bay coast and the region has 360 kilometres of coastline, with notable beaches such as Waipatiki Beach – with stunning seaside cliffs and white sand amidst a pastoral landscape; Waimarama Beach – with long stretches of golden sandy beach that are ideal for walking, jogging, swimming, surfing and fishing; and Pourerere Beach – its lagoon an ideal swimming spot for kids.
Notable landmarks include Cape Kidnappers, home to the world’s largest mainland colony of gannets; Lake Waikaremoana, where the walking track is among New Zealand’s nine Great Walks; and Te Mata Peak, with its 360-degree views of Hawke’s Bay and spectacular walking tracks.
Hawke’s Bay is among New Zealand’s leading producers of wine, with over 30 cellar doors, and is the first stop on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. With its fertile soils, the region is one of the main producers of stone fruit, including Golden Queen peaches, yellow fleshed nectarines, apricots and Black Doris plums. Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, apples, truffles and mushrooms are also grown in the region. The area is also recognised for producing high quality beef, lamb and vegetables.
Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s Art Deco capital, with the cities of Napier and Hastings rebuilt in the architectural styles of the time following the 1931 earthquake. Napier hosts an annual Art Deco Festival, one of New Zealand’s largest and most iconic events, which attracts over 40,000 attendees from New Zealand and around the world.
The iconic culinary festival Hawke’s Bay Food and Wine Classic takes place twice a year, in June and November and is held in stunning locations throughout the region. The annual Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival offers a range of art forms, including theatre, music, dance, opera, comedy, family events, visual arts and a weekend of literary events.
The region is home to a number of weekend markets, including the Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market – open every Sunday morning, the Napier Urban Farmers Market – open every Saturday morning and the Black Barn Growers’ Market – open Saturday mornings through summer
Statistics New Zealand projects the population of the Hawke’s Bay region to increase from 172,400 in 2018 to 187,500 by 2028 and approximately 202,000 by 2048. Strong primary sector production and steady population growth underpins the region’s strong economy and a growing health care and social assistance sector is also making a strong contribution. As of July 2022, the median house price for the Hawke’s Bay region was $733,500.
SUBURB PROFILE: HAVELOCK NORTH
Voted New Zealand’s Most Beautiful Suburb in the 2017 Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards, Havelock North is located at the foot of Te Mata Peak on the picturesque Heretaunga plains. It is the perfect base from which to explore the Tukituki River Valley and beyond to the coastal settlements of Ocean Beach and Waimarama.
Havelock North offers boutique shopping, a thriving café culture and beautiful scenery. With a population of more than 13,000, Havelock North’s economy is a mix of activity from vineyards, horticulture and service centres for sheep and beef farming.
The area has three public schools (Havelock North Primary, Intermediate and High) and four private schools. Popular with families, the area has numerous activities for kids, including The Village Green park and playgrounds, the Redwood Forest, the Maraetotara Falls with freshwater swimming holes, Havelock North Domain and playground, and walking and biking trails.
New residents are attracted to the area for the lifestyle advantages – a thriving and friendly local community, an abundance of fresh food and produce on offer, fine dining and top eateries (three local restaurants made the finals of the 2021/22 Cuisine Good Food Awards), biking and hiking trails – and wide choice of schooling options.
Paulo Baronceli & Nick Lowe
Stonewood Homes Hawke’s Bay was established by Director Peter Barnes, a former accountant, in 2009. Paulo Baronceli, a project manager in the construction industry for over a decade, joined Peter as a Director in 2021. Nick became a director in 2023, when Peter left the franchise.
Both Paulo and Nick believe the best part of building a new home is that clients can have full control over the design process and are able to participate in the building journey. They agree that while you can buy an existing home and renovate it to your own taste, it will end up costing you more in the long run.
“At the end of the building process, you will have a brand-new home that no one has used and you will be the first family to write the history of a home.”
– Paulo Baronceli
For Paulo and Nick, the ethos of their business is to go the extra mile to deliver a higher than average quality of home. On top of the standard 10-year house warranty, they have implemented a systematic post-build customer care program where they address any issues that arise in the 12 months after the build immediately and without question. They believe every client is different and they offer a personalised approach to managing the building journey.
Paulo and Nick have extensive experience in project managing new home builds and their sub-contractors have worked with them for many years. With labour shortages and product supply delays increasingly affecting the building industry, Paulo and Nick have widened their trade and supplier base to give them multiple options should issues arise.
For people who are considering having a new house built, Paulo says you should really consider your personal circumstances, including your budget and wish list when considering what type of house to build.
“You need to be realistic about your expectations and ask your builder for several options before you make your decision about a new home.”
Paulo, Nick and the team at Stonewood Homes Hawke’s Bay specialise in new home design and build, and house and land packages in the Hawke’s Bay region. Their office is at Havelock North, where they have built nine homes in the past year. They say Havelock North has proven to be a very good area for investment prices and believe it has strong future potential as new businesses move into the area.
Stonewood Homes Hawke’s Bay services the following urban areas, towns and settlements:
Napier | Hastings | Havelock North | Wairoa | Waipukurau | Clive | Waipawa | Tuai | Frasertown | Nūhaka | Mahia Beach | Whirinaki | Whakatu | Haumoana | TeAwanga | Waimārama | Tikokino | Ongaonga | Takapau | Ōtāne | Porangahau