ABOUT WANAKA
Wanaka’s economy has shown strong growth over the decade to 2021, averaging 5.7%pa growth compared with an average of 2.6%pa in the national economy. Wanaka’s population has doubled in the past 10 years and is estimated to reach 50,000 by 2040. Accommodation and Food Services is the biggest contributor to the Wanaka economy, followed by construction. A total of 3,045 business units were recorded in Wanaka and surrounds in 2021, up 3.8% from a year earlier and compared with a national average of 0.5% over the same period. The median house price in Wanaka is $1.6M as at 2022.
Wanaka is the gateway to Mt Aspiring National Park, a World Heritage Area known for its epic mountains, glaciers, rivers and beech forests. The area is host to outdoor recreation and tourism activities includingskiing, hiking, mountain biking, mountaineering, rock climbing, fishing, paragliding, kayaking, rafting and jetboating.
Wanaka has the broadest range of snow activity choices of any town in New Zealand and these include Treble Cone, Cardrona Alpine Resort and Snow Farm ski fields. All of the local ski resorts are open for mountain biking and hiking in the summer.
Lake Wanaka is popular for water skiing, wakeboarding and sailing. Just 15minutes’ drive from Wanaka and on the road to Makarora and the West Coast is Lake Hawea, popular for wind surfing, paragliding, kite surfing, fishing and boating.
The area is home to four craft breweries, eight wineries and the Cardrona distillery. Other major attractions include Puzzling World, the classic old Paradiso Cinema, the National Transport and Toy Museum, the Wanaka Lavender Farm and the Wanaka Artisan Market which is held every Thursday afternoon.
For a small region, Wanaka hosts an amazing number of events each year, including the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow, Wanakafest, the NZ Freeski Open, the New Zealand Music Rippon Festival, Challenge Wanaka Triathlon Festival, The Festival of Colour, Rhythm and Alps, The Wanaka Agricultural and Pastural Show and the Wanaka Rodeo.
SPOTLIGHT: WANAKA ALPINE ESTATE
Stonewood Homes Wanaka’s Show Home is situated in the new Alpine Estate that is located in a larger developed vision, including the well-established Heritage Park where the first homes were completed in 1995. It is adjacent to The Terrace, an exclusive boutique development currently under construction. Heritage Park provides access to a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, health club and tennis courts.
The development is close to Lake Wanaka and a short walk to the township with all its amenities, including medical centre. Wanaka’s new primary school, the recreation centre and the Three Parks community hub are also located close by.
Mark Harry
With 15 years’ experience in the building industry, Stonewood Homes Wanakaowner Mark Harry brings a wealth of knowledge to his new home builder clients. Within his team of 15 staff, many have been working with him for over a decade or more and have the skills and experience to ensure their clients have a stress-free building journey.
Mark believes regular and open communication between a builder and their client is a key element in making the building journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible for new home builders.
“Our team have a thorough understanding of the building process and we know that issues sometimes arise throughout the building journey but we are able to address these before they happen so that our clients can have a stress-free experience. We try to give our clients as much information about how the building process will go and how long it will take and we provide weekly updates. The more information clients have, the easier the building process will be.”
– Mark Harry
A former accountant, Mark understands that clients are looking for value and to stay on budget and his ethos is to deliver a quality product and outstanding customer service within budget. Mark says the best advice he could give someone considering building a new home is to thoroughly research your options and talk to people in the local community who have had new homes built.
“This will be the biggest investment you ever make, so don’t just jump in. Do your research, visit show homes, look at the quality of the homes and talk to people in the community.”
Mark believes building a new home is a smarter choice than buying an existing property, as you will have equity in your new home straight away and you can design a home that suits your needs.
A local for over 20 years, the majority of Mark’s trade sub-contractors and suppliers are also local and have been associated with his business for over a decade. He is a generous supporter of the local community.
The nine House of the Year awards Stonewood Homes Wanaka have won since 2017 is testament to the professionalism and high standard of building expected by the team. Mark and his team at Stonewood Homes Wanakaoffer a full list of services for their local clients, including knockdown rebuilds, custom builds and house and land packages.
Stonewood Homes Wanaka service the following areas:
Albert Town | Lake Hawea | Makarora | Matukituki Valley | Cardrona | Luggate