TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 TIKTOK PROTEST AND SUICIDE VIDEO ROMANCE PROMPTS WARNING CELEBRATING OUR NURSES AND MIDWIVES PAGE 5 NEW ZEALAND’S GENEROSITY …in the Artist and surfer Sacha Nunn hopes his spherical hanging sculpture made of branches collected from Waikanae Beach spotlight will raise awareness of the negative impact the logging industry is having on Gisborne beaches. Slash caused by forestry is dangerous to swimmers and surfers, he says. Sacha has suffered the frustration of surfboards being broken by forestry FEATURE debris in the sea and he knows of others who have been hit and hurt by wood in waves. Sacha spent about 26 hours creating the sculpture using branches he found on the beach, which he wove into a large sphere. He then used ropes and pulleys to INSIDE TODAY suspend it in the tree on the beachfront at Waikanae. This morning he served banana pancakes to his girlfriend in the sphere — which he has named “the Moon” — to celebrate her birthday. He is hoping to go one step further tonight by lighting it up with fairy lights as a romantic gesture. Picture by Liam Clayton SELLER’S MARKET First home buyers disillusioned by soaring house prices by Sophie Rishworth of houses on the market compared with can afford to buy them?” Property Brokers manager Sue Costello the same time last year. Tracy Real Estate owner Tracy Bristowe said a high percentage of their sales were MIDDLE-of-the-road houses selling for A Gisborne woman in her 40s said she said 80 percent of her sales were to local also to locals. extraordinary prices are leaving some and her husband had saved a $100,000 people. “People are stretching their budget and first home buyers depressed. deposit mainly through KiwiSaver. Mrs Bristowe said she knew it was going higher.” Buyer demand has rocketed house sales That gave them a budget of $500,000 tough out there for buyers, who were There were huge attendances at to unheard of heights in this district. to find a three-bedroom home for their chewing into their deposit to pay for due auctions, she said. The Real Estate Institute of New family. diligence reports over and over again only At an auction last Thursday, a three- Zealand (REINZ) said Gisborne properties They had been looking for a year but to just miss out on getting a house. bedroom house on a nice section in Anzac were selling on average at 71 percent had now “given up”, deciding to “wait it “Some buyers are philosophical and Street sold for $570,000. higher than their listed Rateable Value out” while paying $420 a week in rent. hardened to missing out and then some Last month a three-bedroom home in (RV). “We have a budget of $500,000 and are absolutely devastated.” Miro Street (Elgin) sold for $410,000, and Over the last few weeks properties sold we’re still not able to get anything in an The last handful of her sales had been, a home in Muir Street (Elgin) went for here have exceeded that. OK street with not much work to be done. on average, around 95 percent above the $695,000. A former state house in Munro Street “All you can get is a doer-upper. We 2017 RV. “It’s great for the vendors,” said Mrs sold 135 percent higher than its 2017 RV. don’t want a doer-upper — to have to pay Mrs Bristowe said there were 13 offers Costello. A Sponge Bay home sold last week for almost $500,000 and still have to put for a Gordon Street house and it ended up Buyer demand was the reason houses $1 million, and it didn’t even have a pool. money into it? selling 115 percent above RV to a home were selling way over RV, she said. Five years ago, sections at the Being a first home buyer in today’s buyer moving to this district. “We just don’t have the properties we subdivision were selling for as low as market was “depressing”, she said. A former state house in Munro Street need. Even sections are going fast.” $70,000. “I don’t even want to look any more. that sold for 135 percent above RV had 10 Online there are only half the number “Who is buying these houses? . 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Contact Kevin or Megan FRIEL (06) 376 4543 33966-01 Monday, September 21, 2020 625 Jackson Road, Kumeroa • [email protected] GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Television ...........17 Racing ................23 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Classifieds ... 18-20 Sport ............ 24-28 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .... 6-10, 16 World............ 13-15 Farming ........ 21-22 Weather .............27 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, September 9, 2020 NO-GO ZONE: A safety barrier is in place at Tolaga Bay wharf after the loss of a supporting pile. Gisborne District Council Journeys capital manager Darren Cox said the structure of the wharf had been impacted by several factors recently — high sea swells, forestry slash and a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in June. “The barrier was erected to keep people off this particular section of the wharf, as it has been discovered that the pile beneath it has gone,” said Mr Cox. “We’ve also made temporary repairs to some sections of the hand rail. Engineers have inspected the wharf to assess the damage and the council will soon receive a detailed report outlining the next steps,” Mr Cox said. Picture by Liam Clayton No sign of house Covid-19 limits Battle of prices dropping updated houses in the likes Britain commemorations FROM PAGE 1 of Te Hapara, Mangapapa, Mrs Costello did not expect Riverdale that sold around that THE GISBORNE Returned and The official Battle of Britain Day airmen in the RAF during the Battle of prices to drop anytime soon. $420,000 to $440,000 mark, but Services Association has reluctantly date is August 15, which marks the Britain. “When the Government then in June the market took scaled back plans for Battle of Britain day in 1940 when the Royal Air Force New Zealander Air Vice-Marshal money bank has stopped off again.” Day commemorations scheduled shot down 56 German aircraft. Sir Keith Park was responsible for giving all this money out, The problem was right across for Saturday because of Covid-19 Two days later, daytime raids the fighter defence of London and then it may drop a fraction, the board, she said. restrictions. over Britain were replaced by night- southeast England in 1940. but in all reality I don’t see it People who wanted to sell Alert Level 2 restrictions will apply time raids primarily on London (the His leadership and tactical brilliance happening.” their $400,000 houses to until at least Wednesday of next week. Blitz), with the Luftwaffe effectively was central to the British victory. Another Gisborne family was upgrade to a $600,000 home A brief wreath-laying ceremony conceding they could not win the air A statue of Park stands today in fortunate enough to have lived did not have the choices to with family for 16 years. buy at that level so they were will instead be held on Wednesday, superiority required if Hitler was going Waterloo Place in Haymarket, London, However, with the husband sitting tight. September 16, at the RSA at 4.30pm, to launch an invasion. close to New Zealand House. and wife both working, they “It is a vicious cycle.” said Gisborne RSA president Paul New Zealanders made up the It describes Park as the Defender of had saved a deposit for a home Mrs Bristowe said she Bayly. second largest number of foreign London. of their own with a budget of knew of a few parents using The service will recognise 127 New $450,000. their existing equity to get Zealanders who fought in the Royal “But it’s getting impossible,” something for their children Air Force (RAF) during the Battle of said the mother of three. “The for the future “so they have the Britain. prices are just so ridiculous for financial ability to pay more “We honour the 20 Kiwi airmen who an area we’d like to be in. than fair market value”. lost their lives and we are grateful “I’m in a rough area and “Some buyers at the for the sacrifice made by all as I would like to get out of $400,000 to $450,000 range they fought successfully to prevent that area, but it’s becoming start off a little choosy and German victory,” said Mr Bayly. impossible.” then by the time they realise it In all, 544 RAF personnel from Mrs Bristowe said because of is a great property they have Fighter Command died during the the high prices the HomeStart missed out. Battle of Britain. Grant cap needed to be lifted “If a house hasn’t sold in Originally the RSA had planned an from $400,000 to at least this market in the normal Anzac Day-type event to mark the 80th $450,000 to assist home buyers timeframe of about four anniversary of Battle of Britain Day.