faqs

• Where are you based?

  We have team members in both Auckland and Wellington. In Auckland, we are based at 19 Ruru St, Eden Terrace. In Wellington, we are based at 32 Salamanca Rd, Kelburn.

• Where do you provide homes?

  Most of our projects are based in Auckland but we are also working on projects in Wellington. We are looking to expand to other cities in New Zealand and internationally in the not too distant future.

• What will I be sharing with my neighbours?

  There are a number of facilities that tend to be included in private dwellings by default - e.g. guest rooms, laundry rooms, outdoor space. This is not only expensive, it also reduces interactions with neighbours. So sharing facilities help keep costs down and build friendly communities
  
  That being said, we realize that it is important for everyone has their private family space so in all of our projects, each home comes with private bedroom, bathrooms, living rooms and dining rooms, just like normal.

• How are decisions made within a co-housing development?

  We will dedicate a blog post to all the ins and outs about this, as there is a lot to cover.

• What does Kaenga do to be socially responsible?

  There are several aspects to co-housing that make it more socially responsible than developer-led construction.  These are:

  1. stronger focus on sustainability, with our "group buy" approach, it is more likely we can afford eco-friendly solutions such as: car-sharing, solar panels, grey water, water recovery, high-level insulation, etc... As co-housing also promotes smaller homes, the footprint per home is also smaller.
  2. stronger community and more neighbour contact means that people are less likely to end up in a difficult situation as community members can work together to solve issues.
  3. the cost reduction and reduced profit margins means that more people can own their own home.

• Do you offer low-cost housing?

  Not in the strictest sense of the word, but one of the three aims of co-housing is to offer lower cost housing.  Please have a look at the Money and Investment section for more information.

• Who can buy a property in a Kaenga project?

  Most of Kaenga's projects are aimed at owner/occupiers and are not open to investors who want to rent properties out. Our approach is designed to give residents a say about what their home will look like and to build cohesive communities. At the moment, this is only possible if the buyers become the residents.
  
  However, if you want to invest in a Kaenga project, it is possible to invest directly into one of these developments. 

• How come you are able to offer homes that are cheaper than conventional homes?

  Our homes are cheaper because:

  1. We only create apartments and terraced housing. These are significantly cheaper than standalone houses.
  2. We design a home for you, only including the features that you want or need
  3. We build harmonious neighbourhoods so some features are usually private are shared - like laundries and guest rooms.

• If I buy a home from you, will it increase in value over time?

  Disclaimer: we're not qualified to offer financial advise - you'll need to talk to a financial advisory for that. The short answer is - we do not know.

  Also, we design our projects to primarily be make good homes rather than good "investment vehicles". However, we aim to make the as beautiful and liveable as possible.

  Having said that, we are not aware of any aspects that would mean our properties have worse resell values than similar style and size houses in the conventional market.  Some people will value the shared services and better neighbour networks, and, on the other hand, some people will perceive less value because of additional rules, required neighbour interaction, etc... 

   

• Will the bank lend me money to buy a home from you?

  The short answer is yes. We realize that most people will need to borrow money to buy one of our homes so we'll make sure that banks will lend on these homes.

  Of course, buyers will have to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for a loan. Generally, you will need a 10% deposit upfront and a 20% deposit at completion of the project. You'll also have to have sufficient disposable income to cover your mortgage payments. If you're worried about your ability to meet these criteria contact us and we can discuss your options.

• How much do you charge?

  We do not charge you anything. Rather, we earn a commission from developers and banks for providing them projects that come with designs and customers. So we only make money when you get a home that you're delighted with.