While the autumn 2014 was very busy in terms of farm transactions in the Wanganui Region, the spring has moved up quite a few cogs with the confidence and shortage of listings earlier in the year, now converted into intense competition for the flush of farms now on offer across the region.
Pete Stratton of Bayleys reports that auction room competition has returned, and a healthy market is providing good returns for those vendors who have been patient in recent times.
One of the recent sales is Malachy Farms, a 191 hectare farm ideally suited for cropping and finishing being predominantly flat contoured, fertile grazing pastures. It featured two large lakes providing outstanding recreational opportunities. Malachy Farm was marketed by Pete Stratton and Rob Deal of Bayleys, and sold for $4.15 million after offers closed on the 12th November 2014.
Pete says tomorrow is Auction day in Taihape with an attractive 96 hectare farm just North of Taihape going under the hammer at 2pm at The Workingmen’s Club. He says “Ararata” with its close location to Taihape and easy and rolling contour dominated by free draining ash soils, is being sold on behalf of a couple retiring to Wanganui. It features a tidy and well maintained three bedroom home with ensuite and walk in wardrobe, a full range of stock handling facilities and excellent sheds. The high standard of fencing also provides 28 hectares deer fenced, and the farm has a strong fertiliser history, with lots of new pasture.
Closer to Wanganui, Pete Stratton and Knud Bukholt are marketing “Arawhata Dairy” on Kauangaroa Road 15 kilometres from Fordell. He says the 370 hectare property provides a unique option to invest in a self-contained Dairy unit fully integrated with wintering run off and a cut and carry block.
Currently milking 540 cows and on target to produce well over 200,000 kg MS off a 170 hectare platform dominated by Kiwitea silt loam and Karapoti sandy loam.
Supporting farm buildings include a 44-bail rotary dairy shed with an extended yard/feed pad area, 40 tonne silo, Palm Kernal Bunker, calf rearing complex plus two sets of excellent cattle yards.
Also on the market is a 243 hectare hill country farm located only 15km south west of Taihape. This sound performer has an excellent fertiliser history and comfortably winters up to 2,400 stock units lambing up to 135%, producing fat and forward store lambs.
The cosy and tidy four bedroom home renovated and painted in 2012, is complimented by a four stand woolshed, two bay implement shed, and a brand new set of cattle yards. The farm offers a combination of medium and steep contour and is subdivided into 16 main paddocks and seven holding paddocks. It benefits from a reliable summer rainfall, clean dams and good access, and presents a great opportunity for first-time buyers to purchase a "stepping-stone farm."
Pete has recently marketed the 2,583 hectare Tanupara Station, one of the most productive properties to be offered for sale in the Ruapehu Region. Located only 13 kilometres South of Raetihi on Mangaeturoa South Road, the Station offers a combination of both scale and livestock performance, the result of a history of investment in infrastructure, fertility and pasture quality.
Featuring a great mix of contour, with approximately 330 hectares of easy to rolling country, plus 356 hectares of native bush. Pete says a sound fertiliser and pasture renewal history has resulted in above average fertility allowing Tanupara to winter on average 956 cattle and 14,900 sheep, with ewes producing around 130 percent lambs, and surplus finished to an average of 18 kilograms plus.
He reports Tanupara Station is now under contract.