Surrounded by majestic mountains and nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown offers a lifestyle that’s just as breathtaking as its scenery. Known as our adventure capital, it delivers an exceptional quality of life, with a mix of world-class ski fields, vibrant dining, and a thriving arts scene.

Bayleys Queenstown CEO Stacy Coburn has lived in the region for the past 25 years, and he says one of the major drawcards for him is the people and lifestyle.

“We’re a small town that wants to be big, and it's a small town that has all the feelings of a big city, but it comes with a much better work-life balance.”

Coburn says that big city feeling also delivers a lot of employment opportunities for residents too.

“Central Queenstown’s GDP is outperforming New Zealand's average, and our unemployment level is a lot less than some of the other main centres.”

“There's a lot more job opportunities down here too, especially being so focused on the tourism sector.”

Property sales across the Queenstown-Lakes District region have been tracking steadily, with 100 sales across May and a median sales price of $1.4 million.

“Queenstown is really expanding and growing which is good. There’s a lot of business and land projects in the pipeline too, which is underpinning a lot of our sales volumes in our market.”

There’s also a lot of major events to keep locals entertained too, with the Queenstown Winter Festival, Queenstown Marathon and Gibbstown Wine and Food Festival all major highlights on the calendar.

Coburn says there’s something for everyone down this end of the country, with housing also catering to mid-range, high-end, first home buyers and property investors.

So, what are the three up and coming areas across Queenstown and what can you expect from each of them?

KINGSTON VILLAGE

Coburn says one of the key growth areas with plenty of new developments is Kingston Village which is around 25 minutes' drive from Frankton.

“It's a key area with developers currently consented for around 750 sections.”

“There's around 40 sections which have already been released in two stages, and they sold in less than 10 minutes online.”

Coburn says the strategic growth of Queenstown is mostly down the southern corridor which includes Hanley’s Farm, Jacks Point and eventually Homestead Bay which will offer around 2800 sections.

“All of that is going to help with the overspill and growth of Queenstown. But initially, at the moment Kingston Village is going to take a lot of that too.”

“The beauty about Kingston is that developers there are creating a whole new village with restaurants, schools and all future amenities which will support that local community.”

That means each home won’t need to rely on the wider Queenstown CBD to get by and will have its own infrastructure in place.

“You’ve also got lake views, and the bottom line is that you’re not far from the largest resort town in New Zealand.”

Coburn says initially he expects there to be a mix of investors and owner-occupiers, but by and large it’s going to house people looking to reside there and take advantage of the new amenities in the area.

“While there isn’t much there right now, it’s a great place to invest knowing about the future that lies ahead.”

So how much will a property likely set you back? Right now, the sections start from $299,000.

FRANKTON

Just a 10-minute drive from Queenstown CBD and Arrowtown and right around the corner from the airport, Frankton is well and truly becoming a hub of its own.

“There are all those new amenities out there like supermarkets, The Warehouse and Kmart. There’s also a lot more golf courses being developed, as well as the expansion of high-end dining precinct Ayrburn too.”

Coburn says a lot of investors have been attracted to the area by well-priced, high-quality developments.

“The returns are a lot better than in Auckland, and there's more demand going forward.”

“We had an open home the weekend of the new showroom at Five Mile Villas. They’re mostly two-bedroom, one-bathroom dwellings and we had around 250 people looking through.”

Another development that’s just been launched in Frankton is expected to have the same level of demand too.

“The Crest Chalets, which are chalets and cabins of up to about 59 square metres.”

“The chalets come with living quarters downstairs, and then a mezzanine bedroom upstairs. The cabins are slightly smaller, but with everything in one room.”

Coburn says given the convenience of the Frankton area he says it’s highly attractive for people who work remotely and don’t want to stay in hotels or Airbnb's.

“With a price point starting at just $669,000, they’ll be very appealing to investors too.”

Right now, the median sales price for Frankton is $1.01 million.

HANLEY’S FARM

Coburn says sections at Hanley’s Farm are still incredibly popular.

“Most of that's been sold out now, but the second and third stage houses being sold there still have some real appeal.”

Coburn says it’s a great community that’s created a bit of a heartbeat.

“Everyone is happy out there, it's flat, you're in the sun and it also seems quite popular in terms of resales of houses there too. It’s also close to a really good school.”

Just 10 minutes from Frankton and the airport, it’s conveniently located too.

“Frankton very much caters to that demand. In town there’s more high-end and boutique retail options, but bulk servicing is more at Frankton and is far more appealing to locals.”

Coburn says Hanley’s Farm is a really attractive location for young professionals, young couples and also families.

“There are some people living in the area who have a home there as a second rental property and investment, but there’s also been a huge influx of Aucklanders who have bought homes there and have now moved into them.”

So how much will a home in Hanley’s Farm set you back? Right now, the median sales price is $1.4 million.