High-spec four-bedroom residences close to Queenstown’s CBD seem to be hitting the spot.

Within 30 hours of six freehold duplex homes at 5 Hobart St launching to market last week, at $2,449,000 a pop, two were already under contract.

Local Colliers sales associate Candice Buchanan, who’s selling the two-level duplexes along with colleague Vera Stewart, says their appeal’s not just their location.

She says it’s also their suitability, subject to consent, as Airbnb accommodation, while also allowing owners to use them as holiday homes.

A short-term rental appraisal suggests they could command $950 a night, on average, or $1200-plus in high season.

Buchanan says the Christchurch developers who bought the site for $4.9m are also building eight residential units in central Queenstown’s Hallenstein St for another Christchurch party.

“On the Hallenstein St one there were six three-beds and two four-beds and we could have sold the four-beds 10 times over.”

She notes the Hobart St buyers, who’ve specialised in high-quality residential construction for over 20 years, are including a lot of high-spec elements including electric cedar hot tubs, fully-tiled bathrooms, under-floor heating, schist and cedar cladding, drying racks and Kwila decking.

“They’ll put their name to it and guarantee the quality of the finish.”

At 158 to 160 square metres, they’re also fairly spacious.

Known as Hobart Cottage, the existing home was built on the narrow 986sq m section in 1887 by gardener Andrew Bayley.

Though there are still some original features, including a lake stone fireplace, it was altered and extended by longtime owner Suzie Stalker, who originally bought it as holiday home in the late ’70s.

The cottage, which also includes a pavilion, isn’t heritage-listed, however the new owners have obtained an archaeological authority.

Buchanan says construction will start early next year, if not sooner, and finish by the end of the year.

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