Taking the first step on the property ladder in the Queenstown Lakes district is a daunting prospect for many, but a seminar organised by the district's housing trust will explain how it can help.
The Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust hosts its first public seminar - titled Thinking of Buying in Queenstown? - at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside hotel tomorrow.
Trust executive officer Julie Scott and SBS Bank Queenstown commercial manager David Weir will give a brief PowerPoint presentation in the informal forum, then be available for questions.
"We just want to help people understand how they can go about getting their first home," Ms Scott said on Friday.
"What requirements they need from the bank, from the mortgage point of view, the deposit point of view; what happens if their situation changes in terms of it might drop to one income; and how the housing trust can play a role."
All participants had to bring were their questions, Ms Scott said. About 30 to 40 people were expected.
Asked what prompted the seminar, Ms Scott said: "A lot of people don't know about the trust and how we can help.
"The main thing is lots of people in Queenstown think buying a house is completely out of their reach, so they don't even factor it into consideration. In actual fact, there is the potential there for a lot of people to get in with us, so we just want to help people understand and help retain people in the community."
Trust chairman David Cole said on Friday the seminar would benefit first-home buyers considering putting down roots in the district.
"I think there are a lot of people attracted to Queenstown because of its landscapes who get a job here, but over time the cost of living in Queenstown, which is higher than almost any other centre in the country and largely led by the cost of housing, is often a stumbling block.
"If we're a community that's growing, and we know we are, then we need to provide the pathways for young people in our key employment roles and they need to know what are the opportunities, prospects and implications about settling down and is there any assistance that can be provided for their housing needs."
Ms Scott said the trust had helped about 50 households through its shared-ownership programme and another four through its rent-saver programme and hoped to be doing more soon.
The trust had applied for funding from the Government's new Social Housing Unit to expand the rent-saver programme.
In July last year, the trust decided not to appeal the High Court decision upholding the controversial decision of the Charities Commission to deregister the trust, which meant it lost its tax-exempt status.
However, Minister of Housing Phil Heatley told Mr Cole he was "concerned" about the impact of the decision on third-sector housing organisations, which aimed to provide more houses for those in need.
Mr Heatley told Mr Cole he would ask the Social Housing Unit, in conjunction with the Department of Building and Housing, to look at the issue as part of the work around provider accreditation and obstacles to growth.
The seminar starts at 5.30pm.
