‘It’s old-school NZ’: The town that’s a ‘gateway to Central Otago’ - without a hefty price tag

Saturday, 4 July 2026

A decade after buying her first home for $95,000, one local says Ranfurly still offers an affordable taste of the past.

A Ranfurly mother bought her first home for $95,000 a decade ago at the age of 19.

The wider Maniototo area’s average sale price has risen 11% in the past year, from $449,675 to $500,091.

Locals say the town offers affordable access to Central Otago, while new developments could drive further growth.

Ruby Forbes bought her three-bedroom home in Ranfurly off the government for $95,000. She was 19 at the time.

Ruby Forbes got on the property ladder when she bought this home off the government as a 19-year-old.

It sounds like a story from the last century, but this was 10 years ago.

Ruby Forbes and her husband Bailey and children, from left, Autumn, Maple and Clover.

While house prices have increased since then, this “nostalgic” town is still one of the cheapest gateways to Central Otago.

“I like the quietness of it,” says Forbes. “I can send my kids for a walk round the corner to their granny’s house. They play in the street with their friends and come home when it’s getting dark.

The Ranfurly Art Deco Gallery is in the former Centennial Milk Bar building. In its heyday it served hungry rail passengers as well as locals.

“We’ve got veggie gardens and chickens. I grow flowers in my garden and sell them in bouquets. It’s like old-school New Zealand.”

Many New Zealanders have been priced out of South Island living by the property boom around its ski towns.

Ranfurly is a gateway to the wide open spaces of Central Otago, without a hefty price tag, says Colliers real estate agent Helen Flintoff.

But with Ranfurly only two hours from Queenstown and 90 minutes from Dunedin, Ranfurly could be on the cusp of a boom of its own.

This three-bedroom “sanctuary” is expected to sell from $450,000.

About 800 people currently live there. It operates as a service town for the local farming community, but has plenty of amenities. It’s known for being a stop on the Otago Central Rail Trail and its art deco architecture.

Colliers real estate agent Helen Flintoff says that in 2025 the average residential sale price across the wider Maniototo area was $449,675, but in 2026 that’s grown by 11% to $500,091.

Ongoing housing development and the establishment of a major solar farm - and possibly a gold mine - could see that trend continue, Flintoff says.

Ranfurly appeals to people looking for “nostalgic” New Zealand living with access to the mountains, she says. It’s the “gateway to Central Otago” without the hefty price tag of bigger centres.

For example, she’s currently marketing a freehold three-bedroom home on a 1012m² section and says it’s the “sanctuary” you imagine when you think of quaint small town living. With a garden and greenhouse, garage and heritage charm, she expects it to fetch from $450,000.

Forbes, meanwhile, says she’s noticed more people moving to Ranfurly for a “slower life”.

“We’ve got a great community, great schools, great new hospital. We’ve got basically everything you need. There’s quite a cold frost, but nothing an electric blanket or jacket can’t handle,” she says.

This piece of editorial is part of the Paddy Gower Does Stuff property series brought to you by Tower. Stay tuned for other episodes and check out the Paddy Gower Does Stuff health series, releasing each week on Stuff.