Defence raises $5m from houses

More than $5 million has been raised from the sale of Defence Force houses after the latest drive to offload properties at Linton.

Only a few houses remained to be sold at the military village as the Defence Force neared the end of a programme to sell properties it no longer required.

The $5m came from the sale of 169 Defence houses at the Linton, Waiouru and Burnham military camps since late 2009.

In the latest round of sales, 22 houses were sold at an average price of $29,000 for total revenue of about $638,000.

The sales were part of a Defence Force strategy to dispose of the ageing 1950s and 1960s-era buildings, which were expensive to maintain, and focus funds into operational areas.

The Defence Force said it would have cost between $900m and $1 billion to maintain the current housing stock nationwide and bring it up to modern standards, which was unrealistic.

A spokesman said the houses were not necessarily the most aesthetically pleasing buildings but they were durable and easy to renovate. Buyers had moved them to various locations throughout the North Island.

The spokesman said a "handful" of unsold houses and duplex units at Linton remained to be sold, but could not say how many.

A further round of sales was to be launched in Waiouru at the end of February.

The Defence Force still owned 311 houses at Linton and 162 houses at Waiouru. More than 60 Defence houses had been sold at Linton since 2009.

The latest round of sales was completed last month.

- © Fairfax NZ News