Boom times as economy outstrips all predictions

A clear sign of an economy on a roll is the growing number of construction cranes. Wellington, like many other places, has plenty of building projects, together worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and a swag of big apartment blocks on the go or on the drawing boards.

They reflect confidence that the economy will keep growing strongly, with plenty of workers and apartment buyers to fill the new space.

CAS Group director Craig Stewart says in just three weeks the developer sold 22 high-priced apartments in Portal, a planned development near the waterfront. The prices range from $600,000 to $850,000 - steep for Wellington.

"There is still a good strong steady demand for quality projects," Mr Stewart says.

Another CAS project, the $36 million 108-apartment Montreaux on The Terrace, is still months away from completion in May, but is almost fully sold – mostly to owner-occupiers rather than investors or speculators.

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