Tau Henare gives up selling house on Twitter, considers changing plea in suppression breach case

Tau Henare always liked to give things a stir on social media while he was an MP.

Nothing's changed since he retired at the September 20 election. 

On November 17, the ex-National MP used his Twitter account (West Side Tory) to name a person whom he alleged was the much-gossiped-about prominent New Zealander convicted of indecent assault but subject to name suppression.

The tweet saw him hauled into the Waitakere District Court on December 2 to face a breach of suppression charge.

Tau is due back in court on February 16, when he might take a change of tack.

"I plead not guilty [on Dec 2] but that could change," he told NBR this morning. He's still weighing the issues, he says.

A stab at selling his house on Twitter
On a lighter note, Henare (who's living at at his place in west Auckland), made a bid to sell his Wellington house on Twitter shortly after Christmas. To wit:

#House4Sale Tinakori Road, 2 storie 600-680k email me Hontauhenare@gmail.com 4Bdrms, office, 2 Toilets, nice kitchen pic.twitter.com/x8sCLFN283

— West Side Tory (@tauhenare) December 29, 2014

Now, you can sell a house on social media, saving yourself a packet in agent fees. 

NBR's covered a couple of examples. The most storied was PC World alumnus Annabel McAleer and her husband Elton, who ultimately sold their Glen Eden, Auckland home for 35% above its CV - which property commentator Alistair Helm judged a good price at the time.

But the trick is that you've got to have some social media smarts, and a clue about snappy presentation.

The McAleers came up with a catchy hashtag (#sexydecks), and put together a slick campaign across Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (complemented by a DIY Home Sell package that included a Trade me listing).

Against that, some of Tau's tweets were earthier, and perhaps not so likely to draw prospective buyers. Exhibit A:

I hate cleaning toilets/bathrooms. #HouseForSale #HFS Why can't boys pee straight.

— West Side Tory (@tauhenare) January 1, 2015

Regardless, his jape did draw two serious enquiries, he says, and one came close to signing.

Coverage on Stuff didn't hurt. But, ultimately, the house hasn't sold. Next week, Henare will list it though a traditional agency, Leaders.

The one-time cabinet minister says things could have gone better if he'd had more time. And he adds that it costs, so why not give a shot?

Tau, by the way, is still jobless. He says he's not in any hurry. He's looking for a government relations role.

What $1m buys you in New York
Speaking of property: Whenever I see a study like the recent Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, which listed Auckland as one of the top 10 least affordable cities in the world, ahead of the likes of New York and Toyko, I always think "Really?".

I know Demographia is comparing prices to medium incomes, but when you look at this New York Times piece on what $US750,000 ($NZ1 million) buys you around the Big Apple, the City of Sales* doesn't look so bad.

"For $750,000, buyers expect a one-bedroom to have certain things, including distinct places to cook and shower," the Times writes.

ckeall@nbr.co.nz

Follow @ChrisKeall

* Yes, "Sales", pendants. It's a real estate joke.