Will the real estate industry never learn about false advertising? Last weekend a Sunday newspaper featured a full-page advertisement hailing Wellington’s latest portside attraction – glassy new apartments on Waterloo Quay from just $1000 down.

The advertisement displayed serene waters lapping at the entrance to this grand new complex. Obviously the illustrator had not visited Wellington in a stiff northerly. But worse, no sign of the four-lane highway (one of the country’s busiest) separating the building from the waterfront, or even the working port that also separates the building from the waterfront.

The accompanying photographs were of Oriental Bay (several kilometres from Waterloo Quay) and Cuba Mall (several kilometres from Waterloo Quay). Missing are the block’s actual neighbours – the railway station and the Stadium.

The small print (and it’s really small) notes “water effect is for architectural visual effect only to emphasise the waterfront. Whilst iloft [the name of the complex] is port side, it has a road in front of it being Waterloo Quay ...”

Again in the small print there is a disclaimer: “Every precaution has been taken to establish the accuracy of the material herein at the time of printing. However, no responsibility will be taken for any errors or omissions.”

Granted, there’s no gondolier punting past the picturesque lagoon on which this idyll rests, but the scene painted by this advertisement could hardly be more inaccurate.   The full-page advertisement bears no resemblance to where the building would actually be located and it’s not good enough to explain that in the small print. I’d be hanging on to my $1000 and giving NZL Trustees Sales (the agents) a wide berth.

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