Hundreds of Auckland homeowners are looking forward to more certainty about their flood-damaged homes.
In Muriwai it's not as simple as having a red- or yellow-stickered home, the massive slips scarring the hillsides could create unexpected complications.
Four months after Cyclone Gabrielle, Muriwai sits separated from the outside world - streets closed off, beaches and playgrounds abandoned.
But, finally, a glimmer of hope.
"Yeah... obviously it's great to hear something come through," red-stickered owner Mike Hibbert said.
In fact, all red-stickered owners like Hibbert really know is hundreds of homes in Auckland will not be rebuilt following this year's devastating weather events.
"The initial indications are, that particularly in the flood-affected areas, we're possibly looking at about 400 properties in the category 3 area," Minister for Auckland Michael Wood said.
But the problem for hundreds of residents who used to call this place home is information remains incredibly scarce. And that means life here in Muriwai remains as uncertain as it is deserted.
Effectively, after four months, about 150 households still don't know what category they fall into - salvageable or write-off - how that'll be funded or how valuations and payouts might eventuate.
"All of the people in that 150-odd properties are displaced from the community, they're paying rent as well as mortgages," Hibbert said.
"Those costs are huge, and we don't have any visibility about support beyond what our insurance is paying."
Life for many here remains on hold.
"People don't know how to make any plans. They can't look to the future," Hibbert said.
While a step forward, the $1 billion North Island buyout is light on detail. Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson said this includes three important financial criteria - the criteria for evaluation, the split of costs between council and central government, and the treatment of uninsured properties.
Then there's problems like slips.
"Muriwai is particularly difficult because we have commissioned a construction company to go out there and do some geotech work. Because even though house-by-house may be stickered and we're moving those into category it might be a wider issue there," Simpson said.
Whatever the case, the feeling here is clear.
"Make a call, and move on. That's the key message," Hibbert said.
