brujarerdeb

Hi all, we arrived in NZ in 2011 and are looking to relocate out of the ratrace that is Auckland – and the crap traffic. We are looking to come down to carry out a more in-depth recce in July this year, and are looking at the Kapiti Coast for the preferred choice of settling down (hopefully). At this stage, it is very much just a ‘toe in the water’ sort of thing to check the feasibility of the move etc. My wife is a nurse and I’m currently a train driver here in AKL and just waiting to hear on our Kiwi citizenship application. We’re not looking to move until late 2018, subject to a few other things, but could anyone help with the following q’s?
1. What is the Kapiti Coast like to live – crime, weather (is it windy like Wellington), activities for kids?
2. What are the colleges like (Paraparaumu, Kapiti College)? My kids will be in years 10 and 13 at the start of 2019. Uniform costs, required financial contributions, sports etc?
3. If I have to commute early into the CBD, what’s the traffic like and roughly how long will it take from Paraparam?
4. Pace of life – life/work balance etc. We didn’t jump ship from the UK just to run manically around trying to pay the mortgage, and deal with all the logistical issues like we currently are. Would it be a case of the grass not being greener, or is it more chill down there? My better half works in a hospice here and she’s really busy with work, and limited resources (no changes there I expect but what about outside of work time?).
5. Earthquake risk???
6. Properties – are they still with the traditional single glazing and no real heating or are the newer ones mandated to have double glazing and the like?? Having a house built in 2005 with single glazing is beyond me, and bloody annoying when we have to pay a bucketload of cash to live in it!!! And just a heatpump to warm it. (Whinging Pom moment over).
7. Council rates – typical amount for a 4 bed house?? (without wishing to be a nosy bugger).

Looking forward to any tips you guys might be able to provide and no doubt there’ll be plenty more questions as we move along.

Thanks.

LoCarb

I was talking to a real estate agent in Paraparaumu yesterday about who is buying on the Kapiti Coast.

Apart from Wellingtonians who can't afford Wellington prices, he said Aucklanders were the next biggest group of buyers.

Munchkjn

We moved from Wellington to Kapiti Coast last month, the improvement in our quality of life has exceeded my expectation.

Munchkjn

1. What is the Kapiti Coast like to live – crime, weather (is it windy like Wellington), activities for kids?

Milder climate, far less windy (if away from beach front) than Welly. Quieter than Wellington as you'd expect, in a good way though. Depends on the ages of your kids, but there is quite a bit to do for our kids 8-12. Skate parks, hockey club, bike trails, beach, shops, cinema, newish swimming pool with kids activities, library, queen elizabeth park has tram rides, pony rides, model airplane club.
2. What are the colleges like (Paraparaumu, Kapiti College)? My kids will be in years 10 and 13 at the start of 2019. Uniform costs, required financial contributions, sports etc?

There is some competition between the two colleges. Current param Principal is ex Wellington College deputy. I think they are up both up there in terms of exam results for the region. Can't comment on other aspects yet but seem pretty good.

3. If I have to commute early into the CBD, what’s the traffic like and roughly how long will it take from Paraparam?

Depends when you leave, the new expressway has changed the dynamics of the journey a bit. Should take you 45 mins in low traffic and hour + when it gets bad. Trains are good.
The transmission gully will open up this part of the region in a big way.

4. Pace of life – life/work balance etc. We didn’t jump ship from the UK just to run manically around trying to pay the mortgage, and deal with all the logistical issues like we currently are. Would it be a case of the grass not being greener, or is it more chill down there? My better half works in a hospice here and she’s really busy with work, and limited resources (no changes there I expect but what about outside of work time?).

Happy as here, but house prices are creeping up. You get a lot of space for your money though compared to shoeboxes in UK.

5. Earthquake risk???

Depends on the ground type and house construction piles v flat slabs, multi storey v single storey. Sand v peat v rock strata etc etc. Probably not as bad as Welly due to infrastructure frailty.

6. Properties – are they still with the traditional single glazing and no real heating or are the newer ones mandated to have double glazing and the like?? Having a house built in 2005 with single glazing is beyond me, and bloody annoying when we have to pay a bucketload of cash to live in it!!! And just a heatpump to warm it. (Whinging Pom moment over).

Bit of both, you need to gen up on the deal breakers and get viewing some properties.

7. Council rates – typical amount for a 4 bed house?? (without wishing to be a nosy bugger).

$2.5k per annum give or take

MrsFychan

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brujarerdeb

Thanks for the info folks, and taking the time out of your days to provide said info, much appreciated. The rates are similar to here, the standard of housing I guess would be the same. I hope that we'll have enough cash from selling our house here in jafa ville to be able to secure something on the coast, but i just wanted to make sure that we didn't put ourselves in a predicament whereby we'd be totally bored and billy-no-mates. Moving to NZ is an upheaval anyway, so we need to make sure the second big move here is worth it. We just need to escape the 'massive-building-site-with-no-infrastructure-planning'. It currently takes me about 40 mins to get to work at 4am, but over an hour to get home at 1pm ish. And as for the 5pm start, that takes over 2.5 hours to get to work!! I drive the trains here in AKL and would be looking to do a similar role in Wellington, subject to approvals.

MrsFychan we may well take you up on the offer of a meet up if that's ok?

Thanks again guys.
(BTW, as we're Chiefs fans does that go against us?????

MrsFychan

Would love to met up, have friends in Paraparaumu if that's the area you want and of course those in Waikanae so could introduce to a mixture of people.

MOSO

Both colleges are excellent. Basically Kapiti takes students from Porirua to Raumati, whereas Paraparaumu takes Paraparaumu and Waikanae students.

Paraparaumu college is definitely considered more sporty and Kapiti more arty, but both are much of a muchness really. My son is very musical, into drama etc. but is thriving at Paraparaumu college which he chose because that's where his friends and sister are going.

They both get excellent results, but bear in mind college results can be manipulated, i.e. it can say 90% of students pass NCEA level 1, but that includes those who achieved it at year 11, 12 or 13.

Uniforms are around $400-$500 and have to be purchased from the College although Paraparaumu is more flexible on allowing any jacket as long as it's black - so they all wear Kathmandu Puffer jackets instead! Course costs will depend on the subject options chosen and NCEA exam fees will be the same wherever. We just pay $50 a month to cover 2 children and this seems sufficient. School bus fares from Waikanae Beach or town to Paraparaumu College are $150 per term (this would be more to Kapiti).

We live round the corner to Mrs F in Waikanae and have a heat pump and fire which we only light occasionally as we are well insulated with a north facing lounge and on a concrete base. We're in walking distance of the station so my OH always gets a seat as we're the end of the line. I have an easy 30 minute commute north to Levin on SH1.

As Mrs F says, we don't feel many earthquakes here as we're on river rock. A lot of Paraparaumu is built on sand so tend to feel them more.

I'd suggest you have a drive around, check out the colleges and the subject options available. Param college certainly has a lot of expat children and teachers and Kapiti probably does too.

brujarerdeb

Very informative replies folks, many thanks. MrsF, will pm you nearer the time we come down on a recce. Ta muchly

MrsFychan

:waves: MOSO - do you know what? I think I have only just realised where your username came from - doh.

suppose your are back to work next week?

brujarerdeb - MOSO accosted me and family at a fare a few weeks after we landed back in 2012 and she has been a very helpful friend, especially when it came to parking back in the day being a bright red head always got me noticed, not such fun nowadays as the red is gone

MOSO

"suppose you are back to work next week?"

Ha ha ha, Mrs F - worked yesterday and today at home and physically back in the classroom this Wed!

At least you know why we go to Salt & Wood now instead of Param, so that you don't have to park in the wrong direction!

MrsFychan

brujarerdeb - no doubt when here you will met MOSO and a couple of others, we all live Streets apart. Want us to check out homes for you as well