garryhg

Thanks Hayleyt...I do have children. Any info. you have would be appreciated. All we want is to be in a good area with a community spirit. We will be a long way from home, so just want to be made to feel welcome.

All the Best

Garry

Sal41

Hi Garry,

We are planning to move out in July and have been looking around Northcross Intermediate School and Rangitoto College for our children, both of these have been highly recommended, but obviously the areas around there are pricyer, I would recommend you buy the Where to Live in Auckland book it has loads of useful stuff. It's an absolute minfield trying to find the right area, I'm having worries, we don't want to end up in a 'skanky' area (no offence to anyone!!) but until you get out there it is difficult to know.

I don't suppose that this rambling has helped you in any way but at least you know your not alone!!!

regards

happynz

Oh yeah, in that case you are correct. That slope up Queen street is definitely cardio execise.

garryhg

Cheers Sal41.......I'm more worried about where to settle rather than the move itself.
I think I will buy the book, this may just have the information I am looking for. Thanks for the info. on the schools.

All the best with your move.

lardyl

Hibiscus Coast (HBC) is nice but if you can't drive in at 0530 or 0600 and leave early every day then you are gonna be in for a long/frustrating drive - you could get the Gulf Harbour ferry instead - but weather can intervene - I tried twice in my first week at work and failed on both occasions!! Most locals seem to think HBC is a slower pace even than the North Shore and it can be quicker to get to the traffic jam on SH1 (Northern Motorway) from here than from some of the bays on N Shore. You pays your money.....
If I am coming in via bus/ferry I use the Link bus to get to Newmarket if that is any help.......

Littletoe

We intend to put our girls into private schools when they're old enough, so we're just going to rent a small place for the address to ensure we get them in (zoning is pretty strict here), but obviously we'll live in our usual place. We are going to rent in Kumeu, our landlord is selling in a couple of years, so we intend to buy it then, if we can get the money together in time!! Kumeu is sort of North West, its a good area to buy into now as the city spreads out. I used to live in the North Shore a few years ago. I loved it, beautiful beaches, felt very safe, etc. But coming back this time around, it just looked so built up, houses on top of each other. And I decided I wanted more of a lifestyle block (a property with land around). But I'd still recommend it to anyone. The far Souther you go out of Auckland the rougher it gets. West is pretty awful around Henderson way. Someone recommended Massey, which isn't too bad actually. I don't know enough about the East to comment, but some people live there on here, I'm sure they can recommend some places there. You need to look into rental costs first really, to see whats in your budget. Prices can vary dramtically, but we found that most landlords are willing to negotiate on rent. We're currently living in Coatesville, which I adore and would love to live here. My hubby is a Kiwi, so the traffic doesn't bother him. Presumably working in a hospital, you're on shift work? So if you can avoid rush hour times, its an easy commute. A good way to go might be to rent on a short term contract and get a feel for places, then you can move again. I know another move isn't ideal, but that's what we're doing here. We rented this place as a holiday home, so it gave us 6 weeks to find somewhere permanent. Some names that spring to mind are, Glen Inness, Otura (not entirely sure on spelling) and anything down South, best to avoid unless you fancy yourself as a bit of a gangbanger!! Henderson is great for second hand cars and dope smoking (best get a mullet first if you intend to live there!). Good luck on your voyage!!

P18PPS

Garryhg - I really suggest you get the book that's been recommended - these comments on where to live are getting into the relms of people talking about things they don't know sufficient about now.

There are some beautiful places south of Auckland - speak to the likes of SarahB who will inform you; and out West there are some gorgeous places too - Titirangi and Oratia - both of which have some of the highest ranking primary schools in the whole of Auckland.

"Otura" mentioned above is actually Otara and yes it is rough.

"Glen Inness" - Glen Innes is actually nestled between some of the most expensive real estate in the whole of Central Auckland, so as long as you are informed on which roads to buy on and where the school zoning starts/ends you'll be fine.

Get the book - well worth the money and gives you all the socio-demographic as well as school ratings/zonings average cost of rentals and purchases etc.

Littletoe

We're all obviously going to be bias, but whats wrong with that? You can't say we don't know 'sufficient' about it, because we live here! He asked for our opinions!! Its all good reading a book, but why not hear from the likes us mere mortals that travel through these parts? I noticed you only chose to quote me. You should have also noticed that I stated I wouldn't mention the East Coast, because I didn't know anything about it. So don't be so hasty to put down me or others down for sharing our views in places.

BowWowWow

IMHO the "skanky" areas are mostly south of the city. We're renting in Henderson - it's ok but a little grubby again IMHO. Good luck!!

hayleyt

Hi Garry,

sometimes there are sacrifices to make on where to live like going in a bit earlier to work in the morning just so you can live in the areas you want to. My husband works in Mnt Wellington which is the otherside of Auckland over the Harbour Bridge. We live all the way up yonder on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula Army Bay we are the extreme OH leaves at 6 am he is in work by 6.50The Hibiscus coast is a great place to live and yes it is a lot slower than the north Shore some might even call it hicksville, but if you have never been to Auckland before you might think it's hickville in relation to London, Manchester,Glasgow ect ect it's a very different way of life people are friendly nothing seems to be a hardship for them the banks will be falling over themselves to get to your money so make sure you shop around with the banks I found when I first came over you could even negotiate terms with the banks remember YOU HAVE THE POWER . Schools are very different you pay a donation every year if you don't pay you get a reminder that you have not donated yet. you also pay for all exercise books for the kids too the suburbs here are Orewa which is the main town on the coast then you have Red Beach it's a lovely place to live fantastic streets here fabulous seaviews mind you, you can have a sea view from almost anywhere on the coast then its stanmore bay you have your fantastic, good and average areas here, Whangaparaoa there is a small plaza here there are some fantastic places here along the coast tindalls bay. matakatia, roberts road hobbs bay do not go to gulf harbour and do not buy a leaky home find out about leaky homes here its is rife in New Zealand especially in Auckland I ended up buying one not knowing what it was until I started see water staining and leaks here and there so beware we are currently suing the arses off the previous vendors please check this out don't get caught. also please don't compare anything from back home otherwise you will definitely become homesick any questions just ask while I write the sun is shining it's about 20 degrees
must go it's lunch time here the belly is rumbling bye for now Hayleyt

P18PPS

I meant no personal attack, but you've managed to prove my point in your own answer - Glen Innes is East Auckland, and is next to the are in which I live (I don't just pass through it), so I feel more qualified to pass advice on it's reputation than you would be living in north auckland. There are certain roads in Glen Innes that are breaking through the million dollar price bracket, and because of it's high numbers of state housing on the the other side of the suburb it still manages to be much cheaper than the immediate neighbours including Glendowie, St Heliers, Kohimarama, Meadowbank and Remuera. I'll also add that there are certain roads in Glen Innes that get access to one of the most desirable colleges in East Auckland (Glendowie College) - this is a selling point that even the owners of properties in Mission Bay and Kohi cannot boast.

Because you were unaware of these facts you clearly don't know all there is to know about these specific areas and I therefore reiterated to the intial poster that they are best off purchasing a book that will be unbiased and truthful about these areas.

lardyl

Just a note about schools - the decile "rankings" are not the be all and end all to decide on which school is good/bad/indifferent, rather they are a better indication of the area the school is in as they determine the amount of assistance the Ministry of Education needs to put in, ie decide 10 - very little, decile 5 more and decile 1 lots......we made that mistake and almost kept our littlie out of the "best"(ish) local school as it was an "8"....
good luck in searching out the right place, what we did that was good before our container arrived was to rental a holiday home, fully furnished for 2 months, then its not such a hardship moving on into an unfurnised rental or your own place......

hayleyt

Hi there,

If you are talking to me the one in north auckland I have made no mention of Glen Innes what so ever, I never would comment on something that I have no understanding of thanks Hayleyt if youre not talking to me please accept my apologies.

kwprwn

we rented in henderson but at the motorway end of lincoln road for 6 months, it was a cheap rental and got me out of the MIL house and as we only had one wage it did us until we could afford to buy, we have moved about 2 miles up the road to Massey and we live on the corner of a cul de sac and so dont get cars racing up the road (apart fromt he odd one picking someone up) so not to noisey really

I agree parts of Henderson are not great but the town itself is ok for shopping etc not sure I would want to venture at night there, have been thru a few times in the car and there seem to be a lot of peoples hanging around the streets, but during the day it was fine

my hubby is a westie (for his sins) and we havent had any issues here, I love it around here...but everyone will be slightly biased

garryhg

Thanks for all your info...... I will buy the book, but there is nothing like hearing it from the horses mouth..
I will be considering all areas, and I would imagine things have changed in some areas since the writing of the book.
I want first hand up to date information to ensure I am not being bias to any area.
Keep it coming. All very interesting!!