garryhg

Thanks Larydl......Do you have any information you could give me on holiday rentals? i.e. websites, etc....

Littletoe

PI8PPS,

OK, so I don't know my North from South from my West from my East! I get muddled up!! But hubby is a born and bred Kiwi, and he's shown me some of the roughest areas, and made it quite plane which ones to avoid. Also, his Mother is in real estate. So, I do believe his family are quite well qualified to pass judgement on areas, and I believe that I can mention by name some areas that are awful because I've been bloody driving around them these last few days making bloody trademe pickups!! Everyone knows the names, and everyone knows not to go anywhere near the South. So take it easy!

P18PPS

But you can't even spell them!!!!!!!!



Enough said now, you're obviously well qualified with well qualified connections. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Have a good evening.

THIS THREAD IS DEAD!

Littletoe

Don't be like that. I can't even pronounce most of the places in NZ let alone spell them! But does that matter? I mean, this guy wanted some info, I offered my opinion, its not a dissertation on Auckland living, OK? I didn't mean to offend you, which I clearly must have done to make you jump so quickly. I was slightly offended that you accused me of not knowing what I was talking about, when its not just hearsay. Perhaps I reacted to readily? Who knows? All I can offer is my thought process on places I don't like, as have other people here. He did afterall ask for opinions, not factual accounts with statistical info.

lardyl

hi matey - well up here in the Hiiiiiiibiscus Coast there are plenty of furnished places that are used a holiday homes, most go via a local agency (who's name I have forgotten and although I wrote it down on a postit it has been mislaid amongst the 195 boxes that came out of the container!!). You can find some places on the rental websites:
www.open2view.com
www.realenz.co.nz
or trademe - they are used by most of the estate agents who do a great job (for the landlord) of letting places out - you have to pay them for the privelidge mind (a week's rent + GST to the agents) and hand over a large deposit (to the central bond fund) and splash out quite a bit of cash per week in this neck of the woods. I'd recommend the "furnished" rental prior to container arrival over the motel (as they are even more xpensive) and plan your removal and forwarding of furniture, etc in the container to give you enough time to settle and decide on where to live if you are planning to rent in the short-medium term. We got it almost right but signed up for a week or so too long in the first rental, although the overlap to sort stuff out was useful as moving from one place into another and getting all your stuff at the same time can be a headache, esp with 2 young kids!!
Good luck, I'll not venture into the debate on good/bad areas, but its safe to say there are some pretty bad areas and some very good ones.........I'll defer to the locals on those mind!!!

Batty

PI8PPS not wishing to sound argumentative but I suggested Glen Innes to someone recently and you warned them to be 'very careful' of it. My best friend lives there and, even with the 'bad' streets, I think it's a great place and I didn't bother replying because I felt you had your own views that didn't coincide with mine and best leave it.

Sorry Garry, your thread seems to have been a bit hijacked In my opinion, East Auckland would be a lovely place to live as well as being an easier commute. I have access to the property CVs (capital valuation) around those areas so if you want info on a particular property that's for sale without a price let me know and I can find out for you. Good luck.

garryhg

East Auckland (St heliers/Missions Bay,etc,etc) look lovely. I check it out and get in touch.
Cheers

Littletoe

Ah yeah, Mission Bay, I wish I'd known about that place before I arrived, its lovely.

kwprwn

If money was not the option, I have to admit I would still like to live out West, although would probably move out to either somewere like Huapai, Kumeu or Waitakere as these are all lovely areas

Rustie

I think areas that are good for you to live in depend very much on what you want from your area, e.g. if you have children then West can be a problem with the further that you go out the further they will be from friends, transport and decent schools, but West Kumeu, Riverhead, Coatesville, Waitakere area's are fantastic for outdoor pursuits, views, lifestyle blocks and vineyards/wineries and nice restaurants (Coatesville is v.v.v. expensive and you may have to sell your children to buy somewhere 'decent' there!! ) whilst Kumeu and Riverhead are a little cheaper but definately upandcoming.

Northshore is a good area for schools and lots of facilities, transport, etc. but can be quite expensive and small plots that tend to have neighbours v. close depending on where you go.

Hibiscus Coast is a lovely area whose house prices in the main aren't as high as North Shore and you have gorgeous beaches and all they offer around you, transport can be a little bit of a pain tho' as you will have to change at Silverdale to get into the City Centre.

don't know anything at all about East and South Auckland so won't comment!

So, if you an oap in general i'd say aim for somewhere like Orewa (this is a generalisation but they are building more and more apartments and pensioner facilities there and the restaurants are usually closed by 9:30!)

If you have older children that want a little freedom then i'd say aim around the Northshore area and if you want lifestyle then West may be the place for you (there are lifestyle blocks elsewhere and again i am generalising!).

xxx

lardyl

solid post and I scond it!!!!

The Thompsons

A few people have said south auckland is a big no, no yet we live in Wattle Cove and my OH travels into the city every day.

It is the industrial area of Auckland I agree, but there are some lovely areas in which to live that are much more affordable that the likes of the North Shore and Howick.

It really depends on what it is you want out of life.
Wattle Cove has a new primary too that has a very good reputation!

SarahB

Hiya.... we lived in Wattle Downs for a few weeks when we first got here. But I wanted to keep a horse and needed some fields to do that.... so we came out this way. We did look at areas like Takanini and also Clevedon as they are horsey places but in the end decided to move to Beachlands and keep the horse at Whitford. I think parts of Wattle Cove were just being built when we were there.

garryhg

Hi All,

I agree that it is difficult to make up you mind until we are there, but all the comments have been very useful.

Having looked at a number of websites I think the West more suits our lifestyle.

All I need to know now I've narrowed it down. What are the better areas? Need to take in to consideration schools, would like some garden for the dog. Also we don't want to be to far out in the sticks, we want to make friends with our neighbours and for the kids to have company.

Thanks Again.

kwprwn

Hi Garryhg

I live in Massey and we find it ok ( i might add we have no kids so cant help with schools etc)we live in a quietish area, but we looked at Swanson, and loved it but the house we loved there had sold and the others around were a bit pricey, but Swanson has shops and a few cafes etc, and has a train link to the City (if needed, has its dodgy moments ...I use it for work as well, but generally ok) and is fairly close to the motorway, its not so rural as waitakere and huapai and kumeu.

There are lots of schools around swanson, henderson, massey but dont know what they are like

Hope this helps a bit

Dawn