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-   -   Hobsonville (Auckland) (https://britishexpats.com/forum/new-zealand-83/hobsonville-auckland-924587/)

leandra21 Apr 30th 2019 1:40 pm

Hobsonville (Auckland)
 
Hi all,anyone in Hobsonville and surrounding areas that can give us a real picture of what is like living there? On paper looks great,especially Hobsonville,new housing,new schools,close to the beach and shops.What about supermarkets,hospital,library,etc...? We are looking to come over this August to visit family so we can definitely have a good look around but inside knowledge is always welcome!;)

Bo-Jangles Apr 30th 2019 7:28 pm

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 
It is largely still a building site and you need to factor that into your thoughts when you visit and imagine what it will be like two or three years on from now; the place is changing and growing day by day. I am not sure what you expectation is in regards of a 'beach' nearby but it is more like a muddy river estuary.

Justcol Apr 30th 2019 8:39 pm

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 
There's no beaches at hobbsonville

its been a few years since I was up there but personally I don't like the place. It's a very cramped and soulless place. Marketed as a community but seems far from it, Stepford wives springs to mind.


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scrubbedexpat094 May 1st 2019 3:45 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 
It was quite nice down there before they built all the houses. I've not been back there in ages but I haven't heard anything particularly good about it. I suspect that it's probably another soulless housing estate like Millwater at Silverdale. I'd choose Greenhithe over Hobsonville, if we chose to live over that way. Not sure what prices are like over that side of Auckland. Probably hideous!

Moses2013 May 1st 2019 6:49 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by Vitalstatistix (Post 12677846)
It was quite nice down there before they built all the houses. I've not been back there in ages but I haven't heard anything particularly good about it. I suspect that it's probably another soulless housing estate like Millwater at Silverdale. I'd choose Greenhithe over Hobsonville, if we chose to live over that way. Not sure what prices are like over that side of Auckland. Probably hideous!

You can get a Generous 2 bed with Gorgeous Outlook;) for only $719,000 https://www.realestate.co.nz/3543365

Bo-Jangles May 1st 2019 7:44 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by Moses2013 (Post 12677872)
You can get a Generous 2 bed with Gorgeous Outlook;) for only $719,000 https://www.realestate.co.nz/3543365

Generous :hysterical: 82sqm of flimsy shoe box within touching distance of a fence or another house in very direction. You too could be living the dream with that 'gorgeous' outlook across the school playing field, where you can experience blissfull days off being trapped in or out of your own home with any number of yummy mummies in their 4 x 4 and SUVs parked across you drive at the start and end of the school day. There is of course the added bonus which is guaranteed entertainment (chaos) right outside your front door, every time there's a school camping trip, fundraisers and parent teacher evenings.

Moses2013 May 1st 2019 9:32 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles (Post 12677882)
Generous :hysterical: 82sqm of flimsy shoe box within touching distance of a fence or another house in very direction. You too could be living the dream with that 'gorgeous' outlook across the school playing field, where you can experience blissfull days off being trapped in or out of your own home with any number of yummy mummies in their 4 x 4 and SUVs parked across you drive at the start and end of the school day. There is of course the added bonus which is guaranteed entertainment (chaos) right outside your front door, every time there's a school camping trip, fundraisers and parent teacher evenings.

:lol: They sure know how to sell the dream.

Clappy May 1st 2019 9:56 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by leandra21 (Post 12677551)
Hi all,anyone in Hobsonville and surrounding areas that can give us a real picture of what is like living there? On paper looks great,especially Hobsonville,new housing,new schools,close to the beach and shops.What about supermarkets,hospital,library,etc...? We are looking to come over this August to visit family so we can definitely have a good look around but inside knowledge is always welcome!;)

It is a brand new suburb of Auckland.

It is mostly brand new houses that are being built around a new (i.e. not fully occupied yet) mini town centre.

There is a supermarket there. Unfortunately Hobsonville is within the Waitakere Licensing Trust area so you can't buy beer or wine in that supermarket and because of the Trust there are no bars to go to for a drink apart from the RSA (you have to be a member or signed-in by a member).

leandra21 May 1st 2019 10:34 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by Clappy (Post 12677906)
It is a brand new suburb of Auckland.

It is mostly brand new houses that are being built around a new (i.e. not fully occupied yet) mini town centre.

There is a supermarket there. Unfortunately Hobsonville is within the Waitakere Licensing Trust area so you can't buy beer or wine in that supermarket and there are no bars to go to for a drink apart from the RSA.

Hi,thank you for taking the time to reply.We are not big drinkers so that wouldn't bother us .There is a new brewery/restaurant called Little Creatures that opened not long ago in Hobsonville,I know that are mainly new houses and plenty more to be built.I was interested in opinions of people that live there or close enough to give me an idea of services etc...(which you have done)...unfortunately posts like this are always a magnet for others (see SOME other replies above) to dish out their own dislikes and unwanted opinions that have nothing to do with questions asked and are not only unhelpful but that also derail the thread .

Moses2013 May 1st 2019 10:47 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by leandra21 (Post 12677918)
Hi,thank you for taking the time to reply.We are not big drinkers so that wouldn't bother us .There is a new brewery/restaurant called Little Creatures that opened not long ago in Hobsonville,I know that are mainly new houses and plenty more to be built.I was interested in opinions of people that live there or close enough to give me an idea of services etc...(which you have done)...unfortunately posts like this are always a magnet for others (see SOME other replies above) to dish out their own dislikes and unwanted opinions that have nothing to do with questions asked and are not only unhelpful but that also derail the thread .

Well then you'd be better off checking local news: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...-newest-suburb
I doubt many British Expats would move there, as they probably left the UK to escape this kind of living. You can read the 304 comments below the article and that will probably give you a better understanding.

leandra21 May 1st 2019 11:20 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by Moses2013 (Post 12677924)
Well then you'd be better off checking local news: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...-newest-suburb
I doubt many British Expats would move there, as they probably left the UK to escape this kind of living. You can read the 304 comments below the article and that will probably give you a better understanding.

Hi,thank you for the link.I read a portion of the comments as many comments were from people that don't live there so there is no relevance.From the first look of it does look like the kind of place for us.We don't want a big house with a big garden etc...we don't need it as it is 3 of us .The only thing I read that for us need to be addressed is the lack of public transport .

BEVS May 1st 2019 9:25 pm

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by leandra21 (Post 12677932)
Hi,thank you for the link.I read a portion of the comments as many comments were from people that don't live there so there is no relevance.

They may not live there but they may well be local to the area, know the area well and are Aucklanders. Same for some of the posters here. They live in the area and know what they see.

If asking for a real picture then you will get a variety of opinions and viewpoints. People that may have already moved there are unlikely to give a real picture. They will wish to protect their asset.


Justcol May 1st 2019 10:45 pm

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 
Why bother asking. You appear to made up your mind already.
The people who have replied have far more knowledge of the place than you do. When I first moved to Aux I lived a short stroll away, I did some work on some of the houses, still visit family and friends who live in it and around it, although as I said I haven't been to it for a few years as there is nothing to do there. The houses are flimsy, built down to a price for maximum profit, packed in within touching distance of each other, have no sections, some have already reported structural issues but the developers won't have a bar of it. The place has been extremely well marketed and rocketing house prices have attracted many. Auckland prices are now falling but hobbsonville developers continue to market at ott price points, so that's only ever going to end in tears for many. The houses look nice if you like that sort of thing and are very modern inside.
Now remind me again what you experience of the place is....

scrubbedexpat094 May 2nd 2019 1:08 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by Justcol (Post 12678186)
Why bother asking. You appear to made up your mind already.
The people who have replied have far more knowledge of the place than you do. When I first moved to Aux I lived a short stroll away, I did some work on some of the houses, still visit family and friends who live in it and around it, although as I said I haven't been to it for a few years as there is nothing to do there. The houses are flimsy, built down to a price for maximum profit, packed in within touching distance of each other, have no sections, some have already reported structural issues but the developers won't have a bar of it. The place has been extremely well marketed and rocketing house prices have attracted many. Auckland prices are now falling but hobbsonville developers continue to market at ott price points, so that's only ever going to end in tears for many. The houses look nice if you like that sort of thing and are very modern inside.
Now remind me again what you experience of the place is....

:goodpost:

I just know quite a few tradies who have told me about the changes at Hobsonville and none of it has been very positive. They have talked about the very narrow streets, the small houses and so on. If you like the area and if it suits you then great. No-one else's opinion matters. We aren't great drinkers but we still like to have a choice of bars and cafe's locally to choose from. Love meeting up with friends for quiz night on a Thursday evening. We've met loads of new people that way, some have become good friends, others we don't see outside of the quiz but it's good to chat with them. For us, it helps us feel part of the community.
I offered Greenhithe as an alternative consideration, as it has more of a village feel about it.

When we first came over we had ideas of settling on the North Shore from photos we had seen on the internet, but in reality it didn't match our expectations and felt closed in or the houses were cold and damp. So that's how we ended up looking & buying on the Whangaparaoa peninsula.

Clappy May 2nd 2019 8:42 am

Re: Hobsonville (Auckland)
 

Originally Posted by leandra21;12677i918
There is a new brewery/restaurant called Little Creatures that opened not long ago

Nice! It is a brewery so bypasses the Licencing Trust rules that control the sale of alcohol to the public in those areas.

If you look on Google you can see on the Satellite images that not long ago it was still an empty hangar. On the Street View it was a building site just nine months ago. That will give some perspective on how quickly the area is changing.

One of my work colleagues lives there. She likes the amount of space it gives her family - she moved here from Hong Kong so I think she means that it is better than a tiny flat.


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