Wilderbeest

Hi there,

Just want to know from those already living in New Zealand if there is anything to be concerned about when living in a house backed on to a reserve?

I'm thinking mainly creepy crawlies and from what I have read White tails, Weta's!

Thanks

Expat Kiwi

It depends on the size of the reserve and how big your shared boundaries are, if it's a small one then creepy crawlies are about the sum of it .

If it's a large one and you've got animals on your land you'll need to maintain your fences to stop them from getting into the reserve.

There may be access issues and contractors may have to go onto the land to bait, spray etc.

CindyGirl

depends what they mean by a reserve ,some of them are just like parks others more like a rainforest !!

Am Loolah

That's the point I was going to make, those that are like a park may be subject to tagging on the fencing too. Depends on the area I guess, but I've seen that quite a bit. Whilst it doesn't necessarily matter as it'll be on the side facing away from your property I just hate seeing it!

squarepants

We live in a cul-de-sac and just where we are it's lovely and quiet, but the houses opposite back onto the reserve and (although a fair bit more expensive) have a problem with yobs drinking and tagging in the summer. Also, because there's a walkway between the houses - we can get a fair bit of idiot foot traffic, and most of the houses in the street are fitted with alarms.

There's also been a spate of break-ins with lawn mowers and large items being taken from gardens and sheds during the day (office hours) when everyone is at work - and it seems to be houses backing onto the reserve that are targeted most.

If you can, walk the fence line on the reserve side of the place you're thinking of buying and look for signs of trouble. Go and check the access points and see if there are skid marks on the road and signs of hoons hanging round drinking. There's a massive problem here with teens piling into cars, meeting up and drinking beer.

Just the same as UK really in that sense, they tend to leave their empty bottles and takeaway crap behind them when they leave.

The crime just seems to be anti social more than dangerous, I'm quite happy to ride my bike over there on my own and it's really busy during the day and early evening with joggers and walkers - so it's not like the UK at all.

Also, see if there's a neighborhood watch in the area you're interested in and get on the email distribution list - we're renting in the area we'd considered buying into - and although we'll stay for another 18 months because we like it very much and we're fairly settled, we wouldn't buy here now.

Bo-Jangles

As others have said a 'reserve' means just that open space with public access and it could be a matter of the few metres of grass verge between the road and the beach or a public footpath.

The issue I have is the fact that it is the council's job to manage and maintain reserved land, in my case they absolutely don't and the boundary shrubbery is an absolute mess. We have all manner of noxious weeds, wild ginger, woolly nightshade and bindweed coming under and over the fence from a piece of land to which we have no direct access. Whilst most of the time we attract few visitors, it is open to all comers and unfortunately it is the unsavoury types that hang about there late at night. There is also no protection to you if the council decide to 'unreserve' the land as it were and sell it or build upon it.

There was a place near me where a beautiful roadside verge of tree ferns and wild flowers and other native plants has been bulldozed to widen the road. Unfortunately reserve land is not sacrosanct when it suits the council.

There are some properties also that open out directly onto reserves / parks where the boundaries are not fenced at all, e.g along the beachfront at Orewa and people can wander in and out of the gardens at will.

dorrick

There are some properties also that open out directly onto reserves / parks where the boundaries are not fenced at all, e.g along the beachfront at Orewa and people can wander in and out of the gardens at will.[/QUOTE]


Used to worry about that too if you lived on a beach but then realised most gardens are open to the street and anyone can wander in from there too!

Expat Kiwi

Wilderbeest, take a look at the Reserves Act 1977 and see if any of it applies to your situation:

This is the part about maintenance of fences:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/p...html#DLM444688

Trespassing animals:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/p...html#DLM444996

Gill and Rob

From our experience, I wouldn't worry too much about wetas etc. We back on to a reserve.... think rain forrest rather than a grassy park. Sometimes when the wind blows through the trees, it sounds like the sea.

Gill and Rob

drrobert

Don't worry about creepy crawlies - it's lovely to have native birds and wetas in the backyard! Just don't keep a cat or dog if you border a reserve - it's not fair on all the natives!

I live in Wellington City. Friends who border reserves nearby have had no security issues. However, in parts of the country with higher crime rates you might want to consider this.

MattandJax

wots tagging?

Foxesecho

Tagging is the signature of the graffiti 'artist' you see on buildings, fences, walls etc.

Wilderbeest

Thanks all for the input

Bellasmum

Wilderbeest we owned a house (18 years) that was adjacent to a reserve in Pakuranga, Manukau City and never had any problems. The pluses were I could cook our dinner and watch our sons at soccer practice and the Council paid half the cost of solid wooden fencing.

And the tui's that lived in the trees were great.