blackburn lass

Hi,

OH has now been offered a job in Auckland city...yeeeeh!!! The pay isn't great but it's a start. Looking for areas to live which would be affordable and commutable, thought Franklin could be an option. I have been told that it isn't a fantastic place, sure some of you may disagree, so can you advise of some nice areas to live where we could rent a 2 bedroom house.

Thankyou

Dawn X

Moomoo

Hi congratulations on the job offer- but a hell of a commute into Auckland. We live in Whitford and I am currently commuting into the city centre- 1/2 hour in am if I leave at 6.30am, at least an hour on the way back. Franklin is really nice but it would need to be to with a longer commute.

Worth thinking about at least.

m

blackburn lass

What is Takanini like? Do people use the train service to get to work?

Danw X

Moomoo

At the danger of offending anyone who lives in Takinini or Papakura its really a place you drive through- quickly! Both Takinini and Papakura are marked as growth areas with considerable additional housing planned- I have heard talk of housing growth for Auckland as far south as the Bombay Hills. A number of people I know (expats) do live in the Pukekohe, Tauko, Pokeno, Wauiko area and commute - but even on a good run Wauiko to Auckland is an hour.

There is a train service from Pukekohe/Papakura/Takanini into Auckland- to be fair cannot really comment on usefulness/punctuality or frequency of service as I have never caught it. (However do not expect it to be like UK commuter trains).

As a general note avoid housing close to existing electricity pylons anywhere south of Auckland- these are about to be upgraded to double the size and carrying twice the load.

m

blackburn lass

So thats Takanini off the list! I have been looking at West Auckland, as a commuter train runs that way, any info on this area, I liked the look of Henderson and New Lynn.

Dawn X

Moomoo

Dawn - to be honest I don't know that much about Henderson or New Lynn so cannot really comment. There are a lot of expats in North Shore or Eastern Auckland (Buckland Beack/Howick/Botany/Beachlands etc.).

If I were you I would rent when you arrive and visit all these areas before deciding where to settle. You can then make up your own minds. We are still renting one year in and still cannot make up our minds where we want to buy a house.

m

garfield250

Although I have only visited Auckland I am not able to comment on living etc but try looking at www.waitakereonline.co.nz which is a community site and has a lot of info for New Lynn and Henderson; including other areas.

Batty

We live in Glenfield on the Shore. We had thought that we'd like to have a look at Pukekohe with a view to moving out there. Sure, there's a train service into Britomart so that'd be grand - the commute would be worth it if we had a nice place 'out in the country'. We'd been there a couple of times and it seemed nice.

So....off we went driving. When we got to Drury we had a look around but didn't see a train station so that was scratched (I don't drive). We felt we were still within spitting distance of the City at that stage. But what had seemed like a pleasant Sunday drive when we weren't thinking of living there suddenly became a trek when we were! The farther we travelled the more it seemed that more than kilometres was separating us from Auckland

When we got to Pukekohe it was actually larger than I thought - a fairly decent town with everything you'd need really and instead of the For Lease signs we've become used to on the Shore, there were OPENING SOON signs on the shop windows. However..... This was slightly spoiled by the number of sirens accompanied by squad cars and policemen(women) we saw. We went into a very nice pub for a coffee and I asked the girl what was going on ..... her answer? "that's just Pukekohe, it's school lunchtime"

We spent a few hours there; walked around, drove around and in the end we scuttled back over the bridge to the Shore Sometimes what you want is right under your nose!

pricklykina

We're in Blockhouse Bay and only ten to fifteen mins walk from New Lynn Station
Get the benefit of the station with out having to live in New Lynn LOL

New Lynn is goodish for shops and has definite potential as the real esate people would say...If I was going west....and wanted a train then I would consider glen eden (the nice parts) Henderson has nice areas too

It's not the north shore but some of use are born westies and wouldn't have it any other way

As for franklin...it's a mission
I love it out there and visit rellies out there regularly but the commute is long, well long for NZ any way.

Batty

See, I'd love to try Glen Eden (when we came here first we were fixated on Titirangi but the inlaws got hold of us ) - I think I'm a Westie at heart

Stoof

we thought about going out west too but we've landed up in Orewa (along with every other (almost!!) brit expat... there are some cheaper rents around here (some not so much too!! all depends what you're looking for!) OH commutes to CBD in 30 mins drive, but that's at 5.00am or early aft or 22.30 ... significantly longer than that if you were travelling rush-hour. There's a regular bus but dunno how long it takes, and we're about 10 mins from albany park and ride which goes into britomart. HTH

blackburn lass

We are deffinatley going to look at Henderson, New Lynn and Glen Eden, the train is regular and only takes 35 mins ish to the city, if he can walk to the station it means only one car is needed, and the rents seem reasonable, we only need a two bedroomed.

Got the day off today, child is sick, actually most of the school is, 96 kids went home sick yesterday!!! so going to spend it reasearching the best I can, OH is in Auckland on Thursday so he is going to have a trip to the area. I'll get there!!!

It would be nice to live on the coast but when people call it the city, it's not like a city in the UK, it's just suburbia, so I think I can cope.

Dawn X

ps Anymore comments/advice, keep them coming.

pricklykina

When you dooooo decide...have a think about schools if that is important to you.
Some from Glen Eden go to Kaurilands and rate it highly.
Some in New Lynn like Arahoe

It all depends what you like in a school, really

Have you visited out west before?
I love it but some don't depends what you like in a suburb.
There's a great book called where to live in auckland
which describes suburbs pretty accurately and was a godsend when we were deciding.

Don't get so hooked on the trains that you forget buses! They are great too and more regular in some places. Those north shore types swear by the northern busway which is a super quick way to get into town and avoid the blasted bridge traffic

For west auckland info....watch Outrageous Fortune!
Remember, it's a rough around the edges, solid hardworking multicultural community. traditionally working class. It's cheaper to buy and rent than the north, and central areas....and...it has the best beaches in Auckland!

blackburn lass

Thanks for that, very useful