Am Loolah

Can anyone give any advice on good areas to rent/buy in the Tauranga area of the BOP please?

We know what we would like, but we don't know if it exists?! Obviously some things one would like exist but aren't always immediately to hand ... (Think, Mrs Robbie Williams, red Ferrari Testarossa, A perfect size 8 after 4 kids etc, etc.) But we would like to be within a very easy commute of Tauranga central, within walking distance of the beach, walking/bike ride/school bus distance of kindergarten, schools for 8ys, 11 yrs and 14 yrs. Somewhere that perhaps is up-and-coming, but not yet completely overpriced? Walking distance to shops, cafes, the Kiwi Bar perhaps?

Would appreciate anyone's comments and explanations and indeed any links to local areas info?

Thanking you muchly.

poppets

you could try this to give you a rough idea , click on suburb profile
good luck

http://www.propertystuff.co.nz/49267...searchFormGo=1

Am Loolah

Poppets, you're a Poppet - should have known it would be you!! How's it going? Nice weekend? Get the kids to make anything useful to sell down the Christmas market?!

poppets

PMSL, unfortuantly they're on strike, well sick leave , oldest has tummy bug & keeps up chucking, he very knidly redecorated the inside of the car - with the contents of his stomach :scared: so its lay on the sofa & tv/videos all day & hope he recovers soon or it colud be hosp. time

Am Loolah

Que? In Fairy speak please ... whats's PMSL? Pre-Menstrual Senility Low? I had to bunk off work to dog sit today - not used that excuse before! Think it worked quite well! Hope little one feels better soon and that you know a good car valet!

Talk soon, I have to be up early! XX

poppets

see you later (PMSL - p!ss my self laughing)

Herm

Hi AL - Don't want to burst any bubbles but beach and Tauranga are mutually exclusive - no beach here. If you want beach you go to the mount or eastwards towards Papamoa.

Good areas close to tauranga are the 'avenues', slightly further afield would be Matua, Pillans point even Outomoetai. All 5 mins commute.

If you up it to 10mins then Bethlehem is a good choice - good schools, shops etc.

15mins and you've got Pyes Pa/Tauriko.

Both these last two areas (Bethlehem and Pyes Pa) are relatively new and have a large selection of housing albeit on smallish sections. My pref would be Bethlehem - its more established.

If you want detailed info PM me - always glad to help out.

Cheers

Herm

AL - Also worth a try -

www.tauranga.govt.nz
www.cityoftauranga.co.nz
www.citynews.co.nz

All have good info on Tauranga

Cheers

daviesl

Good thread fairy girl - we are also looking to move to Tauranga area as I have a job to go to there - so read with interest.

Am Loolah

Thank you Herm, that's all very useful and will look at the links when am in work in the morning doing "paid research!"

Had wondered about a beach in Tauranga as we stayed in the Mount and didn't really explore much of the city itself. Have heard that the traffic over the bridge is pretty dire in rush hour? Not to mention expensive housing?!

What about Welcome Bay?

Will PM you thanks very much, but not until I've looked at your links.

Thanks alot.

Herm

Your right - the traffic over the bridge is dire and during rush hour (or even on a saturday morning) it can take 30 mins to go from the Mount to Tauranga or visa versa. Good news is that they recently completed a flyover on the mount side which has improved it from a 45 min journey. The even better news is that they are starting work on a second route (and bridge) into the mount which will eventually take some of the pressure - bad news is that don't think its due for completion until 2010. Oh well....

Welcome Bay? Very broad mix of housing and neighbourhoods meaning you really need to be carefull where you buy and with it big range of house prices. Good primary school setup but secondary would be Tauranga. It can be a bugger, again during rush hour, getting between welcome bay and town. Its growing but probably not quite as fast as some areas. Close (ish) to Papamoa and nice hilly countryside. The 'bay' is I guess a bay in the technical sense but not a lot of water to speak of - lots of mangrove though.

Cheers

Am Loolah

Hi guys,

From what I can gather thus far best suburbs to look would be Bethlehem (tho serious shortage of mangers), Papamoa (bit suburbia-on-sea), Pyes Pa and some other areas a bit further out if you want to know I'll have to look it up! May have been Te Puke. Oh and Katikati.

Have you made any deisions yet? I'm thinking get a furnished holiday let and then spend a week or two doing serious homework and visiting each place to see how many boxes they tick!

Markk

Matua, Otumoetai, Bureta, Pillans Point are also nice areas. Good schools and very close to town. It takes us 5 minutes to the town centre. Lots of parks and lots of water/harbour views!
We took a one month holiday rental in Papamoa, but it's not a nice commute from there into Tauranga.
Bethlehem is quite nice, but a bit pricey. Good if you go to church or like visiting wineries!
Te Puke always looks a bit rough when we drive through, but not 'UK rough'.
Mark

Am Loolah

Thanks Mark,

In what way is the commute a problem? Help, it's my favourite place thus far!!

I'll go with the wineries, but my Saturday nite drinking would intefere with getting up for church!!

Cheers.

Caroline