Am Loolah

There was a really nice write up on Welcome Bay School in today's BoP Times, but it's not on their website. I can post it to you if you PM me your address Psychopandy?

And I absolutely agree the traffic lights have eased what used to be terrible congestion at rush hour.

Psychopandy

We are seriously consideering Signature also - David Reed are still in with a shot though at the moment - but like you - i get a better 'feel' from signature.

Where is the 'longridge estate' i cannot find it - i know roughly where the selwyn ridge school is but nothing 'longridge' round there.

Just wondering if we would be 'nearly' neighbours - or are you moving to a posh part of town xx

And i get what you are referring to with the hills - they would be a killer - do you have 'buns of steel' or is that toooo personal a question xx

mac917

I meant Northridge Estate - doh !!!!!
We are just around the corner from the larger sub division, the guy we bought it from has had it for a few years and decided to sell so we jumped at the chance. There are a lot of sub divisions around and some are reasonably priced but then you have to think of how much you will be paying for ground works as most are sloping sites.
Also did you know council fees are 19k BEFORE you build, if you lived in Kati-Kati they are only 4k. This is a real pain and takes quite a chunk off your budget.
I havent heard of David Reed, do they do similar styles to the others?
We were at the homeshow on Sunday and saw a heating company that does CENTRAL HEATING ...... wooohhooooo !!!!!!! One drawback is its soooooo expensive but they do it, best start saving my pennies.
If you want any help on anything just pm me and i can maybe do some investigating for you an you never know we could be nearly neighbours !!!

mac917

About the buns of steel ......... why is it all men have them but us ladies have buns of jelly !!!!!! Well, speaking for myself obviously !!!!

Psychopandy

David Reed are similar to Signature and they will build what you want them too like most of the others will. They have a show home at the Lakes - which i didnt like much if im honest but the same company (different franchise) have built one in hamilton which i have seen and it is really lovely. I will see how we go but we should get the decision made within the next 2 weeks i reckon.

I still cannot find the 'Northridge' or the 'longridge' estate - maybe you could PM me the street - i got to know now cos my curiosity has been pricked. if its close enough to ours i may have a drive past next time i am over that way.

I think we are just outside of the catchment for the selwyn ridge school - assuming they rigorously enforce it as most seem to. Although it is likely to be closer than the welcome bay school. the older chap is in middle school at the moment and will move to the high school next february. Not sure which one yet though x

If it makes you feel any better - my buns are nearer to jelly than steel also - but then again so are his One day you may make it up that hill - i may set myself the challenge to do it - Waitaha Road would be no mean feat thats for sure!!! maybe just go round the block for now

I am glad you managed to find a section that works for you - we looked at quite a few - not hundreds - but enough for the kids to be well fed up!! we have got a slight problem with ours at the moment which we are trying to iron out - hopefully that will get done next week and then we can proceed as planned - otherwise it is back to the drawing board - not looking forward to that prospect thats for sure x

Will hope to receive that pm with the street on real soon - am chomping at the bit

Psycho xx

Justcol

Just get somewhere with stairs that i can run up and down
when we come to visit.
Single storey houses are fine but I do miss a nice flight of stairs.

Psychopandy

cant afford stairs!!

if that exchange rate dont sort itself out we wont be able to afford a roof bring your tent - i know how Ros likes sleeping in tents

Theres a nice big hill to run up and down - would that count??

You can see the sea on the way down the hill

helinuk

Just thought I'd pop my head into this discussion. I went to Selwyn Ridge primary school in Welcome Bay this morning to observe their Rainbow reading programme. Very interesting, we are starting to use it in Bethlehem college.
The school is a 'guinea pig' for the Gov. new ideas so has great facilities. Sadly altho the school is only 13 yrs old it has a 'leaky roof syndrome' so I think it might have to be knocked down and rebuilt. It has 500 children in the school. Take a look at their website. The area around the school seems good. They only take children who live in that catchment area though and there's a fight to get children into it.
I asked the teachers I work with about Welcome bay as an area, their reply was very similar to previous posts about Welcome Bay. Good roads and definately roads to avoid! Look for the 'cheap housing' that's where the problems generally are. (gangs etc).
HTH
Helen

mac917

I work at Selwyn Ridge and yes Helinuk you are right about the leaky roof but the school isnt going to be knocked down, they have built solid external classrooms on the field and have relocated a section of the school, this was done over xmas so when the kids came back they moved into their new temporary rooms that are decorated, carpeted and heated. There are also proper loos to go with them. They are actually very impressive and the kids none the wiser.
This will go on until the whole school has been re-done with minimal fuss and upheaval.

Am Loolah

Same as is happening at my kids school Tahatai Coast in Papamoa. But it's the whole school affected.

cliffbarrimore

Hi All

anyone tell me what the area around the roads of Kestrel Avenue and the other 'bird' avenues/roads in welcome bay are like? should that area be avoided or is this one of the better areas, it would be good to know as we have just agreed a rental in kestrel avenue for Oct 2010, we were told that Welcome bay is a bit empty, as in shops, but that is not a problem for us, We just dont want troublesome people, got enough of those here in the UK, Being a family of black-belts surprising how quick they leave you alone once you 'stick up' for yourself...

thoughts on the area please..

Cliff

mac917

Funny you should talk about Kestral, ive been part of this thread already and I rent in Lark and have just bought the last section in Kestral with a new build ready to start any day !!!!
There is a lot of mixed opinion about WB, mainly from peeps who have HEARD things - well this area of WB is lovely, its quiet, its friendly, my cul-de-sac is great, we have get togethers in the summer in the middle of the road and everybody looks out for their neighbours when they go away etc. You have a policeman living along Kestral too so what does that tell you ???
The suburb itself isnt bustling but there is an array of shops with a cafe and pub and post office but Fraser cove is 10 mins drive away with your big supermarket and more shops ....... Phsycopandy will also agree with me as she is moving around the corner to us !!!!!!
Pm me if you want any more details, will try to be helpful considering your black belts !!!!! LOL
Mrs Mac917

Psychopandy

"Funny you should talk about Kestral, ive been part of this thread already and I rent in Lark and have just bought the last section in Kestral with a new build ready to start any day !!!" I do hope you are not gloating!! just cos you beat us haha

But apart from that - yes i would generally agree with everything mac says. I can see why the area around Welcome Bay would put some off - and if you listen to the 'hearsay' then you would have an 'opinion' before stepping foot in the place.
I personally like the area, i see the problems, but everywhere has its problems - trying to find somewhere 'perfect' isnt gonna happen . I think you would be very happy around there - theres plenty to do either in Tauranga town, the mount or papamoa which are all within 10 -20 minutes drive or you can catch the bus into town.
We currently live in town, and i love it, but i cant wait for the day we move into Welcome Bay, into our OWN home, for keeps, with the Macs round the corner

Again, if you need any further help, feel free to PM me x

Psycho x

mac917

Hey Physco ...... whats with the GIANT letters, are you shouting cos you are jealous cos we ve signed contracts ??????

Your place will be ten times better than ours anyway as you have a Wembley Stadium sized section !!!!!!

cliffbarrimore

Hi All

thanks for the info, I'll be there at the beginning of October, I'll be the one wandering around with one of my two boxer dogs, or when my stuff arrives, I'll be getting pulled along by one of them !

My wife is currently out transferring some cash about and paying the last of our deposit for the house, so its all systems go, got schools for the kids, my daughter is going to Selwyn Ridge and my boy is going to Tauranga Boys. they are looking forward to getting a second summer holiday..

if anyone has anything We could borrow while we wait 7 weeks for our stuff to arrive, we have bought pump up mattresses and sleeping bags to take over, so it'll be like a LONG camping trip.

Anyone tell me it there a good pet store nearby, our two will be hungry by the time we get them home, they have to have their food reduced before the flight and so it will be best part of two days with no food for them.

To give you some idea where we are going our house backs onto the park and is near a roundabout

Cliff