qssue

Hi, thanks for all of your previous help regarding our move. We have looked at Auckland, Christchurch and Palmerston North, but it looks like the job offer for me will be Wellington. Does anyone have any views upon where to start looking for a home and if we should rent or buy? We are looking for a lifestyle property, 5 beds and at least 2 acres. Currently, we have 3 acres and live in the middle of the woods in the Forest of Dean!!!!! My kids are aged 3 and 7, husband will be a househusband and I will be working as a QS in Wellington. I am really worried about finding a suitable home/school. Salary expectation $110ish???? Will this be ok to live on and have enough for a social life? Sorry for all of the questions, but reality check and doubts creeping in...........

Kiwikaye

Hi, congratulations on the job. I haven't live in Wellington, but friends have recently moved up there, and they are living on the Kapiti Coast. Try trademe.co.nz for rental and properties for sale - I believe you are more likely to get a property with some land out that way. I know there's quite a few expats in Wellington so I'm sure some of the will give you some more advice soon!

MrsFychan

we live 30min train ride away from Wellington just before you hit Kapiti Coast and must say love the little bay we have landed up in. there are life style blocks around this and as Kiwikaye has said have a look at trademe and open2view for available plots. further North you go less windy it is but then you will have to take travel to work into account. $110 is doable depending on your out goings like mortgage and household bills, clubs for the kids and school funds

Browner_

Wellington is the capital and is quite short of land. Especially flat land. How much are you expecting to pay for this property with 5 beds and at least 2 acres?????

MOSO

It's quite achievable as long as you're willing to commute. If you come up the Kapiti Coast way the land is flat, the weather is much better than Wellington (usually 5+degrees more, less windy and sunnier) and the beaches are long, sandy and safe for kids. Your other options are to go for Upper Hutt area which is inland but still commutable. If you want more for your money still, you could look at south Wairarapa, although the vineyards can be expensive! There is a train link through the tunnel under the Rimutaka mountains. Driving is more interesting and not a route I would do every day, but there are plenty who do.

My friend's next door neighbour's house is for sale in Peka Peka (5 beds, 2.5 acres for $838,000: 428,000 pounds) which is 5 mins drive from Waikanae station which is then 1 hour to Wellington. The beach is at the end of the road and there are school buses to good primary schools either Te Horo, Waikanae or Kapanui and secondary schools in Otaki or Paraparaumu (I'd go for Paraparaumu). The neighbour the other side keeps alpaccas: http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/re...-496941457.htm

Other friends live inland at Reikorangi in the hills behind Waikanae and park at the station. There's also Nikau Valley near Paraparaumu which is full of modern lifestyle blocks but only 5 mins to Paraparaumu station. http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/re...-504029907.htm

Closer to Wellington, the other area you could consider is around Porirua, although you will need to pick your area VERY carefully. Here's one in a good area close to local primary schools with 11 acres and 5 bedrooms for $890,000: 450,000 pounds http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/re...-461956550.htm

If you want any help with particular areas/schools etc. then feel free to PM me.

MOSO

A couple more thoughts - make sure you check out the proposed route of the transmission gully expressway out of Wellington which will run up the Kapiti coast (if they ever build it). The proposed routes have changed various times so look closely when buying. http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/tra...lly/index.html http://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/Plann...pressway-Maps/

Closer to Wellington is Makara which is the other side of Karori. Karori has good primary schools but it often covered in cloud. Makara gets the brunt of the Wellington wind off the Cook Strait. Rugged is probably a good way to describe it, but there are plenty of lifestyle blocks within 20 mins drive of the CBD, but it could take a lot longer in rush hour. The prices are alot higher of course for example: http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/li...-423714262.htm

qssue

Thanks everyone, and I will certainly take up the offers of further information, it is all so confusing from this side of the water! We did look at the Masterton area, as the schools looked good, Hadlow school etc????? Any views?

MOSO

Masterton is a pleasant kiwi town with great parks and a large swimming pool complex, plus the usual shops. It is surrounded by farmland and the shops reflect this. The weather is better than on the west coast too, although some summers suffers from lots of flies. It definitely has great schools. My friend teaches at Hadlow and it is certainly an excellent school and the grounds look lovely, quite small I think. It is state-integrated which basically means private. I think the fees are around $6000 per year but you'd need to check and there is an interview process to go through. Her kids go to Rathkeale which is the follow-on boys secondary school which also has an excellent reputation. The girls' equivalent is St Matt's or Solway. They are boarding schools.

Masterton and the Wairarapa itself are isolated from the rest of NZ without the good beaches that you get on the Kapiti side, hence the lower house prices. It is a long commute with access to Wellington either by train through the tunnel or over the Rimutaka hill road which isn't good if you get car sick or when its snowy or windy as it gets closed, but it has improved greatly in the last couple of years with some bends being smoothed and overtaking lanes added, I do wish they'd add some more crash barriers though. I'll attach a photo to give you an idea.

To access the rest of NZ, you need to go through the Manawatu gorge to Palmeston North. This has been closed for months due to massive land slips, but I think it has reopened recently - how long for is anyone's guess. The detours are slow over the hills, especially when you're stuck behind lorries but not too bad.

You will get more for your money that side for the above reasons. If I was you I'd probably stay in Wellington initially, even if in a motel for a couple of weeks and then go to the Wairarapa to see what you think and also explore Upper Hutt which you go through on SH2 to Masterton and also have a look up the Kapiti coast and see which lifestyle and area will suit you.

qssue

Thanks, I am so paronid about schooling. My little girl is very bright, clearly a throwback from generations ago!!!! She has the ability of a 10 year old at 6. I am also concerned about Jack who at 3 when we move over could be attending school at 4 years and 4 months here, would not be entitled to attend until he was 5 in NZ. If we did come back after 2 years, I am scared that we would have disadvantaged the kids with their education. We are moving because My husband wants to retire from the British Police and my job prospects in the UK as a chartered Quantity Surveyor who has been self employed for 6 years are minimal. It is the right time for us, Glenn has wanted to do it for years, but now is right for us

My real fears are getting it wrong for the kids as we have a say in our future, they don't...........scared.......apologies for lots of questions, but the help you give, as most of you have been there, is invaluable. Thank you. xxxxx

MOSO

Your kids are at a great age to move. Depending on birthdays they may go up or down a school year. My daughter's birthday is in April and we had a choice whether we wanted her to start in year 4 or year 5. There is far greater flexibility in the sytem here.

Of course schools and the curriculum here are different to UK and you have to accept that. Some things your kids/school do you'll think great, others you may not same as anywhere really. I've done my teacher training here in NZ so I may be a bit biased, but I find it gives the kids a good rounded education and is less narrow than the UK curriculum without the emphasis on testing. Personally I like the freedom my kids have here, they can go and play on the school field/equipment at the weekends or after school and the school gates are never locked. There is also extensive shading over the younger kids' equipment and sunhats are obligatory for days like today when it's warm and sunny

Most schools will have gifted and talented programmes in place with some kids in this area going into Wellington to receive extra support. A lot of primary schools enter children in the Australian ICAS exams if they are academically minded, at my kids' primary it is a parental choice. I also remember Mrs F's child recently went on a workshop in Wellington I think to extend her creative writing as she is talented in that area. You should find schools really helpful and friendly here. When we first arrived we arranged visits to schools in Lower Hutt, Karori, Whitby and then up the Kapiti coast where we've ended up. Don't be afraid to ask loads of questions.

Your fears are quite normal, we all had them. Just remember NZ is different to the UK and your kids are still young and adaptable.

ExKiwilass

Rathkeale has a good rep now? Ha.

qssue

What does this mean???????????? Is it not so good?????

cappuccino

http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/li...-526100784.htm
I know this is only 4 beds but there are other lifestyle blocks in this area.
Horokiwi is really close to Wellington (first exit off SH2 coming out of Wellington)

Browner_

IMO Your kids will not thank you for dumping them with Masterton. 2 hours is enough there for me <<shivers>>

Grayling

That's unfair.......what about the sheep shearing contests and the sheep museum?

Riveting stuff