wez130

I've looked at a lot of threads on here but not seen anything like this, and i guess it might be helpful, especially for people like me.

We're planning our move to NZ next year but we don't know where we want to live eventually, fortunately, we're in a position where we have somewhere to stay until we buy / rent, but we can't decide, we don't know whether the neighbourhood is good, whether there are many job prospects etc..

So, my question to you, as you've already been through what we are going through, is....

1. Where do you live?
2. Do you like it?
3. Are there many job prospects there?
4. What are your town's / city's amenities like?
5. Is there much crime?
6. Would you move if you had the chance?
7. Anything else we should know?

I ask these because, we've seen properties that are still quite cheap in towns such as Tokoroa, which are 45 minutes from Rotorua and an hour from Hamilton, and within not too long driving distance from AKL. We also like Tauranga, but that's getting quite expensive now. Whangerei is also an option, but again, we have no idea what it's like to live there. So i guess our best option is to ask people like you. We just don't want to end up in a bad neighbourhood with no work prospects and nothing to do.

Thanks

MrsFychan

Perhaps you need to state where you are going to be working as it would be pointless for me living on the Kapiti Coast if you are working nearer to Hamilton area.

LoCarb

House prices are a good indication of desirability.

Genesis

All these potential answers are very subjective. And furthermore what someone else may love you may well hate. I live somewhere very few people would choose. Palmerston North. We came here cos the ex's job that she was offered was here. Would I chose it given the time again? Maybe not. But its not a 'bad' place IMO. But that is only my opinion.

Crime is omnipresent, you get spikes and its just the luck of the draw if you are a victim or not. I feel safe in NZ. But that is just my perception, but horrible crimes are going down everyday here. Some poor bloke was murdered here cos he got the 'stop/go' sign he was operating a bit wrong and caused a minor accident. Was not even in the spur of the moment 'instant arming' thing. It was calculated murder at a later juncture. NZ is far from benign.

As far as where will you find happiness here will only be found out as and when you choose somewhere and live it.

I recently moved across town. I had no idea what the street or the neighbours/neighbourhood would be like. Turned out all good. But you could move to your 'perfect' town and have your world turned up side down by shite neighbours. In the news yesterday was just that. And it ended up in a double stabbing and one death over noisy neighbours.

My point is that its all a risk. The country we choose, the town, the job and even the partner we choose.

Just do your research. The rest is in the lap of the gods. One man's meat...........

You will only know what anywhere is like when you have lived there a bit. Not wishing to be obtuse, just very honest with you. It's all a bit of a gamble for us all eh? Life, emigrating, love, driving et al.

LoCarb

PN is not that bad Gen....just crap weather

BEVS

Yup. You just can't know.

We're at the Top of the South Island so not relevant to the OPs questions I 'spect.

Genesis

that's the one thing I never have a problem with funnily enough!!!

wez130

That's the beauty of it, i can literally choose where i like subject to affordability.
I'm a head chef and without meaning to sound big headed, i should be able to walk into most places and get on with it.

I'm not going to judge my choice from your answers, but i can gauge an idea of how an area might be from your answers. I know crime happens all over the country.

Ideally, i would like to be as close to AKL as possible, but without the cost of houses there. I don't want a mortgage that's going to cripple us financially. I also want a decent range of job opportunities that aren't seasonal, i guess that's what everyone wants though!

escapedtonz

Ok then I'll kick it off. You're an adult and can decide for yourself whether or not to take my answers on board or not

1. Where do you live?
At the moment Bethlehem, Tauranga but soon we'll be in our newly build castle in Te Puna over the river North of Tauranga.

2. Do you like it?
Yes. Very much, but I came to NZ to change my lifestyle and that of my family's so we are only living where we are as it's affordable and a great place to live if residential suburbia is your thing. We are soon going living rural for a complete change.

3. Are there many job prospects there?
Yes but obviously not as much as Auckland, Wellington or Hamilton. There are many restaurants which I spose is good for you.

4. What are your town's / city's amenities like?
Very good and getting better all the time. Tauranga is reportedly the fastest growing city in NZ and has been for all the time we've been living in NZ 4.5yrs.

5. Is there much crime?
Not really. Hardly any serious crime. Obviously all the petty stuff but it is a really safe place to live.

6. Would you move if you had the chance?
Nah. We were originally living in Wellington and after one visit to Mt. Maunganui for a summer weekend break we were hooked and set the plans in place to move up here as soon as we could.

7. Anything else we should know?
No matter where you move to it'll be tough as it's a new life in a new place without any family or friends to give you that support.
Weather/climate is good up here. On par with Auckland and The Coromandel but without the high prices...well they are getting more expensive but still a way off Auckland as yet.
No real traffic issues.
Best beach resort in NZ at The Mount.
Kiwi growing capital of NZ.

Be careful looking at places that are significantly cheaper than elsewhere. There is always a reason for that. Low population, no jobs and low demand means the cost of land and property will be low. Although Tokaroa seems fine when driving through and stopping off at the shops I guess it is a lower socio-economic area ? I believe it is predominantly Maori much like Rotorua and Whakatane with a long Maori history ?
Would I live there......? No. It's too much small town in the middle of nowhere for me.
Whangerei is nice. We spent some time there on holiday but again, would I live there.....? No. To far North for me and away from civilization.

Bo-Jangles

So how close to Auckland are we talking - 1 hour either way of the centre and you're essentially still in Auckland which is really as much commuting as anyone can stomach on a daily basis to be a viable work location. Places 'close' enough to Auckland without paying Auckland house prices are very few and far between.

Around Auckland you have Hamilton to the south and Whangerei to the North - Whangerei is hardly the culinary centre of the universe and I doubt much chef work there. Farther North you're into either large areas of rural deprivation and unemployment or backpackers and holiday territory with heavily seasonal work.

North west coast is out of the question - absolutely nothing doing there.

To the South of Auckland we have Hamilton (and not much else in between) Hamilton does have quite a lot of restaurants in the high street but it's essentially a student town and a pretty naff place to live.

Further afield (3 hours or more)in south easterly direction there's Coromandel and Tauranga which again are also heavily reliant on tourists industry and work likely to be seasonal.

There are a few little places dotted around the periphery to the North of Auckland such as Kumeu and Matakana which are a bit trendy with hipsters, foodies and winery stuff going on. Close to Auckland is Waiheke Island - lots of high end chef work there in vineyards and restaurants but would probably be seasonal but I guess some potential in those place to pick up a permanent gig.

Moses2013

Maybe. However, it might also mean that you've found a good place before others have and can expect more growth than elsewhere. A local band might be playing a free gig today, but they could be filling an arena in a few years time. And just because there seem to be fewer jobs in an area doesn't mean people are worse off and there's more crime. Maybe most of the people are mortgage free, farmers etc. while in a so called exclusive area people have far less due to huge mortgages.

Charismatic

1. Where do you live? In a house.
2. Do you like it? It's better than living outside a house.
3. Are there many job prospects there? Lots of odd jobs mowing lawns, feeding pets, hoovering etc.
4. What are your town's / city's amenities like? Well we have a few shops, cafes etc. Your never far from the sea in New Zealand.
5. Is there much crime? Well it was a nice part of town before I moved in.
6. Would you move if you had the chance? Like all British people I dream of moving to Bradford or Middlesbrough really.
7. Anything else we should know? I like cabbage and potatoes.

SSky

Rangiora is nice, come here, lots of nice places to eat out hence I expect lots of jobs for good chefs.
Close to the city but who needs Christchurch when we already have everything we need right here in town.
Great weather when the sun shines, nice and fresh, no humidity.
Close to loads of gorgeous beaches but also close to the great outdoors for nature lovers and the ski slopes are not to much of a drive to get to if you're into that kind of thing. Not for me ... Brrr and EEEEeeek come to mind.

Mishclark

Rangiora is very nice SSky, we nearly bought a house there in Park Street in 2009, ended up in Avonhead instead...last went there for a look around in 2013 when I was visiting CHCH..still think Rangy is lovely..!

Am heading back end of next year....at least I know the areas very well now!

wez130

We are going to North island to live but will visit south Island when we're there.

Only 10 weeks today and we'll be flying to NZ for a 3 week visit. Will be looking at areas when we get there, got a weekend in Paihia booked and a weekend in Auckland city centre too.