mum-dad-3-little people

Hi All
Is it me or do all the gardens you look at on Estate agents web pages seem small. Are gardens not a big thing in NZ especially South Island?
Am i searching for the wrong thing??? I have 2 small boys 3 & 4 who love running wild in the garden and kicking a football but most houses have postage stamp gardens.
Has anyone else found this ????
Best wishes
Jackie

j19fmm

You need to look for the Kiwi quarter acre - somewhere around the 1000m2 mark. Lots of property has been subdivided so if its a house number and a letter A or B it'll only be on half the original plot. If the details say 'cute' 'tidy' or 'low maintenance' likely that'll mean small too. But hey it's fun looking at houses eh?

mum-dad-3-little people

Hi j19fmm
That was quick
Great info thanks. Heard lots about sub-divisions so will check out that info with estate agent, and watch out for the key words.
Best wishes
Jackie

lapsed kiwi

A lot of gardens are very small, partly because houses are quite big and mainly single-level. We struggled to find a house with decent garden in north Auckland.

CAN2NZ

Yes, where we were living in Chch sections were typically in the 650 square meter range. That was the area west south of Memorial and east of the airport (I hope I have that right).

Land values have become so expensive that lot sizes have decreased.

There is an international house price study done each year, I just can't think of its name. It compares not just price to average income, but also the size of section a house is built on along with the size of the house being built.

We wanted to have a larger garden also and that is one of the reasons we ended up in Rangiora. Properties in Rolleston, to the southwest of Chch can be a very nice size, but then you have to live there. It is ok for some I suppose but wasn't for us.

chocolate cake

Yeah, I've noticed so many plots seem to be sub divided, with houses on top of each other. All very strange really, I'm such the average semi in the UK has more garden and privacy.

CAN2NZ

It was the skyrocketing land prices that drove people to do it, plus the fact that the council supported infill housing to boost density in the city. This goes with the under investment in roads in favour of trying to force people to use the bus. Christchurch is not Manhatten though I wonder that it thinks it is. Only 19000 persons ride the bus here each day. Building greater urban density of the style done does not build the ridership.

mum-dad-3-little people

That's great everyone, thanks for that.
So are we going to just have to make do with a diddy garden until we find something better and bigger when we get out there?
Or will paying more rent give us the bigger garden? or are they the same regardless of cost?

mum-dad-3-little people

what's Rollestone like i here good & bad about it?
Rangiora seems to be really popular with Brits, its sounds like a great place but very large town like. I am trying to visualise about the size of Exeter in Devon UK, and i miles of or spot on?

CAN2NZ

Rangiora has a population of 10,000

Rolleston is really a housing development built around a grocery store and a string of shops next to the soccer field.

Rangiora is a service centre for the surrounding hamlets and farms with some local manufacturing.

Rolleston is going to be picking up the Designline bus company as it relocates from Ashburton. I think many people in Rolleston must work on that south side of Chch behind Riccarton in all those factories. I say that as from a commuting side it looks convenient.

howden40

The 'modern' houses do have small gardens, that's why we went for an older property. They are cheaper so what we saved on the property we are putting into an extension. Have 3 bedrooms - one is being converted into a bathroom and walk in wardrobe for a new bedroom. Lounge is being extended. Downstairs having 'grannie flat' and new double garage. Also having decking going 3/4 away around the house.
So we'll have 3 bed upstairs and 1 bed downstairs with own shower and walk in wardrobe, lounge into garden.

Depends on where you want to live. Originally I wanted to live 'out of town' and have a 1-2 acre plot. But decided on arrival that it would be easier to meet people and make friends if lived in the populated areas. And I will say I have made the right choice. Ex-Pats we have met who have chosen to live in less densly populated area love it but do feel 'cut off' and have more difficulty with meeting up with people.

But the price you pay for a more populated area is a much smaller garden.

Hope this helps
Pauline

Dustybin

You just have to look around and pick your spot. We've just had an offer excepted a 902m2 subdivision not far from the city in CHCH. They do exist. I suppose depends on where you are from, but where in the UK can you get a big garden in the UK within 5 mins of the city centre?

mum-dad-3-little people

Thanks for all that info everyone.
Have been looking again today and there are some houses with bigger gardens kicking about, i guess its just getting to know areas. But that's the problem we are having at the mo with rentals as we have not been to CH yet so have no clue. That's why i have posted a new question today to see if i can get any ideas of areas to look at and ones to avoid like the plague.
Would like to know which area have the highest crime rates etc.
So perhaps you good people can help me there to please.
Jackie

TeamEmbo

No Rangiora is nowhere near as big as Exeter!!! Like I replied on one of your other threads, there is only 1 street with shops and cafes! I live Southbrook end and it only takes me 10 minutes to walk to the townstreet from here.

mum-dad-3-little people

Thanks TeamEmbo that puts my mind at rest
Will carry on searching.