AshNLD

My wife and I are moving from Holland to Christchurch on a professional assignment this month. We'll be staying there for a few months.

What's a great location for a young, professional couple without kids? We like cosmopolitan culture, but would also love waterfront living - is this possible in ChCh?

Rentwise we want to spend around $3000 pm - will this get us something comfy? Are there apartments with pools/gyms?

I'll be working, she won't - so getting around town easily would be one criteria. Another one is getting out into nature. Are there hills or beaches nearby - while the summer still's there hopefully.

Just looking for some ideas from folks out there....

Thanks a lot!

alanmacc

Hi and welcome, you said your rent budjet was $3000 per month ! for that range I would be looking in the areas or Redcliffs, St Andrews Hill and Sumner, all are rigght on the water front with plenty of walks just behind you there are nre apartments just built in ferrymead with a lap pool and a gym. Hope this helps

Black Sheep

You probably will only get the waterfront AND the 'cosmopolitan culture' in either central Chch (Avon River) or Sumner (beach) and maybe Redcliffs. $3000 per month should get you something very comfy (presumably furnished?)

Contact real estate agencies like Harcourts, First National, Simes and others to find out about furnished rentals available for the time period you'll be here. Best to start your search right away.

You can also look up properties to let on

http://www.trademe.co.nz

By the way, you do need to think about safety and how you feel about that, downtown Chch can get - hmmm how to put it? - a little ROWDY and hoon-ish, especially in the evenings.

Also, you would have to drive out of central Chch to get to the nature and hills. Sumner is a better bet from that point of view, it has the cafes and restaurants and cinema and boutiques plus of course the beautiful beach, and it has hill tracks for hiking/mountain biking, but it is a bit of distance from the city (I can't remember exactly how far, but I'd guess at least 20 minutes drive).

South Christchurch (Lower Cashmere, St Martins, Beckenham Loop) is one other possibility, it has the Heathcote River and easy access to the hills for hiking/Mountain biking, plus it's probably the best location for getting easily to everywhere interesting: 10 minutes up Dyers Pass Road over Cashmere Hill to Governor's Bay on Lyttelton Harbour (from where you can drive on to lots of little beaches on the route to Lytellton, or drive the other way towards Diamond Harbour and explore the Banks Peninsula), 10 minutes to downtown, 15 minutes to the beaches and Lyttelton (a groovy little harbourside town, which has a ferry over to Diamond Harbour). The problem for you would be that South Chch has a few popular cafes scattered about, but not much else in the way of 'cosmopolitan culture' within walking distance, but it's only 10 minutes drive (or there's a regular bus service) right into the center of the city....

(Someone else has already replied to you since I started this. So we both have mentioned Sumner and Redcliffs, I don't know about St Andrews Hill though)

EDIT: p.s. if I didn't have a car, I would prefer to be in Sumner than in Redcliffs for the ease of being able to walk out of my house and have variety of places to get to/things to do nearby. I would expect it's easier to meet people there too. But Redcliffs is closer to the rest of Chch....

Black Sheep

Here's an idea of what you could get for your money in Sumner:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Pr...-201050731.htm

Dustybin

If you aren't set on the coast there are lots of places that are good to live around the area. Don't be drawn into the whole Pomme attitude that is is all gangs and scarey folk around the city. We live in st albans about 10mins walk from merivale (posh folk!) and about 15 to the city centre. OK so there is some car noise but with the right house you won't notice it.

Stay in a motel for a week and sort out something when you get here. Easy to do and you won't end up somewhere that doesn't suit.

Good luck and make your own judgement when you get here! Most of all enjoy the area and have fun!

AshNLD

Hey Guys,

Thanks so much for the answers! I am taking a print-out of this and keeping it for my place-hunt!!

Really appreciate it :-)

Ash

Yotty

Best to steer clear of Manchester Ave though ..

Browner_

Best of luck finding that in ChCh.

Black Sheep

The apartment complex in Ferrymead that alanmacc referred to above must be:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Pr...-199653168.htm

CAN2NZ

I would have thought Manchester Street was the only place that comes close to a vibrant cosmopolitan atmospher in Christchurch. Christchurch is sort of like Bournemouth meets Gillingham.

harrogate girl

Hi have you been down Manchester St at night? its the Red Light main st, the one st that the girl was teken from and later found murdered and left in the Avon river just a few week back.
And I have to say it is quite active even at mid day But after all it is legal so yes its vibrant.
Lin

CAN2NZ

I think that that was my point, Chch does not seem cosmopolitan to me at all and Manchester Street is about as interesting as it gets.

Browner_

..and the winner plays Northampton in the next round

Browner_

Cosmopolitan means:

* common to or representative of all or many parts of the world; not national or local

* not bound by local or national habits or prejudices; at home in all countries or places

* characterized by worldly sophistication; fashionable, urbane, etc.

I would have to say Christchurch is the most un-cosmopolitan place Ive been

Dustybin

Mmm

so cosmopolitan means a McDonalds resturant then...