[Milliemoo]

Hi there,

I keep reading about about people asking opinions on whether they can afford to live on x and is earning y enough, and I thought that half the problem is that sometimes you just don't know where you're going to settle. If you're still in the UK, you may know which city/town you'd prefer, but the suburbs can vary HUGELY in what they have to offer and the inpact they'll have on your cost of living.

I thought it might be a good idea to start a 'guide to the suburbs' for all the major towns and cities, so that peeps back in the UK can see how far their budget will stretch.

I've started this Auckland guide, but if others all start their own eg: * Wellington Suburb Guide * and then everyone can add to the thread with information on their own particular suburb. It doesn't matter if more than one person adds info about the same suburb, because not eveyone will know about schools, kindy etc.

It would be good to keep the thread quite focussed though. It would be shame to loose lots of great information in the middle of a cost of living debate :nice1

I'll start this one off and then hopefully others will add to it :D

Milliemoo

[Milliemoo]

DEVONPORT

* Small seaside community only 12 minutes ferry ride from Auckland CBD
* Housing is prodominately Victorian/Edwardian villas
* Lots of local shops/cafes/bars/restaurants
* Large New World supermarket and local farmers market
* All local amenities and services are in walking distance - no need for a car!
* Lots of scenic walks and beaches
* Very friendly community
* Rentals are generally of poor quality and hard to come buy. Expect to pay $550+ for a basic 3 bed villa / $800+ for a 3 bed renovated villa
* Housing is expensive. Expect to pay $750k+ for a basic 3 bed villa / $900k+ for a 3 bed renovated villa
* Using the ferry to get to the CBD is quick and easy, but if your driving it can take anything from 20mins - 45mins to get into town depending on the traffic
* The ferry costs $9 return or you can buy a 10 trip pass for $35. Weekly and monthly passes are also available which offer good value
* There's a good local doctors surgery and also a dentist, opticians, chiropodist and physio.
* There's lots of local events organised in the summer, including a food and wine festival.
* Good local schooling. Walking school bus for the littlies and school bus for those going to Takapuna Grammer
* Great for those working on the shore or CBD, less so for other areas
* Not a big problem with Hoons, but they are here and you do hear them
* Lots of parks and also a golf course.
* Small but adequate local gym
* Lots of organised classes eg: Yoga, Pilates, Dance, Art etc
* Ballet School.
* Close to Takapuna for even more shops, restaurants and a cinema
* If you're renovating your home, it can cost more in Devonport because a lot of tradesmen add on a premium to come 'out here'.

As you can probably tell, I LOVE Devonport :D. I have been trying to think of some bad points, honest. I guess the biggest negative is the cost. We're given up looking for a property to buy at the moment and have just signed another 12 months on our rental.

Here's some links:

http://www.devonport.co.nz/index.htm
http://www.fullers.co.nz/
http://www.devonport.school.nz/front_end/index.php
http://www.annestreetmedical.co.nz/
http://www.devonportfarmersmarket.co.nz/

Milliemoo

[andrewandjane]

WAIHEKE ISLAND

35 mins by Ferry (monthly pass $300)
all sorts of houses from shacks to millionaire mansions
Limited shopping 1 large food supermarket (Woolworths) and a few smaller ones here and there, couple of furniture shops , hardware etc, then lots of touristy type shops but you can get pretty much anything you need but it may be a bit more expensive but its only 35 mins from downtown auckland anyway and you can walk to the downtown warehouse from the ferry!
Bus links around island are pretty good and its inlcuded in monthly ferry pass.
very friendly community
loads of beaches and walks etc
rentals are ok (well ours is) about $300+ for a three bed place per week
houses seem to start at around $400 000 + to buy

Weve been there almost three months and moved from UK and whole family have settled in and got to know people really quickly. If I had to say it was like anywhere in UK as far as people/feel for the place goes as a comparison id say it was like Cornwall was a few years back but better weather.

we love it and wouldnt consider living anywhere else now, even though weve only been here a few months.:D

[Tia Maria]

Great idea Milliemoo.

I think you've pretty much covered Devonport - so nothing for me to add! But I just thought I'd put a link to this thread, which has a couple of areas on also:

www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9052

Cheers

Tia

[gil]

This is a really good idea, Milliemoo :yes

Howick

We have settled very happily in the Howick area of Auckland, south east Auckland to be precise. I have cut and pasted from the zillions (OK, 1,309 to date) of posts I have put on here about this area and its schools and attractions etc. NB This is purely from my family's point of view :D

http://www.howickvillage.co.nz/

This is a suburb in the south east of the city. We are about 1 minute from the beach, with another about 6-7 minutes' walk. It is a very family oriented area, with great schools, local shops, access to bigger shops at Botany Town Centre/Sylvia Park and a 40 minute commute to the CBD by ferry, or by car, anything from 35-110 minutes! It is about 30 minutes' commute to Manukau City.
Howick has a good library and a lovely range of shops, including antique shops and Tom Kroons Music Store which sells everything from ukuleles to pianos and can recommend good music teachers locally.
There is a wide range of worship places too, including a Sikh Temple about 15 mins drive away.

It's not everyone's cup of tea obviously, but it suits our family (me, OH and daughters 16 and 9, son 11. Plus 19 year-old daughter visiiting from UK!)

We live in the Bucklands Beach area and have excellent schools nearby, but it is a decile 10 zone, which means school contribution fees and house prices are high.

Our youngest (9) goes to Pigeon Mountain Primary, great school, in the same site as Bucklands Beach Intermediate, where our son (11) goes. That is around the corner from Macleans College where our 16 year old goes. Also great school.
http://www.pigeon-mountain.school.nz (http://www.pigeon-mountain.school.nz/)

http://www.bbi.school.nz (http://www.bbi.school.nz/)

http://www.macleans.school.nz (http://www.macleans.school.nz/)

Pakuranga College has a good rep too, also Farm Cove and Somerville Intermediates, Bucklands Beach Primary, Cockle Bay Primary and Owairoa, the largest Primary in NZ!

As far as socialising goes, we do most of ours at home or at friends' homes. There are some good restaurants here: La Mama on Eastern Beach, Lou-Lou on the Beach, The Barracuda (on The Parade) and The Beach House, also The Parade. Howick has some good bars/eateries, including Basalt and The Barrell Inn (Irish pub).

Sprots are well catered too, with Lloyd Ellsmore being the location of swimming pools (FREE!!), athletics club, rugby, football ( still resisting "soccer"), cricket, hockey, netball, and most others. Bucklands Beach Yacht Club has moorings and is a great place to learn to sail. There are three tennis clubs, two bowling clubs and a partridge in a pear tree. Well, definitely the tennis and bowling clubs.

We love it here, and will happily answer PMs for further info.

Gil

[Milliemoo]

Thanks to those who have posted so far :nice1

Milliemoo

[Milliemoo]

I see there's someone else asking about surburbs, so now's a good oportunity to add everything you know about where you live :nice1

Milliemoo

[RamblingPaddies]

* Rentals are generally of poor quality and hard to come buy. Expect to pay $550+ for a basic 3 bed villa / $800+ for a 3 bed renovated villa

Milliemoo

miliemoo - great post

are those prices for a week or a month ?

[dharder]

are those prices for a week or a month ?

That'll be for a week.

I'll contribute to the thread once we actually live there, we will be moving to Glendowie/Glen Innes. Although I think I'll start to say Glendowie as that is where the children's school is and we are in the zone for that (posher, too :))

Daniela

[Milliemoo]

Yes, per week unfortunately. Devonport is a lot of things, but cheap ain't one of them :no

Milliemoo

[Smalley]

Brilliant Idea Milliemoo. You've created a most informative thread.:nice1
Thank you also, to all the other contributors. Keep up the great work.
It's a big place (Auckland). We need all the help we can get!
M, M, C & E

[Milliemoo]

Brilliant Idea Milliemoo. You've created a most informative thread.:nice1
Thank you also, to all the other contributors. Keep up the great work.
It's a big place (Auckland). We need all the help we can get!
M, M, C & E

No worries :nice1

Could do with a few more suburbs added though.

Milliemoo

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi All.
I thought I would add a bit about Albany,
We have now been here over 6 months and we love it. Although it is becoming very built up there are still plenty of houses on good sections for that bit of privacy most people require.
Until our house is built we are more than happy to stay here and when it is built we are only 5 minutes drive to Albany centre.
Albany is in 2 sections . You have Albany village which still maintains that village feel and then you have the mega centre and now the new Westfield centre which has over 140 shops. Albany is very spread out and it is a shoppers paradise with most things available in some part of Albany.
There are 2 main super markets, New World and Pak'n Save and numerous fruit and vegetable stores.
The houses are mainly less than 10 years old and new ones are being built all the time.
The schools are very good and with Massey University in the middle of it all , you will not go far wrong with the schooling here although it is pretty good anywhere on the North Shore.
Albany is well placed to get to beaches,and anywhere else really and the only major problem is the commute over the bridge into Central Auckland which in the rush hours can take you well over an hour to get there.
This may be improved once the bus lane is open early 2008 but only time will tell.
Out of the rush and you can get from Albany to the Sky Tower in less than 20 minutes.
This is an ideal place for families with a large choice of housing

Hope this helps

Dave and Caroline
http://www.albany.school.nz/
http://www.ajhs.school.nz/albanyonline/
http://auckland.massey.ac.nz/
http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/have_your_say/Albany-centre/albany_centre_project.htm
http://www.vgminigolf.co.nz/
http://www.albanypreschool.co.nz/
http://www.rwalbanyvillage.co.nz/home
http://www.albanyseniorhigh.school.nz/default.asp
http://albanynz.com/portal/news

[Andy&Carol]

Milliemoo, this is a FANTASTIC idea. We've got no idea where we'll end up, and I, for one, will find this thread a great help. Thanks very much.

Carol x

[Tia Maria]

I've noticed a lot of posts recently with general enquiries about Auckland Suburbs and thought we could maybe give Milliemoo's thread a bit of revival.

So if you are in an Auckland suburb and can say something about it which you think might be helpful or interesting to newbies you could put it here. Or even if you lived in one and it didn't suit you - too expensive, not enough nightlife, too built up etc

Don't worry if your suburb has already been covered, I'm sure more can always be added - details of schools, beaches, commute time, best take out place etc etc.

It would be particularly good if we could highlight some of the lesser known suburbs that maybe don't get mentioned as much.

Cheers

Tia

[Steadybears]

We hoping to go to hamilton and so would love someone to give us all the info from there - all so interesting though.

Tks Jayne

[Alan]

Just wanted to give this thread a nudge, I would be interested to know which areas to really avoid as well with some qualification i.e. through personal experience etc

[ers99w]

What neighborhood do people live in if they attend U. Auckland? I'd like to be within walking distance...

thanks!

[gil]

Hi All.
I thought I would add a bit about Albany,
We have now been here over 6 months and we love it. Although it is becoming very built up there are still plenty of houses on good sections for that bit of privacy most people require.
Until our house is built we are more than happy to stay here and when it is built we are only 5 minutes drive to Albany centre.
Albany is in 2 sections . You have Albany village which still maintains that village feel and then you have the mega centre and now the new Westfield centre which has over 140 shops. Albany is very spread out and it is a shoppers paradise with most things available in some part of Albany.
There are 2 main super markets, New World and Pak'n Save and numerous fruit and vegetable stores.
The houses are mainly less than 10 years old and new ones are being built all the time.
The schools are very good and with Massey University in the middle of it all , you will not go far wrong with the schooling here although it is pretty good anywhere on the North Shore.
Albany is well placed to get to beaches,and anywhere else really and the only major problem is the commute over the bridge into Central Auckland which in the rush hours can take you well over an hour to get there.
This may be improved once the bus lane is open early 2008 but only time will tell.
Out of the rush and you can get from Albany to the Sky Tower in less than 20 minutes.
This is an ideal place for families with a large choice of housing

Hope this helps

Dave and Caroline
http://www.albany.school.nz/
http://www.ajhs.school.nz/albanyonline/
http://auckland.massey.ac.nz/
http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/have_your_say/Albany-centre/albany_centre_project.htm
http://www.vgminigolf.co.nz/
http://www.albanypreschool.co.nz/
http://www.rwalbanyvillage.co.nz/home
http://www.albanyseniorhigh.school.nz/default.asp
http://albanynz.com/portal/news

Isn't Pinehurst College an Albany one? I know they do Cambridge exams there and it has a good name.

Gil

[jshack52]

Browns Bay:
Nice clean swimming beach
good primary schools - see browns bay primary
most homes rangi college zoned - which i understand is a good college
- there are a couple of preschools for under 5s and some kindergartens (2-5). I have been put on the waiting list for a local pre-school and the best i could find was a 6 month wait. Others are a year so if you are planning to move here get them on the list from the UK. The cost for a FT place is around $230 pw.
Good variety of shops compared to the other beach side suburbs:
all the big banks have a branch here
3 supermarkets (foodtown, woolworths and new world)
lots of veg stores and a few butchers
a small farmers for clothes and homewares
a large post office
an English pub and a few more upmarket bars which serve food in the day
starbucks plus other cafes
usual town shops such as dvd shops, toy shop and book shops
There is a decent library with good opening hours and the internet for those of you who need internet access when you first get here (it is free)
-plunket office in the council offices on the village green (= health visitor)
-new migrants advice service - again in the council offices on the village green
-job centre place on the high street - can help with tax credits and the community services cards
-good number of different doctors surgeries (all the ones we went to have vacancies)
-a couple of dentists on the high street
-there is is a market come carboot on sunday morning where you can get fruit , veg, eggs, homemakes cakes. Plus all the other stuff on the average car boot.
-there is a lesuire centre (does not have a pool) but does a variety of fitness classes etc
- there is a tennis and squash club near the park
- there are a couple of nice private gyms and a pilates place (again no pool just fitness equipment and classes)
- there is a childrens play area on the beach front reserve with swings and climbing frames and a larger park with pond and fields etc about 5 mins walk out of the villiage.
-there are lots of council arranged free events in browns bay in the summer such as open air cinema, fairies and pirates day for the kids, teddy bears picnics, south africa day - to name a few
-there is a skate park next to the playground next to the beach
- there is a boatclub with access for getting the boat onto the beach (i dont think you have to be a beach club member to use the launch thing?)
- there are buses into auckland and it takes about 1 hour to central auckland or 30 mins to takapuna or the north shore hospital. It may be quicker to central auckland now the new motorway bus lane has opened but have not tried it yet.
Houses are priced from around £420,000 for a 2 or 3 bed property all the way up to over 1 million but the average family home, detached and nice inside with four beds would set you back somewhere between $600,000 and $750,000.
Rental prices range from $350 pw for 2 beds to about $500 pw to $700 pw for a four plus house. It very much depends on the location and how close you are to the beach. There are some modern apartments on the beach front that have a gym and pool and they are about 475 per week. As an example our place is 5 mins walk from the village and beach and had 2 beds (semi detached house)and is £370 pw.

All in all Browns Bay is lovely and is a clean and safe place to live with good schools. I would recommend it, especially for those of you with children. It is def more of a family area.

Any questions feel free to message me and will do my best to help

Jess

[Amy]

What would be a recommended neighborhood for a single-professional. I'm looking for a good community with a mix of professional and family residents. Planning to arrive in Auckland in June or July. Thanks for any advice.

[Familyofmonkeys]

What would be a recommended neighborhood for a single-professional. I'm looking for a good community with a mix of professional and family residents. Planning to arrive in Auckland in June or July. Thanks for any advice.

Would you be wanting to have a house/apartment or would you be looking to house/flat share with other people? Might affect what sort of area you choose/can afford?