[Newbe1]

We (My 7 month old son, husband and I) are moving to Auckland soon. His job is in Otara. We are looking to move somewhere in Manukau, Papakura, Pukekohe and would like to know what people have to say about these areas. I realize that those are three large areas, but any information good or bad would be really helpful to us.
Thanks!
Emily

[hball]

Hmmmm. Firstly, Otara... while I realise you are not suggesting living there, if you watch the iconic NZ movie 'Once Were Warriors' it says it all.

Working backwards with your list, Pukekohe is a provincial town some twenty minutes from the Auckland motorway, and very popular. It has grown like mad over the last ten years with many new housing developments on what was once rural farmland.

Papakura carries a bit of a label with parts being seen as lower socio-economic. Still a lot of cheaper housing available, mainly three-bed weatherboard stuff. It also has a 'new' (!) housing concept in Addison Park which we all refer to as an English council estate! BUT, on the outskirts there are some really nice areas, and some very well off ones too such as Karaka (lots of million dollar + properties to drool over) and Clevedon with its vinyards and proposed marina development.

Manukau is a city in it's own right and as such has varied housing and infrastructure. Two large shopping malls, plenty of sporting facilities such as the velodrome, the Botanic Gardens (where NZ holds it's version of the Chelsea Flower Show every November, truly a five* event for such a small country) an events centre, and... we are building an extra 40,000 housing in the next few years to cope with the incoming migrants.

One of the factors which will determine where you will live will be the amount you are prepared to spend on housing, and for something reasonable in these areas allocate a minimum of between $500,000 and $600,000. That will get you a newish property with fours beds etc. in a nice location.

Hope this is of help!

[Newbe1]

That is great information! Thank you. We leave in 7 days so we will soon get to see all these places we've been talking about.
I appriciate your time!
Emily

[Howie]

Come and live in Howick. Not too far from Otara, but close to the village with a wide range of housing options (from expensive to ridiculously expensive). But seriously it's a nice neighbourhood - just wish I could afford to buy here someday.

[Newbe1]

Well, we are here in NZ...FINALLY! We have had a bad first start to finding a place. We moved into a rental home in the redhill area off of Dominion in Papakura. Looked like a nice neighborhood, and we were ready to get into a place. Now we are paying for the mistake. Looking elsewhere now. I would not recommend the east part of Papakura to anyone who has a family and is looking for a safe, quiet place to settle.:no

[Bruckner]

Well, we are here in NZ...FINALLY! We have had a bad first start to finding a place. We moved into a rental home in the redhill area off of Dominion in Papakura. Looked like a nice neighborhood, and we were ready to get into a place. Now we are paying for the mistake. Looking elsewhere now. I would not recommend the east part of Papakura to anyone who has a family and is looking for a safe, quiet place to settle.:no


Yikes! Sorry to hear that Newbe1. I hope you find something quickly.

Emily

[speckythecky]

Hope you didn't have too much of a problem newbe and that you get sorted quickly.

[jubjub]

Sorry to hear you have got a bad rental experience, the first street we stayed in was not the best, was very noisy with music and cars, but I never felt in fear for my safety.

If you can afford it, rent wise, come further north, above Otara to Botany/Howick, or over towards Mt Eden/Mt Smart.

I have heard that Manukau Heights is not too bad, and apparently neither is the area by the Botanic Gdns by Alfriston, if you want to stay south of Otara.