[Oregonkiwi]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=76&objectid=10462441&pnum=0

The article is mainly about Auckland's unaffordability, but it ends with this list:

So, with the disclaimer that this list isn't definitive, here are five of the best places to live in New Zealand.

Waipu has Bream Bay's sweeping beaches, a Celtic flavour from its Scottish settlement roots, diverse job prospects from its proximity to Whangarei (port, refinery, retail), vineyards and construction.

Te Awamutu is an easy commute to Hamilton, and is nestled in dairy heartland. You can snare a three-bedroom home for about $300,000. Bayleys' Mark Dawe says he gets lots of inquiries from Aucklanders. "They're either coming back to their roots, or for the pace of life, or cost of living."

New Plymouth lays claim to city sophistication without the costs, congestion and hassle. Drawcards include the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, the TSB Bowl of Brooklands stadium and proximity to Mt Taranaki. Offshore oil prospecting promises more jobs.

Nelson's average house price is the highest on our list, at $329,800, but the small city squeezes in because of what else it offers: a regional economy founded on horticulture, agriculture, tourism, seafood and forestry; a strong arts scene, and three national parks - Abel Tasman, Nelson Lakes and Kahurangi - on its doorstep.

Rangiora offers service industry jobs locally, and is an easy commute to Christchurch.

Others on the shortlist were Matamata, Whangarei Heads and Alexandra.

In choosing New Zealand's worst places to live, we looked at measures of social disadvantage and very low-priced real estate. We included Queenstown because it's the least-affordable place to live in the country.

Here are five of the worst places to live in New Zealand:

Moerewa, is one of the Far North's more economically depressed towns. In 2001, more than a third of the Far North population had an income less than 60 per cent of the national median.

Opotiki district in the Bay of Plenty had the highest proportion - 42 per cent - in that low-income bracket. The town is notorious for its gang troubles.

Kawerau and Wairoa also had more than a third of the population in the lowest income bracket, and 15 per cent living in households with fewer bedrooms than needed.

Queenstown has the country's least-affordable homes, with an August median sales price of $592,500 - meaning loan repayments are more than 115 per cent of a 30- to 34-year-old's median take-home income.

[katiejay]

I agree with the Queenstown vote. I didn't like it AT ALL - it was a blot on an otherwise beautiful landscape!

[mossum]

Yay for Rangiora !! :raebanana

vic x

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Where did Hamiltron (city of the future) come on the list?

[Kim39]

Well i'm glad we made the choice of Te Awamutu, and since we are about to embark on a new build the chances of flicking for a sizeable profit is looking good....bring it on!!!!

Kim

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Wondered when you're happy voice would chip in here Kim lad, thought you'd have spotted good ol' TA on here sooner.

You gotta be pleased.

[Charlesw25]

Queenstown is in a fantastic spot... but is kind of ruined by being overdeveloped. Does anyone live in Rangiora? Christchurch is on our list of possible places to live.

[K&CS]

Queenstown gorgeous - love it. How anyone can call it a blot on the landscape is beyond me, but then I guess we all have our different ideas of what is a nice place (although it's pushing it some to call it a blot on the landscape - did make me chuckle).

Debbie (Wilson182) lives in Rangiora and seems very happy there - why don't you PM her?

Kate

[Moorf]

Agree - Queenstown is being sooo over-developed it will be unrecognisable soon. We went there last Xmas with my parents who had been there 12 yrs previously. They were amazed at the development and barely recognised the place. Queenstown's location is fantastic - can't fault that. But we, personally, couldn't live there - community too transient, too expensive and it's being too built up. Shame. There's also a brand new development going in (called Remarkables Park or something) that is going to be huge, and includes hospitals and retail parks etc. Sorry, but I do think Queenstown and its attractions are slowly being suffocated.

[Nick88]

Waipu is a strange choice. It is a pleasant place to visit the beach for the day (still about 12km from the town), and there are some swanky cafes for an expensive latte. Apart from that there is not alot there. It is at least 30 mins from Whangarei where the jobs and shops are located.

Its main attraction is being close to the border with Rodney council, ie. is as close as possible to Akl without having to deal with their councils. Getting resource consent for a new house/ holiday home is alot easier.

[Anna'n'John]

Just starting looking around. Only been on the forum for a couple of days. Thinking of starting a new life in NZ. My family and I have been to NZ a couple of times. The last was August 2006, for one month travelling around in a camper van. We went around nearly the whole of the south Island. We got a very quick impression of lots of places and it's interesting to read peoples opinions of Queenstown. We were looking at settling there but then thought we'd look nearer Christchurch. On our flying visit through Queenstown, we thought it seemed very inviting (we were only there for a day and a half). We loved Wanaka, very scenic but rather small. Then drove quickly through Dunedin. Difficult to get a proper feel for a place in one day. Seemed busy, but then hopefully that means jobs, social life, housing. What are other people's opinions of the place. I've heard it's a University town, is this a good or bad thing?? Would it be a good place to start a new life for a family of 4, two children aged 11 and 9?

[Kim39]

Here's a pic of Te Awamutu from the top 5

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/Brierley1964/Te%20Awamutu/TeAwamutu004.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/Brierley1964/Te%20Awamutu/TeAwamutu001.jpg


Kim

[katiejay]

Queenstown is being sooo over-developed it will be unrecognisable soon. ......There's also a brand new development going in (called Remarkables Park or something) that is going to be huge, and includes hospitals and retail parks etc. Sorry, but I do think Queenstown and its attractions are slowly being suffocated.

Exactly! We got the impression there's no real thought going in to the planning of the many developments going on - just cram flats in wherever you can, kind of thing - the whole place looked like a building site when we visited in March (I expect it's beautiful all covered in snow and without the cranes everywhere in winter!). I noticed the start of it at Lake Tekapo, too - an absolutely beautiful spot now, but I wonder what it will be like when the housing development overlooking the lake is finished. Don't do it NZ - you can't undo it - when it's gone it's gone! :no

[Sam B]

Now, come on Kim, stop gloating!

[Moorf]

I noticed the start of it at Lake Tekapo, too

Yep, the amount of building at Tekapo is unreal. It's not that I don't think people should build in these beautiful spots but I do think a bit more planning and consideration for the surroundings wouldn't go amiss. The problem with Tekapo is that they don't seem to be building much infrastructure to accompany the growing community. Having said that, I think most are holiday homes.

[Timbo]

http://www.whitiangawaterways.com/

This is where we now call home, although it is barely recognisable 18 months after we bought one of the first houses on it (we are not canal front by the way....toomany $$$$).
The developer is planning to put in 2 mini tower blocks at 5 & 6 storys, which is totally against the grain of the whole town. I really do hope the local authoritys see sense and put a halt to it.

[Moorf]

Canal front or not, it looks a gorgeous location Timbo :nice1

[Pookeko]

Re Whitianga website - The location you are in is just gorgeous, lucky you :D To be honest those pictures made me a bit sad as well :( That is not the NZ I left behind. All those super-flash houses... Since incomes are so low compared to UK, I wonder how the people who own these places are affording to keep them??

Panic! :( ...and we'll be living in something ordinary lol.

[LesleyS]

Tim......that's so posh, you kept that quiet!!! :nice1

Can't wait to drop by for tea and biscuits....No make that a steak and a beer (or should it be 'catch of the day' and a Chardonnay?) :yes

[Perksy]

For someone who is considering a move but yet to go out there (flights booked for November and EOI of 140 points submitted if I have filled the form out correctly) this is useful info.

[Timbo]

I guess that by comparison to what we left behing in Surrey, yes, it is rather upmarket. Having said that, it is certainly not all flash houses. We have a nice mix of million $$ holiday homes next door to quite modest modern day bachs. I would say that probably 70% of the propertys on this subdivision are owned by non residents. IE Holiday homes used a couple of times a year.

[LesleyS]

Post some more pictures Timbo..... please :yes

[Debbie P.]

Just starting looking around. Only been on the forum for a couple of days. Thinking of starting a new life in NZ. My family and I have been to NZ a couple of times. The last was August 2006, for one month travelling around in a camper van. We went around nearly the whole of the south Island. We got a very quick impression of lots of places and it's interesting to read peoples opinions of Queenstown. We were looking at settling there but then thought we'd look nearer Christchurch. On our flying visit through Queenstown, we thought it seemed very inviting (we were only there for a day and a half). We loved Wanaka, very scenic but rather small. Then drove quickly through Dunedin. Difficult to get a proper feel for a place in one day. Seemed busy, but then hopefully that means jobs, social life, housing. What are other people's opinions of the place. I've heard it's a University town, is this a good or bad thing?? Would it be a good place to start a new life for a family of 4, two children aged 11 and 9?

Hi guys and welcome.

You may want to start this as a new thread to highlight it, as it's a bit hidden away here.

Or you could try doing a search for Dunedin, as there's lots of opinions about it given on the forums already. Good luck!

[Timbo]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/pengy2/Dad.campingtrip038.jpg

Our new pad???

[IanW99]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/pengy2/Dad.campingtrip038.jpg

Our new pad???

So is this one of the "million $$ holiday homes" or the "quite modest modern day bach" :laugh :laugh

Ian

[LesleyS]

:eek:

[Timbo]

The scarey thing is, it would probably cost a million bucks to own, as the land sits right on the coast just north of Colville, overlooking the gulf.
It is only about 1/2 hour drive to the nearest store though.

[Timbo]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/pengy2/pohutukawas001.jpg

[macs gold]

Sorry, but I do think Queenstown and its attractions are slowly being suffocated.
But people have been saying that for the best part of 50 years, and still (IMO) it is a wonderful place to visit and a great place to live if you can afford to (which reading between the lines it was lack of affordability that got it on the Herald's list).

[macs gold]

Just starting looking around. Only been on the forum for a couple of days. Thinking of starting a new life in NZ. My family and I have been to NZ a couple of times. The last was August 2006, for one month travelling around in a camper van. We went around nearly the whole of the south Island. We got a very quick impression of lots of places and it's interesting to read peoples opinions of Queenstown. We were looking at settling there but then thought we'd look nearer Christchurch. On our flying visit through Queenstown, we thought it seemed very inviting (we were only there for a day and a half). We loved Wanaka, very scenic but rather small. Then drove quickly through Dunedin. Difficult to get a proper feel for a place in one day. Seemed busy, but then hopefully that means jobs, social life, housing. What are other people's opinions of the place. I've heard it's a University town, is this a good or bad thing?? Would it be a good place to start a new life for a family of 4, two children aged 11 and 9?

Hi - we live in Dunedin and moved here several years ago with our young family. We would recommend it highly to others with kids, there is plenty of infrastructure like excellent pools and a fabulous indoor sports centre, and the schools are consistently good, with some being the best in the country.

Some excellent lifestyle info is available from this download (http://www.cityofdunedin.com/city/?MIvalObj=life_lifestyle_brochure&MItypeObj=application/pdf&ext=.pdf)

[Anna'n'John]

Thanks for the information on Dunedin. Just a small bit of bedtime reading from the downloaded brochure. Don't suppose you know if there are Karate clubs or martial arts clubs in Dunedin?

[macs gold]

Thanks for the information on Dunedin. Just a small bit of bedtime reading from the downloaded brochure. Don't suppose you know if there are Karate clubs or martial arts clubs in Dunedin?

Using yellow pages there seem to be plenty: link here (http://yellow.co.nz/search.ds;jsessionid=39a993d8107975abacf201d55808: xVGc)
One of the instructors (Geoff Todd) is a bit of an international guru in close combat for special forces.

[jgander]

Hi all,

If all goes according to plan (does it ever?) we'll be moving to Wellington when the (ever hopeful) job offer comes through. Can anyone recommend areas to live? I'm not bothered about a commute (I say that now!) but want somewhere, ideally, that has good schools and is a good child area (out of the wind). All thoughts appreciated, as you can only get so much from reading websites!

[IanW99]

Hi all,

If all goes according to plan (does it ever?) we'll be moving to Wellington when the (ever hopeful) job offer comes through. Can anyone recommend areas to live? I'm not bothered about a commute (I say that now!) but want somewhere, ideally, that has good schools and is a good child area (out of the wind). All thoughts appreciated, as you can only get so much from reading websites!

Try this thread to start with:-Wellington - Good places to live? (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9439)

Ian

[Anna'n'John]

Using yellow pages there seem to be plenty: link here (http://yellow.co.nz/search.ds;jsessionid=39a993d8107975abacf201d55808: xVGc)
One of the instructors (Geoff Todd) is a bit of an international guru in close combat for special forces.

Thanks for that info- went on Yellow pages and found quite a few clubs. So at least Dunedin seems like it will supply me and my son with a hours of leisure time. (If you can call kicking butt, leisure time)

[jgander]

Try this thread to start with:-Wellington - Good places to live? (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9439)

Ian

Thanks Ian - it's appreciated.