[Andy-Dee]

Been browsing Bayleys and Trade Me and noticed quite a lot of nice houses in West Melton. I know there is a prison near there - but is there any other reason why this area is cheaper than say Prebbleton or Rolleston?
Thanks

[peebles16]

Hey Dee
Don't that much about it but folks we bought our car from said it was very nice and had good primary school?? I also thought prison was nearer Rolleston but what do I know?! Just as an extra point Rollestion very weird place in my opinion with shopping mall and loads of new houses but not much else - bit stepford wives :)

Karenx

[Andy-Dee]

Tx Karen... I'm so far from being a Stepford wife!!!!!

[steviec]

Hi, We live in Rolleston and there is so much more here than just a shopping square and new houses. The primary school is one of the best around.

Happy house hunting Andy-Dee.
Tracy.

[Andy-Dee]

I met some lovely people from Prebbleton and Rolleston when we were on our recce. Do you have a view on West Melton Tracy, also Tai Tapu looks pretty.

[nippa&pippa]

Be careful on which part of west melton are you planning to buy house if you got children...half of west melton go to Hornby high (not good school) and another half go to darfield (very good school), all depend on school zone areas.

Tai Tapu is lovely areas but bit pricey, nearer supermarket is in Halwell or Rolleston and nearer high school is Lincoln High.

I live in Ellesmere areas, not far from Springston/Lincoln/Rolleston.

[steviec]

To be honest not too sure what the other areas are like,i will ask hubby when he gets up off nights,he works with guys from them areas and they are pretty down to earth and good at givng help on areas, as sophia said if you have kids the school zones are very important to get into the good schools.
The main reason we came to Rolleston is schools and new houses and guess what no stepford wives here.
We are from Flintshire and there are alot of Brits here esp from Cheshire area like yourself.
Tracy.

[thezorbster]

also Tai Tapu looks pretty.

That was the area we identified as being a decent area to live with proximity to decent schools and reasonable commute into the city yet with the small village vibe we were used to. Close to Lincoln which seems to have quiet a sought after high school nowadays.

[Andy-Dee]

Tx Nippa, Pippa, Steviec and Zobster - its always good to have first hand experiences.

Hope things are going well Sandra - missed you at the last NW meet. So fed up with the house selling game now.

[constablechuck]

We live in Rolleston and there are 2 prisons here, I don't think it has any negative impact on housing prices, it probably adds to the value given it's only a short ride to work.

I consider this to be a very safe and friendly area, I work with some people that live in West Melton and they seem quite happy there.

[Andy-Dee]

And I DO like living near policemen and other uniformed types... gives one a sense of security. Probably not those IN the prisons though.
Tx Constable Chuck

[peebles16]

Ooops didn't mean to upset folks in rolleston - sorry :)
Just didn't get a good feel for the place when we visited a couple of times but will bow to your greater judgement! We had also heard really good things about the school too and it was one of the reasons we choose to look at rolleston. The stepford wives quip was in relation to new housing estates (by the way we live in one now!) they always remind me of the movie and not the people of course.

Hope I'm not banned from rolleston for life :D
Karenx

[nippa&pippa]

Ooops didn't mean to upset folks in rolleston - sorry :)
Just didn't get a good feel for the place when we visited a couple of times but will bow to your greater judgement! We had also heard really good things about the school too and it was one of the reasons we choose to look at rolleston. The stepford wives quip was in relation to new housing estates (by the way we live in one now!) they always remind me of the movie and not the people of course.

Hope I'm not banned from rolleston for life :D
Karenx

:laugh

[Andy-Dee]

If I move there Karen, I'll sneak you in - once you charm them with your lovely personality, all will be forgiven the ones we met were fab folk.

Craddock and family (Prebbleton) were particularly helpful.

[steviec]

Hi Karen,
Come to Rolleston any time,not upset at all.
We looked at lots of places in the selwyn area and Rolly just felt right to us and the schools were impressive.
Our children are very settled here, more than when we were in Parklands and we think we made the right chose.
Tracy.x

[peebles16]

Phew - thought I'd blown it there :D
Cheers Tracey
Karenx

[Moorf]

I'm not a fan of Rolleston either, but that's purely because it's not what we "want"... it's too much of a new estate vibe for us and houses shoe-horned in... but it's doing well on the housing market stakes and I know lots of people who love it there as it's great community, good facilities, close to Chch - horses for courses.

Nippa/Pippa hit the nail on the head re school zones in West Melton - and I might add that I find the community there a bit clicky... it's got a reputation for being a bit snobby tbh. It's pricey too compared with nearby places such as Kirwee and Darfield / Springston / Rolleston but mostly because it's made up of lifestyle blocks and such like.

I've just driven back through West Melton (collecting dogs from kennels) and the Renaissance Sections are just huge and the West Melton population will be growing by the looks of it. Also rumours around that the area that where the pub is currently sited (opposite garage) could be being developed into a small township-type mall with some shops going in (currently there are none to speak of). That would be a great bonus. It will be interesting to see what happens and how quickly the sections are sold in the current climate of house / land property prices.

Tai Tapu IS lovely (and, of course, there's the famous Raspberry Cafe in the village!) but it's also pricey. Depends on what you are prepared to spend.

Just my 2 penneth worth....

[nippa&pippa]

(and, of course, there's the famous Raspberry Cafe in the village!)

Ohhh yes, yummy!!! especially their fresh Raspberry ice cream...I think I will go over again soon with MIL for another ice cream!!:roll

[Familyofmonkeys]

Ohhh yes, yummy!!! especially their fresh Raspberry ice cream...I think I will go over again soon with MIL for another ice cream!!:roll

Raspberry ice cream......yummy!!!!

[nippa&pippa]

Raspberry ice cream......yummy!!!!

Iona, I will take you there next time you come down ;)

[richard]

We were close to moving out of suburbia and buying a house in West Melton last year. We found a house we really liked but unfortunately weren't quite ready to move.

The house was at the end of the villiage and looked out over fields. We asked the estate agent if there was any likely hood of the fields being built on. She said that there were plans for the field across the road to be built on in the next couple of years but none for the field next to the house.

We recently found this:

http://www.prestondowns.co.nz/Images/index/PD_infoplan.pdf

which is plans for a subdivision of over 200 houses to be built in that field!

The subdivision across the road is well underway with the majority of the sections sold:

http://www.grd.co.nz/

I think the character of West Melton will unfortunately change for the worse over the next 2-5 years as it expands massively.

[Moorf]

I agree Richard... the main West Coast Road is going to be chocka at this rate...

As well as the new Preston Downs development and Renaissance development there's also the Edendale development which has already begun to be sold off....