[nickbraddock]

Hi all,
major shed collapse time :no , probably as things are getting closer and closer. We are considering different areas to live and work. Iam a sparky and my wife a nurse, I would like to live rurally but near to somewhere that has work for us both and (most importantly) good schools for my son. Not really bothered about cities and would appreciate any suggestions for the smaller places if anyone can help as we have never been to NZ and looking at places is hard without going to NZ (which we are for good in August)

Thanks in advance
Nick

[Diny]

Nick

You don't say whether you prefer north or south.

If you're thinking about north, maybe consider anywhere in the Waikato. You can get some really nice properties in the more rural areas yet you can still be close to the big towns like Hamilton (or maybe that's a city - I'm not sure). I know for a fact that Hamilton has a big hospital because my eldest son spent a few days in there. Cambridge is also a real nice place.


Diny

[baboonworld]

Hawkes Bay is gorg! Dont know about hospitals or electrical work - but there is plently of rural, is central to the North Island, near Taupo, Rotorua, 3.5hrs to Wellington and Napier has an airport. Must be a hospital there - definately elderly care! Lovely scenery - esp Havelock Nth, Clive or near Kidnappers. House prices going up and up.

Or what about Otaki, Levin - this is near Palmerston Nth. Prob earn less but houses are cheap. Manawatu - house prices are also going up and up!! They sell really quickly! So perhaps good investment - maybe Wellingtonians moving further afield.

[freeflyer]

Gosh , thats a hard question.
1) I would recommend getting a guide book + large map of NZ, mark possible areas you like the sound of, then look at the price of houses in those areas.
2) From there you will be able to work out if places fit with your own financial situation, you should be able to work out wages roughly as well.
3) Other things to consider are the weather, the further south you go the colder it gets.
4) Recreation/facilities - would you rather be nearer beaches /mountains/ lakes etc ,
5) Schools , in every city or reasonable sized town , you should be able to find a good school , but if you want 'so called 'best' schools then these are generally found in 'expensive' city suburbs.

Good luck , you have plenty of time to come up with a 'shortlist' and the process is fun(honest)
Anna

[Bubbles]

Hi Nick,
Hamilton is booming. Buy some land just outside and drive in. Plenty of work for both of you in that area.

John

Also, some very good schools in that local'

[Robert Dazzler]

Unless you want to live on the coast then I have to agree with Hamilton.

We love it around here, reasonable house prices and less than a couple of hours drive to Auckland or the ski fields, 45 mins to the beach at Raglan. Lots of building work going on in & around Hamilton so there should be plenty of work for a sparky. My other half is a nurse at the Waikato hospital in Hamilton and she`s happy and tells me that everyone is very friendly there.

How small a place do you want to live in?

Cambridge & Te Awamutu are good towns about 20-25 mins drive from Hamilton.

Then there are lots of smaller places to choose from, some with schools and a shop & some without. It all depends on how rural you want to go.

Bobby.

P.S.

Links to schools in theWaikato....... http://www.tki.org.nz/e/schools/waikato.php

[Gran]

If you want to live near Auckland (and that is where most of the work is) and have a lifestyle house and a couple of acres, probably Helensville, kumeu, Waitakere, Kaukapakapa, or that area will probably suit you.

All the best Gran

[lindajax]

Nick,
Tauranga is a gorgeous place and surrounding areas - they have a hospital for the missus too.
We are up in Auck and from a nursey perspective the DHB that I work for is VERY forward thinking and I am doing extremely well extremely quickly - if the missus need any advice re nursing - not an expert but may be able to shed a little light!

Linda
x

[nickbraddock]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will take a look at some of the places that you have suggested, keep them coming!!
Cheers
Nick

[nickbraddock]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will take a look at some of the places that you have suggested, keep them coming!!
Cheers
Nick

[Babette & Andy]

Nick,

What about New Plymouth? I have nothing but fond memories from when I lived there as a child, went back last April and wasn't dissapointed. Sure there would be work opportunities for both of you there. Should there be work for an IT Project Mgr there, is definately an area we would consider for when we make the move later this year.

Maybe send Rimbo a PM, as he's quickly becoming a 'local' there :nice1

Enjoy the research :nice1
Babette

[Stu]

OK, so as a waikato lad, I may be biased, but the waikato...namely hamilton, sounds like the sort of place you may have in mind, large hospital, good schools, plenty of work (Waikato would be, apart from Akld, the most prosperous region in NZ), sounds like your sorta place. The other suggestion of Tauranga is a very good one too, much more a lifestyle choice too, being a seaside resort type place that is really booming, plenty of health care work as it is something of a retirement centre (due to good climate). Massive building boom there too. Downside is that property prices there would probably be higher than in the waikato.

Other than that, in the South Island, Christchurch or dunedin...primarily Christchurch, really the only sensible choice.
cheers, Stu.

[Dave & Sandra]

I can certainly recommend Feilding, which is a very rural town. It's near to Palmerston North, 20 mins drive, which is a relatively big university town (city) with everything there and plenty of job opportunities - cinema, theatre, restaurants, NZIS (they are now processing PR apps.). Just under 2 hours drive from Wellington - just under 3 hours from Taupo, New Plymouth, Napier. Weather is maybe not as good as some other areas. Quite warm today 17 degrees, which for the equivalent of November in UK is wonderful. :clap