[Paul]

What's the score on this area anyone? Property appears to be very reasonable and commutable within hour to Wellington CBD via train

Saw this property on Realenz and appears to be great value along with many other properties in that area nice house (http://www.leaders.co.nz/96072) . You also appear to get a great deal more land with your house in this area - must be some downsides apart from being further out from Wellington surely??!!

Thanks

[sizzlingbadger]

Hi, we're in Featherston and know where that house is. It is on a lovely street, one just sold on the corner for over $400,000 although it was bigger again. The only downside with that house is the rates, $2000 a year, as it is a listed heritage house. You only have a five minute walk to the station to catch the train into Wellington.

Property is cheaper here because it isn't like Martinborough or Greytown, trendy. Greytown has a huge cafe culture and it's where most of the Wellingtonians go for the weekend. Martinborough has all the vineyeards on the doorstep and is also very pricey. A lot of people drive through Featherston, which is why we like it. Although buying now here is a very good investment property is going up in value. The main street is going through change and is getting better, they're sorting out another derelict building which is good news :)

No real downsides it's just that Featherston has never caught on. One of those reasons is that it's the furthest and last town out from Masterton and the same for Wellington. People are catching on that it's cheaper to live out here and there's quite a few people who have moved over from Upper Hutt recently. There's also no reason to squash houses onto small sections as there's plenty of space.

A number of people, including my husband, commute daily by train into Wellington and it's quite an easy commute. I've done it once and have to say I wouldn't mind travelling on a daily basis.

There's great community spirit especially if you've kids. We've got involved in so much since we arrived 4 months ago. We have a great circle of kiwi friends which is great.

If you are used to city living then it's probably not for you, if you come from a village in the UK then you would probably find it an easy transition. You do have to travel up to Masterton, 35 kms away, for supermarket shopping but you do have two small 'Spar' like shops in town. I only get up to Masterton about once a month now and find it very easy living here, no clothes shops and nothing apart from food to spend your money on which is no bad thing :)

How long will it be till you arrive in NZ (without appearing to nosey) ? :D

[katandbob]

hi what are the rates like for a normal house?, wellington council wanted us to consider the area when we come looking......and I wouldnt mind living the village life it it had broadband!

[sizzlingbadger]

Not sure what Wellington Rates are like. On the house we have in Featherston we're paying $1600 a year (4 bed with 1/2 acre). I think most properties will be between $1000 to just over $2000 a year in Wairarapa. They work it out on the CV (current value) of the property which isn't necessarily what the property sells for.

Luckily we have broadband and most of the larger towns have it now. If you're looking further out in the sticks you may need to check with Telecom if it's available.

:)

[Paul]

Hi, we're in Featherston and know where that house is. It is on a lovely street, one just sold on the corner for over $400,000 although it was bigger again. The only downside with that house is the rates, $2000 a year, as it is a listed heritage house. You only have a five minute walk to the station to catch the train into Wellington.

$2000 a year is roughly half what we are paying at the moment in the UK!

Property is cheaper here because it isn't like Martinborough or Greytown, trendy. Greytown has a huge cafe culture and it's where most of the Wellingtonians go for the weekend. Martinborough has all the vineyeards on the doorstep and is also very pricey. A lot of people drive through Featherston, which is why we like it. Although buying now here is a very good investment property is going up in value. The main street is going through change and is getting better, they're sorting out another derelict building which is good news :)

No real downsides it's just that Featherston has never caught on. One of those reasons is that it's the furthest and last town out from Masterton and the same for Wellington. People are catching on that it's cheaper to live out here and there's quite a few people who have moved over from Upper Hutt recently. There's also no reason to squash houses onto small sections as there's plenty of space.

A number of people, including my husband, commute daily by train into Wellington and it's quite an easy commute. I've done it once and have to say I wouldn't mind travelling on a daily basis.

Sounds like somewhere that could get more expensive in time and possiblky sections get subdivided in the future.

There's great community spirit especially if you've kids. We've got involved in so much since we arrived 4 months ago. We have a great circle of kiwi friends which is great.

If you are used to city living then it's probably not for you, if you come from a village in the UK then you would probably find it an easy transition. You do have to travel up to Masterton, 35 kms away, for supermarket shopping but you do have two small 'Spar' like shops in town. I only get up to Masterton about once a month now and find it very easy living here, no clothes shops and nothing apart from food to spend your money on which is no bad thing :)

Sounds great lifestyle. Don't come from a city but quite a large urban area (SE Essex). Nothing to spend your money on sounds good as we probably won't have any top spend anyway by the sounds of lots of people's stories!!

How long will it be till you arrive in NZ (without appearing to nosey) ? :D

Reccy trip hopefully planned for early 2007 so want to take in all possible areas near the 3 main "cities" that could be potentials for living in.
One big attraction on paper about Featherston may be also the opportunity to achieve the mortgage free life in something that doesn't resemble a garden shed.
Downside could be the hour long commute (longer than I have now) even though it sounds quite easy

Thanks v much for the info :nice1

[Avalon]

Luckily we have broadband and most of the larger towns have it now. If you're looking further out in the sticks you may need to check with Telecom if it's available.
:)

And Telecom will tell you to "Go Away"! (Bit of a sore point at the moment!)

Have to say we are one of the ones that kinda "passed" on Featherston. Not for any particular reason, just didnt really see any house there that suited us. (Though that one looks lovely - from the one picture thae agent is prepared to show - very very helpful!)

And again - im with Sizzlingbadger on the cummute issue - its really OK. Your big thought needs to be how far from the stations you want to be. We are a good 15 mintes from the nearest one - add that on to your 1-1.5hours on the train (1.5 if you were in masterton or carterton for example) and it can add up. Not a problem if you are going to live within the towns (and then you dont have to worry about being shafted by the likes of Telecom and Sky's dicriminatory priceing policy).

Prices should stay down a bit longer in Featherston - I understand (though im really not sure about this) that Carterton is the next town here to be "regenerated" up to the likes of Greytown (which is lovely imho).

I do go to masterton quite regularly for shopping (to Moore wilsons) but I also shop in Carterton (Best eggs in Natures Choice) and greytown fr the butchers - so I really do wander round to get what I want. The wairarapa feels like sort of place to me - very easy to just wander and explore. Its so open and pretty - adn VERY like rural england (but with Cabbage Trees)

[sizzlingbadger]

Prices are on the up in Featherston and some properties are being snapped up rather fast. There are a lot of people moving over the hill from the Hutt Vallies. The Kaitoke Bypass has helped this, when it's finished we should be able to do Wellington in the car in just under an hour.

Where else can you find a 4 bedroomed house for $180,000 now :confused:
My friend is selling hers on the street one over from us. A great house and a great price :D

Hi Avalon, How are you settling in ?

[katandbob]

thanks for the info, sounds like the rest of the areas - it may go up too much before we get the chance to get out there. hope we can afford to buy something when we arrive in May...or we may just end up with a caravan & a field!!

Kat

[Avalon]

SB,
We are doing really rather well now thank you. Much better than we were in Wellington. This is so much more like "home" to us that we are really starting to feel settled in our lives here generally. Even all the hassles with companies overcharging us to live here are just one more thing that actually adds to teh feeling of "Ah - you can tell we are back to country living!".

Best move we made was coming over the hill to the Waiararapa (especailly after a weekend at Toast Martinborough!)

[sizzlingbadger]

Excellent news Avalon, we went to Toast Martinborough as well (with three kids in tow :-)) Had a great time eating loads of food, Mr SB did all the drinking as I was driving, oh well. It's amazing once you get your own place how much more relaxed and settled you become.