[lynchpin]

reading through the forum i've realized that a small number of people don't seem to be happy with where they're living in new zealand.

do you wish you could move somewhere else in nz and, if so, where would you prefer to move to?

i ask because i'm lucky enough to be self employed in i.t. and we have no kids so i guess we could live just about anywhere.

where in nz would you recommend and what would your reasons be for choosing that place?

[sarahw]

Not really, we LOVE it where we are... and at this time in life (mid 30's) want to be close enough to the city, but also close enough to the countryside, good beaches (Kapiti Coast) & transport links. Plus we've both moved around so much that we vowed this house would be a keeper for a long time (20 years or so). Its got so much potential that there's no point for us to move as we feel we're in the perfect location.

But when we retire, if we can tear ourselves away from Paremata we'd like to move to Paraparaumu Beach/Waikanae on the Kapiti Coast or up to Russell/Paihia - nice! (but not at this time of life).

[KerryS]

I love where I live - which is in the heart of Auckland. I know many people slate the place, but I am a city girl through and through, and I love it here. I love the fact that although it is the largest city in the country, to me it feels like a small town. The people are incredibly friendly and helpful (pretty much all over NZ though, not just my neighbourhood). I love that I can commute to work in only 30 minutes - due to the fact that I work out of the city at the moment; when I work in the CBD I can walk there in ten minutes.
I love the fact that I have fruit trees in my garden, but that I can see the Sky Tower from my bedroom.
If I want to escape to the country it takes less than an hour to be in the back of beyond. I have a house and a few paddocks in the Waikato so I am learning to love the countryside too.
And if I want the beach, it takes me 30 minutes to be on one of the best surf beaches in the country. Or alternatively I can head in the opposite direction for a clear and deserted sandy beach.

Maybe I could have the same elsewhere - SarahW sounds just as happy in Wellington, for me though there was something about Auckland that sucked me in and has kept me here for the last four years.

[Stapleton-Gray]

Hey Kerry

Know what you mean about Auckland! For us there is just something about it that feels its the only place we should be!

We are on the North Shore near Albany and have a new brick and tile home which is just lovely, I wouldn't swap it for the world! The moment we walked in we just knew we had to buy it. Its large enough for a family of four yet there is just us two allowing us heaps of room and the view is lovely, trees everywhere and the sun is on the garden all day long!! Then we can hop in the car and be at the beach in 5 or 10 minutes or in the city in about 30!! You can't really moan about all of that. Moving here was the best decision.

Sure nothing is perfect but its pretty darn close!

[ruthyroo]

We did it! We started off with 18 months in Rotorua and then moved south to Dunedin, and have been here for a year. I can't really recommend either to you as you don't say what your priorities for a place to live are, but if you like sunshine then head for the north island or at least the north of the SI (we sat through what felt like a hurricane last night!).

I think the point I would make is that you can move around in NZ once you are here (many kiwis do it) if you don't strike lucky first time, and compared with the move from overseas to NZ it is an easy move to make - though we hadn't bought a house or anything, and we don't have kids, which made it easier. We moved becuase Mr Rr wasn't happy in his job, we weren't so taken with the Rotorua area to want to stay there at any cost, and we wanted to explore the SI - and it is cheaper to do that while living here.

HTH

[Diny]

Similar thread to one in the lounge titled 'are you where you want to be'.

At the moment we're inthe Manawatu, it's a great place to live and has really given us a good couple of steps up the ladder - especially as far as property is concerned. We're off the beaten track but have all the facilities to enable good living at our finger tips.

For the here and now it's great, however in a couple of years or so we'll head upto the Coromandel - prob when boys start senior shcool.

Having lived in 15 houses in 17 years of marriage I guess it's fair to say we're a slightly nomadic family - moving is no big deal for us.

Diny

[Singel]

At the moment, we are staying put due to our jobs and the lovely place :raebanana

We will be mortgage free in 3 years time, maybe ................... (itch feet :D :confused: )

In SI, we like Cromwell very much - small, nice, tranquil and not touristy http://www.cromwell.org.nz/

In NI, we like Bay of Plenty and the rural area outside Auckland.

:cheers

[Anita & Marco]

Living in Wellington since February, I cannot imagine living anywhere else in NZ for a few years to come. Have lived for a few months in the Coromandel but missed the city very much. Nice place to live when you are retired, I guess. And that's far from now (being only in the 40's).

Too much of a city girl and boy.

Cheers,
Anita (and marco)

[Smiler]

We always thought we'd end have to end up in Auckland and it was a surprise to find ourselves in Wellington.

We both love it here, but our long term goal in coming to NZ was always to be somewhere more rural anyway and we were pretty fixed on Napier or HB. We still are but we haven't seen enough of this country to decide and we now going to road test Wanganui for a while. :D

This will be our 6th move (inc NZ) in 5 years. We enjoy renting as it gives us the flexibilty to move fairly easily (lets not go there know though :wah) and no kids or pets and working from home makes that even easier. ut when we've found the right place, we'll be buying. Meanwhile we're having fun looking.

[jess]

No plans to move... we're in our mid thirties, but we live in sarahw's retirement spot. :D Waikanae on the Kapiti Coast.

Like you Lynchpin we could live anywhere since I work via the internet. We expected to live closer in to Welly, which we really love, but find that living 50 minutes outside (when no rush hour or accident) is alright for us. Came in to Wellington the other night for a show.

I love the great swimming beaches, the better weather, lower housing costs, less traffic, and looking out our window to see Kapiti Island. Mountains, bushwalk, sand all close together...

This is turning into an Ode to Kapiti...

[shagen]

We love it here in Wellington. When we first arrived, we stayed in Tawa but after having stayed there for about a year, we felt the house was just not right. So begins the adventure of looking for another house in the same vicinity but no luck. We tried looking at other areas like Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Karori, to name a few but then realise that it was not eay to uproot ourselves from Tawa. Finally, after months of looking and "reading" we finally ended up at the Kapiti Coast. We have yet to fully venture into the beaches and bushwalks in and around here, which we believe are some of the best. Although it may be some distance from the CBD but we are not complaining as we can get most everything we need here itself (including good schools for the kids).