Where to live in Christchurch?

minnieuk · Testing The Water Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 5

Hi, I am new here and am looking for advice on where would be a good area of Christchurch to live in. I have two boys who would need to attend school and we would like to live in an area where they would be in the right zone for a really good school.
So far I have turned up Burnside High and Christchurch Boys High as being excellent schools so from what I understand we would need to live in Burnside or Fendalton for them to go there. Does anyone have any knowledge of these areas - what it is like to live there, what the schools are like, types of property.
We are keen to move somewhere where the boys can go to school with other children who will live nearby to make it easy for them to make new friends.
I would like a house with a garden and ideally a pool but am quite prepared to compromise to get in a good school zone. It is hard as an outside to evaluate schools - I have spent a lot of time reading various school websites and evaluations but anyone who has personal experience your opinion would be very valuable.
Thanks for your help.

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

Hi Minnie,

I live in Chch, and to be totally honest...and probably just my opinion...
(as I returned back here from Sydney and London about 9 yrs ago..I was born here) but there are soooo many good schools and so many great areas here that trying to work it all out half way around the world will probably do your head in!

No one can enroll you in any school till you live in the zone (if it is zoned and most are) and some want to see a 2 yr rental agreement before they will accept you...or if you buy, you are in no probs then.

Cashmere high, Riccarton, Burnside (if you are a boy and like music) Avonside girls, Shirley Boys, Chch girls and boys are all excellent schools, but until you see the areas and see the difference in house prices....avonside girls....3 bed houses were $150k, chch girls and Burnisde range from $299k to $1.5 mill..... etc and get a feel for the schools, it is best to make the decision once here.

This is what I would do......Arrange to stay in a rental home (a holiday home..as you can stay from 1 night to whenever..if you do a normal rental they want a years lease most times...) Book for at least 2 weeks and then just look around EVERYWHERE even in the country at Lincoln and Rangiora if country is your thing. When you have found the school (as that is the most important) THEN you find a house to buy or rent in that school zone. If you rent out of the zone, you cant get into the school. On the school web sites, they will all have maps...these are the zone maps (not where the school is located) this is your boundary if you want to buy a house...it has to be within that map.

If your stuff doesnt arrive before you sign up for a rental (some schools just need to see the agreement...dont care how long it is for) then hire furniture at a cost of about $350 a month. Just means when your things arrive all that moves out is the furniture and not you. Unfurnished are cheaper than fully furnished rentals....be warned though, our standard of rentals are shocking, cold, and old and dirty....or new and clean and expensive but out of the zone you want!! They are not as good quality as a home you would buy. Rentals are from $240pw for a 3 bed in an okish area, to $500pw say in the chch girls zone.

Good luck, and if you are here in winter we are all off to strawberry fare for dessert, and you are more than welcome!!
Nicola

minnieuk · Testing The Water Joined: 27 Apr 2004 Posts: 5

Nicola,

Thanks very much for taking the time to give me all that information. What you say makes a lot of sense I think I will try to relax a bit about the schools thing and try to concentrate on our visa application for now.

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

good for you, as that is the hell bit...finding a home to live in once you are here will be a breeze!!!

and the schools all have good points...some are better at music, some are better at science, some are in better condition than others, depends what subjects you want etc....You will get a feel for the one that is right for your family...trust me I am a doctor!!

markkellaway · Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:51 pm Post subject: Christchurch Area's

Hi Nicola,

We are hoping to move to Christchurch from the UK ASAP and are visiting in a couple of weeks to "check it out" (and hopefully see potential employers! fingers crossed

But that's another story), We are looking at areas to live and I wandered what Rolleston is like? The houses for sale there look pretty new (insulation and double glazing!!), for around the $300 k'ish price we would want to pay, but I can find little info on what the area is like. Living just outside the cuty is my ideal, best of both worlds, and I'd really appreciate the views of a "local"!

Thanks,

Mark.

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

Hi Mark,
My husband is teaching an autistic boy in the mornings there at the moment otherwise we never go over 'that side of town!" as it is about 20-30 mins out of the city heading south.(about 40 mins from the beach)

A prison is near there and it is a satellite town. It is new and the houses are warm (GOT to have a warm house or you will be miserable here) I am a little pro the east and north, only cos the scenery is prettier (rolleston is on the way to mt cook...and although the mt's look nice to your right...that is it!) Lincoln and tai tap are probably better if you want to live south.

Ohoka/clarkville/oxford (although that is about 50 mins from town) are in the country but north. They have rocketed in price with all the poms wanting 'land'.
Belfast has an abbotoire (is that how you spell it?) so Regents park/Northwood which looks nobby on the net...and is right by it, stinks! and is right by a land fill. Avonhead we call Asianhead as Burnside high has all the students from every asian country there (alone...they send them over from as young as 12) Fendalton is on the flight path and 2 mins from the airport and blah blah blah!!! HENCE coming over and really looking before choosing where you want to live, as the net will never tell you about a sewage farm....freezing works....or a prison!!!

www.realtor.co.nz is our bible for real estate, plus the harcourts blue book. They are the 2 books that are free each week to us locals that we all pick up when we go get petrol/fish and chips etc www.harcourts.co.nz

Mark, have you booked anywhere to stay? try kiwiholdiayhomes.co.nz and placestostay.co.nz
as they are fully kitted houses from $300p week (motels are about $100-150 a night) and usually in nice areas and much bigger than a motel room. Some pick you up from the airport
www.placestostay.co.nz/places/5011.asp they will pick you up.

If you want some b&b web sites, just write to my email and I will send you the links.(they are in my outlook folder)

If you need help once you are here, just give us a call. My ph number is on my website. Happy to bore you to tears!!!
Nicola

JCM · Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 4:54 pm Post subject:

True that Fendalton and other Western suburbs are on the flight path, but only sometimes - on days when a Nor'wester wind is blowing hard - not too often. Being 'on the flight path' in Christchurch is not exactly the same as in the UK - the landings are less frequent and the planes much smaller and quieter. As someone who values peace and quiet, it's not something that bothers me. Nice One