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Thread: Where to live in the Northland?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
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    United Kingdom
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    7

    Default Where to live in the Northland?

    Hi All,
    We are a couple from the UK, my husband has just semi retired & I am presently at home. My husband is now 65 has a New Zealand passport which he has always used & renewed & has lived in the UK from the age of 1964. I am just 50 & we are thinking very seriously about returning to my husbands birth land to semi-retire/retire. We are interested in the North of the North Island due to the weather, say no further north than Tutukaka & no further south than Tauranga. We would prefer a warm & less wet climate if possible. Would like to live in or near a town with more than 10,000 people. We also have a much loved dog. Would welcome any thoughts or helpful comments, Thank you x

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    UK to Christchurch
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    497

    Default

    Welcome to the forum.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    37,824

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    Hello.

    Would you like to share what some of your interests and priorities are? That might help people to suggest where you could go, to be within reach of the kind of places that would be likely to have importance for you.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
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    7

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    Hi there,
    We are both into dog walking, beach or any suggestions welcome. I am a long distance runner & love a physical challenge. My husband likes to small dingy/ small cat sailing.
    Would like to be near some social area & shopping but happy to drive as neither of us want city life. Weather is important we would prefer a warm climate & less rain if possible.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    UK to USA to Waikato, NZ
    Posts
    1,383

    Default

    Cambridge is a town of 16000 but nr Hamilton, only 1 1/4 hrs from either coast for the beach and hwy 1 runs past so easy to get south or north. Lake Kariporo is nearby for water stuff and plenty of shops, cafes, parks, cycling tracks etc. Lots of young families and retired/semi retired older people. Te Awamutu also seems nice. Great pools, movie theater etc.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    NZ to US to NZ. Opua
    Posts
    1,470

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    I just returned to NZ and in December, I bought a house in Opua in the Bay of Islands. I've not spent a winter here yet but my neighbour told me that last winter they had the first frost in 25 years. It's been an unusually dry summer so I can't make any comments about rainfall, but so far, I love it.

    I'm about 1K from the 'town' of Opua which is on the waterfront with a small grocery (and bakery!), cafe and restaurant. The rest of the businesses are sail-makers, marine engine repairs, etc. Paihia (about 5K from my house) caters to tourists (two big cruise ships in the bay today) so there are good restaurants and cafes yet the town is not crowded. There's a medium-size grocery store (Countdown) in Paihia. Real estate prices are considerably less than in Auckland and surrounding suburbs. Kerikeri is 25 minutes away. It's a larger town with almost everything I need, including an airport.

    If you want movie theatres, culture, museums, etc. then I wouldn't suggest this area - but if you like affordable sea views, bush, native birds, etc., you'll like the area. I have died and gone to heaven!
    Last edited by Dell; 24th February 2013 at 06:23 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    San Francisco to Auckland
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    626

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    Just remember NZ is green for a reason. It rains. A smaller town outside of Tauranga might be nice for you too.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom
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    We are really grateful of comments so far, will help our research enormously, please keep ideas coming,

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    NZ to US to NZ. Opua
    Posts
    1,470

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Top of the South!
    Posts
    321

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    Have you considered the top of the South Island, Nelson/Marlborough. It has the most sunshine of NZ, Mediterranean like climate, can get a wee bit frosty in winter, heaps of beaches, great sailing (Marlborough Sounds), nice communities, laid back, Nelson is a lovely city with a artsy type of vibe, Blenheim is a bit more conservative, but the surrounding areas are beautiful. Lots of opportunities to tramp, run up and down hills and live a outdoors lifestyle.

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