Whangarei

[Holy Moly]

Hi all. It looks like we will be moving to Whangarei later in the year from the UK - yippee! :-)

We're making a list of suburbs to search for rentals in when we get there to save us some time later.

Areas we've examined so far and marked down as possibles are Maunu, Parua Bay, Kamo and Ngunguru.

We're looking at the following criteria:

• Proximity to OHs work (Whangarei Hospital)
• Proximity (no more than 10 minute walk) to good primary school
• Proximity to nice beaches (a coastal area would be nice but not essential)
• Proximity to town basin (probably least important)
• Rental prices (looking for no more than $450pw if OH can cycle to work or bit lower if he must drive)
• Socio-economic background of area (is local schools' decile ratings a fair indicator of this?)
• General 'niceness' of an area (having trouble knowing this one)

The perfect area does not exist so we're happy to make compromises but that is what we're considering anyway. OH doesn't want to drive more than 30 ish minutes to work but if he was closer and it was a bike ride that would be great. As aforementioned we want to walk to school and not too far. We'd love somewhere with great beaches on the doorstep but as long as we can get to nice beaches in no more than a 20-30 minute drive we can 'cope' !! (We know it definitely can't be cycling to work and great beaches on doorstep - we'd consider both equally). We're not snobs regarding the area but we don't want to live anywhere rough for obvious reasons. But we know with our budget we cannot expect perfection! :-)

Can anybody give any more ideas and provide any information on the last point (general 'niceness') of the areas we've mentioned and any others? TIA! :-)

[Dell]

In December, I spent a few days looking at property in Whangarei but ended up buying in Bay of Islands. There are definitely good and not-so-good areas and areas I considered 'rough'. I liked Whangarei Heads - good beaches - but it is a 20 minute drive into town. When you're exploring, there's a good cafe in Whangarei Heads (big red Coke sign along the top). If you stop there, try the seafood chowder - it is fabulous. There's also a reasonably priced book-a-bach right next to the cafe. I stayed there for a few weeks while house-hunting.

Now I can't remember which areas are the better ones - but the agent I worked with recommended specific areas.
(Leslee Going with Maggie Dixon Real Estate.) I liked Leslee - she was good to work with. Whangarei has many of the big stores - Harvey Norman, Briscoes, Mitre 10, Pak N Save, etc.

Good luck!!

[kazp]

Hi Holy Moly
We are also moving to Whangarei in a few months. Probably October ish. Also looking at areas and considering Kamo, Maunu or further afield such as Waipu, but just not sure yet. My daughter is 11 so looking at Kamo intermediate or Whangarei Intermediate but I think they look at catchment areas so need to get something to rent nearer to one of those.
I have also got a job at the hospital. What will your husband be doing there?