WHERE'S BEST TO LIVE IN NZ AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW: PART4!!!

[AngryBeaver]

Arrgh,had to start a new thread!

Yes,you can get more land in Tauranga. Well,somewhere like Omokoroa or somewhere.Wouldn't want to live much closer than that. And I woulkdn't want to live at he Mount. Lovely as it is. Too touristy,imo.
We would like enough land for a pool (eventually) maybe a sleepout and still enough for a veggie patch and garden for kids. Don't neeed acres +. Wouldn't say no though,if we could afford it! Be nice to have a few sheep or something/

I think Mum would have to fly to Tauranga. So that would be
Manchester-London,London-Singapore, Singapore-Aukland,Aukland- Tauranga
Bad.

justa howws the back? Hope physio was a help,we may have driven past you!
Your house sounds great.
My mums friend lives in Silverdale.She has about an acre with some sheep etc
Wasn't overly impressed at but didn't give it a proper look I suppose,just stopped to buy flowers for Mums friend! Always worth another look

2K for the cylinder? Is it lined with gold?

Our local bank was held up today about 10 mins after we passed it. St Heliers FFS. I wonder where they parked the get away car cos it always takes an age to get past all the old dears who just park on the main road and pop into the post office/library/drs.

$1500 plus GST, approx, includes all labour costs. I checked on nocowboys.co.nz (it gives you rough estimates of how much work should cost) and it matches the figures on there.

St Heliers, blimey. The little supermarket near us has started having a security guard on the door in the evening as they got robbed a few weeks ago. It's such a shame, it's the friendliest supermarket I've ever known - I know all the cashiers and the manager packs the bags for you.

I am looking up all the free school holiday stuff at the mo as we'll be tightening our belts with the cylinder to pay for. Have found our three nearest libraries, all within about 5 mins drive, all have story/craft sessions on different days so will be going to those...

Have a look at Whitcolls too. They have kids events sand craft sessions. I also saw something on FB about ports of Auckland doing free boat tours for rate payers every Tuesday morning- you need to book in advance though.

If the weather is good in the holidays I'll be doing all the usual free stuff with them - beaches and parks - they are still young enough to be more than happy with a beach and a bucket and spade :). I'm thinking of contingency plans for if it's raining though. Haven't been to the Museum for ages, that's another one.

WSS just a heads up - we were at the museum a couple of weeks ago and the hands-on part (Discovery centre??) was closed. Not sure when it said it would reopen, November maybe. DD1 was not impressed, but I managed to distract her with the dinosaur bones

When you say bookmark this thread...do you mean in my browser, or is there a capacity to do it via the site? Other sites I use it takes me straight to the bit that I haven't read, but I don't do anything other than be logged in.

Is anyone (Aucklanders) going to try to go to the free ice skating on Queens Wharf?

bbq widow you go to Customise (at top of page) then scroll down into Other Options...you ahve to turn on the Bookmark option. Then you can Bookmark up to where you have read to! Voila! No more skimming

right. it looks like tauranga really definately is where we are headed. so, now i need to narrow down suburb. i really really really like the idea of being as close to the beach as possible, but having never actually lived withing walking distance of the sea am not sure if its as wonderful as i think it would be? the area i like the look of is papamoa, but i dont know if thats a good idea for schools? angrybeaver, did you find out any no go areas in your research? thanks ladies, it feels so frikken wonderful to finally be able to ask questions and be properly planning! its not just a pipe dream anymore :-)

Ohh, congrats! I'm jealous!...We like the look of Matua. It's close to the beach and has lowest crime rate in Bay of Plenty. The schools in Tauranga all have really good reps from what I hear. There is a boys' college that is "the best in nz". Papamoa seems a pretty area. Tauranga is a really nice city. Really good feel about it. I wouldn't live near Mount Manganui,personally. It is absoloutely stunning -BUT - gets really busy at holiday seasons and shopping area is a bit touristy.
I can't say I am an expert. We are exploring bit by bit and get over to Taurana when we can. We are under an hour away so it's a do-able trip with the 3 little ones. We just about get into Tauranga before dd starts saying she is carsick!
Anyway, rambled a bit,in a nutshell...Tauranga= fab,imo

matua does look lovely :-) originally i was very into the idea of a lifestyle property, but i think maybe in the beginning its a better idea to be in town rather, so we arent immediately isolated and get a chance to make friends for DD. we can always move again later

although DH just got an email about a job in aukland........... i was like, really? really really DH? dont mess with the plans!!!

Nice to be wanted!! What does he do? (if you can say) How old is your dd?
We want a lifestyle block too, but can't without selling house in the UK.
I really want a decent back garden and hate the way the houses are all subdivided, so you have neighbours from every bloody angle (to see you naked when you get out the shower and forget to close all the interior doors)
Would love a bit of privacy. Have a few friends here with fabulous houses and land

Yes, poor neighbours with their bleeding eyes!
Would love love love a house where no one could see in...not gonna happen for a while so no point getting het up about it I suppose.
Lucky you justa that must be unusual so close to the city

We only have one room (a bedroom) that is overlooked - on two sides we have trees and the houses are quite far away too. At the front we are up a steep slope from the house in front of us so their roof is below us. There are quite a lot of houses tucked away in the more bush-y areas of Auckland where you aren't overlooked.

Gorgeous day yesterday - we spent the whole day in the garden, did some weeding, planted new plants, paddling pool out for the dcs, picnic lunch out there.

We're the same- only one bedroom that people can see into. I see it as a small price to pay for being walking distance to a croissant and the pub.

The joy of our new place is I don't think it's really overlooked at all despite neighbours being close. It's all about the angles Even the garden seems relatively private.

Off to experience the next stage of the NZ health system. Paediatric outpatients with DD2. Have been writing timelines and questions all evening. Wish me luck (and good traffic!)

lol at the neighbors seeing you in the nick :-D

you see, this is why i need to read this thread, i hadnt thought about things like being overlooked. hhmmm. maybe time to re asess the whole lifestyle block thing.

DD is 4, and a proper monkey at the moment. she told me today, very authoritively, that 'school is only for a short time mommy, then im going to be a laydeeeee' so i go, but DD what will you do when you are a lady? and she says, 'i am going to have lots of children, but we will need a bigger house mommy'

It is a very informative thread,isn't it?! The amount of knowledge I have gleaned from here!
Dd sounds like she would have lots to talk about with my dd, she is a monkey too! Where are you from originally frick? I am assuming from the "mommy", that it's the States?

One sleep to go then Blighty here I come. No school run, shopping, cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing for 2 whole weeks. Just lunch and proper shopping, Lakeside and Bluewater here I come. DH you have no idea what lies ahead!!!