Christchurchers...

**Fat Tony** · 2nd November 2007, 08:10

I wonder if I could pick your brains a while? I've spoken to Deviant Esq about this but would welcome as many opinions as I can get on the matter from people in the area.

The chances are that when we get over there we'll be heading for the Chch area, and we'd like to hear recommendations for nice areas to live with decent schooling.

When we visited at Easter we had a nosey around Cobham Intermediate and were really impressed, but we're not sure about living in the catchment area - seems fairly built up and busy compared to our little semi-rural spot here in the UK.

We fancy somewhere semi-rural, but reasonably easily commutable in to the city. We were really taken with Sumner actually but I doubt we could afford to live there and don't know anything about the schooling available there. I also remember the road back towards the city being mental busy.

So, just trying to get an idea of other areas to consider really, to research property prices etc etc. I appreciate that this is such a vague question, and without knowing us it's perhaps difficult to comment, but just after some steerers really

Thanks,
Tony

**Mikkel** · 2nd November 2007, 09:55

Anyone who's been commuting in a proper european city will consider Christchurch commuting a joke. It's not that bad really. It's only frustrating when you go on dual carriageways since Kiwis (no offense intended) haven't learned how to utilise two lanes in an efficient manner.

We live up on Mt. Pleasant and it's a lovely spot. Dunno what the houses costs since we're renting a place. But it has views, you're out of the smog and away from the main roads. There's a school half-way up the hill and it seems to be a nice and friendly place. Takes me about 20 mins to commute the ~16 kms to University on the other side of town.

Personally I'd want to live up on the hills since I come from a flat boring country myself. A lot of kiwis seem to think that the commute is too long and would rather stay on the flat. Sumner is indeed a nice place, but the causeway can be a cause for frustration I've understood. Mt. Pleasant is a bit closer to town. Cashmere is also worth considering - but not much sea view from there. Of course, property prices reflect the niceness of all the areas.

**SDU** · 2nd November 2007, 13:12

Ferrymead, Heathcote, Mt Pleasant, Lyttleton etc is all very nice but very expensive to buy- Good schools. They are along with Fendalton & Merivale some of our more richer suburbs.
Brighton has some reasonable priced areas near the beach.
There are pockets of quite areas within busy suburbs you just have to shop around & chat to locals in the areas.
People do buy out of town but traffic can be a pain at peak hours.
- schools I don't know as it is something I don't have to worry about. Avonside, Shirley are popular.
Note I think you have to live in an area to be accepted into public schools.

http://www.realestate.co.nz/

**car** · 2nd November 2007, 13:46

Originally Posted by Mikkel

Takes me about 20 mins to commute the ~16 kms to University on the other side of town.

...

A lot of kiwis seem to think that the commute is too long and would rather stay on the flat.

Yeah, a lot of my colleagues seem to think that my 30 minute commute is too long, but it's much better than I was used to in the UK -- I've halved my commute and doubled the quality of my surroundings, not to mention having fewer and infinitely less annoying neighbours. I think that if you're willing to bear in mind what you came from, you can find niches that Kiwis seem to find less desirable.

**cynna** · 2nd November 2007, 13:47

i work with a few people that have just moved from the uk. i think all of them either live in rangiora or kaiapoi. they seem t love it - nice quite towns that are only a short drive from chch

house prices are a bargin as well compared to what u get when u sell yours over there

**Joni** · 2nd November 2007, 14:00

Originally Posted by cynna

i work with a few people that have just moved from the uk. i think all of them either live in rangiora or kaiapoi. they seem t love it - nice quite towns that are only a short drive from chch

I agree with you on this one...

Its a lovely area... got a bit of a rural feel... I live in Rangiora, and its stunning to see the sprinklers going in the fields and the animals as you head home.

About 25km's from Chch... less polution in the winter... friendly people...

**Bullitt** · 2nd November 2007, 16:46

Originally Posted by Mikkel

It's only frustrating when you go on dual carriageways since Kiwis (no offense intended) haven't learned how to utilise two lanes in an efficient manner.

Problem being Christchurch is lacking in two lane roads, especially to the north. Its fine till you get 10 ks from town then its a 50km one lane in each direction road.

I used to work with plenty of people who thought nothing of driving an hour plus to get to Oxford every day but I much prefered my 20min walk to Merivale.

Much prefer the Wellington setup of a motorway right into the centre of the city and decent public transport.

Dont have kids so I'll leave where you should live comments to the experts

**Romeo** · 2nd November 2007, 18:12

Burnside/Avonhead/Riccarton is pretty good - Good school, less crime, few boyracers etc. Takes me 15 mins to get from Avonhead to Polytech on the other side of town.

Also you have to be careful of buying near the septic ponds if you're that way inclined.

Though, TBH, everyone's moving to Australia - So why not just cut out the middle step?

**TonyB** · 2nd November 2007, 18:47

Originally Posted by SDU

Ferrymead, Heathcote, Mt Pleasant, Lyttleton etc is all very nice but very expensive to buy- Good schools.
http://www.realestate.co.nz/

Agreed- I live in Heathcote and my daughter started at Heathcote Valley school this year. Heathcote isn't too expensive- can't be or I wouldn't be here

, but being a small area, houses are hard to come by and fairly sought after. We just sold our house (bought another one in Heathcote) and had three offers before it even made it into the realestate mag.

The school only goes up to year 8 (covers intermediate) and then your in the Aranui/ Linwood High zones, which most Chch people will tell you is a terrible thing- couldn't tell you, I went to a country school miles from anywhere. BUT, I was talking to a relief teacher who went to Linwood for a few years and said it was peaceful, no problems, then went to Boys High and there were several fights every lunch time...

We saw some seemingly well priced houses on Mount Pleasant, but never got around to looking at them. There seem to be some good deals available up there if you can bide your time

**Colapop** · 2nd November 2007, 18:49

Are you little like car? Or are you a fat bastard? It helps to know - if I have to hug you...

**The Lone Rider** · 2nd November 2007, 19:54

My cousin lives in Kaiapoi and loves it. His daughter is one years old roughly so I haven't heard him talk about schooling much, but he really loves the area and says commuting for him is a breeze (but to get to his work he just has to skim the edges of the city and go around).

His only gripe is Kaiapoi you don't get a pack of rubbish bags, you have to buy all of them yourself (whereas if you fall in the CHCH district you get a set amount).

Riccarton has gone up in price a fair bit.

I reckon Hornby and Sockburn area is on the up and up in terms of housing and pricing. No idea of schools though.

**Fat Tony** · 2nd November 2007, 20:42

Originally Posted by Colapop

Are you little like car? Or are you a fat bastard? It helps to know - if I have to hug you...

Mate, I'm about as skinny as they come... you could probably hug me twice in one go

Thanks all for the info. Really appreciated. We've spent hours looking around realestate.co.nz but without local knowledge you never know if you're looking in the centre of meth-central or somewhere

Cheers guys

**cynna** · 3rd November 2007, 03:35

Originally Posted by LLAMA SOLA

His only gripe is Kaiapoi you don't get a pack of rubbish bags, you have to buy all of them yourself (whereas if you fall in the CHCH district you get a set amount).
.

26 bags for chch households @ $1 bag is not much better....

**200BUSA** · 3rd November 2007, 06:18

Well Fat Tony it all depends on what you want-if a good school is what you require then you have to buy in that area,If you like it quieter then out semi rural would be the go.I was out in the country and it was great but the commute to work got to me after about 5years and the school run for the kids was 160km a day so decided to move to town.Where ever you decide there will be some sort of problem in that area.CHCH is a great place to live-just take your time and pick the right spot.
Hope to see you over here soon.cheers.