Wellington-Lower Hutt

[Fatjim]

yes im biased. i lived there for 20 years,

I think this just backs up what Dafe was saying . Mind you, sounds like the place is on the up now.

[gsp0702]

Currenly arranging for a trip out meet and greet wit company, i guess second face to face interview and from the sound of it them selling themselves, NZ and wellington area and hopefully showing us round the area a bit. But looking good so far. If that goes well i will probably start taking peoople up on thier offers of info on schools etc.

[Drum]

Don't hassle the artwork. I'm a numbers man!...........

[gsp0702]

thanks for all the info so far looks like the visit (meet & greet) and second interview? is being arranged for around second of april. I have noticed that your interest rates are a bit higher than uk and Australia. Suggestion is that they have been put up in an attempt to control an overheating housing market? Also saw a rather barbed comment regarding upper hutt on the emigratenz website. Interview with someone who had moved to welly quoted pretty much everywhere around wellington was nice but upper hutt had a bit of a reputation. Generally on here most people have been positive about upper hutt.

http://www.emigratenz.org/EmigratingToWellington.html

[wendigo]

By profession I am a geophysicist......

So you'd be working for GNS then. Nice enough crowd. Fairly laid back. Place used to be old television studios, and is in pretty good nick. Very nice location - even got their own swimming pool there. Sadly there were no hot chicks lounging around aforementioned pool when I worked there...

Downside would be that it is somewhat isolated, so nipping out to get a spot of lunch is somewhat of an embuggerance.

Commute wise, I came in from Newtown. Took somewhere in the region of 15-20 minutes on the way out in the morning, somewhat more coming home in the evening. Very boring mind you. Get on the start of the motorway in Wellington and straight line it all the way to Avalon. Mindnumbing. Squared of the tyres something horrible too...

Places to buy?

Not Newtown thats for sure. As pointed out before, it used to be cheap, but now the place has become trendy due to this, and has become a victim of it's own succes. Also the houses in general are not in the best of shape, as they are old, and will require a fair amount of work to get em in good nick. Factor this in on top of the purchase price of the house in the first place, and Newtown is actually bloody expensive. Got lots of interesting (i.e. genuinely fucked in the head) characters mind you.

Would suggest to have a look at Northland, Wadestown that sort of area. Reasonable prices and good location for getting both into the City center and onto the motorway.
Don't know much about schools, but the estate agent was using the school zone as a selling point when we bought a house out there, so it couldn't have been bad.

[Fatjim]

Last year I stayed at a "homestay" in Upper hutt for a while. A pommy was there who was doing the same as you. He had come over early to start work and look for a house. Brought the family over once the house settlement wa about due. Seemed to work for him as the missus and kids didn't have to live in temp accommodation.

If you looking for a place to stay look up fantail hostel and homestay in Upper Hutt, (costs around $240 a week all inclusive). Maggie's the boss there. Warning, you'll put on weight.

[Drum]

......... I have noticed that your interest rates are a bit higher than uk and Australia. Suggestion is that they have been put up in an attempt to control an overheating housing market? Also saw a rather barbed comment regarding upper hutt on the emigratenz website. ...

Thats true about the mortgage interest rates. They are currently around 8.5% fixed and 9.8% floating. They are likely to go up again in the short term as our housing market refuses to slow down.

Oh, and Upper Hutt is a great place. Lots of trees, bush, rivers, parks etc. And the shopping is on the increase too, with several national retailers opening in the next year. Also some of the most reasonable real estate prices you will find in the region. You can even live semi-rural and catch the train to work every day.

You're gonna love it here mate, and we'll make you welcome.

[riffer]

Also some of the most reasonable real estate prices you will find in the region.

Use to be Damon.

We bought a 3 bedroom there 4 years ago for $165,000. House two doors down sold twelve months ago for $340,000. Conservative registered valuation six months ago said $295,000+. House next door sold three weeks ago for $385,000.

House prices are going stupid ATM and unfortunately Upper Hutt is leading the way. Still, house prices are less than they are in Welly. One of the young girls at work (mid 20s) and her boyfriend just put in a $1.2 million bid on a 3-bedroom house in Northland!

[Drum]

....unfortunately Upper Hutt is leading the way. ...

Not unfortunate for you Simon!

I see that the Hutt Valley mean property value increased by 17% over the last 12 months.

Ch-ching!

[Matt]

... Also saw a rather barbed comment regarding upper hutt on the emigratenz website. Interview with someone who had moved to welly quoted pretty much everywhere around wellington was nice but upper hutt had a bit of a reputation. Generally on here most people have been positive about upper hutt.

http://www.emigratenz.org/EmigratingToWellington.html

Like anything in life try before you buy! I made my own mind up about the Hutt/Upper Hutt, wouldn't worry about negative comments on emigration forums like emigratenz/uk2nz etc, most of them have never been out of Mt Vic...

Matt

[gsp0702]

Trip organised arrive Wellington Saturday 31st March, depart Friday April 6th back to uk so for NZ a very flying visit but all paid for so cant complain. Just hope i get an offer on the end of this.

[gsp0702]

Well on the plane tomorrow and will be in welly around 10ish saturday morning, in body anyway, the mind may take a day or two to catch up. So hoping the weather stays good for the duration of the visit. Wish me luck

[Drum]

Unfortunately the weather forecast is grim for visit.

Don't let that put you off though. Enjoy your time here.

[gsp0702]

well we are here in lower hutt in body, mind still somewhere over the pacific. Found an internet cafe, of to make use of the hire car.

Any good pubs/bars or restautrants we could try whilst we are here.

[slowpoke]

Maaaate, have I got a deal for you....!

I'm in Martinborough, the motorcycling Mecca of Welly/Wairarapa and our place has just gone on the market. In fact when you park your bike at night you'll actually notice in the morning it will have moved to face towards Martinborough, I shit you not.

Hmmmm, 20-30min from Upper Hutt might be a problem, I'm not saying it can't be done, but you'd certainly have a hell of a lot of fun trying!

27acres of rural bliss, restored open plan farmhouse, Rimutaka's one way, Lake Ferry/Coast another, dirt switchback roads yet another, wineries, great roads....did I mention the steak knives...no wait there's more......wait....come back!