Thanks for the feedback, in general it confirmed what I had thought after my two visits wandering around, and although I was aware of the water table issues I hadn't stopped to consider that it doesn't just extend to flooding, but just a general lack of drainage, definitely something I will consider, as I had looked at houses on Hobson and Wilson in St Clair, Hobson wasn't too bad on the lawn, but Wilson defo was. 

I think our preference still largely lies along the Highgate path, largely for the proximity to the Roslyn shops and to town. I'm aware its not perfect either, but no where is. 

To be honest, nothing can be worse than a house I had in Howick, Auckland. It was a 1967 architecturally designed fancy box, flat roof, so no insulation, thin walls, no isolation, and underfloor insulation between the rumpus and lounge only. I later added pinkbats myself under the bedrooms because in the middle of winter, on my side of the bed only, I had dew. Thats right, inside, out of the weather, I bought the weather inside with me and had dew on my side of the bed. Having lived in London, Gisborne, Waihi, Tauranga and Auckland, that was by the far the worst.

Nothings a given yet anyway, it will depend once we are down there and what we want, but the great piece of take away advice is not to get to un-touched no-insulated bungalow. Bit of an eye opened on that one as to how bad they are, but good to know in advance.

Thanks again