Moving from Auckland to Rangiora

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nzpilot1181

132 posts

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#171940 6-May-2015 12:36

Hi All,

It's looking likely I will be transferred to Chch for work and as such I am looking at purchasing a house down that way. I have heard Rangiora is quite nice and affordable. Would anyone have any tips on what Rangiora is like to live including surrounding areas such as Kaiapoi, Woodend etc. Was even thinking of Leeston South of Christchurch.

Cheers

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#1299002 6-May-2015 12:49

Those areas are very mixed - there are nice rural and suburban parts, and not so nice, with everything from a run down old bungalows, to cookie-cutter subdivisions, to multi-million dollar estates.
The commute from Rangiora to (what's left of) the CBD can be horrendous, Leeston possibly less so, but it depends on time of day etc. New roads are planned and/or underway, but development / shifting population post EQ may mean that they only offer temporary relief.

jillann

102 posts

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#1299014 6-May-2015 13:06

We're in the process of building a house in Leeston and will be moving down from Auckland at the end of June. We've been down there a few times to check on progress and just love Leeston. There are a couple of new subdivisions going in with very affordable housing. From what I can gather its a much easier commute to the city than Rangiora.

Lias

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#1299020 6-May-2015 13:14

Rangiora has some very nice parts, but has a bit of a reputation (it's nickname is Rangoon for a reason). I lived there for 6 months after I first moved down, didn't have any problems thou. Kaiapoi I didn't like that much, nearly as far out as Rangiora but not as nice an area. As Fred99 noted the commute can be pretty bad, I used to leave Rangiora around 06:25 and made it to work on time at 7 most days, but if you start work at more traditional time it will be worse. That was driving by the way, public transport your looking at 80-100 minutes for a morning commute.

Currently I live in northern Redwood, and it normally only takes me 20 minutes to get to work (southern end of Barbadoes St) for a 7am start.

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Fred99

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#1299041 6-May-2015 13:20

OMG - I thought there was an invasion of one - and there's been an invasion of 3...
(Make that 4 - I moved down from Akl myself - decades ago).
If possible, I'd suggest renting somewhere first, until you get to know the general areas, pros and cons etc.

keewee01

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#1299069 6-May-2015 13:39

With so many people having shifted out to Rangiora in the last few years I hear the communte into Christchurch is becoming slower and slower, but there is apparently a new bridge going to be built which will fix this.

That said, personally I'd go Leeston for the quieter life and it is a nice town.

nzpilot1181

132 posts

Master Geek

#1299131 6-May-2015 14:44

Cheers guys this is all very helpful info. I would prefer the outskirts of Chch such as Rangiora but looking and beginning to hear good things bout Leeston.

Can anyone suggest what suburbs of chch City are decent / not dodgy etc incase I was to move closer to the CBD?

kingjj

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#1299145 6-May-2015 15:00

nzpilot1181: Cheers guys this is all very helpful info. I would prefer the outskirts of Chch such as Rangiora but looking and beginning to hear good things bout Leeston.

Can anyone suggest what suburbs of chch City are decent / not dodgy etc incase I was to move closer to the CBD?

Anything west of Cranford St/Main North Rd and anything North of Brougham St/Main South Rd should see you right (IMHO). East and South Chch have traditionally been the lower soci-economic sides of town and with that unfortunately comes the trouble. The North West seems to be the in area at the moment, suburbs like Bishopdale/Bryndwr/Harewood/Redwood/Belfast and surrounds are close enough to the CBD to be an easy commute but far enough away to avoid the traffic and late night drinkers.

Leeston is a great township, have lived there in the past. Other areas in South Canterbury to look at should include Lincoln (great township, easy access to town, lots of new subdivisions going in) and Rolleston (very established but still has a good country feel, lots of shops etc). A lot of the 'undesirable' people that moved to Rangiora after the quakes have moved back into Chch so it's slowly losing its Rangoon reputation.

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Fred99

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#1299201 6-May-2015 15:48

kingjj:
nzpilot1181: Cheers guys this is all very helpful info. I would prefer the outskirts of Chch such as Rangiora but looking and beginning to hear good things bout Leeston.

Can anyone suggest what suburbs of chch City are decent / not dodgy etc incase I was to move closer to the CBD?

Anything west of Cranford St/Main North Rd and anything North of Brougham St/Main South Rd should see you right (IMHO). East and South Chch have traditionally been the lower soci-economic sides of town and with that unfortunately comes the trouble. The North West seems to be the in area at the moment, suburbs like Bishopdale/Bryndwr/Harewood/Redwood/Belfast and surrounds are close enough to the CBD to be an easy commute but far enough away to avoid the traffic and late night drinkers.

Leeston is a great township, have lived there in the past. Other areas in South Canterbury to look at should include Lincoln (great township, easy access to town, lots of new subdivisions going in) and Rolleston (very established but still has a good country feel, lots of shops etc). A lot of the 'undesirable' people that moved to Rangiora after the quakes have moved back into Chch so it's slowly losing its Rangoon reputation.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear.

The rather nice suburb of Cashmere is South of the city, as are very pleasant established suburbs like St Martins.
With the possible exception of a few streets in the heart of Fendalton/Merivale, the most expensive and exclusive area in Chch is probably Scarborough - which is well and truly East of the city.
There are places you mention as good, where I wouldn't feel safe walking at night. I won't name them because there's enough social prejudice already in Chch - much of it based on pure ignorance and conservatism.
The OP should check it out himself - and reject much of such "advice". A lot of it is also based on self-interest. People buy cheap group houses in subdivisions way out of town, then want everybody else to pay for the infrastructure they lack.
There is another factor - which is that Chch has changed - and will continue to change following the quakes

Wheelbarrow01

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#1299203 6-May-2015 15:50

kingjj:
nzpilot1181: Cheers guys this is all very helpful info. I would prefer the outskirts of Chch such as Rangiora but looking and beginning to hear good things bout Leeston.

Can anyone suggest what suburbs of chch City are decent / not dodgy etc incase I was to move closer to the CBD?

Anything west of Cranford St/Main North Rd and anything North of Brougham St/Main South Rd should see you right (IMHO). East and South Chch have traditionally been the lower soci-economic sides of town and with that unfortunately comes the trouble. The North West seems to be the in area at the moment, suburbs like Bishopdale/Bryndwr/Harewood/Redwood/Belfast and surrounds are close enough to the CBD to be an easy commute but far enough away to avoid the traffic and late night drinkers.

Leeston is a great township, have lived there in the past. Other areas in South Canterbury to look at should include Lincoln (great township, easy access to town, lots of new subdivisions going in) and Rolleston (very established but still has a good country feel, lots of shops etc). A lot of the 'undesirable' people that moved to Rangiora after the quakes have moved back into Chch so it's slowly losing its Rangoon reputation.

I live in Bishopdale which is a pretty nice area. We have Bishopdale and Northlands Malls close by, and it is not far from the airport too. Only about 5kms from the CBD. I work over in Addington and it takes me about 15 minutes by car to get to work (but I start at 7.30am). I have been here for years and have thought about shifting a few times but I find the location so convenient.

Kaiapoi is around 20km from the CBD. Its a small community (especially since the EQ's), but has schools, parks, shops, and recreational activities right there (fishing, river walks, boating on the river or Brooklands Lagoon). My best friend and I have 50/50 shares in a boat. From his house in kaiapoi to the boatramp is a few hundred metres and we can be waterskiing at Brooklands Lagoon within 15 minutes of leaving his house. Heaven if that is your thing. He loves it so much he declined the government/CERA's generous GV offer for his house - he is now the only house left on his block and is not going anywhere. He has the biggest back yard of anyone I know now, and CERA mow the lawns for him once a month lol.
The price of housing has gone up as there is less stock available (EQ's again). A couple of new subdivisions have sprung up but section sizes can be small (Silverstream Estate being a prime example)

sen8or

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#1299206 6-May-2015 15:59

Moved from Auckland to Lincoln 9 years ago, was a great "little" town although lately it is growing beyond its own capabilities (needs more infrastructure). Lincoln to CBD is +/- 30 mins during peak hour, add another 20 mins to Leeston or deduct 10 mins from Prebbleton.

Never lived north of the city but a lot of the eastern suburbs shifted out that way (Rangiora or Kaiapoi) post earthquakes, both the good and bad elements of the eastern suburbs.

In terms of pricing, Prebbleton is most expensive (which is bizarre because all there is there is a crusty pub a "nice" restaurant and a few shops), then Lincoln, then Rolleston, then Leeston. There is also Springston which is inbetween Lincoln / Leeston which is a bit cheaper than Lincoln but only 2-3 mins extra travel time.

Lincoln and Rolleston are both UFB and I think the new subdivisions in Rangiora / Kaiapoi are also UFB, if that is a factor in your decision.

BTR

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#1299214 6-May-2015 16:09

Rangiora is quite nice, population is just over 16,000. It has most shop you will need, 2 x countdown, New world, pal n save just being built, mitre 10 mega, farmers about to be rebuilt, noel Leeming, the ware house, warehouse stationary, pizza hutt, kfc, hell pizza, dominos, McD's, gyms, cafes.

Traffic is getting worse, it takes about an hour for me to get to work but that includes a detour to my partners work as well. If I drive straight to work take about 40-45 mins.

Houses as cheaper than Chch as well and we very little damage after earthquakes.

Kopkiwi

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#1299248 6-May-2015 16:23

If you're wanting something further out check out Rolleston.

SOmething a little closer, Halswell, Aidenfield, new subdivision in Lyndhurst is nice

Dunnersfella

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#1299302 6-May-2015 18:01

I agree with the idea of checking out Rolleston.
Pre-quakes, it was a case of people laughing about the 'Town of the future' and asking residents if they'd seen any escaped convicts.
Oh how the times have changed.

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#1299328 6-May-2015 18:27

there is only 1 road out of rangiora. only 1 road thru the cbd. one 1 road ..... many many cars.

live in the correct quadrant of the city. if possible, a microlocality that avoids those arterial roads to go to work.

Fred99

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#1299337 6-May-2015 18:55

Kopkiwi: If you're wanting something further out check out Rolleston.

SOmething a little closer, Halswell, Aidenfield, new subdivision in Lyndhurst is nice

For goodness sake - for the OP's sanity, plan to check out one of those only.
If you can imagine yourself living somewhere like that, then check out the others - if not give them a miss.
A hopefully not too cryptic hint is to ask yourself how much of your time you'd dwell on the shade of beige with which to knit a cardigan - and how important it would be that it matched your slippers.

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