Hoon Hay - CHCH people help
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Topic: Hoon Hay - CHCH people help
Posted By: Nutella
Subject: Hoon Hay - CHCH people help
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 1:11pm
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Anyone have an opinion on that suburb? We are looking at a house there and wondering if it was a dodgy area or reasonable?
Thanks! PS looking at the stats it seems to be lots of oldies living in the area haha! ------------- 
 Oct 11
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Replies:
Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 4:13pm
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I don't really like the area but its fine and safe and admittedly I have never lived over that side of town at all so really have no idea!
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 4:15pm
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lol, thanks! -------------
Oct 11
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Posted By: GuestGuest
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 4:18pm
I'm the same as Peanut, I've never lived over that side of town so not 100% sure. Think it would be fairly reasonable. It wouldn't be in my top 10 suburbs to live but that's all gone out the window with the earthquake damage now anyway 
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 4:21pm
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Yeah, it sure changes things! We have looked at a few places in St Albans but it is a lot more expensive in the north and we are both working in the south side of the city so kinda tricky.
What would be good places to live?...bearing in mind we are not millionaires who can afford to buy those mansions in Fendalton lol. -------------
Oct 11
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Posted By: GuestGuest
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 4:37pm
| Now it's pretty tricky! Basically anything North or West is good in terms of less quake damage. It depends on what you are after. If you want to stay south then I know that Halswell is really family friendly, I know a few people that live there. |
Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 5:19pm
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Some of Hoon Hay is OK, but not anything round Rowley Ave (dodgy!!!). Sparks road which runs down the back of Hoon Hay was pretty munted in quake. There's quite a lot of state housing around there, especially Hendersons Rd and the roads around Rowley Ave, and with state housing, you are always going to get a few lowlifes so I'd stay clear of that area. Halswell is nearby to Hoon Hay and really lovely. My parents have lived in Halswell for years and it is very family friendly and you can get reasonably priced houses there around the Oaklands part of Halswell. When we buy our own place we are looking to buy out there as it's a nice area, not very far from anything but still has a semi country feel about it and there are good schools nearby.
HTH  -------------  
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 6:25pm
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It depends on your budget really. I like Halswell but it's too expensive for us. The school is really good though (I work there lol)
I live in Hoon Hay. A good area for young families IMO, for the price you pay. I'd avoid Rowley, and Lyttelton St/Studholme etc. As for Sparks Road being munted - um I live on Sparks Road and it's only about 1/4 of Sparks Road that's been damaged, it was actually Rydal St, Hoon Hay Rd, Smartlea St etc. Also Barrington st (not Hoon Hay but close) was pretty bad. Nothing at all like parts (OK a lot) of the east side. If you were to buy in Hoon Hay, I'd be looking for a house that's in the Hoon Hay zone, I wouldn't send my kids to West Spreydon. Feel free to PM me if you want info on specific streets - we've lived here 4 years and it's been great for us. But like I said, it depends on your budget, you get good value for your money here but if I had another 100k to spend (hopefully when the house is fixed!) I'd be moving to Halswell area as it's just that little bit closer to Dh's work (and we want a larger and newer house) My last piece of advice would be to not buy into the 'area' thing - some of the nicest areas (Fendalton/Merivale, parts of St Albans etc) have been quite badly hit this time around. Like any area, there's good and bad streets and for us, because I grew up on this side of town, I wanted to stay here to bring up my own kids
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Posted By: freckle
Date Posted: 13 May 2011 at 8:07pm
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Some parts seem okay but wouldn't be my first choice of place to live... I'd prefer Beckenham, Cashmere, or some parts of Spreydon... and IMO better preschools in those areas too, although long waitlists. ------------- mum to 3 lovely girls :D |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 1:12am
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Might be a good idea to have a look at what you can afford and then go from there. Hoon Hay wasn't my first choice, hell I'd love to live in a 500k home in Halswell but you buy what you can afford, and what's available. Personally I wouldn't live in Spreydon, used to live there and don't rate it at all. But then again, some people class us as Spreydon and we're definitely not. Beckenham, Cashmere - definitely nice. Although Cashmere got a hammering in this quake.
On my side, if you could spend up to 500k for a fairly decent home, I'd go Halswell first choice (Aidanfield and Westlake/Oaklands come under that umbrella too, although some parts of Oaklands aren't that nice either), then Beckenham (depending on if you want to live in an older home generally, which are usually lovely BTW), then Hoon Hay/Lower Cashmere (so heading from Sparks Road and Hoon Hay Rd intersection east towards the hills), in a nice cul-de-sac or something. If you're both working on the south side of town, try and live over here as traffic is a nightmare trying to cut across town. Colleagues of mine are spending an hour each way when they used to spend 20 mins. |
Posted By: Bubbaloo
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 6:49am
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I was going to suggest Halswell aswell for that area of town, were currently in Hornby but if we had the money for a nice big newish house I would difinitely go Haswell the schools around there are really good as some other people have suggested. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  Was danni-chick Mum to James My Angel 28/07/08 |
Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 8:08am
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We def don't have 500 grand for a house, more like 300....so it is limiting us somewhat! We are in Beckenham at the moment I think, we quite like it round here, like the proximity to town etc. But I do get a bit puzzled as to where the suburbs start and end! -------------
Oct 11
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Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 8:45am
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I've lived in spreydon also and wouldn't really live there again, some parts of spreydon closer to Barrington aren't too bad tho I guess, but not my first choice either. You can get reasonably priced houses in Halswell. We have been looking over the past year and seen many houses between $280-320k (that is our maximum) and you would be surprised what you get for that price. The house we were really keen on was fully insulated, 3 bedroom, newly redecorated throughout, double garage, sleepout and huge 800+sqm section and that went for $315,000. So it can be done. Westlake would be my first choice, it's where my parents live, but like Emz has said, it is more expensive.
Bubbaloo - I'm in Hornby (closer to Hei Hei) at the moment too. Can't wait till we can buy our own house and get out of this area of town! Hate it! -------------
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 11:53am
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There is still some good buys in Bishopdale/Burnside/Brywndr. I love it round there. Great parks, local supermarkets for the quick trips. I live in St Albans and can't imagine living anywhere else. So close to everything. I work in RE in ChCh so let me know if I can help at all!
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 2:25pm
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Yeah we looked at some places around there Peanut but everything is either outside our budget or in real dodgy streets haha! I thought it was gonna be really fun looking for a house but it is soooo stressful.
I like one house but it has some cosmetic EQ damage and hubby isn't so keen, sigh. And he likes another house which is a great location down from Pioneer park but it is so small, I am not so keen. -------------
Oct 11
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 2:47pm
| Yeah for around 300k it does limit you. Halswell houses around that price range aren't the best IMO, you are paying more for the area so you generally get a lesser house. But on the flipside, in all areas you need to see what the street is like and the surrounding streets. eg some people love living in Ilam but there are some incredibly dodgy areas within that suburb, same with all areas of Chch as they spread state housing around and there are always less desirable streets even if they're non state housing |
Posted By: freckle
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 2:53pm
Yeah when i said Spreydon I meant close to Barrington parts - I lived near Barrington mall a few years back and really liked it... great park for the kids, close to shops and town (not that that matters atm) and decent preschools and schools. ------------- mum to 3 lovely girls :D |
nzlisajo wrote:Posted By: Bubbaloo
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 4:18pm
Yeah were more in Islington just of Parker street I actually don't mind it too much here but it would be nice to be in a nicer part of town but were quite content here it's close to everything we need at this stage were going to to the place up were in the upgradebut at the rate were going that probably wont be into we are well into retirement lol. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> Was danni-chick Mum to James My Angel 28/07/08 |
Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 6:21pm
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Oh yup, that part of Hornby isn't so bad. We aren't too far from there, but area isn't as nice. We are on Buchanans Road down by Gilberthorpes road. I never feel safe here.... infact, just got DF to come home from Soccer clubrooms cause there were some people parked outside our house peering through the driver side window of our car parked outside. They took off when they saw me but came back again -------------
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 7:10pm
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My new job is in the city, well as close as you can get at the moment anyway...so closer in is always better. What are peoples thoughts about Addington? And also is Shirley a bit dodgy or is it ok? Miles from where DH works tho.
We started out looking in hornby/heihei and it didnt really appeal....so maybe we were right there! -------------
Oct 11
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 7:42pm
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Hmm Addington, unless you live in Linden Grove, I wouldn't go there if you didn't have to. Shirley - some parts are nice but I personally don't like the area as a whole (but if you buy down the St Albans/Mairehau end it's a bit nicer than a lot of places around The Palms).
Wigram area in Hornby is up and coming, but more expensive. 'Upper Riccarton' is also Hornby but have slightly nicer areas as a whole. The problem with Hornby is the lack of good schools, in particular high schools. Gosh this is really hard to write, giving suggestions without offending each other on our respective suburbs
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Posted By: Bubbaloo
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 9:40pm
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Yeah I don't know what were going to do for high school if were still here then we probably try to get him into Riccarton maybe Lincold but have heard that they have changed the zoning so no to sure it's a while a way anyway.
Wigram is nice but is quite pricey upper riccarton is also good and if you keep a look out there are some good bargains in that area there was a house I was eyeing up fo a little would of been good if went on the market next year. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> Was danni-chick Mum to James My Angel 28/07/08 |
Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 14 May 2011 at 9:49pm
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Yea Wigram is nice (the new area on the old air base). My sister and her hubby and kids live there and love it, but it is expensive.
I went to Riccarton High and it wasn't a bad school, I turned out alright lol. My younger siblings went (well, my brother still goes there) to Lincoln High and they both really enjoyed it there and did well at school. There is a school bus that goes from Halswell out to Lincoln. But yea, there are limited decent schools over this side of town. As for Addington - nope,I wouldn't go there. I work right in town (on Cashel street, just over Barbadoes) and drive from my place in Hornby to Mum's place in Halswell to drop DD off (15min drive) and then straight down Lincoln Rd then Moorehouse Ave to get to work and it's only a 15mins drive, 20mins at most, so traffic isn't that bad really. I do start at 9.30am tho so that might make a difference. Don't know much about Shirley. I have a few mates who live over that way and seem to like it. But I think there are still 'dodgy' streets there. And a bit of quake damage over that way too. -------------
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 15 May 2011 at 2:40pm
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Lol, yes it is hard to comment without offending someone who lives in the area haha.
We have looked at a house in Hoon Hay Rd, wouldn't normally look on a mainish rd but it seems good buying tho there was liquefaction in this outide cupboard lol! I'm gonna have to bus to work after dropping DS off at childcare coz there will be limited parking plus I am starting later in the day as well.....so that is gonna be great fun..not! -------------
Oct 11
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 8:37am
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Umm, Shirley is ok in parts...its quite close to where I live. I have friends that live in the pocket off hills road and there are some lovely houses in there. I probably wouldn't go too close to the palms but only because there are not many parks etc round there.
Is 300K your max amount? It does limit where you can buy in terms of areas. I have a friend who is classed as Addington and its a nice wee street but I would have called it more city than anything. Most houses are going to have superficial EQ damage, its not really avoidable and as long athe owners have put a claim in then it will be fixed by the EQC. Your working close to town, where is your DH working? And have you got a daycare in mind? -------------
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Posted By: Nix21
Date Posted: 16 May 2011 at 9:29pm
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Hi,
Thought I better wage in too! I live halfway between Halswell and Wigram and love it, would prefer to be more in Halswell, but once again $$$$ might wait till we pay a bit of this mortgage first! Hoon Hay is lovely for the most part as per Emz comments. If you are looking preschools, there are heaps of good ones in the area as well. ------------- Nix http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 17 May 2011 at 9:15am
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Well, thanks for your input, has been pretty handy! We have an offer on a house in Hoon Hay lol...can't wait to move in!
PS for Chch people who might be interested, we are staying in these units which are like self contained 'apartments', VERY small but also really cheap. Anyway, I will def be recommending them to anyone who needs somewhere to stay coz of the cheapness factor and the owners are lovely tho they talk lots hehe. So if anyone on here or anyone you know needs a short term place to stay while their houses are getting fixed flick me a pm and I can let you know the website -------------
Oct 11
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