Glen Innes

BY CHARLOTTE COSSAR

Often a suburb overlooked by many buyers, Glen Innes is rich in cultural diversity and has a strong community feel.

Popular with first-home buyers and investors, the area was mainly paddocks until World War II, but now it's home to many 1950s two-storey duplexes, some ex-State gems that have been lovingly renovated, a few newer homes and pockets of infill housing.

LOCATION

The area is bordered along one side by the Tamaki River and along the other by the railway, making it a relatively small suburb.

A handy location, it is a 10-minute drive from the Bays and a 30-minute drive from the city. Depending on where you live in Glen Innes, at present you have a choice of two motorway accesses - Greenlane Rd and Mt Wellington - and the railway line runs through to the city. It is also close to Pakuranga and Botany Town Centre.

AMENITIES

The area has a great sporting complex with a pool, and it is bordered by the Merton Rd sports grounds - which cater for rugby, cricket, soccer, tennis and netball - and the estuary, which has a walking track from Mt Wellington along the coastline to Glendowie. This track passes a bird sanctuary, which is home to many native birds.

Being home to the Tamaki campus of the University of Auckland, it is a popular area for students, especially on the hill at the St Johns Rd end of the suburb. Again, this makes it a popular choice for investors as there is never a shortage of people looking for rental properties.

A popular destination for residents of surrounding areas as well as its own, it is a great place to do your weekly shop, having a choice of butchers, fruit and vegetable shops and a popular supermarket.

SCHOOLS

Glen Innes is popular with families and there are at least three primary schools, one intermediate and a secondary school in the area. They are within walking distance of most parts of the suburb.

The secondary school, Tamaki College, has a reasonably small roll and is a popular choice of school for people in Glen Innes and the surrounding area.

HOUSE PRICES

Generally, it is hard to find houses for sale in Glen Innes, because they are well priced and attractive to first-home buyers and investors. The ex-State homes, which seem to be the most sought after, don't stay on the market for long. Young couples and professionals snap up these solid homes to revamp and restore.

The houses that are on the hill overlooking the estuary enjoy spectacular views across to Blockhouse Bay and Pakuranga. These houses, mainly in an area called Wai o Taiki Bay, are sought after and command prices from $220,000.

On the flat in the heart of Glen Innes, the houses are a little cheaper. For a three-bedroom home in reasonable condition you could expect to pay from $170,000.

Generally, the best streets are those off the top end of West Tamaki Rd, Weybridge Cr and Paddington St.