KEY POINTS:
Including Coatesville, Riverhead, Dairy Flat and Taupaki.
This bustling part of rural West Auckland is where townies can go country without giving up their city-life refinements.
Ten years ago, no one thought the sight of the local chap chugging along the main road on his tractor would ever change. Now, that main road has traffic lights for the first time and is a bustling arterial route for the SUV monsters driven by well-polished parents and their pony-riding offspring.
Well-established professionals are significant buyers here. They arrive with their young children and take to the land with a passion for its lifestyle rather than its productive appeal.
The area is popular among those working from home or those who can vary their commuting times to avoid peak periods.
With new subdivisions under construction and palatial homes dotting the rolling landscape, the flavour of the wider area is continuing to change. Among the older housing stock, there are original farmhouses and small cottages, plus relocated villas. The best homes include tennis courts, pools and stables.
Amenities
There are four primary schools, which means children have to travel outside the area at secondary school age. The high-decile and well-appointed Waimauku School is one of the largest primary schools in the area. At secondary level, the neighbourhood is in-zone for Massey High School. Private co-ed schooling is offered at Kristin School in Albany.
Huapai and Kumeu each have their own shopping areas with plenty of parking in a forecourt off the main road. The sprawling array of shops sell everything from envelopes to antiques. There are market garden outlets and vineyards with cellar door sales along the highway. For more substantial shopping, the Westgate shopping mall is about 10 minutes drive away.
Kumeu's enviable choice of leisure activities reflects a location that's close to rural and suburban facilities. Woodhill and Riverhead forests offer ideal terrain for motorcycling, orienteering and horse riding.
Rimmers Rd, near Muriwai Beach has motorcycle tracks. In Kumeu/Huapai proper, sporting facilities include golf, squash and tennis courts and a driving range. For moviegoers, there are theatres at Westgate shopping centre.
There are quality restaurants tucked among the vineyards, and some top cafes scattered about.
Trends
For three years running, Quotable Value figures showed annual rises in property prices over the 20 per cent mark. That has now slowed along with the rest of the market.
There are plenty of 1ha blocks on the market but a dearth of 4ha, and very few in the $800,000 to $1.2 million range. Top end sales have hit $3 million for a palatial house on a lifestyle block with swimming pool, stables etc.
A few minutes down the road, Waimauku has seen a surge in popularity - buyers are keen on its smaller size and there is a wider choice of properties to buy. Bigger residential sections have come on to the market here, selling for around $330,000 for 1500sq m.
Best streets
Matua Rd and Sunny Cres in Huapai; Pomona Rd in Kumeu; Solan Estate, Freshfields and Cloverfields in Waimauku.
