Whitford : An exclusive extract

Including Brookby, Clevedon and Orere

This area is a rural escape for the well-heeled and with its endless stretches of wooden-rail fencing, mature trees and rolling fields, it's very English-feeling.

And although the prices put it out of reach of most Aucklanders, what you get for your money here would be astronomically expensive in most other countries.

Development has been tightly controlled, so most residents have plenty of room to swing a pony or two. The only downside to the sparseness of population is a lack of local amenities - there is no school in Whitford and there are no shops at Brookby.

Still, there aren't many jobs out this way, either, so most people commute out of the area most days.

A typical dwelling here is one you can't see from the road because it's set back behind mature trees and expanses of paddock. Lifestyle blocks and equestrian properties are very popular.

Apart from having a certain graciousness and spaciousness in common, the style of houses is very diverse.

Amenities
Whitford children have to go elsewhere for their schooling: many of primary age go to Point View School in Howick. Brookby and Clevedon both have full primaries, which include the intermediate years.

Unsurprisingly, given the real estate prices around here, many opt to send their children to private high schools. Two new relatively local colleges, Botany Downs and Alfriston, may also prove attractive.

Whitford retailers provide the basics for locals and the non-essentials for tourists.

At Clevedon, there is a wider range of shops.

For many people out this way, life revolves around horses. Polo at Clevedon is a major event, there's a pony club at Whitford, and an equestrian centre in Brookby.

Other sports are catered for, too, with Clevedon having clubs for bowls, lawn tennis and cruising yachts. The Whitford Park Country Club will be undergoing a major renovation soon. It has 56ha of native trees and hosts golf tournaments.

Duders Regional Park is an historic and beautiful seaside farm, with numerous tracks for walking and riding. There are cafes and restaurants at Whitford, Clevedon, Pine Harbour Marina and the Formosa Country Club.

Trends
Subdivision is continuing, but at a much slower rate than in other areas. Locals are resisting change by contesting resource consent applications.

The Auckland Regional Council is also determined to contain the city's sprawl. Prices are rising steadily but whether you're looking at a house on a quarter-acre or a lifestyle block, prices are all over the place in every category.

It's still possible, but not easy, to buy a home for $600,000. And you can pay as much as $5 million for small and large places alike.

Many of the better properties are being marketed overseas on the internet and this is driving prices up. If you're after a piece of Brookby, you need to be patient or lucky - it's a small settlement and people tend to stay put.

Best streets
Here you're looking at best peninsulas rather than best streets. Clifton or Broomfields peninsulas are the places to be, no contest.