Northcote

Defined geographically by the Akoranga Campus of AUT to the east, Takapuna Golf Course to the north, the intersection of Glenfield and Pupuke Rds to the west and Little Shoal Bay to the southwest, Northcote is a small suburb with a big heart. There are only about 7000 homes in the entire area, including 3500 in Northcote proper, 1000 in Northcote Pt and 2500 in Hillcrest, but those who know the area say it's notable for its friendly, family atmosphere.

"It's becoming an increasingly popular area," says Dave Chubb of Ray White, Northcote. "It has a good community feel to it, particularly around Northcote Shopping Centre, because of the diverse ethnic backgrounds of the population. There's a friendly feeling when you wander around the streets."

He says Northcote has a large Asian presence as well as many Polynesian residents. The Northcote Shopping Centre is the cultural hub of the area, with an open-air market held in the car park every Friday night.

Northcote and Northcote Pt are widely considered separate suburbs, split geographically by Onewa Rd. They're also disparate price-wise; a house on the Northcote side of Onewa Rd will cost at least $150,000 less than a similar home on the city side, where a renovated three-bedroom home attracts $800,000 - or more if it has views.

Many of Northcote Pt's homes are big, old villas from the early 1900s, whereas Northcote central has a lot of weatherboard bungalows, brick-and-tile homes and modern townhouses built on subdivided sections. It also has some state and ex-state homes and some military housing.

The area is particularly popular with young professionals and families. Many students choose to live here because of its proximity to the AUT campus, and there are also many older people.

The Hillcrest area is particularly sought-after by families looking to enrol their children at Willow Park Primary or Sunnybrae Normal. Northcote Primary attracts children from Northcote Pt, while Northcote College, also on Onewa Rd, includes in its zone Northcote, Northcote Pt and Hillcrest, as well as Birkenhead, Chatswood and Highbury.

John Zimmerman of Barfoot & Thompson says property values have gone up at an astronomical rate over the past five years because of the area's proximity to the city. "When I came here the average house price was just hitting $200,000, whereas now it's over $400,000."

Today, prices range from $200,000 for a two-bedroom unit in a less salubrious street, to well over $1 million for the best homes overlooking the water on Northcote Pt.

What makes Northcote special?

Northcote appeals to astute buyers seeking the lifestyle benefits of the North Shore while retaining proximity to Auckland Harbour Bridge. Northcote Pt has some of the most stunning city views in town.

Watch out for ...

Parts of Northcote have had a dodgy reputation in the past, with high concentrations of state housing around the shopping centre. Some of these homes have now passed into private ownership, with a corresponding rapid increase in value, but for a few streets the stigma remains. Although motorway access is often cited as a drawcard by people moving into Northcote, getting down Onewa Rd to the on-ramp is notoriously slow during peak periods.

Need to know

Median 2004 house sale price - approximately $450,000

Driving time to city - off-peak: 5-10 minutes, peak: 30-45 minutes