Waitakere and Waiatarua

By CHARLOTTE COSSAR

Hands up those of you who think Waitakere is nothing but endless native bush - beautiful as it is - with nothing else in between? Well you are wrong. Waitakere village is a thriving community with a number of large lifestyle blocks as well as numerous family homes on sections over 1000sq m.

What's more, Waitakere is close to Auckland, being at the end of the north-western railway line - but not more than 45 minutes to the central city for commuters, which is a huge attraction for lifestylers, fresh-air seekers and those attracted to the beautiful open spaces that are not privy to city slickers.

Waitakere comprises the village, which services many of the area's farms and lifestyle blocks, and the famed ranges, where countless citizens feel at home with the beauty of native trees, flora and fauna.

The region is adjacent to the fast-developing localities of Taupaki, Kumeu and Huapai.

Property prices reflect the current high demand for away-from-it-all houses, which are family or alternative lifestyle friendly. Houses of all eras have been constructed in the Waitakeres. Basically, you can pay anywhere from $400,000 to over $1 million, depending on what you are looking for. Most family homes surrounding the village are on good-sized sections and will fetch upwards of $330,000, while blocks of over 2000sq m will sell for over $500,000.

Waiatarua encompasses the large area surrounding Titirangi, Henderson Valley and Oratia. As with Waitakere, many properties for sale in the area take in much of the local native bush so famed in the region. Scenic Dr and West Coast Rd are the main roads through this suburb, providing the gateway to the west coast beaches.

Waiatarua's environment is more one for the bush-lover than the lifestyle block seeker.

Section sizes are still large - sometimes in the hectares and certainly greater than 1000sq m, but the usability of the land for things other than spectacular views back to the city may be limited. Prices too vary, with modern family homes selling for anywhere from $500,000 to around the $1 million mark. Bare land suitable for building the house of your dreams may range upwards from anywhere in the $90,000s.