Perhaps this is out of left field given this a LSB forum but my escuse is that I have been here for so many years, it feels like family to me so....
Sold my LSB 12 months ago and have been renting urban properties since. I KNOW I do not want to live in Auckland so have been hunting every since for the next move. It will be urban as I am one of the Senior members and after 30 years of farming, I want to take it easier. Don't switch off!!!!!
What can anyone tell me about Foxton Beach as a community and any plans that may upset the apple cart to buy there. There may be a plan to buy a house in Palmerston North but also have a bach at Foxton as a bolt hole to the beach even in Winter (must have a fireplace!) and a family bach into the future for my children and grandchildren.
The plan was when selling the LSB that I would move to a beach but the prices for rubbish up this way and into the Bay of Plenty are just totally stupid and not something I am going to do - especially with the economy and outlook being so questionable.
So guys, with family in Palmerston North and the University that may stimulate my brain (if I can get in there), can you give me your feedback please. Would you consider it and if not, where in reasonable proximity would you look at?
right.. have spent a few holidays at Foxton recently and it's a really nice wee place.. no shopping but Levin is close enough if you want that and it's certainly close enough to PNth to go out for weekends.. has a great fish and chip shop (Foxton, not PNth)
I'd certainly consider Foxton.. so long as you like those beaches.. long and often windswept but certainly a lot to look at in Foxton with the estury and all the birds etc... I enjoyed it.. and the prices are certainly much better than Auckland way.. fishing off the wharf and just relaxing at the bach.. don't buy too close to the beach as you'll fill up with sand in the wind.. we were about a 10 minute walk from the beach and that was just perfect..
Sorry not going to be too much help but a friend has just bought a spacious 3 bedroom house on half an acre at Foxton Township down a very quiet road, ie she is the only property on it. She paid $230,000. There is also a self contained flat adjacent and garage on the property. The town has quite a few shops and I think she said as the crow flies 8km to the beach. As she's only recently moved in she doesn't yet know what it is like to live there long term but will be interesting to see after years of living in Feilding. There was lots of sand blowing when I visited last week from neighbouring land which could possibly be a problem if you'd just hung out the washing?
Prices at Foxton Beach have gone up heaps in the last few years ie ridiculous price for scruffy old bach type residences but then I suppose they are not making land anymore.
Getting out of Auckland is good. I lived there for 16 years, husband 22. Traffic horrendous. Love living in Palmy, don't miss anything about Akld apart from the odd friend. Being near family is good....as long as you get on with them.
Husband, two teenagers, Stanley & Jed the greyhounds, one quail (Hawkefrost), one budgie (Chaos) small productive surburban section.
I don't know anything about Foxton Beach, sorry.
But, I wondered if you had checked out the EBOP when you said BOP?
Prices in Opotiki are very reasonable. Walking distance to the nicest beaches and still a 'rural feel' town which you might enjoy having been on lifestyle blocks for so long.
Strange how much you've got to know, Before you know how little you know.
Hi DiDi, Foxton has gone ahead over the last 10 years, Levin as one other person is close and so is Palm.Nth. I live at Ashhurst but have a mother-in-law at Foxton, and one of my staff has just retired to Foxton. There are a number of small blocks, and houses on decent sized sections available. Traffic in the Manawatu/Horowhenua area is magic compared to Auckland and the surrounds. We have a number of folk from up North living in our valley and they just can't get used to the lack of traffic and the ease for travel. Have a look at the likes of Property Brokers realestate website they seem to have a number of properties in the Foxton vacinity for sale. Cheers and goodluck.
SIL lived there right on Foxton beach ...LOVED it[^] Nice small community and old fashioned but still handy to lots of places and very central[^]
Palmerston North is by all accounts a good place to live too tho" ...have friends and family that have/do live there ...anywhere has to be better than Auckland[:0][]
Cheers
We love Palmy - having spent 25+ years on the Kapiti Coast and travelling daily into Welly for work.... this place is a breeze!!!! Don't miss the congestion one little bit and the Manawatu being so central - gives you so many places just a couple of hours travel away. We do miss the beach life of Kapiti and if you really like the calming feeling of beach walks Kapiti is hard to beat with the island just offshore - very good for the spirit type of place. In the Manawatu - Feilding is also a great little town. Great boutique type shopping and has all the grocery majors as well. Sorry as don't know much about Foxton.. but best of luck with the search!
Thanks for the insight everyone. The Foxton Beach windswept sand blowing description I have to admit is a bit off putting. Sigh.
I am actually looking at properties all over the place but either within reasonable distance of my daughter in PN or Auckland where I have an elderly mother to care for.
I know it will happen when it is meant too! I walked away from a do up house at Waihi Beach a week ago (an area I like) but no regrets. It didn't fit the profile as to what I want for the next few years. Scary that - someone suggested recently "where do you want to be in 10 years?" Jeez - one year is hard enough to contemplate while in this scenario of renting and not wanting to be renting. I just want my own house!!!!
Didi,
i believe you are not alone in the way you feel, my wife and i are going through the same thing. We do not want to stay in Auckland and are looking around, but it is just taking the step, I think it gets harder as you get older, could be wrong though.
I hope it goes well for you in your house hunting
Near to where you are, nice markets on the weekends, close enough to Auckland, but just outside it, seems like a lovely little community there too, and nowhere near as pretentious as Clevedon...
Rob thanks - perhaps if I had a partner it would be easier to discuss and make the decision when a couple can, through things back and forth work it out! I have no regrets about being single (love it) but do miss the "backup" of a relationship. Being honest.
Pokeno Kipling is a total no no for me having lived on the north side of the Bombay Hill. It is soooooo cold in Pokeno in comparison. Good luck to the subdividers there - not me.
No idea where Te Kohunga is! In reality - having grown up (holiday wise) on the West Coast of Dargaville, I am far more attracted to the East Coast. I am a sun baby and don 't like Southerly wind and cold. I told you I was struggling but thanks for the suggestions so far.
and still a 'rural feel' town which you might enjoy having been on lifestyle blocks for so long. 
...anywhere has to be better than Auckland[:0][
]
