Moving from Auckland to Wanaka is a really common trend.
The flood started after Covid and accelerated after the second lockdowns of spring 2021. With the discovery of working from home flexibility plus the bad deal dished out to Auckland our population growth and house prices began accelerating. Other issues in Auckland have only accentuated the gap in the lifestyle comparability numbers.
Moving from Auckland to Wanaka is like a well-trodden road these days. Ever since Covid we have worked with so many Aucklanders moving south. There are several main reasons but the weighting of these has changed over this time. Initially it was because of the lockdowns, especially the second one, then it was climate related but now it is crime. Underpinning these triggers is the ability of being able to work remotely, which hadn’t by many been so obviously possible until Covid.
Auckland and Wanaka lifestyles are like chalk and cheese – not even the climate is vaguely similar.
We hardly ever get rain in Wanaka and we have 4 very distinctive seasons. I remember last summer trying to stay off the topic of weather with any North Islanders. The media didn’t help, but we had a drought and the North Island got our share and some, unfortunately.
Speaking to a relatively new builder yesterday, who has moved from Auckland to Wanaka in 2021, he loves how much extra time he has in his day – driving and sitting in traffic is great thinking time but it is not very great for relaxing even if Spotify is perfectly loaded. He loves being able to easily make it to kids events and spots easily. Kids love the difference too – everything is on the instead of proximity being the barrier. Also because it is so safe here kids are able to be more independent and make their way around town under their own steam and at a younger age than in the cities. By the way it is great to meet another builder who has great experience in renovations – most Wanaka builders main experience is in building new homes.
When I think of Aucklanders relocating to Wanaka I immediately think of families with children that are still at school or younger.
They are seeking a life off the treadmill – a better work life balance. Many of them haven’t previously owned a holiday house here but have come down to ski each winter and rented. Quite a few of them grew up somewhere in the South Island themselves. My office mate made the move from Auckland to Wanaka with his two young boys having grown up in Dunedin. Being a CEO of his own company is completely doable. There is commuting back involved, but not every week – lots of online meetings are working really well. Mostly he’s out of the office at 5 and home to enjoy his young sons around the dinner table.
The Wanaka vs Auckland lifestyle; life in Wanaka is at a considerably slower, more relaxed pace and is ideal for those seeking a quieter, nature-oriented lifestyle and ample outdoor activities.
The great benefit is that these activities are also right on the doorstep and don’t take an off-putting journey to be able to access. Biking and walking to work and school are also a real life changer for many of our Aucklanders. One of my first clients ever moved south from Auckland and a key criteria in their house search was the proximity to school so that biking to school was a part of their daily routine. Simon now chairs the local Community Board and has been instrumental in getting our network of cycle trails to where it is today. At preschools the children spend time in nature with some of the programmes that are implemented. School kids are taught safe river crossing modules. Year 13 students que up to gain entry into the nationally acclaimed outdoor education oriented year offered at the local high school.
Crime has in the past 12 months become a big reason that Aucklanders are relocating to Wanaka.
I am told by many that they no longer feel safe and that crime is escalating which for many is the last straw. Touch wood – I feel completely safe at all times in our town and don’t hesitate to go anywhere at any time on my own. We never lock our home and it isn’t really that necessary to lock vehicles these days either. The only times that trouble occurs are when youth come to town from satellite towns about an hour or so away deliberately to make trouble on a long weekend for example.
When I am looking at Wanaka real estate for Aucklanders I am mostly able to look in a healthy price bracket as house prices in Auckland are significantly higher.
Typically Aucklanders rate Wanaka real estate that is modern, with a sunny aspect and has space around it. Most of us living here have vege gardens, orchards and pets.
There are some aspects that Auckland relocating to Wanaka need a steer on. We do need to discuss wind and their tolerance for it. There are some areas that are windier than others. It is also really important to get Auckland buyers to consider the floor plan of a property relative to the sun. Having a living area that doesn’t capture the sun is a major NO NO in my books. The climate here is so much colder than in Auckland that it is not something that has had to be a consideration previously.