Healthy lifestyle irresistible lure for Auckland family

GOOD MOVE: Andrew Wilson, wife Claire and 9-year-old daughter Reigan have not regretted their choice to move to the Bay in 2015. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Escaping the hustle and bustle of Auckland to seek a healthy lifestyle for his family was all the incentive Andrew Wilson needed to shift to Tauranga.

He timed his return perfectly in 2015, buying a house at just the right time before the market peaked. Now Mr Wilson, wife Claire and 9-year-old daughter Reiganare enjoying everything life has to offer.

Yesterday, new figures were released revealing homes in Tauranga were the ninth most unaffordable in the world and are more out of reach than in many major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and London. Read that story here.

''We are a more relaxed family as everything is close. The people are more relaxed and friendly and being active in such a picturesque place does wonders for your state of mind.

''The traffic issue in Auckland took a toll on our stress levels. Auckland has such a frantic nature that living in Tauranga feels like a working holiday,'' he said.

His business, DRILL Outdoor Fitness, has gone from strength to strength, offering people the chance to work out in a park or on Mauao.

The former Waikato boy already had a strong attachment to Tauranga from years of coming over to play sport and later to study at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.

And while he was relieved to be out of Auckland's traffic madness, his 13 years in the big city taught him how to succeed in business.

Mr Wilson brought this ethic to the Bay, noticing immediately how much the relaxed lifestyle included people being more active in the outdoors.

''It is unbelievable how many people are out and about at 6am at Mount Maunganui.''

However, he suspected that the recent surge in traffic volumes had taken the council by surprise and it was now having to do a bit of catch-up.

He said the pace was a bit more relaxed when they first shifted, but it was still a great city for young professionals to bring their skills and ideas.

Mr Wilson loved everything about the move to Tauranga, and said it was the best move for him and his family, and not only financially. To have the family grow up around the best beaches in New Zealand was a true bonus, he said.