Property Report: A desirable location

Photo / Zoe Puttick

Traditional villas share street fronts with sleek new apartment developments in busy township known for high-class shopping, writes Graham Hepburn. FREE PROPERTY REPORT IN TODAY’S NZ HERALD: VALUATIONS FOR 420 SUBURBS

More apartments and constantly improving shopping and entertainment options are turning Newmarket into a desirable central city location.

Rachel Dovey, of Bayleys, says it is also a practical suburb to live in, thanks to its proximity to the city, the Auckland Domain, popular schools and transport links.

She says families enjoy easy access to a large number of quality schools such as Auckland Grammar, Epsom Girls' Grammar, St Cuthbert's College, St Peter's College and Diocesan School for Girls.

As well as being close to the motorway, residents are well served by public transport.

"The public transport is extremely efficient with the refurbished Newmarket train station and several bus routes easily accessed in the centre of the Newmarket shopping precinct," Dovey says. "The train takes less than 10 minutes into the central Britomart station."

She says as well as having a large shopping precinct and a huge range of eateries and restaurants at their disposal, residents also have the use of wide open spaces close at hand.

"Those who live in the area enjoy access to some of Auckland's finest green spaces, which include Mt Hobson, the Auckland Domain and the many walkways around Shore Rd. There are also sports facilities such as the Olympic pools, Remuera Rackets and Les Mills on Khyber Pass Rd."

Rachel says the suburb is dominated by a apartment complexes such as the extensive Broadway Park area, and the new complexes on Khyber Pass Rd.

Jo van Kan, of Ray White Broadway, says, "Newmarket is considered the fashion capital of New Zealand, a shopper's paradise just minutes away from central Auckland, offering a great mix of high-street fashion, a large mall and designer boutiques."

She says residents have other options such as enjoying the Anzac Dawn Parade, Christmas in the Park and other events in the Auckland Domain.

Van Kan says such is the area's popularity that Newmarket Primary School will double its roll in the next two years, and the new University of Auckland campus on the former Lion brewery site will make the suburb even more attractive.

She says the range of real estate ranges from affordable apartments for first-home owners to penthouse apartments or traditional family homes.

Newmarket is a niche market of condensed housing and apartments, also one of Auckland's older suburbs -- housing was built in the 1900s. The villa and bungalow styles mix with the townhouses and apartments being built.

"With a diverse multicultural mix of people it creates a vibrant atmosphere, very much like Sydney."

Newmarket has come a long way since the 1840s when the area was farmland along with businesses such as breweries and hotels.

The suburb derives its name from the new cattle markets established there in 1850. Later on, market gardens were established either side of Khyber Pass Rd.

Many of the suburb's historic buildings have long since gone, but some remain such as the historic and charming homestead Highwic, on Gillies Ave, and the odd commercial building or hotel.