Avondale

Including Rosebank and Waterview

Avondale is an established suburb close to the city and popular with its discerning residents. It's one of Auckland's oldest suburbs, with the first European settlement as early as 1843.

The Avondale area is now popular with numerous professionals seeking character family houses on large sections. It also attracts first-home buyers and immigrants, who like it for its good schools, job opportunities and lively community spirit. There's also a large Polynesian influence.

It's always been multicultural and in some parts staunchly blue collar. There are numerous renovated villas and bungalows plus an abundant supply of 1930s through to 1960s brick and tile or weatherboard family homes. The past two decades have seen a number of modern infill plaster or brick and tile townhouses.

Amenities

Avondale College is highly regarded and people will move into the suburb for this reason alone.

Lynn Mall and St Lukes are close by and that has had an impact on suburban strip shopping in Avondale. Avondale centre recently had a revamp, including a newly paved town square, a stage and modern toilets - and that's attracted new shops and cafes.

On Sundays, the local market at the racecourse sells produce, arts, crafts, food and second-hand goods.

Avondale is famed for its racecourse in Ash St. There are also other sporting clubs, including bowls.

West Coast beaches are easy to reach, and Pt Chevalier beach is just down the road.

There are plenty of parks and reserves. Waterview has nearby mangrove wetlands accessible via Waterview Park and Howlett St Reserve. Backing Waterview is the Motu Manawa/Pollen Island Marine Reserve.

There are numerous gyms and sports clubs, and sports facilities at the college, which also runs an extensive community education programme.

Trends Values in Avondale have increased appreciably during the past decade, driven by the good public transport and demand for land by developers and homeowners. The proposed motorway extensions make this an area likely to continue growing in value. At the moment it's still a reasonably affordable area close to the city.

Rental and investment There is a shortage of rental accommodation in the area. Numerous ex-rentals have been renovated and on-sold to owner-occupiers. Much of the demand for rental is driven by education - tertiary in the form of Unitec and secondary in Avondale College.

Best streets Blockhouse Bay Rd and Holly St. Also Avondale Heights, including Cradock St, Himikera Ave and Powell St. The streets near Unitec are highly regarded at present.