Combined with their savings, a First Home Grant of $10,000 and their KiwiSaver withdrawals got them over the line, helped by the fact they were eligible for KiwiBuild, which capped the purchase price for their new home at $650,000.
Ryan says whilst it wasn’t something they considered during the buying process, “we’re finding having a smaller, higher quality place means there’s less time spent on cleaning and maintenance, so we’re spending a lot more of our time doing things as opposed to cleaning things.”
And they find plenty to do and enjoy at Hobsonville Point. He and Laura love to make the most of the Catalina Bay waterfront. They’ve discovered many local gems, and are “quite partial” to the Portuguese tarts from the Catalina Bay Farmers Market – a regular weekend treat – and to the coffee from Squadron Coffee’s bright yellow cart.
“We’ve discovered lots of cool little parks tucked away to take Evie to,” says Ryan. The variety of playgrounds at Hobsonville Point provides Evie with trampolining, water play, a giant slide in the shape of a bird, and plenty of opportunity to make friends, as there are lots of young families living there. Once she’s older, Ryan is looking forward to joining the sailing club and getting her out on the water.
Ryan says their top floor apartment has views of the harbour and the Sky Tower and they get the sea breeze coming through. It doesn’t feel too small and it supports them to live a simple life.
“We’re just going to play it by ear and see how long it takes for our family to organically outgrow the space. With young children it works very well, and we’re finding all the amenities close to us are proving to be pretty fantastic.”
Walk the Didsbury Art to see larger-than-life public artworks from some of New Zealand’s top artists as you wind your way along the picturesque coastline. The trail takes you through parks and beautiful streetscapes, taking in unique heritage sites and urban design features along the way.
The young (and young-at-heart) will delight in Hobsonville Point’s magical parks, where sculpture meets play. Climb into giant seed pods at Hobsonville Point Playground, slide down the big bird at Harrier Point Park, and cool off at Hobsonville Point Water Park. There are even hidden fairy houses to search out at Onekiritea Park - tread quietly and you might catch a glimpse of their tiny inhabitants.
Down on the water near the ferry landing at Catalina Bay, a world-class hospitality precinct is taking shape. As well as the hugely-popular Catalina Bay Farmers Market, you’ll find restaurants and cafes that rival the city’s best, like Siamese Doll, Fabric Cafe Bistro, and so much more.
You’ll find the quality of the homes at Hobsonville Point striking. Our Design Review Panel checks plans for every home here before it’s approved to be built. Every home is architecturally designed to maximise sunlight and space, with open plan living and an easy flow to outdoor areas. They make use of high quality, low maintenance materials that minimise demands on our time and bank balance.
