thisNZlife

From the editor

The number of lifestyle blocks sold in the last year has rocketed, up 59%

The few pieces of furniture I’ve bought on Trade Me have all had one thing in common: a long commute.

It seems I share furniture tastes with people who live in Titirangi (1 hour, 5 minutes away) and Torbay (1 hour, 23 minutes) – every piece I’ve ever bought has involved a long, tedious marathon across the Auckland region.

When I decided to sell some furniture recently, it turned out the reverse was also true. One buyer was from the North Shore but sent her southern cousin to pick it up as she couldn’t fathom driving so far.

Another was a lovely couple from West Auckland who could only come in the evening. They were a little bit freaked out by the dark when they arrived. There are no lamp posts in the countryside, few houses, and they were sure they’d ended up in the middle of nowhere.

To try and alleviate their frayed nerves, I asked if they’d seen ‘The Castle,’ as they neared my house. Anyone over the age of 30 who travelled from Auckland to the Coromandel in the 80s and 90s remembers that landmark, a crazy brick castle where you could buy enormous ice cream cones. It closed more than 10 years ago, now just a quaint reminder that a quiet, narrow, winding country road used to be a major highway.

I also told them about the famous cows that live next door, producing the creamy Lewis Rd dairy range. It turns out there’s nothing like a shared love of chocolate milk to help a person relax. They were excited to see the cows, even silhouetted in the moonlight, and entranced by the big starry sky that they usually never see. They even admitted it wasn’t THAT far from the city.

And that’s a big leap to make. The number of lifestyle blocks sold in the last year has rocketed, up 59% on the year before. That’s a lot of town folk making a similar great trek into the unknown.

Whether you’re new to it or an experienced hand, check out our great guide for block owners (see page 42). It’s a range of quality resources to help you live a good country life.

Nadene Hall, Editor

FROM THE EDITOR

en-nz

2021-08-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-08-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thisnzlife.pressreader.com/article/281629603253445

NZ Lifestyle Magazine Group