Suburb Spotlight : Papatoetoe
Named for the toetoe tree, this historical small town located between Otahuhu and Manukau City Centre is an ideal place to call home. Founded in 1892, it proudly toutes its status as one of the oldest towns in Auckland. Quiet and safe, it is far from sleepy as there are all kinds of fun activities happening every week that bring community members together.
The state of the art sports complex and community pools encourage residents to stay fit. There is also a fabulous golf course where you can play around with friends before heading to the local social club for a pint and live entertainment.
Here the historic blends beautifully with modern conveniences making it a coveted place to enter the property market. This is especially true for first-time buyers.
In 2018, the average home sale price was $741, 665, far below the sale prices we were seeing in areas like the central city. In 2017, the average sales hovered at around $776,465 which means that prices are pretty steady year-on-year indicating it is a stable place to purchase or invest. With more free-standing homes available here than other areas, you will have plenty of properties to choose from that include things like gardens, garages and decks.
Renters will want to look this way for affordable multi-bedroom opportunities. In 2018, two bedrooms averaged $422, three bedrooms $515, four bedrooms $580 and five bedrooms were a mere $717 in Papatoetoe.
Lovely cafes and restaurants, beckon you to treat yourself to a meal or coffee out as you mingle with friendly neighbours. An upgraded mall and town centre, refurbished New World supermarket and carpark, are part of the exciting central improvements that new Papatoeians will love. These improvements are part of Panuku Development comprehensive redevelopment plan.
It is a young and lively town in terms of its residents with 76% of residents being under the age of 50. In total, 72% of homes have children so it is an excellent place for families and the number of green spaces and parks reflects this.
Commute times to the city are short. Thirty minutes by car or forty minutes by bus will land you in Auckland’s CBD. Public transport is easily accessible and there are options for childcare and kindergarten. Rounding out the appeal of this area are co-ed secondary schools, Papatoetoe High School and Aorere College, for Year 9 - 13 students.