Moving to Nelson, what do I need to know?

[Driven Goose]

Hey all,

It's all but 99% confirmed that my partner and I are moving to Nelson early 2026.
Formal contract incoming on Monday for my new job, my partner has the ok to work remote, and then we are looking to purchase down in Nelson with the paperwork for that already well underway.
(Have a few properties in mind but have yet to make an offer, but pre-approval pretty well sorted).

Just wanting to know if there are any regular OS events happening in the area, even though I've been slack at attending the ones here in Whangarei. Definitely will need to change my username when I am no longer in Whangarei and don't have a KE70 haha.

The Datsun/Safari/RB project will be coming with me but not straight away, fair bit of organising required to move it as it's still very much a project and will depend on our situation with garage space etc where it ends up.

Please let me know what I need to know! Keen to be more involved with OS things as I'll need to make some friends 

 

[igor]

Best of luck mate. I can tell you that interisland moves are def a serious mish. I moved from Whangarei to Bluff in '94 and am in the process of moving back to Northland. So much more shit to sort out thirty odd years on.

[ThePog]

20 minutes ago, WhangareiKE70 said:

Hey all,

It's all but 99% confirmed that my partner and I are moving to Nelson early 2026.
Formal contract incoming on Monday for my new job, my partner has the ok to work remote, and then we are looking to purchase down in Nelson with the paperwork for that already well underway.
(Have a few properties in mind but have yet to make an offer, but pre-approval pretty well sorted).

Just wanting to know if there are any regular OS events happening in the area, even though I've been slack at attending the ones here in Whangarei. Definitely will need to change my username when I am no longer in Whangarei and don't have a KE70 haha.

The Datsun/Safari/RB project will be coming with me but not straight away, fair bit of organising required to move it as it's still very much a project and will depend on our situation with garage space etc where it ends up.

Please let me know what I need to know! Keen to be more involved with OS things as I'll need to make some friends 

 

Awesome, make sure you are not too far away from Brightwater cos then the extensive Pog shed capabilities become available to you. The Wakefield/Brightwater area is nice anyway.

Definitely ping me when you are here.

[Driven Goose]

39 minutes ago, ThePog said:

Awesome, make sure you are not too far away from Brightwater cos then the extensive Pog shed capabilities become available to you. The Wakefield/Brightwater area is nice anyway.

Definitely ping me when you are here.

Places we are looking at at this point are in Atawhai and Tahunanui. So all within a very reasonable drive from Brightwater.

Criteria for the house essentially is:

- Within budget obv (approx $700k)

- Not too far from Tahunanui as that’s where my new job is based, she will be working remotely so as long as there’s power and internet she’s ok.

- Some sort of shed (likely realistically a big downgrade from current massive shed but I’m being realistic, as long as I can tinker, I can get a bigger shed in the future) 

- Misso would like sea views, but is also realistic about this, if this does happen it’ll likely be from a distance. I reckon I could convince her on river adjacentness possibly, she just likes the water. 

- Some scope for renos/improvements. 

That’s the major ones. 
Let me know if you have thoughts.

We have a good friend who is living in Nelson and grew up in Whangarei so she’s been doing a really good job of translating the suburbs into Whangarei terms haha

[ThePog]

My wife works at the airport and the traffic in is no fun in the mornings, so the closer to work the better, although there are extensive cycle paths if you are inclined that way. ie if I worked in town I could cycle pretty much the whole way in on the paths. 

We looked at Atawhai when we moved here, but I wasn't that fussed on it, but I am not sure exactly why.

 

[Driven Goose]

 

5 hours ago, ThePog said:

My wife works at the airport and the traffic in is no fun in the mornings, so the closer to work the better, although there are extensive cycle paths if you are inclined that way. ie if I worked in town I could cycle pretty much the whole way in on the paths. 

We looked at Atawhai when we moved here, but I wasn't that fussed on it, but I am not sure exactly why.

 

Im in refrigeration so it may be hard to fit all the tools on the bike hahah. In saying that I should do more of the exercise so cycle trails on the weekend could be the go, do some exploring.

[Willdat?]

8 hours ago, WhangareiKE70 said:

Places we are looking at at this point are in Atawhai and Tahunanui. So all within a very reasonable drive from Brightwater.

Criteria for the house essentially is:

- Within budget obv (approx $700k)

- Not too far from Tahunanui as that’s where my new job is based, she will be working remotely so as long as there’s power and internet she’s ok.

- Some sort of shed (likely realistically a big downgrade from current massive shed but I’m being realistic, as long as I can tinker, I can get a bigger shed in the future) 

- Misso would like sea views, but is also realistic about this, if this does happen it’ll likely be from a distance. I reckon I could convince her on river adjacentness possibly, she just likes the water. 

- Some scope for renos/improvements. 

That’s the major ones. 
Let me know if you have thoughts.

We have a good friend who is living in Nelson and grew up in Whangarei so she’s been doing a really good job of translating the suburbs into Whangarei terms haha

I've mostly lived in Nelson since the mid 90s apart from a stint away at uni. Tahunanui is actually crazy good value for a sea side suburb. Mrs is obsessed with looking at houses so more than happy to scope anything out if you wanted us to look at open homes.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/property/residential/sale/nelson-tasman/tasman/richmond/listing/5436851032 this is just down the hill from me and has glimpses of water/mountains

River views here are a bit scary on the whole as all the mountains mean they come up pretty fast when it rains, probably a good time to buy in lots of these places for the same reason if you're brave...

We don't have a huge 'meet' scene here but I catch up with OS folks most months.

[Driven Goose]

19 minutes ago, Willdat? said:

I've mostly lived in Nelson since the mid 90s apart from a stint away at uni. Tahunanui is actually crazy good value for a sea side suburb. Mrs is obsessed with looking at houses so more than happy to scope anything out if you wanted us to look at open homes.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/property/residential/sale/nelson-tasman/tasman/richmond/listing/5436851032 this is just down the hill from me and has glimpses of water/mountains

River views here are a bit scary on the whole as all the mountains mean they come up pretty fast when it rains, probably a good time to buy in lots of these places for the same reason if you're brave...

We don't have a huge 'meet' scene here but I catch up with OS folks most months.

Actually will take you up on that if you’re seriously willing to look, I’ll make sure I do what due diligence I can from here beforehand so I don’t send you all over the show for no reason haha 😛 I’ll send you a DM. 
On another/similar note, can you or anyone else recommend a good builder who can do a building report? We will need one to have a look over something once we get closer to making an offer. 
 

[Willdat?]

13 minutes ago, WhangareiKE70 said:

Actually will take you up on that if you’re seriously willing to look, I’ll make sure I do what due diligence I can from here beforehand so I don’t send you all over the show for no reason haha 😛 I’ll send you a DM. 
On another/similar note, can you or anyone else recommend a good builder who can do a building report? We will need one to have a look over something once we get closer to making an offer. 

I have names of several good builders, but I've never actually had a building report done.

Genuine offer re looking at houses if you gave my wife the criteria she'll let you know every possible option. You get a bit more for your $ out Wakefield way.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/property/residential/sale/nelson-tasman/tasman/wakefield/listing/5562264934

[Truenotch]

Want me to change your username from @WhangareiKE70 to Nelson720? 

[Driven Goose]

19 hours ago, Truenotch said:

Want me to change your username from @WhangareiKE70 to Nelson720? 

I feel like I can come up with something better than place/car, but give me time, I'll shoot you a DM. Haha

[Driven Goose]

So updates:

Offer going in today on place Will @Willdat? kindly checked out for us in Marybank. Crossed fingers.

Job offer accepted and start date is 9 Feb, hopefully moving down the weekend before around the 31st Jan. 

Doing many many jobs here in Whangarei to get this place ready to rent out. 

Curtainsider truck is kindly being loaned to us from my partners work, and my cousin is driving it down with all our stuff as he was a logging truck driver until he retrained as a draughtsman, so that's awesome!

Two things we need to sort:

1) A forklift at the Nelson end to offload, as the truck doesn't have a tail lift, and we will be palletising our stuff to make it quick to load at this end. Have sent a message to Nelson Forktrucks but just seeing from you lovely folk if anyone has other ideas.

2) Somewhere near the motorway in Wellington to park the truck overnight on the day before the ferry crossing, that is safe to leave it. We will be travelling in convoy with us in the cars so we can ferry him from the truck to accomodation and back, but yeah, need somewhere for the night, happy to pay if needed. Will post this in the North Island chat also. 

Many things left to do, but also so many things seem to be lining up for us which is awesome!   

 

[Willdat?]

44 minutes ago, Driven Goose said:

So updates:

Offer going in today on place Will @Willdat? kindly checked out for us in Marybank. Crossed fingers.

Job offer accepted and start date is 9 Feb, hopefully moving down the weekend before around the 31st Jan. 

Doing many many jobs here in Whangarei to get this place ready to rent out. 

Curtainsider truck is kindly being loaned to us from my partners work, and my cousin is driving it down with all our stuff as he was a logging truck driver until he retrained as a draughtsman, so that's awesome!

Two things we need to sort:

1) A forklift at the Nelson end to offload, as the truck doesn't have a tail lift, and we will be palletising our stuff to make it quick to load at this end. Have sent a message to Nelson Forktrucks but just seeing from you lovely folk if anyone has other ideas.

2) Somewhere near the motorway in Wellington to park the truck overnight on the day before the ferry crossing, that is safe to leave it. We will be travelling in convoy with us in the cars so we can ferry him from the truck to accomodation and back, but yeah, need somewhere for the night, happy to pay if needed. Will post this in the North Island chat also. 

Many things left to do, but also so many things seem to be lining up for us which is awesome!   

Lift and Shift are an amazing local company, they would sort that out easily. From memory this only cost a few hundred to be picked up, delivered and installed...

[smokin'joe]

2 hours ago, Driven Goose said:

 

2) Somewhere near the motorway in Wellington to park the truck overnight on the day before the ferry crossing, that is safe to leave it. We will be travelling in convoy with us in the cars so we can ferry him from the truck to accomodation and back, but yeah, need somewhere for the night, happy to pay if needed. Will post this in the North Island chat also. 

how long would it be parked up ?? 
the ferry company may have space if it pre-arranged

[ThePog]

2 hours ago, Driven Goose said:

So updates:

Offer going in today on place Will @Willdat? kindly checked out for us in Marybank. Crossed fingers.

Job offer accepted and start date is 9 Feb, hopefully moving down the weekend before around the 31st Jan. 

Doing many many jobs here in Whangarei to get this place ready to rent out. 

Curtainsider truck is kindly being loaned to us from my partners work, and my cousin is driving it down with all our stuff as he was a logging truck driver until he retrained as a draughtsman, so that's awesome!

Two things we need to sort:

1) A forklift at the Nelson end to offload, as the truck doesn't have a tail lift, and we will be palletising our stuff to make it quick to load at this end. Have sent a message to Nelson Forktrucks but just seeing from you lovely folk if anyone has other ideas.

2) Somewhere near the motorway in Wellington to park the truck overnight on the day before the ferry crossing, that is safe to leave it. We will be travelling in convoy with us in the cars so we can ferry him from the truck to accomodation and back, but yeah, need somewhere for the night, happy to pay if needed. Will post this in the North Island chat also. 

Many things left to do, but also so many things seem to be lining up for us which is awesome!   

 

I have a forklift but transportation might be an issue, plus if there is anything approaching a slope on the property then it wont go up it.

But if those obstacles can be overcome you are welcome to use it.

[Driven Goose]

On 28/10/2025 at 22:22, ThePog said:

I have a forklift but transportation might be an issue, plus if there is anything approaching a slope on the property then it wont go up it.

But if those obstacles can be overcome you are welcome to use it.

I appreciate it, we can keep that idea as a backup as we’d need to borrow a car trailer or something to move it. 
Once we have some more ducks lined up I might flick you a message though. Cheers maaaate