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Suburb snobbery

An eastwards view over the Waitemata Harbour, ...

Looking over Waitakere to the Shore. Image via Wikipedia

We Aucklanders are an insular lot. You grow up in a certain area, and apart from a possible stint living close to or in the city, it’s likely you’ll end up going back to where you came from.

We’re snobs for suburbs. There’s something that comes with being a Westie, a Shore-ite, whatever – it might be cred, or it might be denigrating. Usually elements of both. And sometimes people take it far too seriously. T gets flak from people he knows for not being a proper west Aucklander since we moved to a more central location (first to Epsom of all places, about the swankiest old money area there is, and now Mt Albert, less swish but still very nice). Never mind the supercity, never mind the fact that Waitakere city is no more – the old lines are still as clear as ever for the hardcore.

At least now that we’re a fair bit closer to the west side (all his friends and family live within a very close radius; on his bike T can make it back from any of theirs in under 10 minutes) he’s stopped hassling me so much about moving further out and how much more house for our rent we could get.

Sure, we would get more floor space for the same amount (maybe cheaper). But we now live in a 1.5 bedroom house with garage (the 2nd “bedroom” is no more than a study with small closet – we’d probably struggle to rent it out for $50 a week), and definitely don’t need more room. I would need to get a car of my own. Youch. Not only do I not enjoy driving, I’m not very good at it.

To me, it makes sense to live centrally while we can afford to – we’ll have to move further out when we buy anyway, because prices in this suburb are way beyond our reach. Commuting sucks, so I’ll take my 20-minute walk and proximity to everything while I can get it. And if that makes us suburban traitors, so be it.

What do you like best about the area where you live and why’d you pick it?

4 thoughts on “Suburb snobbery

  • Reply Lisa Clark January 21, 2012 at 09:26

    I grew up in Mt Roskill so when I think about moving back home from the UK, I always think of that part of the city as where I would live. I have some friends in the area but really I should limit myself. My family are now half in Auckland and the rest are out of town.
    I’d love to live in Mt Eden as I love the landscape of that part of town and of cause is it so close to the city but the rents are high and forget about buying unless you win the lotto or something.
    You really need to be able to drive is you want to more to the outer suburbs – buses in Auckland really suck! (sorry but it has to be said!!)

    • Reply eemusings January 21, 2012 at 11:45

      not at all! Anyone who’s ever spent any time here knows how awful public transport is.

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