Price, commute and a growing family all had to line up when Sarp and Sinem Ulusoy began looking to buy their first home.
Renting in Onehunga but working in different parts of Auckland, they struggled to find something that worked. Then a visit to friends in Karaka led them to nearby Park Green.
“We just fell in love with the place,” Sarp said. “It turned out to be a really good option because the house prices were affordable, the neighbourhood was great, very clean, and it’s a new, up-and-coming area.”
Fletcher Living’s quality terraced and standalone homes in Park Green on the Hingaia Peninsula are attracting growing interest as more buyers look south of the city for affordability and space – and is helping shift long-held perceptions about the area.
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“I haven’t heard of any incidents around here,” said Sarp, who moved to New Zealand from Turkey four years ago. “I’ve actually never seen a police car drive by. It’s a very safe area. Everyone’s very tidy, helpful, really pleasant. It’s one of those places where everyone says hi when you’re walking past.”
Drawn to its walkways, cafés and tidy streets, the couple bought off the plan while expecting their first child, a son Devin who is now six months old, and moved in last year. “We trust Fletcher Living because, you know, it’s a very well-established company.”
“We always see young families with strollers and babies, you’re going through the same life cycle,” said Sarp. “Our neighbour is a retiree, and she’s a very lovely lady. We get along well with her; there’s a real mix of age groups living here.”
The development also includes Vivid Living, Fletcher Living’s retirement option for those who want to stay independent while remaining connected to the wider neighbourhood.
For the Ulusoys, that mix is important, especially as they don’t have many extended family members nearby. “It gives us variation being able to feed off the experiences of the older people, and (at the same time) socialise with other younger people too.”
Sarp works in East Tamaki but will soon move to Penrose, while Sinem works in Auckland’s CBD. Park Green is therefore a convenient base for both. “It’s really close to the highway, we’ve got the Papakura train station just a two or three minute drive away,” Sarp said. “Sometimes we just take the train, sometimes we use the highway, but it’s very accessible.”
Schools and childcare were another factor for the couple. “The kindies and daycares here are very new,” Sarp said. “I hear from my other friends - they had to go on waiting lists for one or two years – but it’s not like that here.”
Their home has also surprised visitors. “The house is 140 sqm and when people visit, they kind of have this notion that it’s small and cramped. But as soon as they are here, they see how spacious it is.”
A low-maintenance home was part of the appeal as Sarp said he is not great with DIY (“I’m trying to get used to the New Zealand living style”) and buying new has helped reduce the need for much of that. A couple of issues the couple had were resolved quickly by Fletcher Living.
“We’ve got a backyard and a nice little patio, we do barbecues, hang out with our friends and have started growing a lot of vegetables,” Sarp said. “I’m enjoying getting properly into the Kiwi lifestyle.
For more information on homes available in Park Green visit fletcherliving.co.nz/locations/auckland/park-green/
