Timberlea, Upper Hutt

Wondering about something in your neighbourhood?

Wondering about something in your neighbourhood?

Whether it's a new building going up or a strange noise you keep hearing, ask your neighbours here.

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2215 days ago

Bmx bike for sale

Kerry from Clouston Park - Kingsley Heights

Bmx bike for sale $60 (cost new $350)
Good condition
Age 8-14 yrs approx
Call Tom 0284120742

2216 days ago

Stop smoking with FREE products !

Raewyn Richardson from

FREE PRODUCTS from who Karen will be instore on Thursday 25th October between 10am and 2pm !!

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2216 days ago

Register your float for the 2018 Santa Parade

Megan O'Connor from Upper Hutt City Council

Get your vocal chords ready and start planning your wonderful float! The theme of the Upper Hutt 2018 Santa Parade is ‘Christmas Carols’. We'll be bringing sweet sounds to Main Street on Sunday 2 December at 3:00 pm.

An invitation is extended to all business and community groups … View more
Get your vocal chords ready and start planning your wonderful float! The theme of the Upper Hutt 2018 Santa Parade is ‘Christmas Carols’. We'll be bringing sweet sounds to Main Street on Sunday 2 December at 3:00 pm.

An invitation is extended to all business and community groups operating in Upper Hutt to join this community event and enter a ‘Christmas Carols’-themed float in the parade. Think Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer rolling down the street, Snoopy’s Christmas flying in for a visit, or Jingle Bells rocking the block!

There is a $1,000 prize for the float that best reflects the theme of ‘Christmas Carols’ and a $250 prize for the People’s Choice Award, voted on social media in the week following the parade. Get creative and start planning your best Christmas Carols float idea and put it to your school, club or your boss to make it a reality!

Register your float on our website.
Find out more!

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2216 days ago

Maker Faire Wellington

Capital E

Maker Faire Wellington is a family-friendly event that will inspire Makers both young and young at heart!

Come along and get hands-on with different crafts, art and technology. Play with mini robots, learn about simple circuits, fight stupid robots, or sketch the shoe of your dreams!
Find out more!

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2217 days ago

Lion's Mini Market

Brian from Maoribank

Next Market will be held on Saturday, rain or shine, 8-11am at the King Lion Hall, King Street, Upper Hutt
Plants, new season's lemons, household things, clothing, books, hand made cards and crafts plus more. Hope to see you there.

2217 days ago

Why are New Zealand homes so pricey? It has nothing to do with avocados!

Garry Tranter from Price My House for Free Limited

Now you can buy a house! Well, not really. Kiwi houses are still very expensive. Charlie Gates looks at why and finds out it has nothing to do with avocados on toast.

In May 2017, property developer Tim Gurner was asked if young people faced the prospect of never owning a home.

His answer gave … View more
Now you can buy a house! Well, not really. Kiwi houses are still very expensive. Charlie Gates looks at why and finds out it has nothing to do with avocados on toast.

In May 2017, property developer Tim Gurner was asked if young people faced the prospect of never owning a home.

His answer gave the world a symbol for the housing crisis.

"Absolutely, when you're spending $40 a day on smashed avocado and coffee and not working. Of course. Absolutely," he said.

It was an offhand comment that crystalised a debate over housing affordability that has often split down generational lines.

Are young people struggling to buy homes because they are spending recklessly on luxury items like "smashed avocado"? Or are they struggling because generational shifts and sweeping economic changes playing out over many decades have slowly made houses less and less affordable?

Spoiler alert: it's the latter.

Despite a recent shift in house prices, Kiwi homes are still among the least affordable in the world.

But, how do we measure housing affordability?

One method economists use is to compare the median house price to the median household annual income. For example, in June 2018 the median annual household income was $88,904, but the average median house price was $560,000, according to interest.co.nz.

This means the median house price was 6.3 times bigger than the median annual income in June. The national figure has not changed dramatically, shifting to about 6.2 for August this year.

Economists generally agree that the median multiple, as it is known, should be around three for housing to be considered affordable.

But when was the last time the median multiple was that low in New Zealand?

Economists Selena Eaqub and Shamubeel Eaqub crunched New Zealand housing affordability figures going back to 1957 for their book Generation Rent.

The figures show that from 1957 to the late 80s, the median multiple remained under three, but in the late 1980s it started to rise and rise, before rocketing up at the turn of the millennium.

There are some regional variations in these figures. According to demographia.com, in the third quarter of 2017, Auckland had a median multiple of 8.8, while Wellington was at 5.5 and Christchurch was 5.4. Figures from interest.co.nz for August this year show Christchurch at 5, Wellington at 6.12 and Auckland at 9.2.

In 2011, Auckland had some of the most expensive housing in the world.

But why? To find out I asked economist Shamubeel Eaqub and housing expert Hugh Pavletich about the main problems keeping house prices so high. Here are the three main problems they raised.

1. Land supply
Eaqub said that "by far the biggest culprit behind higher house prices ... is the cost of land."
Since 1995 land costs have risen 73 per cent faster than incomes, he wrote in his book.
Land is expensive because there is not enough that can be used for housing. A lot of land is tied up in complex and restrictive planning rules.
Restrictions on land use constrict the supply of homes, Eaqub said.
Pavletich and Eaqub agreed that we should expand the city limits and build high density housing in the city centre.

2. Infrastructure funding
Land without infrastructure is just a paddock.
The roads, sewerage and powerlines needed for new homes are expensive.
Councils have under funded infrastructure for decades and are reluctant to borrow money to pay for it because that is politically unpopular.
Changes since the late 1980s, like privatising public assets, also mean councils are less able to fund infrastructure, Eaqub said.
"Councils were stripped of their assets," he said.
"Councils went from having lots of sources of income to just rates for infrastructure funding."
Pavletich said councils lost control of their costs.
"They could not keep up with growth and meet their infrastructure requirements."
"Costs have blown out and they haven't got the money to do it."
This means land that could be used for housing often remains a paddock.
Eaqub said that liberal economic reform in the late 1980s, known as Rogernomics, also changed the housing market because people could more easily borrow money.
"The pre-1980s banking system was very differently regulated and you couldn't get any money. That was gradually lessening from the 1960s onwards."

3. Political resistance
Attempts to change planning rules to free up more land and increase density have often met with political resistance.
In 2013, Auckland Council's unitary plan was watered down after resistance to higher density rules and expanded city limits.
People who already have houses are resistant to changes that would make houses cheaper.
"In the end, current vested interests have clearly taken a nimby approach in their voting," Eaqub said.
The consensus needs to change so a new generation can participate in the wealth and security of buying a home, he said.
So, the facts are clear, it is harder to buy a house now than at almost any other time in the last 60 years.
And it is also clear that young people's spending habits are not to blame.
"Millennials save more of their income than any other age group we have seen for generations," Eaqub said.

So are we going to do something about it, or just keep blaming young people for eating avocados on toast?

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2217 days ago

transport

Rose from Clouston Park - Kingsley Heights

Shuttles Taxi and Tours Public

Rose from Capital Shuttles and Tours 2000 Ltd



We offer a complete shuttle /Taxi and Tour service
View more
Shuttles Taxi and Tours Public

Rose from Capital Shuttles and Tours 2000 Ltd



We offer a complete shuttle /Taxi and Tour service

Do you have a Xmas function comming up where you need to ensure you dont drink and drive...Call us for a quote ....

Social Clubs can we plan a end of year trip for you ....a fund raiser ..or just transport you to your social function...

No DRINKING AND DRIVING is our motto

Are you travelling away ..we specialise in 24/7 airport transfers

Our luxury 12 seater vehicles can take you and return plus luggage to the airport and no leaving the car worries ..

Wairapapa wine and food festival Nov 17th we still have 11 spare seats avail..enjoy the day without the worry of driving

Please contact for a quote

Rose 0275644459

Capitalshuttles2000@gmail.com or message me...

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2217 days ago

reinforcing mesh sheet

Carol from Brown Owl

Bought three months ago for $75 - take away from here for $25.  Size 4450 x2020. SE 625 x 1 sheet.
Call Terry on 027 272 1866

Price: $25

2217 days ago

Bus driver strike deferred until Thursday 25 October

Community Engagement Advisor from

The bus driver strike which was originally planned from Tuesday 23 October has been deferred until Thursday 25 October.

Bus services will no longer be affected on Tuesday 23 October, as previously advertised. We regret the impact and uncertainty the industrial action is having on our bus … View more
The bus driver strike which was originally planned from Tuesday 23 October has been deferred until Thursday 25 October.

Bus services will no longer be affected on Tuesday 23 October, as previously advertised. We regret the impact and uncertainty the industrial action is having on our bus customers.

The strike action on Thursday could affect some services in Wellington city, Hutt Valley and Porirua. We will keep you updated on our website and social media.

For more information visit our website.

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2217 days ago

Looking for a bite-sized approach to study?

Victoria University of Wellington

Why wait?

Enrolling in a single course at Victoria University of Wellington gives you the flexibility to pursue your passion, gain new skills or supplement your experience.

“Doing courses for a Certificate of Proficiency is a great opportunity for people to follow their own interests, … View more
Why wait?

Enrolling in a single course at Victoria University of Wellington gives you the flexibility to pursue your passion, gain new skills or supplement your experience.

“Doing courses for a Certificate of Proficiency is a great opportunity for people to follow their own interests, and suits anyone who really wants to extend their learning and improve their skills and knowledge.”—Robyn Bargh, Certificate of Proficiency student
Find out more

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2218 days ago

Motorola 360 smart watch

Saretta from Te Marua

This watch is in mint condition. No scratches has a charging dock but no cable can buy a cable from ware house for four dollars. I've barely used it. Offers only I will have it up on trade me as well

Negotiable

2218 days ago

How will this affect your wages?

The Team from ACC New Zealand

For most workers, part of your wage goes to ACC. We’re proposing you pay more because accidents and medical costs have gone up. If you’re a wage earner, these proposals could affect you.

Learn about all the proposals and have your say at our site by October 25.
Learn more

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2218 days ago

Healthier homes, faster

Housing New Zealand

We’re using a new high-tech building product to build more homes, faster, for those who need it most.

Cross-laminated timber (or CLT) allows state housing to be built more quickly and more safely, and creates attractive homes that are warmer, drier and safer for residents.

For the full … View more
We’re using a new high-tech building product to build more homes, faster, for those who need it most.

Cross-laminated timber (or CLT) allows state housing to be built more quickly and more safely, and creates attractive homes that are warmer, drier and safer for residents.

For the full story, click here.
Learn more

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2219 days ago

Have you ever used avocado oil in your cooking?

Pamela Barnes from Avocado Oil NZ LTD

Hello neighbours, the team at Grove Avocado Oil are excited to announce that you can now purchase our range of extra virgin avocado oil flavours from our online store.

Visit our website to learn more about our products and see the delicious recipes that have been created for us by well-known … View more
Hello neighbours, the team at Grove Avocado Oil are excited to announce that you can now purchase our range of extra virgin avocado oil flavours from our online store.

Visit our website to learn more about our products and see the delicious recipes that have been created for us by well-known New Zealand chef Michael Van de Elzen.

Pure avocado goodness, with at least 12 avocados in every bottle, Grove Avocado Oil is a natural source of vitamins and antioxidants. Discover why Grove is NZ’s number one avocado oil. Available online and in leading supermarkets.

The Grove Team
Check out our recipes!

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2220 days ago

Wellington bus customers face potential disruption from bus driver strike

Community Engagement Advisor from

Wellington city, Hutt Valley and Porirua bus customers could face disruption to their travel from Tuesday 23 October due to a strike by members of the Tramways Union. The strike could go beyond Tuesday and we are monitoring the situation.

Please plan before you travel, or make alternative … View more
Wellington city, Hutt Valley and Porirua bus customers could face disruption to their travel from Tuesday 23 October due to a strike by members of the Tramways Union. The strike could go beyond Tuesday and we are monitoring the situation.

Please plan before you travel, or make alternative transport plans. We will keep you updated on our website and social media.

For more information visit our website.

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