Many New Zealanders considering a move to a more relaxed way of life choose the Waikato. Some of the reasons for this decision include its proximity to a variety of cities, the wide range of leisure activities and the range of properties for sale. The Waikato region is a huge area in the middle of the North Island, which is bordered by Auckland in the north, the Bay of Plenty in the east and Manawatu and Taranaki in the south and west. It is New Zealand’s fourth largest region in terms of area and population.

In Waikato, you can choose to live in a large city like Hamilton, a busy town like Te Awamutu, a beachside town like Raglan or in any of the more remote rural or coastal areas. The region is named after the Waikato River and there are many other rivers and lakes in the region. It is predominantly a farming area, with the city of Hamilton and many large and small towns servicing the area. It’s not far to travel within the region to the beach or the snow – depending on where your heart leads you.

Property sales in Waikato have begun to rise after a slower period towards the end of 2010. A variety of properties are available, including sections, coastal properties, houses, flats, commercial properties, winter chalets, lifestyle blocks and farms.

Choosing a property in the Waikato region depends completely on whether you want to live in an urban, rural or coastal setting. Waikato has it all! Areas such as the King Country and Coromandel Peninsula are both included in the region and properties are available in all of these very diverse areas.

On the Coromandel Peninsula, you can find properties of all sizes and prices in fantastic coastal locations such as Whitianga, Thames and Whangamata to name a few. The more central part of the Waikato has the large city of Hamilton and great towns including Te Awamutu and Cambridge. Each of these urban areas is close to the rural sector and there are many small rural areas where you can live and be only a few minutes from all the amenities you need. For those who enjoy being close to the mountains and the snow, the Waikato extends into the King Country and includes the iconic town of Otorohanga as well as places very close to the mountains such as Taumarunui and Ohakune.

All of these places and many more – are great places to buy property, bring up a family, start a business or have a holiday home. Wherever you buy, you won’t be far from great educational facilities, excellent service centres, fantastic leisure activities and stunning scenery.