Hi Guys,
I've done a bit of work in Timaru. Doesn't seem a bad place. The town centre seems to have most of what you might need and usual leisure facilities. I was the only person in the swimming pool and the cinema last time I stopped over...
Geraldine is a wee small place just off the main highway south. It's a nice stop for a coffee on the way to mountains and lakes. Haven't really spent any time in Temuka, but Iit looks the same as you drive through.
I don't know about the North Island, but South Island properties seem to get cheaper as you get further away from the main centres of civilisation. Some of the houses are quite old and in need of renovation and repair. Others are just a long way from anywhere. You don't find too many newly built housing estates out there because there aren't enough local jobs to draw people to those areas. That probably reduces the pool of prospective buyers and would explain the lower prices.
Look even further south - we saw a 4 bedroom house with 35 acres outside Invercargill for $150,000 last time we were down there. Fantastic if you don't mind the cold winters and can work from home!
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