Broadmeadows
Family homes with views, at affordable prices
Overview
Broadmeadows is a compact suburb, set on north and east facing hillside, many homes enjoying a wide view over the Johnsonville and Newlands suburban areas. Some sites also enjoy a harbour view. The area offers a variety of housing styles, from semidetached townhouses to large family homes. Due to the variety of housing styles the area attracts many different buyers. These include singles and couples looking to get on the property ladder, through to established families in search of the larger home they can’t afford in nearby Khandallah or Churton Park.
Best Suited To
Families who want a larger home at a reasonable price. First home buyers.
Population Profile
A middle ground between Johnsonville and Khandallah, Broadmeadows appeals to families who need a larger and more modern home than they might find in Johnsonville, at a price point that isn’t as eye watering as they would have to pay in swankier Khandallah.
This is a popular area for young families, noting the proximity to schools like Onslow College and Raroa Intermediate. Census statistics also show that the area is attractive to the 60+ age group, although we believe that this evidence is skewed by Malvina Major Retirement Village, set on the eastern edge of the suburb.
Broadmeadows is predominantly European heritage alongside a strong Asian presence – 26% compared to the Wellington average of 15%. Locals tend to drive a car or catch the bus to work, and above average numbers are employed in finance, insurance, public administration, education and training. Household incomes are above average with 47% of households earning over $100,000 per annum.
Typical Homes
Set on the lower slopes of an ascending hillside, the first homes in Broadmeadows began to appear in the 1970s. These are typically small-to-medium-sized, three or four bedrooms, often on split levels including lower level garaging. Construction is mostly weatherboards and with features common to the 1970s including colonial style glazing, window shutters, and the occasional use of Mediterranean-style plaster rendering. Development continued up the hillside during the 1980s, with the use of cheaper materials generally reflecting the less appealing architecture.
However, at the same time larger family homes were being erected to the upper streets, many of these enjoying views over Wellington Harbour. The 1990s onward saw the continued development of larger family homes on the upper slopes of Broadmeadows.
At the same time, a number of semi-detached townhouses were erected, often on smaller, cross lease (shared ownership) sites. Between 1990 and 2005, a number of homes were constructed using a monolithic style cladding. This cladding has been known to have weathertightness issues. See our glossary for more detail.
Amenities
There are no shopping services within Broadmeadows. However, Johnsonville is only a five minute drive to the north and here you will find extensive services including a covered shopping mall.
Schools nearby include West Park School in Johnsonville, Khandallah School, Raroa Intermediate and Onslow College.
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There is a small playground area on the corner of Rajkot Terrace and Kanpur Road. Johnsonville Park is accessible to pedestrians from the top of Sirsi Terrace and from the park a well-formed track leads up to Mt Kaukau, one of the highest vantage points in Wellington. From Mt Kaukau you can enjoy panoramic views across the harbour and city. The Skyline walkway leads south from Mt Kaukau toward Karori, with many linking tracks into Ngaio, Crofton Downs and Wilton’s Otari Reserve.
Real Estate Trends
Broadmeadows has a wide variety of housing sizes and prices to match. The market starts at about $650,000. For this you are likely to find something small and semi-detached, on a cross lease site. Detached houses here start from the low $800,000s although at that level they are likely to be small and in need of refurbishment. Larger and more presentable homes are typically in the $850,000 to $1 million bracket.
Best Streets
The higher up you go the better the views get, although style and presentation is variable throughout the suburb.
House Prices
Small three bedroom house, needs work, cross lease site: from $700,000.
Three bedroom home, 1970s, freehold site, tidy but plain: from $850,000.
Larger family home, four or five bedroom, harbour views: from $950,000.
Travel Times
CBD/Downtown – driving, 12 minutes off peak
Airport – driving, 20 minutes non-peak
Hutt Valley – driving, 10 minutes non-peak
Weather
With a wide east and north aspect, Broadmeadows gets plenty of sunlight but also plenty of wind, especially from the north.