Vogeltown
Affordable character homes, close to the city
Overview
Often overlooked, Vogeltown is a compact suburb set just south of the central city. Mostly rolling hillside with a south and east aspect, the area is popular due to its cheaper real estate and rentals. Vogeltown is probably a bit far to walk home from the city, but thankfully the taxi fare won’t set you back a fortune. It’s also a great stepping-stone for those wanting to get onto the Wellington property ladder, without the eye-watering prices.
Best Suited To
Young professionals wanting to save money, whether renting or buying a first home. Young families.
Population Profile
Vogeltown is home to less than 1,000 people, with an average age of 33 years. The dominant age group is 20 to 45 and Europeans make up 87% of the population. The area is split 50/50 between owners and renters.
Vogeltown is handy to the city but removed from the bustle that exists in other fringe city localities such as Mt Cook and Mt Victoria. Rents tend to be cheaper here and this attracts a number of young workers who want to be handy to the city.
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Homes are also cheaper here than in nearby Brooklyn and Newtown, and this attracts first home buyers. There are a good number of pre-school and primary age children, indicating popularity with young families. Vogeltown and its adjoining neighbour, Mornington, are often used as stepping-stone suburbs, with first home buyers using them to get a foot on the central Wellington property ladder.
Typical Homes
Vogeltown is home to a mixture of housing ages and styles. You will find a few early cottages and villas, although these are quite rare. If you do find one, they tend to be priced substantially less than an equivalent home in Mt Cook or Mt Victoria.
The northern end of Vogeltown contains a number of bungalows from the 1920s and 1930s, while the southern end tends to be dominated by homes from the 1950s onward. The whole suburb is a bit of a mixed bag in relation to both style and presentation.
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Vogeltown is not a wealthy suburb and because it’s often used as that stepping stone, owners are more likely to complete small scale renovations, before moving on. This is not to say that you won’t find fully renovated homes here, but they are fewer in number than other suburbs on the city fringe (Kelburn and Thorndon as examples), where much higher land values make it a safer bet to spend a lot of money on improvements.
Amenities
There used to be a convenience store on the corner of Short Street and Liardet Street, but that’s now gone and replaced with a dwelling, so you’ll have to travel to Berhampore or Mt Cook for any basic shopping needs.
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There are no schools in Vogeltown. Ridgeway Primary School appears to cater for many local children, located a short but steep uphill walk, 10 minutes to the west. The nearest secondary school is Wellington High School, in the adjoining suburb of Mt Cook.
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MacAlister Park comprises a set of playing fields to the southern end of the suburb. The park forms part of the Wellington Town Belt and is popular as a sporting venue for football, cricket, touch rugby and various informal sporting games. The City to Sea Walkway (a 13km walkway from Thorndon to Island Bay) also passes through the area. A small children’s playground is located on Krull Street.
Real Estate Trends
Vogeltown has seen steady price rises over the last 20 years, due to its proximity to the city and relative affordability in comparison to more ‘trendy’ alternatives. A basic, smallish 1920s bungalow in need of renovation is likely to cost at least $800,000. Cheaper homes here are likely to have access issues, such as a long walk up or down to the house level.
Most homes in Vogeltown fall within the $900,000 to $1.2 million price range. Although rare, you might find a fully renovated character home for under $1.3 million. The same house in nearby Brooklyn is likely to set you back at least $200,000 more.
Subdivision activity over the years means that there is also a wide range of townhouse accommodation. Townhouses can suit first home buyers and those who don’t want a large amount of land to deal with. Townhouses typically sell in the $700,000 to $900,000 price range.
Best Streets
No streets in particular stand out. There is a mixture of housing styles and presentation.
House Prices
Small three bedroom bungalow, needs renovation, walk-on, from $800,000.
Partly renovated three bedroom house, good access, garage, from $1 million.
Fully renovated home, character, garage, landscaped site, from $1.3 million.
Travel Times
Central city – driving, 5 minutes off-peak, 15 minutes peak.
Airport – driving, 15 minutes non-peak.
Hutt Valley – driving, 20 minutes non-peak.
Weather
​Vogeltown is lucky to be sheltered from Wellington’s prevailing northerly. However, the hillside that provides this shelter blocks sunlight, particularly in the afternoon and in the winter months. Make sure you check for direct sunlight, at various times of the day, and consider whether winter months will be worse, when the sun is farther north.