Now Here's The Thing.....

As the mornings have just the slightest touch of coolness about them, there is the ever increasing knowledge that the golden summer is about to weave it's long goodbye over our coastal region.

I say this without jest, it can indeed be a lengthy process drifting into Autumn, as the sunshine hours for Opotiki are amongst some of the top in the country. Perhaps we get there by default, but we will take that glory and share it with the world. By default I mean, Whakatane our nearest neighbour, has the official sunshine hour recordings, and we, as neighbours do, accept that must surely include us. Why would we not? Whakatane was 3rd in 2007, claimed the top spot in 2008 until NIWA rained on the parade (pardon the pun) and started an investigation as to why Whakatane has recorded such a high total. Of course it couldn't possibly be that they are fair and square winners, other towns (the losers) are suggesting misrecordings, oh dear.

Now while it may appear that I am touting the benefits of another property district, let me be clear, I am only doing so in respect to the advantages to us, after all, our properties are more affordable, and they have kinda stolen Ohiwa from us, so there must be a little bit of area rivalry. To quote (sadly) a long running Australian (more rivalry) television soap, "Neighbours, everyone needs good neighbours, 'it's when good neighbours become good friends', especially when we can nick their official recordings.

Oh so new!

Here I am, embarking on my first blog. Please be patient and understanding if all is not as it should be. This blog is not full of statistics, you can find them in numerous other forms, I wish to be able to share information and opinions in a very informal way.

Living in Opotiki, it's a lifestyle thing.

Given some of the predictions relating to global recession, ( I think I am over that term all ready) and doom and gloom for the ensuing year, I am very happy to be living in an area that does not suffer the same degree of volatility in the property market as that of cities. What this usually means though, any capital gain may take a little longer to achieve, however conversely, there may be a loss if a person is looking for a quick flick of a property in a slow market, therefore long term investment is the better idea.

Do not think I am blaise about the expected recession, I just choose to remind myself and others this is not a new event, history tells us otherwise, there are just different effects each time.

Living in the Eastern Bay of Plenty coastal region allows us to gather food from the sea and rivers, provides soil that produce bountiful gardens, endows us with an extremely predictable climate and an environment where the pace of life is a little slower and less expensive.

For anyone wishing to opt out of the uncertainity of the city, remember the old adage, as safe as houses, and strive and survive in 2009 in little ol' Opotiki.