Auckland's loss is Feilding's gain as expense, traffic drives residents from City of Sails

Auckland's loss is Feilding's gain as Aucklanders abandon the big smoke in their droves for the provinces because of the expense of living in the city.

Aucklanders who've moved to Feilding, just out of Palmerston North, told Seven Sharp of their frustrations with the City of Sails, and business people said they're benefiting from the influx.

Feilding real estate agent Jacqui Campion said new arrivals are also coming from the capital.

"Honestly, we are just getting so many coming down from Auckland or up from Wellington - it's really fantastic," she said.

Ms Campion said for the medium price in Auckland, "you can come down here, buy a house here, and perhaps a couple of rentals".

Feilding carpenter Nathan Harris said he too is noticing "loads" of Aucklanders moving down.

"And with the money they've got left over they are able to do extensions, new fences, gates," he said.

"[I'm] flat out, flat out. I'm loving it - hope more move down here."

One Auckland family - Stephen, his parents Cliff and Lynne - have called Feilding home since just last Friday. 

The family left Auckland mostly for 39-year-old Stephen, a former paralympic swimmer who, along with his parents, was finding navigating our biggest city increasingly stressful.

But it wasn't just the traffic. House prices were changing the closeness of the cul de sac they had lived in for nearly 18 years.

"Next door were rental people all the time. On the other side it was rental people all the time. And everyone had gone. We were losing our feeling of a neighbourhood," Lynne said.

So, they sold their Auckland unit, bought a three-bedroom home in Feilding and couldn't be happier.

Two years ago the Hodder family - Darren, Hayley and sons Elliot and Alfie - also made the shift south for similar reasons and bought a four-bedroom home on a big section in Feilding for less than $600,000.

But it meant Auckland lost two teachers.

"With a teacher's salary it's quite hard to buy a house in Auckland," Darren said.

The average house price in Feilding is $333,000, Seven Sharp reported.