Tanya Martin and Jason Carlyle and their children have moved from Wainui in North Auckland to Taumarunui because of rising rental prices.

It was the "impossible" rental prices in North Auckland that drove Tanya Martin, husband Jason Carlyle and their children to Taumarunui.

They were given 42 days notice by their landlord and spent a month searching for a new rental home.

While the couple knew they had it good paying $400 a week for their three-bedroom Wainui home, they were still shocked at prices for equivalent homes for rent in the area.

"The rental increase is what did it for us – it's $580-$620 for a three-bedroom box," Tanya says.

"After 30 days of going to 30 rental open homes, seeing the same families at every single one, it made us decide it's time to go.

"Our options were to find somewhere else cheaper to live, or go homeless."

The couple's decision is one many Aucklanders face with the market increasing 5.5 per cent over the past three months and 53.7 per cent since 2007.

The ability to climb on the property ladder is becoming out of reach for a number of families, and rental prices continue to follow suit with demand increasing.

Large numbers of Aucklanders are flocking to buy property in Tauranga, Hamilton and the Western Bay of Plenty, resulting in rising values in these areas, QV national spokeswoman Andrea Rush says.

Taumarunui became Tanya and Jason's new home just over eight weeks ago. Tanya's extended family live there and the area was a logical choice.

"We signed up for a rental house through a real estate agent after choosing from five. The agency even offered Jason a job as their maintenance man for their 200 rental properties," Tanya says.

The affect on the family's living costs was instant.

"We live in a large, five-bedroom family home for $260 a week now. It's a mansion," Tanya says.

"We have halved our costs and now Jason doesn't have to leave for work at 5.45am like he used to. It's having a huge impact on our quality family time."

The couple acknowledges it has been a big change, especially for their three school-aged children, Justis, Hunta and Jax. Their two eldest children, Rikay and Ruka, live in Perth.

"We grew up on the Hibiscus Coast so it was hard to leave. But so far, so good. And my family are happy to have us nearby," Tanya says.

Buying their own house is also a possibility now with homes for sale under $100,000.

Martin says the biggest shock in the process was to find so many others in the same position.

"With the Auckland rates increase there will be more," she says.

"A lot more one-income families will have to move away as they won't be able to sustain the lifestyle."

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