As I mentioned previously, we've decided against a family home here in NZ simply because we hate it so much.  However, with house prices ever dropping we can't sit here and not invest in something tangible - as Canada will take so long.  Steve visited a mortgage broker today to discuss our options.  As he earns an English salary and contracts here in NZ we wanted to discover whether a bank, in this day of age, would give us a mortgage.  The simple answer is yes.  With Steve's UK salary alone, we're pretty much guaranteed a mortgage of around $300k, which is exactly the amout we want to sink an investment.  If we did want more, then Steve has to show consecutive contracts for a year, to prove he can effectively get the work.  On his contract salary + the British salary, the bank would easily give us, well, whatever we ask for quite frankly.  However, unlike the Americans, we certainly won't be biting off more than we can chew.  We just want to get a smart 2/3 bedroom place in a new, middle class suburb, rent it out to a nice couple or family and then just let it sit there, while we decide what to do next.  We figure being property owners should satisfy a bank in Canada,  where we know they're incredibly strict.  In fact another option we're looking at is also purchasing much later in the year, a small holiday home somewhere rather nice in Canada.  It would depend on how easy it was to invest in Canada without residency, etc.  Something to research later on.  An investment property sounds fairly sterile to me on paper, but I tend to get attached to bloody hotel rooms, so I'm not sure how I would fair buying a house here and then leaving it to someone else!  In other news, I've been attending the gym daily and also running on the treadmill daily.  I have to say that gradually I'm feeling the difference.  I had hoped to step off the treadmill a few kilos lighter, straight away!  But I'll just keep trucking.  I ditched the drink, the coke and stick to water.  I've also switched to wholegrain bread and I snack on fruit during the day.  Its not a hardship actually.  Being summer the fruit is fresh and tasty, and all my working out means I like the water more anyway.  Wholegrain bread is delicious.  The only thing I thought I would struggle with is cutting out booze.  Well, I decided I would have a glass of red when I fancied BUT only when I fancied, not just habit.  I was drinking at LEAST one bottle of red a night.  I've gone cold turkey and fully expected shakes.  Seriously, some days I actually looked forward to the evening when I could drink!  Nada.  Turns out I'm not an alcoholic afterall!  YAY ME!  Which is weird because I'd thought this bloody country could turn anyone to drink!  Getting healthier, finances in check, residency off, bloody good stuff! And as Steve smugly says, its all down to NZ!  How ironic!