Not very settled - more than damp squib?
Oct 9th 2003, 7:26 am
#1
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Not very settled - more than damp squib?
A bit fed up as we have got more questions than answers in our minds now that we have been in NZ nearly a month. Can't work out where to live. Not impressed at all by the standard of living that awaits us if we take a company job - the more we look into it the more we are worried that NZ jobs just pay very badly indeed, and life here is only a bit cheaper in many respects.
(A few instalments as I'm in a caff and a bit used to BE cutoff!)
(A few instalments as I'm in a caff and a bit used to BE cutoff!)
Oct 9th 2003, 7:32 am
#2
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Re: Not very settled - more than damp squib?
Originally posted by pleasancefamily
A bit fed up as we have got more questions than answers in our minds now that we have been in NZ nearly a month. Can't work out where to live. Not impressed at all by the standard of living that awaits us if we take a company job - the more we look into it the more we are worried that NZ jobs just pay very badly indeed, and life here is only a bit cheaper in many respects.
(A few instalments as I'm in a caff and a bit used to BE cutoff!)
A bit fed up as we have got more questions than answers in our minds now that we have been in NZ nearly a month. Can't work out where to live. Not impressed at all by the standard of living that awaits us if we take a company job - the more we look into it the more we are worried that NZ jobs just pay very badly indeed, and life here is only a bit cheaper in many respects.
(A few instalments as I'm in a caff and a bit used to BE cutoff!)
This is one of the main reasons we are leaving New Zealand. My husband is a kiwi, but has lived abroad in several other countries, and since he came back here, he is very disappointed on how the country has declined.
I can't really comment as i had never been here before.
I think it depends what you are looking for in life. If you are into the great outdoors, financially secure before you come, and dont mind a certain sense of isolation being so far away from everywhere else, then it could be ideal.
Oct 9th 2003, 7:36 am
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Enjoyed looking around S Island, magnificent scenery. Reduced ourselves to Chch, north, - Dunedin seemed a fine place but too isolated for us.
Chch - I liked the parks, the coastline, the feel. Wife thought it very ugly and I understand where she's coming from - a big sprawl with a strange mix of brutalist 60s look architecture in the centre together with some fine remnants and gems such as the old university. Houses could generally be called verging on rubbish (for the money) wherever we've looked in NZ - badly built frm cheap materials (usually wood not brick and tile - earthquakes - yeah right) and apart from the colonial type lovelies, ugly boxes. Latest architect designed houses much nicer but expensive. Some v good bits eg Redhills.
Could easily have chosen to live in Nelson and mayb Blenheim but 2 years too late as regards the horrific house price rises. lus not oo good for our jobs.
Chch - I liked the parks, the coastline, the feel. Wife thought it very ugly and I understand where she's coming from - a big sprawl with a strange mix of brutalist 60s look architecture in the centre together with some fine remnants and gems such as the old university. Houses could generally be called verging on rubbish (for the money) wherever we've looked in NZ - badly built frm cheap materials (usually wood not brick and tile - earthquakes - yeah right) and apart from the colonial type lovelies, ugly boxes. Latest architect designed houses much nicer but expensive. Some v good bits eg Redhills.
Could easily have chosen to live in Nelson and mayb Blenheim but 2 years too late as regards the horrific house price rises. lus not oo good for our jobs.
Oct 9th 2003, 7:43 am
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Originally posted by pleasancefamily
Enjoyed looking around S Island, magnificent scenery. Reduced ourselves to Chch, north, - Dunedin seemed a fine place but too isolated for us.
Chch - I liked the parks, the coastline, the feel. Wife thought it very ugly and I understand where she's coming from - a big sprawl with a strange mix of brutalist 60s look architecture in the centre together with some fine remnants and gems such as the old university. Houses could generally be called verging on rubbish (for the money) wherever we've looked in NZ - badly built frm cheap materials (usually wood not brick and tile - earthquakes - yeah right) and apart from the colonial type lovelies, ugly boxes. Latest architect designed houses much nicer but expensive. Some v good bits eg Redhills.
Could easily have chosen to live in Nelson and mayb Blenheim but 2 years too late as regards the horrific house price rises. lus not oo good for our jobs.
Enjoyed looking around S Island, magnificent scenery. Reduced ourselves to Chch, north, - Dunedin seemed a fine place but too isolated for us.
Chch - I liked the parks, the coastline, the feel. Wife thought it very ugly and I understand where she's coming from - a big sprawl with a strange mix of brutalist 60s look architecture in the centre together with some fine remnants and gems such as the old university. Houses could generally be called verging on rubbish (for the money) wherever we've looked in NZ - badly built frm cheap materials (usually wood not brick and tile - earthquakes - yeah right) and apart from the colonial type lovelies, ugly boxes. Latest architect designed houses much nicer but expensive. Some v good bits eg Redhills.
Could easily have chosen to live in Nelson and mayb Blenheim but 2 years too late as regards the horrific house price rises. lus not oo good for our jobs.
Sadly, i do have to agree with you regarding housing. I am not normally a negative person, but i was really shocked at the shabbiness of housing in NZ. Very little thought or design has gone into much of it. The cheapest materials seem to be the order of the day, and attractiveness at the bottom of the list. I would also be very wary of new built houses. Theres the "leaky building syndrome" scandal too.
Oct 9th 2003, 7:45 am
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Anyway, thought we'd look around Tauranga - some pleasant bits eg Omokaroa but of course we're too late here as well and prces have doubled in the last 18 months. Great.
Now in Napier - could easily live in the Napier Hill/ Hospital Hill area - but guess what, prices have doubled in the last 2 years.
Add in the way the NZD has risen nearly 25% against the GBP in the last coupla years and we just can't afford to get anywhere decent for our current budget.
On a reasonable budget (say, GBP250K incl mortgage) you could still get somewhere great in all the above towns. But we are hedging our bets until we know for sure about staying in NZ so don't want to commit to more than NZD400K. Not a lot of dream homes for that. It would get you a rabbit hutch on a second par estate in Tauranga - we didn't come to NZ for that, a real drop in living standards though it's our own fault for not wanting to commit more money to the game.
Now in Napier - could easily live in the Napier Hill/ Hospital Hill area - but guess what, prices have doubled in the last 2 years.
Add in the way the NZD has risen nearly 25% against the GBP in the last coupla years and we just can't afford to get anywhere decent for our current budget.
On a reasonable budget (say, GBP250K incl mortgage) you could still get somewhere great in all the above towns. But we are hedging our bets until we know for sure about staying in NZ so don't want to commit to more than NZD400K. Not a lot of dream homes for that. It would get you a rabbit hutch on a second par estate in Tauranga - we didn't come to NZ for that, a real drop in living standards though it's our own fault for not wanting to commit more money to the game.
Oct 9th 2003, 7:51 am
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Why not more money committed?
1. We naturally don't know about the permanency of our move to NZ.
2. NZD looks very (VERY) toppy right now. I'd say 15-20% OTT.
3. House price bubble - price rises here make the UK bubble look very tame - best places have typically and widely doubled in the last 2 years. That's what you get with such massive net migration to NZ (new homes needed as a % of the housing stock).
Add those together and we could easily overpay now and regret it badly afterwards if we needed to convert back or to a different currency.
Anyway - fed up, still - nobody ever persuaded me that anything n life was easy.
1. We naturally don't know about the permanency of our move to NZ.
2. NZD looks very (VERY) toppy right now. I'd say 15-20% OTT.
3. House price bubble - price rises here make the UK bubble look very tame - best places have typically and widely doubled in the last 2 years. That's what you get with such massive net migration to NZ (new homes needed as a % of the housing stock).
Add those together and we could easily overpay now and regret it badly afterwards if we needed to convert back or to a different currency.
Anyway - fed up, still - nobody ever persuaded me that anything n life was easy.
Oct 9th 2003, 7:52 am
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Originally posted by pleasancefamily
Anyway, thought we'd look around Tauranga - some pleasant bits eg Omokaroa but of course we're too late here as well and prces have doubled in the last 18 months. Great.
Now in Napier - could easily live in the Napier Hill/ Hospital Hill area - but guess what, prices have doubled in the last 2 years.
Add in the way the NZD has risen nearly 25% against the GBP in the last coupla years and we just can't afford to get anywhere decent for our current budget.
On a reasonable budget (say, GBP250K incl mortgage) you could still get somewhere great in all the above towns. But we are hedging our bets until we know for sure about staying in NZ so don't want to commit to more than NZD400K. Not a lot of dream homes for that. It would get you a rabbit hutch on a second par estate in Tauranga - we didn't come to NZ for that, a real drop in living standards though it's our own fault for not wanting to commit more money to the game.
Anyway, thought we'd look around Tauranga - some pleasant bits eg Omokaroa but of course we're too late here as well and prces have doubled in the last 18 months. Great.
Now in Napier - could easily live in the Napier Hill/ Hospital Hill area - but guess what, prices have doubled in the last 2 years.
Add in the way the NZD has risen nearly 25% against the GBP in the last coupla years and we just can't afford to get anywhere decent for our current budget.
On a reasonable budget (say, GBP250K incl mortgage) you could still get somewhere great in all the above towns. But we are hedging our bets until we know for sure about staying in NZ so don't want to commit to more than NZD400K. Not a lot of dream homes for that. It would get you a rabbit hutch on a second par estate in Tauranga - we didn't come to NZ for that, a real drop in living standards though it's our own fault for not wanting to commit more money to the game.
Yes, i can really see your problem. I am sure for that price you could get somewhere very nice thats more rural..BUT.. do you want to be that far from town?
We have been extremely fortunate, that we arrived 2yrs ago and bought ust before the boom kicked in. We have just sold our house for $100,000 more than we paid for it, so i can see what a problem it is going to be for you. I dont think anyone expected the huge increases that have happened here in such a short time.
Oct 9th 2003, 7:55 am
#8
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sorry to hear your a bit miserable Don and all
was looking forward to a great "up" post from you. Hope things pick up for you, whatever you decide
was looking forward to a great "up" post from you. Hope things pick up for you, whatever you decide
Oct 9th 2003, 7:58 am
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Originally posted by podgypossum
Yes, i can really see your problem. I am sure for that price you could get somewhere very nice thats more rural..BUT.. do you want to be that far from town?
We have been extremely fortunate, that we arrived 2yrs ago and bought ust before the boom kicked in. We have just sold our house for $100,000 more than we paid for it, so i can see what a problem it is going to be for you. I dont think anyone expected the huge increases that have happened here in such a short time.
Yes, i can really see your problem. I am sure for that price you could get somewhere very nice thats more rural..BUT.. do you want to be that far from town?
We have been extremely fortunate, that we arrived 2yrs ago and bought ust before the boom kicked in. We have just sold our house for $100,000 more than we paid for it, so i can see what a problem it is going to be for you. I dont think anyone expected the huge increases that have happened here in such a short time.
Oct 9th 2003, 8:02 am
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Originally posted by pleasancefamily
Looks like you timed that right. We are considering rural too, some hope as money goes a lot further and I always wanted a couple of acres. The worry here would mostly be about saleablity in a coupla years if we needed to vamoose. Still - wards and upwards, tomorrw is another day.
Looks like you timed that right. We are considering rural too, some hope as money goes a lot further and I always wanted a couple of acres. The worry here would mostly be about saleablity in a coupla years if we needed to vamoose. Still - wards and upwards, tomorrw is another day.
Don...as Garret says, keep your chin up mate..
One day soon you will turn a corner and fall in love with the right house! Going semi rural shouldnt be too much of a problem if you buy wisely. Kiwis are used ot using their cars as there is very little public transport. If you buy extra land, you also have the option of subdividng it to release extra cash.
Oct 9th 2003, 8:05 am
#11
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Originally posted by pleasancefamily
Anyway, thought we'd look around Tauranga - some pleasant bits eg Omokaroa but of course we're too late here as well and prces have doubled in the last 18 months. Great.
Now in Napier - could easily live in the Napier Hill/ Hospital Hill area - but guess what, prices have doubled in the last 2 years.
Add in the way the NZD has risen nearly 25% against the GBP in the last coupla years and we just can't afford to get anywhere decent for our current budget.
On a reasonable budget (say, GBP250K incl mortgage) you could still get somewhere great in all the above towns. But we are hedging our bets until we know for sure about staying in NZ so don't want to commit to more than NZD400K. Not a lot of dream homes for that. It would get you a rabbit hutch on a second par estate in Tauranga - we didn't come to NZ for that, a real drop in living standards though it's our own fault for not wanting to commit more money to the game.
Anyway, thought we'd look around Tauranga - some pleasant bits eg Omokaroa but of course we're too late here as well and prces have doubled in the last 18 months. Great.
Now in Napier - could easily live in the Napier Hill/ Hospital Hill area - but guess what, prices have doubled in the last 2 years.
Add in the way the NZD has risen nearly 25% against the GBP in the last coupla years and we just can't afford to get anywhere decent for our current budget.
On a reasonable budget (say, GBP250K incl mortgage) you could still get somewhere great in all the above towns. But we are hedging our bets until we know for sure about staying in NZ so don't want to commit to more than NZD400K. Not a lot of dream homes for that. It would get you a rabbit hutch on a second par estate in Tauranga - we didn't come to NZ for that, a real drop in living standards though it's our own fault for not wanting to commit more money to the game.
Hi
Sorry Don, but $400k gets you a very nice house on an estate very close to the beach in Tauranga. The houses are all new and brick and tile. If you move back from the beach maybe 3-4 miles older property in Matua for the same money gets you 4/5 bedrooms. Yes there is a lot of junk but also a lot of good for the cash. You sound a bit down and maybe you have seen too much too soon.
Keep looking and good luck. I'm looking to be self employed ang so hope to have a good wage but that's the risk.
Chin up.
Alan
Oct 9th 2003, 8:05 am
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Originally posted by h garrett
sorry to hear your a bit miserable Don and all
was looking forward to a great "up" post from you. Hope things pick up for you, whatever you decide
sorry to hear your a bit miserable Don and all
was looking forward to a great "up" post from you. Hope things pick up for you, whatever you decide
Oct 9th 2003, 8:06 am
#13
(Jon) returning to NZ 04
Joined: Jul 2003
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I understand your frustration, as it it possibly the worst time to buy as house in NZ right now. And 'they' reckon it's going to continue for some time....
You scoff at the earthquakes excuse, but they are a very real threat and I'd frankly rather have a piece of wood falling on me than a load of bricks. It could save your life. Very easy to under rate the power of earthquakes until you have been in a medium to big one.
Still that's still no excuse for shoddy building.
I would warn against buying a house in a smaller town like Tauranga. Beautiful place to live but you have to remember it does have quite a small population by UK standards, and you may struggle to find highly paid jobs there. If you can find a job, fine - but if you can't....
You will have discovered already it's not possible to commute long distances in NZ - so I would find the job you want first, and then decide where to live, not the other way around.
Best of luck
You scoff at the earthquakes excuse, but they are a very real threat and I'd frankly rather have a piece of wood falling on me than a load of bricks. It could save your life. Very easy to under rate the power of earthquakes until you have been in a medium to big one.
Still that's still no excuse for shoddy building.
I would warn against buying a house in a smaller town like Tauranga. Beautiful place to live but you have to remember it does have quite a small population by UK standards, and you may struggle to find highly paid jobs there. If you can find a job, fine - but if you can't....
You will have discovered already it's not possible to commute long distances in NZ - so I would find the job you want first, and then decide where to live, not the other way around.
Best of luck
Oct 9th 2003, 8:06 am
#14
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If you are in napier have you checked out Havelock north yet. smaller 10000 pop, based around Te Mata peak not far from ocean beach which is fab. Has the best schools in hawkes Bay and lots of very wealthy people. You can easily pick up a new 4 bed house for the money you are taking about. yes the houses are made of wood but there are lots of earthquakes here and brick houses tend to fall down and crack etc. the weather in hawkes bay is some of the best in NZ .
Oct 9th 2003, 8:08 am
#15
farmer nr Queenstown NZ
Joined: Jul 2003
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sorry to hear your troubles.I understand what you mean.Houses are generally poor quality and even the new ones are poor!As for the prices,i feel its not going to go back as it was always under valued,but one still has to live somewhere.One thing people are never aware of until they come to the South Island is really how isolated it is.It suits some folks but to come from the UK or Europe to a place with 800,000 people in such a large area can be over whelming.If there is one thing i have realised since been here its that you have to really make an effort to fit in and meet people as everyone is so busy doing their own thing.Life here is very different to the UK and it hasn't changed in a long time and i dare say in the South it never will.From our experiences we never fit in back in the UK,we never felt at ease or comfortable no matter how much money we did or did'nt have.....we feel the opposite here, so something is different.Good luck on your travels,we know how you must feel as we wondered around for 9 months trying to find our ideal spot.Its not easy.