Not very settled - more than damp squib?
Oct 8th 2003, 8:08 pm
#16
High in the Dandenongs
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Listening to Puffing Billy
Posts: 9,183
Originally posted by pleasancefamily
Hi Hevs, wish I was more upbeat but I also got a bit fed up by the (admittedly 'gentle') racism in Chch - loads of old dears cooing over Little Don 2 and saying how lovely he was...and wasn't it a pleasant change to see a fair skinned boy. VERY widespread ingrained white supremacist colonials in the background amongst the over 50s.
Hi Hevs, wish I was more upbeat but I also got a bit fed up by the (admittedly 'gentle') racism in Chch - loads of old dears cooing over Little Don 2 and saying how lovely he was...and wasn't it a pleasant change to see a fair skinned boy. VERY widespread ingrained white supremacist colonials in the background amongst the over 50s.
Oct 8th 2003, 8:13 pm
#17
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,613
Originally posted by friertuck
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
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
Self employed looks the way to go and also the tradies are doing very well in comparative terms.
Oct 8th 2003, 8:14 pm
#18
(Jon) returning to NZ 04
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 816
I agree about Chch. It does have a bad reputation for racism. I recall there are skinhead gangs as well.
Even (some of) my relations there come out with comments that disgust me. Because, historically, there were few Maori in the south island, people there got a bit of a shock when there were lots of east asian immigrants in the 90s. People in Nth Island by comparison have grown up with different colours (remember I'm generalising here - there are all sorts everywhere).
Even (some of) my relations there come out with comments that disgust me. Because, historically, there were few Maori in the south island, people there got a bit of a shock when there were lots of east asian immigrants in the 90s. People in Nth Island by comparison have grown up with different colours (remember I'm generalising here - there are all sorts everywhere).
Oct 8th 2003, 8:19 pm
#19
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,613
Originally posted by salmey
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 .
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 8th 2003, 8:26 pm
#20
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,613
Must go in a mo but as I don't like to go on a negative...LOVED the penguins in S Island (and my wife liked the fur seals too but I am more used to seeing seals all the time so a bit of a so what?factor). So far: 1 Fjordland Crested on the banks of Milford Sound and several in the water (loved the Sound - magnificent!), about 30 Yellow Eyed on the peninsula outside Dundedin, about 50 Little Blues in a small place (can't remember the name- Amotoroa?) on the way back up to Christchurch.
Penguins are the best!!! Not everybody gets to see them in the wild.
Penguins are the best!!! Not everybody gets to see them in the wild.
Oct 8th 2003, 8:31 pm
#21
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,613
Originally posted by deedee
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.
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.
Haven't got into it yet but I understand most of the 20th century's best NZ authors were from S Island and often based their work on isolation...
Liked Dunedin as a city, maybe we will end up your nearly neighbours!
Oct 8th 2003, 8:34 pm
#22
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,613
Originally posted by deedee
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.
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.
Oct 8th 2003, 8:42 pm
#23
(Jon) returning to NZ 04
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 816
what sort of work will you be looking to do don?
Oct 8th 2003, 9:13 pm
#24
Life's a beach
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Cranbrook Kent
Posts: 150
Originally posted by jandjuk
what sort of work will you be looking to do don?
what sort of work will you be looking to do don?
Interesting to see how you have got on, I take it from what you have posted that you did not visit NZ before you made your move. The NZD is strong at the moment but remember it has been as low as 2.25 before and it is a gamble as with everthing to wait and see if it nears 3.00 again or sterling drops further. it all depends how long you can wait. We would like to buy a house with no mortgage, however prices as you say have shot up, However $400,000 is still only £144,000 and you would struggle to buy a flat for that in the SE. Immigrants can not sustain the NZ housing market forever and local wages will have the same effect as London where first time buyers cannot get on ladder. Have you looked at buy to rent. A top spec 2 bed flat in Wellington Habour will cost you about $325,000, these then rent out for about $500.00 a week with a parking space, this would rent you a very nice house, in some of the areas you have looked at and at least you are on the ladder until situation changes and there is always a market for these properties.
Hope you find the right place and a good job.
All the Best The Arnolds.
Oct 8th 2003, 11:59 pm
#25
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Howick
Posts: 44
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 not what I wanted to hear!!!
We fly out to Christchurch next week to do exactly what you're doing, except we're sticking to the South Island mainly Christchurch and Dunedin. Luckily after a lot of ground work here I have secured a couple of job interviews in Christchurch so we're going to give the city a good look over for a week or two. Don, you claim that north Cch was ok any areas in particular? Have to admit that we're looking at slightly cheaper property brackets - approx $250k, which last year would have bought a big house, now where sitting here watching the same type of houses go over $350k. Did you get a look at property in Dunedin, as this seems to be cheaper than Christchurch?
Anyway, I hope that your trip get's better and hopefully I'll be able to let everyone know how where getting on when we're there.
Oct 9th 2003, 1:14 am
#26
Banned
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,467
Or me
Am feeling really fed up today and we will only have abour 90k after all the expenses are taken care of to take to NZ with us and thats even if we manage to sell our house at the price its up for now
Am feeling really fed up today and we will only have abour 90k after all the expenses are taken care of to take to NZ with us and thats even if we manage to sell our house at the price its up for now
Oct 9th 2003, 1:16 am
#27
Banned
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,467
Did you pass through Hornby in Chch we were wondering what it was like there as hubbys new boss lives around there
Oct 9th 2003, 1:41 am
#28
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 327
O.K Don this is not funny!!!
Actually, really sorry to hear that you have not had the most confident of starts to your life in NZ but you have researched it all so well that I'M sure things will soon start to match up with the dreams if not in exactly in the way you expected. As I've said on here a few times before my first impressions were not good - a bit like your wife's perhaps but then as we spent a bit more time in one place my feelings began to change. I think it is very hard to get a feel for anywhere when you are on the move and as someone has said to maybe choose a deciding factor (perhaps the job) and then settle in to the area and give yourself time!!
Had really been looking forward to your first real posting from downunder and this is admittedly what I didn't want to hear but on the other hand it's good that you are honest because it won't be all plain sailing for any of us! It isn't paradise - just another country with problems, some the same, some different but lots of good differences too which I think you will be able to appreciate better when the initial culture shock has worn off!!
Really hope things work out for you Don and also that you keep in touch with us with your thoughts good and bad!! Take care meantime!
Actually, really sorry to hear that you have not had the most confident of starts to your life in NZ but you have researched it all so well that I'M sure things will soon start to match up with the dreams if not in exactly in the way you expected. As I've said on here a few times before my first impressions were not good - a bit like your wife's perhaps but then as we spent a bit more time in one place my feelings began to change. I think it is very hard to get a feel for anywhere when you are on the move and as someone has said to maybe choose a deciding factor (perhaps the job) and then settle in to the area and give yourself time!!
Had really been looking forward to your first real posting from downunder and this is admittedly what I didn't want to hear but on the other hand it's good that you are honest because it won't be all plain sailing for any of us! It isn't paradise - just another country with problems, some the same, some different but lots of good differences too which I think you will be able to appreciate better when the initial culture shock has worn off!!
Really hope things work out for you Don and also that you keep in touch with us with your thoughts good and bad!! Take care meantime!
Oct 9th 2003, 2:43 am
#29
(Jon) returning to NZ 04
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 816
I think many of you maybe looking for a paradise that doesn't exist...
ie a big high quality house by glorious beach near great schools with a good job in nice street, and all for a price you can afford.
Unless you have a spare 1 million NZ to spend on property alone you're not going to find it.
It's almost impossible to find a good job and nice beach in the same area anyway.
I'm not saying this is what Don is looking for and I truly understand the NZ propery market right now is making things tough, but if this is what you are all emigrating for you're not going to find it! Unless you can afford to pay for it...
I really don't understand why everybody thinks they can go out there and get all this!
I don't want to depress anybody, all I'm saying is that we all have to lower our expectations a bit and not obsess on this 'dream' too much. Going for the culture, landscape, people, and outdoors lifestyle should be the 'dream', not the 'standard of living' you can obtain with the temporary security of a few GPB in the back pocket.
Just had to get that off my chest...
Sorry Don, didn't mean to hijack your thread with that and I really do hope things work out for you
ie a big high quality house by glorious beach near great schools with a good job in nice street, and all for a price you can afford.
Unless you have a spare 1 million NZ to spend on property alone you're not going to find it.
It's almost impossible to find a good job and nice beach in the same area anyway.
I'm not saying this is what Don is looking for and I truly understand the NZ propery market right now is making things tough, but if this is what you are all emigrating for you're not going to find it! Unless you can afford to pay for it...
I really don't understand why everybody thinks they can go out there and get all this!
I don't want to depress anybody, all I'm saying is that we all have to lower our expectations a bit and not obsess on this 'dream' too much. Going for the culture, landscape, people, and outdoors lifestyle should be the 'dream', not the 'standard of living' you can obtain with the temporary security of a few GPB in the back pocket.
Just had to get that off my chest...
Sorry Don, didn't mean to hijack your thread with that and I really do hope things work out for you
Oct 9th 2003, 6:53 am
#30
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2003
Location: Exit UK 23rd Mar 2004, arriving in NZ 29th Mar (stop off LA Disney)
Posts: 385
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!)
What type of work are you looking at(or have looked at)?
Don, you say you liked CChch yet your wife didn't, others like Jajpe(shirley) felt the same at first, how long was you there?
Don't you feel you've covered nearly all of NZ too quickly and that you haven't based yourself long enough anywhere to give it time.
New houses in the UK are pretty crap, and you don't get much space, are you saying NZ houses are worse, cos firing1 seemed to get a pretty nice place for £104,000k back in Feb, ok prices have gone up but looked great value for money.
Love to hear more Don, hope kids are well.
