NZ4Now

Ok sorry for being MIA lots going on so will do a little run down:

First off love being home, it feels "right" like I am no longer in that "dream like bubble" that seemed to surround us in NZ.

People all seem really friendly and were based in London at present but been out and around the country too. People seem smiling, courteous, friendly and helpful.

Weather has been shockingly good sunny and warm every day so far! Do miss the NZ blue skies tho

Had to pop into Barclays and get new cards etc and so easy thought it would be lots of forms etc but nope!

Now we both have to find jobs etc as my offer didn't work out but I know we can do it

pippalonghorn

Hi. . It's great to see that you feel at home and are happy. Let us know how you get on with the job stuff.

davros1984

Mike - you have no idea how happy I am to read this. After regular debates and battles on the NZ forum, and it becoming increasingly clear that a majority seem to think current Auckland prices are normal and that something is wrong with me for not wanting to pay 800K for a draughty/damp 3-bed house!

Anyway, good luck. I am a first time buyer and I'm now almost 30. At the stage of life where I want to buy my first property with my mrs, settle and look to start a family. Its hard to leave NZ as I love it here, but... the head says its impossible, at least in Auckland.

I work in IT (VMware/virtualisation/Linux space), the only other place I could really have a choice of jobs is Wellington - but the mrs would rather we moved home than tried elsewhere in NZ. Personally, if I could stay - I'd want to move to Hamilton/Waikato.

Anyway - good luck yourself.

Lukeandjo - bang on about house prices in your earlier thread, can never settle here as cannot buy a house. It is total madness and cannot believe more people are not making greater noise about it.

For the rest of you, well it appears I have joined the club. We are now making plans to move back to the UK next year. I am very torn though as I do believe that if prices in Auck were realistic, we could easily spend a lengthy time of our lives here in happiness.

Spacecake799

I have been reading your posts and agree with everything you say. We were in Auckland for 6 years until we left just before last Christmas.
I think we toyed with the idea of buying a place there but in reality as you say the quality is so poor we just couldn't justify it.
Also for us with 3 kids and only my husband bringing in a decent wage (IT also), we were paying ourselves to stay there. Ultimately we didn't love it like you do, we were so disappointed with the education that we called it quits.
Like you say, in IT there really is only Auckland or Wellington. Aucklands where hubby found work. We did visit Wellington and loved it but know boredom would have kicked in eventually.
So we have returned to start again, picked an area off a map and love it.
Good Luck with your next move.

dunroving

It's human nature to generally "defend" your choices. And some of the BE Forums are worse than others.

I'm with you from the perspective that it can only help people make choices if you provide an objective description of your experiences in (insert country here). Ironically, timing-wise, the UK has proven to be much more expensive than the US (for me) but there's no point banging on about it because I'd probably get flamed for talking down the UK.

I'd guess that many of those who are flaming you either were lucky enough to buy in NZ when prices were low, or exchange rates were high, or simply earn enough where it doesn't matter (or are simply unable to accept your version of reality in NZ because they are happy there).

Snap Shot

That's my dream. Glad it worked for you. Our location in NZ ended up being dependant on my husband's job in the end. It's ok to live here, just not for the long term.

In turn, our location in Britain will depend on my husband's job. So, as I've said before, we are planning to return we just don't know when or where.

However, I'm not prepared to be umming and ahing for the next ten years ! Discussion and Decision time is 2016 after five years in NZ.

pippalonghorn

I don't think anyone will flame you for talking down the UK. That's the difference here. We accept our country (UK) has faults and bad points. some of the points about relocating to a different part of NZ are just not possible for some people. They haven't got the spare money to move around. I certainly don't want my daughter to be moved on again.

Just because we all want to return to our home land because we believe we will be better off does not mean we hate NZ.

Snap Shot

But plenty do !! These are the people that don't/won't realise that prices have reached or are nearing their peak in Auckland.

Negative equity anyone ?

Snap Shot

Agree.

I say to my husband, every day we are making memories. In the future when we look back on, 'Wanganui life' we will have things to be sentimental about.

What we remember will eclipse what we didn't much care for i.e. the long running theme of me not being in paid employment in NZ. I calculated the other day that I have been for 9 job interviews in Wanganui alone, in the two and a half years we've lived in Wanganui and I've been turned down for each and every one of those jobs. Is it me ?

Anyway

BEVS

To be fair, I haven't seen much 'flaming' although we do have the usual pot stirring suspects.. I also disagree with the phrase 'the majority seem to think the current Auckland prices are normal"

The majority of the NZ forum doesn't comment because they are nowhere near Auckland & don't earn Auckland wages. I've also noted that many of those in Auckland have not commented at all.
In the majority there have been suggestions of moving area and comments about ChCh being also expensive. All the usual sort of thing.

For your interest Dunroving , the thread is HERE

I'd suggest the ones that are A OK with property in Auckland are keeping very quiet.

....and PippaLH. I keep my eyes open for you everyday in case I see a job for your OH . As you know Sparkies arei n shortage here and despite EWRB registration if he could find another position you could then adjust the visa. You have such a good attitude to the rotten financial situation you find yourselves in and which stinks that I would just love to find something for you.

davros1984

BEVS - you know I'm not one to pick a fight

In fairness, there have been about 10 threads over the past 6 or so months talking about housing and the cost of living. The one you linked was originally intended as a wind-up.

There have been other more "serious" threads which have discussed government/fiscal policies as well as the prices in which houses are going for at auction.

Once you get past the first few pages of that thread that BEVS highlighted, it does turn more serious.

BEVS

The point was that the impression Dunrovin has, is that there has been flaming. There has not. Not really.

Also that a 'majority ' of the NZ forum may somehow be missing your point .....

That's not quite so either TBH .

The NZ forum is full of CoL threads . So on and so forth as you say. That means there has been fair chance to air those experiences and views without flaming.

Most agree it is an expensive place to live one way or another.

I disagree with that from what I have read overall & have said why.

pippalonghorn

aw thanks BEVS for looking out for jobs for my OH. It's really kind of you. We really are ok. Enjoying our time here and have adjusted to the financial side of things. We have food, shelter and plenty of love in the house, that's all one needs really. Who needs fancy cars and boats eh!

We are going home still next year though. I just want to look back on my time here and have good memories now.

ble

Hi
I am not sure if I am a little (lot) too late to join this thread.

Haven't been on this forum to post for quite a while - life got busy, earthquakes, 3 kids became 5 kids ... k but this seemed to be a thread that was directed straight at us, and we are also planning an Easter leaving date, as it seems others are.

(Although do need to get house on the market still, convince older kids that a bribe of a holiday in Disneyland is bribe enough to keep their rooms spotless, nurse one baby through a broken arm, and convince one toddler that wearing glasses is the bees knees.)
I am sure Easter is doable

So I came back on to start the gathering of info for our return move to the UK.

Who to ship with, how is everyone else finding the process, am I the only one burying my head in the sand.
We came out here 7 yrs ago with three kids under 3.5 years and it was all a dream. (As in I can't remember the process and order for things to fall into place)

I am sure there are obvious things that I have forgotten.

Spacecake799

Hi,
Im sure with lots of organization you will be fine. Easter will be a great time for the school aged kids as they will have a term to adjust in a uk school before starting the year in sept.
Im sure your older ones will soon adapt to the change. Its amazing how quickly friends are made. We chose to look for a small school in a quiet area as we felt it would not seem quite so daunting.
Houses sell quick in NZ but even so get it on the market asap you can always rent for a few weeks.
We shipped with allied pickfords. They were very helpful and shipped on short notice.
We also had a dog to send back if you need advice on that.
Good luck and let me know if I can help.