Originally Posted by Woodlea

Quite! One wonders why folk move to the other side of the world and expect everything to be the same and moan if it isn't. I wasted a couple of hours today peeling the skin off almonds from the almond tree, they were lying all over the garden and paths and annoying to walk on. In the UK almonds came in packets, really annoyed that NZ is so backwards

Originally Posted by pippalonghorn

It's so easy to throw in comments like that when you feel a discussion is not going the way you want it to.

I have not moaned at all about NZ not being the same as the UK? Isn't that why a lot of people move in the first place - for a change of lifestyle? Your the one who has just accused NZ of being backwards. You shouldn't assume that everyone else thinks the way that you do.

We are talking about house prices.

Originally Posted by The Weezer

More important, though, is the quality of the modernisation. Does this house have wall insulation? In my experience houses that have been renovated do not often have wall insulation retro-fitted. The original timber windows would certainly be single-glazed, and the newer aluminium windows will weep, even if they're double-glazed. You'd have to suffer a Dunedin winter in a completely unheated bathroom, too.

I'd be very concerned that the house has been re-clad. It could mean it was in quite a rotten state before it was renovated. We viewed an old bungalow in central Auckland that had been fully "modernised and renovated to a high specification." The original native timber floors had been carpeted, just as in this house. My husband had a look under the house and could see the the floors had a severe borer infestation and looked like they needed replacing, not just carpeting. Of course, the house was commanding central Auckland prices.

I suspect UK houses for a similar price would probably be warmer and drier. I loathed the Auckland winters until we properly modernised our house. What good is a "better" climate if you have to live in a insufficiently heated house? Any kind of renovation work is extremely expensive in New Zealand, and I would say nearly all houses here would be considered do ups to anyone apart from Kiwis, or people from countries with similar housing standards.

In any event, job opportunities would be much more limited in Dunedin, and there really aren't any other cities large enough to provide more opportunities within even a long commute. And then there is the question of comparable salaries...

Originally Posted by davros1984

Weezer - fantastic post.

If you live in the South Island and you're a skilled worker, you really have very few options.

Originally Posted by bearskin

Do you think the outlying areas of "Auckland Super City" will start to boom now as well? - I do know people who live out Warkworth way for example who say that the prices there are yet to go ballistic like more central areas.

Originally Posted by bearskin

Do you think the outlying areas of "Auckland Super City" will start to boom now as well? - I do know people who live out Warkworth way for example who say that the prices there are yet to go ballistic like more central areas.

Originally Posted by jmh

I think it's only a matter of time before there is a commuter train line from Hamilton. If I had spare cash and was looking at investing, I would certainly consider buying property as a long term investment.

Originally Posted by Bo-Jangles

Well some lucky bunny must be feeling like they won lotto and are gonna soon be livin' the dream ...... livin' the dream!

Auckland house - derelict and dangerous - sells for $677,000 | Stuff.co.nz

Yeah, right! Nightmare.