Auckland Sept 19
Feb 3rd 2019, 2:48 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 127
Auckland Sept 19
I’m British and my husband is from Auckland. When we met 11 years ago he was ‘going back in 2 years’ and that 2 years is up..... only now we have a 6 year old and 9 year old as well. We are planning on arriving between September and December, depending on our house sale.
We are very lucky that he has a very good job offer (will basically be taking over the family business), and we have enough equity in our London house to pretty much buy a family home outright on the North Shore.
However, there are a few things keeping me awake at night.
My family - no solution to this. My dad has Parkinson’s and can barely speak, let alone travel. I am going with their blessing but the guilt is eating me up. Mum is more hardy, but old and not in the best of health. We will have to come back a lot.
My job - I work in advertising and, in my mid 40s, have no desire to compete with 20 something’s in a new city. If I could even get a job. I don’t need to earn much (I work a 3 day week here), and would be happy with an admin role etc, but do need something for my sanity and to contribute to family finances.
Buying a house - how much easier it would be if houses had prices and I could research easily? Sold prices help, but not the same as comparing current market prices with house details.
Schools - where are we going to be living (see house buying)? How do we apply? What is the implication of moving mid term? Do you automatically get school places in a catchment area?
Christmas jumper day. Not literally, but I have suddenly realised how my children’s childhood is going to change and it hit me at Christmas. This Christmas they won’t have Christmas jumper day at school. I don’t even know why that makes me sad
Auckland vs London - just that. I’m scared.
Brexit - has well and truly screwed us. We will probably lose a considerable amount of money on house prices/exchange rates, and it’s impossible to schedule accurately as houses are taking a lot longer to sell.
Sorry that this is more of s brain dump rather than specific questions, but it would be great to hear from anyone in a similar situation or who has advice.
We are very lucky that he has a very good job offer (will basically be taking over the family business), and we have enough equity in our London house to pretty much buy a family home outright on the North Shore.
However, there are a few things keeping me awake at night.
My family - no solution to this. My dad has Parkinson’s and can barely speak, let alone travel. I am going with their blessing but the guilt is eating me up. Mum is more hardy, but old and not in the best of health. We will have to come back a lot.
My job - I work in advertising and, in my mid 40s, have no desire to compete with 20 something’s in a new city. If I could even get a job. I don’t need to earn much (I work a 3 day week here), and would be happy with an admin role etc, but do need something for my sanity and to contribute to family finances.
Buying a house - how much easier it would be if houses had prices and I could research easily? Sold prices help, but not the same as comparing current market prices with house details.
Schools - where are we going to be living (see house buying)? How do we apply? What is the implication of moving mid term? Do you automatically get school places in a catchment area?
Christmas jumper day. Not literally, but I have suddenly realised how my children’s childhood is going to change and it hit me at Christmas. This Christmas they won’t have Christmas jumper day at school. I don’t even know why that makes me sad
Auckland vs London - just that. I’m scared.
Brexit - has well and truly screwed us. We will probably lose a considerable amount of money on house prices/exchange rates, and it’s impossible to schedule accurately as houses are taking a lot longer to sell.
Sorry that this is more of s brain dump rather than specific questions, but it would be great to hear from anyone in a similar situation or who has advice.
Feb 5th 2019, 3:16 am
#2
*********
Joined: May 2008
Location: Up in dem hills.........
Posts: 1,458
Re: Auckland Sept 19
I’m British and my husband is from Auckland. When we met 11 years ago he was ‘going back in 2 years’ and that 2 years is up..... only now we have a 6 year old and 9 year old as well. We are planning on arriving between September and December, depending on our house sale.
We are very lucky that he has a very good job offer (will basically be taking over the family business), and we have enough equity in our London house to pretty much buy a family home outright on the North Shore.
However, there are a few things keeping me awake at night.
My family - no solution to this. My dad has Parkinson’s and can barely speak, let alone travel. I am going with their blessing but the guilt is eating me up. Mum is more hardy, but old and not in the best of health. We will have to come back a lot.
My job - I work in advertising and, in my mid 40s, have no desire to compete with 20 something’s in a new city. If I could even get a job. I don’t need to earn much (I work a 3 day week here), and would be happy with an admin role etc, but do need something for my sanity and to contribute to family finances.
Buying a house - how much easier it would be if houses had prices and I could research easily? Sold prices help, but not the same as comparing current market prices with house details.
Schools - where are we going to be living (see house buying)? How do we apply? What is the implication of moving mid term? Do you automatically get school places in a catchment area?
Christmas jumper day. Not literally, but I have suddenly realised how my children’s childhood is going to change and it hit me at Christmas. This Christmas they won’t have Christmas jumper day at school. I don’t even know why that makes me sad
Auckland vs London - just that. I’m scared.
Brexit - has well and truly screwed us. We will probably lose a considerable amount of money on house prices/exchange rates, and it’s impossible to schedule accurately as houses are taking a lot longer to sell.
Sorry that this is more of s brain dump rather than specific questions, but it would be great to hear from anyone in a similar situation or who has advice.
We are very lucky that he has a very good job offer (will basically be taking over the family business), and we have enough equity in our London house to pretty much buy a family home outright on the North Shore.
However, there are a few things keeping me awake at night.
My family - no solution to this. My dad has Parkinson’s and can barely speak, let alone travel. I am going with their blessing but the guilt is eating me up. Mum is more hardy, but old and not in the best of health. We will have to come back a lot.
My job - I work in advertising and, in my mid 40s, have no desire to compete with 20 something’s in a new city. If I could even get a job. I don’t need to earn much (I work a 3 day week here), and would be happy with an admin role etc, but do need something for my sanity and to contribute to family finances.
Buying a house - how much easier it would be if houses had prices and I could research easily? Sold prices help, but not the same as comparing current market prices with house details.
Schools - where are we going to be living (see house buying)? How do we apply? What is the implication of moving mid term? Do you automatically get school places in a catchment area?
Christmas jumper day. Not literally, but I have suddenly realised how my children’s childhood is going to change and it hit me at Christmas. This Christmas they won’t have Christmas jumper day at school. I don’t even know why that makes me sad
Auckland vs London - just that. I’m scared.
Brexit - has well and truly screwed us. We will probably lose a considerable amount of money on house prices/exchange rates, and it’s impossible to schedule accurately as houses are taking a lot longer to sell.
Sorry that this is more of s brain dump rather than specific questions, but it would be great to hear from anyone in a similar situation or who has advice.
Work, lots available, depending on what your are prepared to do.
House pricing....Its the New Zealand way, esp in Auckland, where the rule is, a house is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
Enrolling your kids in school is straightforward, provided you live in the area and have proof of residency.
If your really, really, really into Christmas.....prepare to be dissapointed.
Auckland vs London. Not really sure what you mean by that, except that your are scared.....?
My only real advice to you is, that moving to another country is not easy, everyone goes through their ups and downs about it and not everyone stays. You will have a much better chance of success if both you and your husband are on the same page. Good Luck!
Feb 5th 2019, 4:57 am
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: bottom of the world
Posts: 4,533
Re: Auckland Sept 19
I'm sure missing families and home sickness (never under estimate the effect of home sickness) causes more people to return to the UK than anything else. As a migrant it's just a decision you learn to live with
I've lost my mum, dad and step father since I moved to NZ, despite my best efforts I wasn't able to be there for any of them. Its a fact of life when you migrate, try as you might, sometimes it's simply not possible to get home in time.
We keep getting told that 1000's of kiwi young professionals leave for Australia every year, so that might help with your work question
Agents stopped putting prices on houses years ago. The prices were rising as fast as the Venezuelan rate of inflation. Some were bought and re sold a week later for 1000's more.
Christmas is a complete non event. It will never be the same again. I hope you like Ham
Brexit is buggering us all up. I've just sold a UK property and have watched the value in nz$ plummet. Can't do owt about it.
Auckland v London...
Aux is like marmite. I lived on the North Shore for a couple of years and hated the place. I had beautiful homes in really nice areas but I couldn't wait to get away from the place. Don't expect any culture or entertainment, there is very little of either. It has beaches but little else of interest
All sounds quite negative but I've been in NZ 10 years and have no intention of leaving so something must be keeping me here.
I've lost my mum, dad and step father since I moved to NZ, despite my best efforts I wasn't able to be there for any of them. Its a fact of life when you migrate, try as you might, sometimes it's simply not possible to get home in time.
We keep getting told that 1000's of kiwi young professionals leave for Australia every year, so that might help with your work question
Agents stopped putting prices on houses years ago. The prices were rising as fast as the Venezuelan rate of inflation. Some were bought and re sold a week later for 1000's more.
Christmas is a complete non event. It will never be the same again. I hope you like Ham
Brexit is buggering us all up. I've just sold a UK property and have watched the value in nz$ plummet. Can't do owt about it.
Auckland v London...
Aux is like marmite. I lived on the North Shore for a couple of years and hated the place. I had beautiful homes in really nice areas but I couldn't wait to get away from the place. Don't expect any culture or entertainment, there is very little of either. It has beaches but little else of interest
All sounds quite negative but I've been in NZ 10 years and have no intention of leaving so something must be keeping me here.
Last edited by Justcol; Feb 5th 2019 at 5:03 am.
Feb 5th 2019, 7:41 am
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 392
Re: Auckland Sept 19
Buying a house - how much easier it would be if houses had prices and I could research easily? Sold prices help, but not the same as comparing current market prices with house details.
Schools - where are we going to be living (see house buying)? How do we apply? What is the implication of moving mid term? Do you automatically get school places in a catchment area? .
Schools - where are we going to be living (see house buying)? How do we apply? What is the implication of moving mid term? Do you automatically get school places in a catchment area? .
Select either an area or a particular house (for sale shows up as green) drill down on to a particular property and it shows respective CV council valuation - (used for calculation of rates) and property details (sqm land and sqm house)
You can use the council valuations to start an idea of land per sqm and cost per sqm of build The difference to actual sales will be the value of hte land not the build
Schools if your in the area have to take you regardless of entry time (unless the child is under 5) They are changing but currently run on a decile rating 1 to 10 which only indicates household incomes 10 being highest.
Below is link to route planning for public transport = Downtown CBD is Britomart North Shore has great bus lanes that get you across the bridge faster than driving during peak.
https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/j...1&routeFilter=
You are in advertising but in what format and background?
