katracy

I'm really sorry, i know its hard we haven't had one person round about the house, have only 10 - 12 wks left. It looks like OH is going without us and i am having to put up with an 8 and 10 year old by myself on the plane when we go!! who needs the sleeping pills me or Kids?

BEVS

Well flip Jules and Danny.

That happened to us. In the end I stayed in the UK to sell the house and Phil came to start work. The employer had been good as gold and already waited 5 months for Phil. I stayed a further two months, sleeping on a friends floor and then thought blow it. Gave power of attourney to the family solicitors and flew away. Six weeks later after that it was all signed , sealed and delivered just in time for the exchange rate to plummet.

Flaming nightmare at the time.

Here's hoping that you sell your house real soon. Same to any of you on that 'trying to sell house' part of the emigration process. Springs coming in the UK which is a good time for house selling and buying. You may all be here by the start of the UK summer

Mandie

How bloody annoying....what complete To$$ers!!!

Can you not go back to the other people who put in an offer and let them know what the 'To$$ers' have done and offer it back to them? Might be worth a go...

nothing ventured nothing gained...and all that!

Good luck, fingers crossed for some house selling good luck
Mandie

Charlie Paynter

Where are you from K&D? We emigrated to NZ in 1999 and I originate from Canning Town - just a short walk from the Boleyn Ground! Came back in 2001 and the only thing I would miss if we returned is the Irons!

Littletoe

I read your post, and I groaned for you and felt sorry for your situation, then I read about the new buyers and I thought, YAY! And was about to post my congratulations and then read further. What a roller coaster it must be for you. Best of luck to you, chin up x

Jules & Danny

Right, as of 17:30 today, we have some new buyers... or potential buyers. The UK (and particularly.. the English) way of buying a house is completely stacked in favour of the solicitors, performing unnecessary searches that have been performed many times before in the many previous sales of the same property.

So, having agreed the price, we now have to wait for the soul destroying money leeching solicitors to complete their activities. And if it all falls apart after that, then one of you lot can make me an offer... you can view my house HERE. Although I think any deal would be stacked in your favour as you know I am getting desperate!

Either way, we're leaving on March 26th and there's no way completion is going to happen in that time frame, but I am hoping that we might be able to exchange contracts so I can at least leave knowing that the sale is legally binding. I am not holding my breath for that, but will be applying the necessary pressure. For goodness sake if estate agents can demand 1.5% for doing bugger all, and solicitors can demand £750 just to sell a house, then they can bloody well earn their money and speed it up for once.

It does mean that for perhaps a couple of months after we leave I am going to have to meet mortgage payments as well as cover rental costs in NZ, but if everything goes to plan (this time) that should all be done and dusted by the end of May.

House selling is stressful at the best times, combine it with moving countries and it's a killer.... as I am sure many of you know.

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts and kind words whilst I have been allowing it all to get the better of me.

So... house (hopefully) sold... AND (drum roll please) NZI approved our residency today!! HURRAH!! Once they've taken their migrant levy for a family of 6 (don't you just love how much this all costs) then our passports will be making their way back to us shortly.

Mandie

We live in fareham too...so wish you all the best in 'getting outa here' where abouts in NZ you heading for? we're or should i say i am hoping to move to Christchurch (husband is still resisting the move ) if i get my way we'll be there by June.

How old are your kids and how do they feel about the move?

Hope all goes well on the 26th

Will be thinking of you all

Jules & Danny

We're moving to Wellington. We thought long and hard about where we wanted to move to and even had a little trip out to be sure.

I am not a country-side person. I love the ideal of being in the sticks, but I also like being near amenities, shops, cinemas, theatres, technology etc etc - and Wellington was a nice half way house between a calm environment and city life. Auckland didn't do it for me, just not what I was looking for...

We lived in London before we moved down to the South coast and we really enjoyed the change in pace when we left, but even Fareham seems to be getting over crowded and busy. We've only been here just over 4 years in and in that time, the time it takes to get anywhere has doubled and I won't even mention getting down the M27 to get somewhere.

I have been fortunate enough to get a job in Wellington so it's one less concern off our mind - and they have been fabulous about the repeated delays due to the house sale fiasco.

Our kids are 10, 8, 6 years old and the new one is 7 months olds. Strange to think he won't remember the UK at all - and to all intents and purposes will grow up a real Kiwi.

We've enjoyed being here, and I'll be sad to leave the house. Little things like the wall with the height markers on... that kind of stuff - but I firmly believe our kids are going to blossom in NZ - I think my wife and I will really enjoy it too, but this move is more for them than for us, and that keeps me going.

Mandie

Good luck to you all for your new life in wellington...hope you have a good flight and settle in well.

Please keep us posted once you're out there and let us know how you're settling in
take care

SirEglamore

Well done on the res. fingers x-ssed for your sale