Sam701

Hi all, I hope you can help me with a little first hand advice.
My husband and I are keen to emigrate and NZ is 1st choice for it's beauty and lifestyle. However, the financial side seems very worrying. In my research I have read SO MUCH about people struggling to make ends meet, and find work. I also read Paul Goddard's book, which also put me off!
My husband is a bricklayer and from what I've read should be able to earn slightly above the average wage, but that's if the work is there and the weather is ok. In this country I have a well paid sales rep job but don't think it would be possible/want to do this in NZ.
We have no kids and don't need a massive house (just a garden for the dog), we are both competitive jetskiers and it's important for us to earn enough to pursue this hobby, we are considering Hawkes Bay as I have read that it has a Meditteranean climate (hope this means less rain) and seems to be developing, providing hubby work.
When I read up on Oz there seems to be less talk of financial struggle and now wonder if this would be the easy option.
Sorry this post is so long but I'd really appreciate some input from those who have made the leap. Thanks in advance

planty

Hi Sam701, and welcome to the forum.
Can't give you any realistic advise because we're not there quite yet. All I would say is research and more research. Another point to make is if your taking money with you, with the $ falling its looking a lot more attractive.
Ultimately its your choice, read the threads some point out the negative aswell as the positive points however, someone else's experience may have nothing to do with how you will experience it yourself, so don't be put off by other peoples experiences.
Good luck

newkiwi

Hi
I think one of the first tasks should be to see if you have anough points for NZ and / or Aus, if you have not done that already. If you think you qualify for both then it is quite a difficul choice. The two countries are quite different in terms of values and mindset.

I have no idea what a brickie earns, or where the work is. Hawkes Bay does have pretty good weather, and NZ is knowsn for its love of watersports. If you are able to live outside of say Auckland and Wellington housing will be a lot cheaper too.

In general the Aus forum just seems a more positive forum, I think the aussie attitude is rubbing off on the expats. I think you should just keep an open mind when you read both forums, I dont know why the NZ one tends to be more negative than the Aussie one..

Good luck

annaerb

Don't know what the Hawkes Bay is like for Brickies or the lifestyle that you are after.
In Auckland however the building Industry is still going big time and it is also in OZ.
My hubby has a few friends in the Bricklaying Trade (North Auckland) so if your hubby has any particular questions I can ask for you, just PM them to me.
My MIL is a sales rep and she earns good money $600pw plus bonus with a car/phone provided.

Carol

jad n rich

The aussie forum unfortunately has a nasty side where any post that may be even slightly negtive or should we say realistic is immediately jumped on, sometimes by aussies themselves, sometimes by people only eager to hear postivies, often they have not visited first and sometimes by people who are promoting a area or business. To get a more all round view, also read the moving back to UK forum, you will get both sides of the coin that way.

annaerb

And where did you buy a $8.99 cabbage

Every country has it's good and bad points and the same what you may love somebody else won't

kiwichild

Absolutely 100% spot on!

Da' Calders

Hi, everyone
we have the same questions as Sam, although we know we will be less well of than in UK, (not going for financial gains, but better future for the kids) it seems pointless if we are going to struggle so much that both of us will have to work full time, long hours just to make ends meet.
how about some of you already living the dream give us a clue about the actual cost of living in your area

kiwichild

In a way it's not so much about the general cost of living as it is about what work you do and therefore how much income you can generate. For a couple this could involve negotiating who becomes the principal wage/salary earner and where you chose to live.

Da' Calders

i agree, but without knowing and local knowledge how can you tell what is an acceptable/ livable wage. for example as a Probation officer my strating salary in NZ is around £31000 wherehas OZ it would be nearer £40000.

Sam701

Thanks for all your replies. Annaerb I may well pm you with some brickie qs.
We have checked points and have enough for Oz or NZ (lucky I know), although I have read more negative stuff about NZ I feel that moving to Oz may be too much like Britain with better weather, I have in mind a simpler way of life.
How many times your earnings can you get a NZ mortgage for?, and how much work history do you need?

lapsed kiwi

I hope you realise that jetskis are about to become illegal throughout NZ except for a few beaches on the Wairarapa Coast?

lapsed kiwi

...only joking/dreaming. Can't stand the noisy horrible things myself but each to his own! At least there's enough room to go around here.

newkiwi

Hi,
Most of the NZ bank websites have mortage calculators, try the one's on NBNZ, ASB and Westpac. The amount you can borrow is more if youre deposit is higher, between 20 and 30%. The rules ar not as fixed as "3 times your annual salary". It also depends on your other levels of debt etc.

Againk, there is no definate rule on how much work history you need, if youre borrowing a relatively small percentage, banks will jump at the chance to offer you a homeloan. If you are borrowing a large percentage (90 to 95%) then it is a good idea to set up a regular savings account when you arrive in NZX, rent for say 6 months, and then show the bank statements of the savings accunt to the bank, to prove you are fiscally responsible. I think you should look to rent initially in any case, regardless of whether you can get a homeloan or not, as the first 6 months will be a good idea to see how much you personally can afford to spend on accommodation (banks are willing to lend us far more than we would feel comfortable paying), and also to get a feel for the type of place and location you want to live in.

Hope you have fun investigating all these types of things.

Cheers

Jude J

Hi, I have just joined today and wanted to make a couple of comments.
I am in Auckland and I have friends who are in the building trade, they always have plenty of work and earn far more than other friends who are in IT, for example.
Not sure about the climate in Hawkes Bay, I thought they had loads of rain down there

Lovely place to live though, I'd never go back to England