Justcol

I could have stayed in Auckland, like everyone else who thinks the world will end if they leave. but I didnt.

I could have bought a cheaper house in another nearby waikato town for half the cost, that didnt need renovating, but I didnt

I could have stayed in Cambridge and been happy to sit and gloat at the value of my house, but I didnt


Am I being blamed for falling in love and getting married now....thats a new low, even for you

The boom in Cambridge is being mirrored in petty much every town in the country. According to the agents I spoke to
the avg price in Dunedin has risen almost 70k in 12 months, that's just as significant a rise as I saw in Cambridge so no real gains there.

I chose Otago because its a beautiful place to live and offered the lifestyle I wanted, For what I wanted to spend I could have
also moved to the far north, Hawkes bay, Manawatu region, Canterbury or Invergargill.

I bought in cambridge because I knew what the place was like, I'd lived there before and was aware of the
high price I would have to pay, compared to other nearby towns, it was a calculated decision, I chose Cambridge and not Leamington
as I knew what values were, and what they might be. I chose the area and house type carefully, I made improvements I knew would add value
Basically, I did something instead of sitting in Auckland, renting and moaning and I am now reaping the benefits.

bourbon-biscuit

No, my point wasn't that I had a gripe with you falling in love and getting married (we had no qualms with your wedding garden party at all ) but that it's not fair to make out that the options that were open to you are open to everyone else. Not everyone can live in Cambridge. Not everyone is in the position to marry and increase their mortgage ability. Not everyone has the sort of job portability that means they can move somewhere with much lower property prices on a whim. You may have played your hand well, but it was a decent hand anyway.

BTW, Dunedin was second on our list after where we are now. House prices rose there but not as fast or far as Cambridge. Cambridge prices rose hugely in three years.

leandra21

The same can be said for your comment" I chose the area and house type carefully, I made improvements I knew would add value".
You wouldn't have sold at loss or for the same amount of money you originally bought for. Between the improvements and the rise in house prices you walked away with a tidy profit.You are lucky that your job doesn't tie you to one of the major cities,it doesn't work like that for many people.At the end of the day we all have to make the best decision with can for ourselves and Angeshirl is not different.

Justcol

The point I am trying to make is

You can either sit on your hands and procrastinate or you can do something

No one is tied to an area, no one, they choose to remain because its familiar and comfortable

We've been over the economics of living in Aux / salary needed / paying a huge mortgage,
Compared to living elsewhere / earning less / paying less, many times in the past

I'm a great believer in "put up or shut up". If your going to do something, do it, stop moaning
about what you haven't got or cant do

Angeshirl

I'm sorry I asked. I'm sorry I asked twice. I'm just sorry for the whole situation. I won't ask again.

leandra21

When I said tied to a big city I meant that there are some jobs that you will not find in a less populated or rural area,doesn't matter how we spin it because it is not an option for everyone.

bourbon-biscuit

The trouble is, the way you write it sounds as though the point you are trying to make is that you are a complete success in life by virtue of your own endeavours alone and that similar success awaits anyone who just does what you did and those that don't should just shut up. Your posts read as if you enjoy kicking someone when they are down; you've certainly made the OP feel like shite.

It's just not necessary

leandra21

Don't take it personally,keep asking when in doubt or in need of information's because you may just find the right advice.I hope that in between the snappy comments in this thread you will walk away with some useful advice.Talk to your bank and then a couple of mortgage advisors to clarify how much you could borrow and what kind of deposit you require (generally the advisors could get you a deal were you need less deposit but the interest on the mortgage is slightly higher).I would rather pay a little bit more interest on a mortgage than paying rent.Don't wait any longer,there is no certainty that the bubble will burst anytime soon...just sort yourself out,the sooner the better!

bourbon-biscuit

It's OK. It sounds like a frustrating situation because the only options open to you are not options you want. These are the hardest and most frustrating decisions to make. Have another read of the thread and think again whether a small apartment might suit your needs.

Yes, exactly. That's not the case for me but I do have several friends and family for whom living outside of major urban areas just isn't an option. We're not talking bankers here but people who make useful contributions to society that cannot be made living in the sticks.

And then there's the other side of the argument - how is it a sustainable argument for our cities to suggest people who can't afford homes should move into sparsely populated areas. Should all teachers and nurses just relocate out of Auckland? What about paramedics, care workers, labourers, refuse collectors ..... utter nonsense that anyone can move: doesn't make sense for individuals or for society. Lack of affordable housing isn't the fault of individuals so blaming them is just nasty and pointless.

Angeshirl

Thanks guys. I appreciate the useful help I do. I think what I also have to get across is that anytime I ask for advice on this particular subject it severely divides the people I'm asking and I get caught in a cross fire of, 'here are your options' and 'you haven't made the right life choices, so suck it up buttercup'. It hurts, it really hurts. Especially when I've worked hard and SAVED hard (I don't buy lattes, or spend money on Sky, I own my business and I work 2 extra jobs) but I'm judged constantly and have been called entitled. I'm not. I had no idea Auckland would end up the way it is. I had no idea that by buying a stake my business I would be stuck here. I had no idea it would become what it is today, I had no idea that if I stayed in Glasgow I might be able to have a life and a place to call my own. I made choices and I have to live with them and I get battered for it all the time. I have decided off the back of this I will talk to a broker/bank. I know a few people who can help in that area.
I won't come back on here asking for advice, it's not fair to the people who have already helped me. Plus, I'm not sure I can take more negativity about it given the way I already feel about my situation.

Again thank you for the advice, I do appreciate it I do. I'll just get on with it.

Justcol

I live in the house I wanted to own, in the town I wanted to be in, I owe nothing to no one
I made considered choices that would get me to where I wanted to be
I am very happy, no, more than happy, with the situation I am in.
If people are not happy with, or cant afford to live where they are, they should
do something about it. We did, on our own, by virtue of the decisions we made.

I would never claim to be a success, because I never saw myself as a failure.
I do however claim to be extremely happy and content, which right now is enough for me

bourbon-biscuit

So you must owe something to someone. At least we can agree on that

scrubbedexpat094

You can't be that happy and content, you support Manchester United for goodness sake

scrubbedexpat094

BB

We are currently tied to Auckland due to OH's job. The only other place in NZ offering jobs at a comparable level are in Welly and we've never wanted to live there. Personally I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in NZ. Of course my preference is to head back to the UK and we are gradually putting a plan in place to make that happen. But I don't know where we will end up and that unsettles me. I suffer from depression and trying to make decisions and get some traction going can be very difficult for me. It also plays into my sense of failure. The fact is that we never know what others have going on in their lives and therefore shouldn't be so quick to judge. I suppose because I'm a midwife, being non-judgmental is a way of life, though I do fail on occasion!

Angeshirl, don't let the naysayers stop you from posting, you can always pop these people on IGNORE .
You've had some good advice and talking to brokers etc. will help you to formulate a plan. I feel sorry for people wanting to get on the housing market in Auckland and know of a few people who are struggling despite working hard and sensible with money. Good luck.

BEVS

Actually, you should keep posting as people that have chatted with you will want to know how you get on and what conclusions & decisions you come to. All this stuff could also help someone else quietly looking in . Someone with the same type of dilemma.

As VitalBigSticks states, you are able to place any person being less than complimentary, for whatever reason, on ignore. If you need some help with that PM me.

Y'know. I'll bore the pants off people by writing this yet again.

We don't all walk in each others shoes do we. Not everyone is able to up sticks and move themselves about a country, in particular this country, as many need an income and an income means having a job of some sort & not all occupations and employment is portable here in NZ is it. It just isn't. So for many , that does tie them to one of perhaps 2/3 cities

I am not a believer in 'put up and shut up'. Sometimes you just need to talk it through several times ,over a period of time and bounce off other people to come to the decisions that are right for you. BE is just such a place where it is possible to do just that. So you carry on.

FWIW I quite like the posts by jmh on this . Much depends on Angeshirls financial situation and savings ( & I would certainly not ask her for those affairs) . Also her occupation.

If everything else for Angeshirl is OK in her life and it is the real worry about not getting on the property ladder where she is currently living, then she has some hard choices to make.

So I suggest that we help support her with that & anyone who hasn't the patience to lend an ear should walk on by.