Moses2013

Just out of interest, why did you move to Auckland in the first place, if you never liked cities?

Damson

[QUOTE=MegMac;11775271]We've been in Auckland just over a year and have tried really hard to make it work here. But it's time to throw up out hands in defeat and move on. However before we head back to the UK we are going to give it one more go and move to another part of NZ. That way we can be sure we tried our absolute hardest if we do go back. We are planning a month long trip round NZ and will be trying to pinpoint potential places to move to. Husband is very keen on the South Island but having just endured a "mild" Auckland winter, which has truly been the most unpleasant winter I've ever endured, I'd prefer to stay up North. So any suggestions for places we should be checking out?Can't help with suggestions as in the UK, but I wish you well and think that you are making the right decision. There is nothing worse than being stuck somewhere you aren't keen on and given the upheaval involved in moving in the first place, it makes sense to make sure you have exhausted all options. Husband will be working from home so work isn't an issue, although a good internet connection is a must.I'm desperate for an area that has a great community and where people are generally friendly and welcoming.We need to be near a nice school, I'm not concerned about decile or it being the best school around. Just one that is welcoming . One thing I must have, is I must be near the sea. I miss living by the sea so much its driving me crazy, I hate not being walking/hearing distance from the sea. If anyone has any suggestions that would be great. Our move to Auckland has just about been the worst decision we have ever made and we are just desperately trying to salvage something out of this disaster.

I can't help with areas as I'm in the UK, but I think you are wise to explore more before deciding to return to the UK and I wish you luck.

MegMac

Husband was offered a job in Auckland and we came over on a work visa. Auckland was our only option.

He doesn't work from home at the moment, but the company he works for have kept on 2 employees this past year that have moved away from Auckland and they now work remotely.

He has been looking into the possiblility of working remotely since then and it seems to be ok with his boss. So he can only work from home once we move away.

Like many people who come to NZ we thought Auckland would be an exciting new adventure. We've lived in a number of different countries and Auckland was just another place to add to the list. I don't want to spend the whole post whinging but traffic, cold houses, the lack of community, my children being unhappy and the cost of housing are the primary reasons we want to leave.

We came over with a not insignificant deposit for a house and hubby earns a very comfortable salary but to try and buy a warm, decent home here we need to take out an astronomical mortgage. We just aren't prepared to over extend ourselves that much for a home that isn't even nice. We viewed roughly 80+ houses since we have arrived and there was only one that we liked and that was overlooked by that joyous Auckland feature, the electric pylon.

Like I said before, many little things, that individually aren't a big deal but together are just frustrating.

garethwm

Check out Papamoa near Tauranga. Great surf beach with houses backing onto the dunes and a large Brit expat community. Getting expensive now too though. Plus sunny climate.

bourbon-biscuit

Hmmm, I'd have to disagree. I suspect the OP has been in a crap house and so the winter will have seemed unbelievably bad, even compared with Britain. You have to do a winter in NZ's crappest houses to know what this is really like: huddling round an unflued gas fire, mopping the water off everything, damp bed, freezing cold - it really proper gets you down. But the problem is compounded in Auckland because of the overheated housing market which means that even middle income families will struggle to get an up-to-standard home. However, if this family moves to Dunedin (wonderful city, has fibre bb too) they will almost certianly be able to afford a beautiful well insulated, well heated home and although the winters will be longer, they won't feel like it.

I second Dunedin.

I'm sorry you've had it rough and it's OK, you shouldn't feel the need to answer comments like "why Auckland" etc. Try another city/ area before you head back tho, if even for just six months. I second Dunedin - excellent schooling, beaches in abundance, wildlife (rare for most of NZ), and just a proper Kiwi feel about it. If you've only lived in Auckland then you probably haven't yet known what it is to be welcomed into a quintessentially Kiwi community. Also, it is a city without the grind-you-down density issues of most cities. Fly down and visit the city

If it's not for you and you head back to the UK, all the best

barnsleymat

Yeah come on down to visit Dunedin, everyone else on here seems to be heading this way so come join the party. If you can get a well built house here winter won't be a problem. You've mentioned internet speeds being important, well we have the fastest internet speeds in the world (almost), our download is normally around 900 Mbps and uploads around 900 Mbps, Dunedin is the Gigatown.

Me and JustCol had a good couple of hours sat outside a boozer in town, he has fallen in love with the city.

BEVS

We all know that at the outset people need to be where their work is. For most everyone , that will be near a city or a sizeable town.

We did nearly two years in a house that was not ancient and had been built lovingly by the owner. He loved that house. It had no heating. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Just a calor gas heater. Something we didn't notice when we viewed the house to rent. Madness I know but we just didn't see there was no heating of any sort. We did manage but it isn't something I'd want to do again. Even my parents old 1960's council house was warmer and all that had was an open fire and a cooker in the kitchen.

I don't know about Auckland winters but the weather up there never sounds that good TBH.

I would echo the others that it is a quality idea to try another area of NZ. I'd also say that they stand every chance of managing winters in other parts of New Zealand.

Nelson and Bays also has mild winters. No snow on the ground but you can access skiing just two hours away. I'd echo garethwm about the Tauranga area. That also is a quality area IMVHO.

The villages around Nelson area do have good community vibes. Plenty of family orientated clubs and activities.

However, I think Dunedin may well be the city of choice. Not out on a limb , like Nelson. Larger than Nelson and has diversity around it. one could afford a quality home and then simply enjoy the seasons.

BEVS

I haven't shared this is maybe ten years or so.

Our first rental in the village where we now live.

Taken in the summer of 2004
Attachment 122896


and then again in the winter of 2015 with our ambient heating solution

MegMac

That's exactly what I mean by terrible winters. We are in a lovely house in a nice area that we are paying a high rent on but with absolutely no heating and giant gaps around the windows. Husband rented the house before the kids and I came over and clearly heating didn't factor high on his list of things to look for.

We've had the humidifier and heaters going at all hours through the winter. My belongings have been destroyed by mould and the condensation on the windows has been a nightmare.

The plan was to build our own place to decent heating standards. However when you are looking at $600 000 for a tiny 700m2 section that is next to a motorway and is underneath an electrical pylon it's just ridiculous. I know some people are prepared to spend that kind of money, we just aren't.

AceofSpades

I recall doing something similar, toured around looking for somewhere that suited. Didn't find it so knuckled down and got on with things. Then an opportunity came up to move to Australia so we gave it a shot, thinking what's the worse that can happen, we've already done NZ?! That was 8 years ago and we've never regretted the decision. Ever. Now I'm proud to call myself an Australian and I have the passport to prove it.

You've done the hard yards, now have some FUN in life

AceofSpades

Anyway. I'm off now.

Just passed by to see if anything has changed in NZ since I left (where there's life there's hope). It hasn't.

Great to call in and catch up with you all.

All the best.

p.s. remember rule 1, 2 and 3.

Justcol

Just wish it could have been a couple of hours more, I was just getting settled

next time

garethwm

Havnt you heard? Everyones moving back this way now. Things must really be dire over there.

Moses2013

Personally I like Dunedin, but then again they could just move to the Republic of Ireland and wouldn't be far from the UK to visit family. Co Wexford has a similar climate to Dunedin. Overall you have a lot of similarities. People speak English, nice scenery, sheep, pubs, rugby, low population density and at least you can get on the plane and go shopping in London + there's Lidl & Aldi.

garethwm

Plenty of good suggestions here. I think a lot depends on what you can afford in terms of housing. A town of say 20000 people might afford you a house for around the 300k mark. That might include say Te Awamutu in the Waikato, though thats not by the sea. But at least it will get you on the property ladder. Whangarei in the so called winterless north is another place to look.