Mark & Sarah

Has anyone got experience of HIFX for exchanging sterling?
Any better options?
Good time to change or hold on a bit?
Mortgage rates-easy to get, what terms?
Housing around Hawkes Bay? Prices going up/down?
Good areas to live for lifestyle/schools/amenities etc?
Soz to be so curt, am panicing now cos we fly out very soon!!
Thanks everyone

turkeytickler

well if time is of the essence, i dont think you have any choice but to exchange now - but if you can (or at least hold some of it back) hold on, the kiwi dollar is due for a correction shortly.

Joshlin

we've used HIFX - set up UK and NZ account in UK days before we left - easier to do there with regard to providing id (utility with address etc etc) all done via email / fax. we then used them when we got here - very straight forward, done over phone / email / fax - accurate with regard to time taken (about 5 working days)
general opinion is dollar will correct and probably towards mid / end next year but not sure what levels it will get to
we've just had finance guy round re: mortgage - looking at 7.5 - 9.5% dependent on term, seems very easy to get, also very flexible - can have up to 4 mortgages at any 1 time all on different terms / rates so have flexibility to respond to rate changes if need to
can't help re: Hawkes Bay
Good luck!
Vicki

lapsed kiwi

I've been using HIFX, quite efficient but you need to allow about a week to get your account up and running at first. The NZ guys seem to be quite honest re rate predictions, I was getting seriously nervous a couple of weeks back, and was told that a small weakening of the $ was likely pre-Xmas. It now seems to be getting slowly better if you're changing from pounds, but the big change is predicted for mid 06.

Getting a home loan seems very simple, the bank seemed to want to loan us more than I was comfortable with. Rates seem to be flattening off, but don't take my word for that!!

Apple12

Reccommend www.tranzfers..com, and I know that others on the forum have used them too. Easy to deal with, again allow a week to set up the id/address confirmation thing.

And I agree with TurkeyTickler too (see it can happen! ) If you can leave your money in the UK for a bit, it should be worth it, as the NZ dollar is overvalued and due a correction. Sooner rather than later I hope!