Moving to Queenstown
 

Hi guys,

Myself and a friend are moving to Queenstown, South Island in May under a traveling work visa for the ski season and wondered if anybody could give us some tips.

Rent: We're looking for a two bed flat or house. What is the best way to search for places in NZ, I've seen a few places online, but what is the best practice for travellers wanting accomodation at short notice? Do we need to get something sorted before?

Jobs: We are obviously going to need jobs, I myself have a degree in marketing and wouldnt mind a better paid job in this sector. Is there alot of jobs in the ski resorts? Or do people just get work in the town? Also would anyone have any tips on how best to get a job.

Car: We are looking at buying a car, as we'd like to go up to the mountains and ski on weekends or whenever we are free and for general travel. Anybody have any experience in buying a car in Queenstown and whether its truly needed.

Any other tips or advice for two youngsters moving to Queenstown would be invaluable. Thanks.

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

You'll need to act as soon as possible to get a place to stay, it's gone nuts up there and there's been quite a few stories lately of people struggling to find accommodation and what there is is very expensive.

Renters suffering, prices increasing, amid growth boom in Queenstown | Stuff.co.nz

You need to be applying now to the Ski Fields, we're only a few months away from the start of the ski season. You'll pick up a car no problem, keep checking Trade Me.

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

In the news today

Englishman seeks girlfriend on Facebook in hope of finding a bed in Queenstown | Stuff.co.nz

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

Try looking on trademe for everything you need.

Also get on facebook and look on any queenstown community pages

If all else fails there are backpacker hostels till you get sorted

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

Thanks guys,

I've had a look at some places to rent, they all require a few thousand dollars for rent and bond (I take it that's a deposit). Is this the case then? I'll need to have access to a couple of thousand dollars?

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

Yeah that sounds about right, they'll want a certain amount of weeks rent in advance and a bond. The bond isn't held by the landlord, it's held by Tenancy Services and if all is well at the end of your tenancy you get it back.
Have you thought about anywhere else other than Queenstown?

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

Strikes me you've not thought this through very well

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

It's been thought through let me assure you of that. We are not flying out till May and already have a couple of thousand pound saved each, as well as earnings till then. I started this forum to get knowledge from people who have previously made this moves to ensure we don't make any rookie mistakes and can hit the ground running once we land.

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

Perhaps you could share with us the planning you have done?

So far all we know is that there are two of you, you both have some kind of job which you are presumably jacking in to fly to NZ, and one of you has a degree in Marketing.

So far you seem to be at the stage of "Queenstown looks cool, with all the activities and the skiing - lets save up and fly out there. We'll pick up a couple of jobs and rent a flat. Free holiday, lots of skiing, what could go wrong? Outstanding!!"

Of course, two and a half months is way loads of time to sort it all out.

Let's see:

1. Do you have any relevant experience in the leisure industry - waiting on tables, cleaning ski lodges, bar work?
2. Do you have any higher qualifications, such as restaurant management, ski instructing, managing a hostel or camp site?
3. What are your current jobs? Both of you?
4. In fact, do you have anything at all to make you stand out against the rest of the horde of backpackers who will all be jostling for the same jobs?
5. Do you have any idea how many people are looking for temporary work in Queenstown for just the same reasons as you?
6. Do you have any idea how cheap they may be prepared to live, how minimal accommodation they may accept, just to live the dream?
7. How low are you prepared to go, how rough are you prepared to live?
8. Do you have any idea how your potential earning capacity will stack up against Jafas (look it up) flying down for a week or foreign tourists flying in for the holiday of a lifetime? They will be competing with you for all the decent accommodation. Do you, in fact, have a wage in mind and an emergency backup fund planned in?
9. Are you planning to move to NZ permanently and timing your migration to match the ski season, or is this just a long holiday funded by (you hope) a job? This could change the way a potential employer views you.

If you have thought of all these things, set an outline budget, planned your current (or previous) work to make you attractive to the leisure industry and are just checking out the final details then you are about right in the planning.

If not, you have left it pretty late and you need to have at least one backup plan for working somewhere else if you can't get a job in Queenstown along with accommodation.

It may all work out wonderfully, you may waltz in and find a job and some shared accommodation and have a wonderful time. But you may find all the jobs and accommodation taken if you don't have something confirmed beforehand.

Looking at flights you should be able to buy a return now (depending on how long you plan to stay) for under £1,000 so you do seem to have over $2,000 NZD for contingency, which isn't too bad, but unless you are putting money aside at a massive rate it does look as though you will have to find work.

You may have to accept that you will need to split your time between Queenstown, holidaying and skiing, and somewhere else to get a temporary job to top up the reserves.

A note of caution: most employers won't even give you the time of day unless you are already in NZ with a valid work visa and able to attend an interview. See
Seasonalwork.co.nz
for an example.

Google tells me that the ski season starts in second or third week in June so turning up in May (when?) does give you some time to get yourself set up before the rush.

Anyway, best of luck!

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

You don't need to look far to find the daily sad news story coming out of Queenstown with regards to the housing 'crisis'.

People are resorting to sub-letting their bed for the day and shift-sleeping. :eek:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/7556...er-out-of-town

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

OP hasn't shown any sign of returning to absorb the advice.

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

Perhaps OP was put off but the ambiguity of your condescending / helpful post #9?

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

He's not the first newbie to disappear having been lectured at and generally spoken to as if they were an idiot.

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

Perhaps the newbie might have been a little less indignant at the suggestion that there might be a lack of planning?

Re: Moving to Queenstown
 

Perhaps the guy has been put off by the snippy responses so far and being spoken to like a 5 year old! This guy is clearly trying to make an effort and thinking the move through, which is why he is on here asking the relevant questions three months before leaving. He probably doesn't want to sit spending ages answering essay style questions in post #9 when all he was after was a bit of info on rental properties, cars and jobs.

Or it could be something as simple as he doesn't have email notifications set up and he has completely forgotten to check back (perhaps he found more helpful responses on a different forum :p )

Anyway Tome9 if you're still there don't be shy, feel free to ask more questions if needed.