Northern Henry

From a outsider looking in (not yet over there), This does seem to be a very British thing - constant anxiety about house prices... doesn't seem to raise its head as much on other global sites..?

davros1984

Hmm, a lot of strong as well as balanced opinions on this thread.

Whilst we have decided to go home, I can't say I am excited-excited. That is mainly due to the effort of relocating to the other side of the world (once again) and the various initial pain points involved in starting out once again. We are really struggling with "temporary" accommodation as it is our plan to be able to buy a house within 2-3 months of being back (assuming we have jobs by then).

We will either be moving back to the Bristol area or the Leeds area. Bristol is currently preferred as my family are in Cornwall/Devon, whereas my partners family are on the south-coast in sussex.

I have to say though, I am staggered by RENTAL prices in the UK, not so much prices to buy - as that is still pretty cheap. In the areas we are looking, especially in the Bristol region, I am seeing rentals on a property to be double what it would be to service the mortgage (same sort of property and area).

Assanah

Kiwis are very anxious about house prices too. We are after all not talking about IPads but housing for you family that is essential for survival.

Anyway, it is to a certain degree true for Germany where the housing and rental market is much more stable and modest. However, the Bundesbank just shouted a warning about raising house prices. So houses are a worry for everybody just like food prices are.

Assanah

Good luck with your move back!

pippalonghorn

It will all work out in the end Davros. You've relocated once and you can do it again. Remember its a step forward!

Mark Smith

Sitting here watching the Block NZ with my jaw on the floor, mad prices for pretty average sized houses in the emerald city. Greedy bar stewards.

MrsFychan

first 2 didn't get much of a profit.

davros1984

I was about to come on here and make a new thread about the Block. I haven't watched it all year, but I caught the final auction.

Absolutely shocking a 3 bed wooden house selling for 1 million and 16 dollars. What a stressful and horrible way to buy a house.

I am totally shocked at these idiots who pay these prices, what is in their head???? I really think its beginning to show how insular and isolated some Aucklanders are from reality and the rest of the world.

The thing I laugh at the most is how they go on about how modern it is, all the mod-cons. It has a) a shocking plastic/tin roof b) wooden single glazed windows c) its made of wood and d) the furniture in there is stuff you could buy at Argos (i.e. the table for 150-200 quid).

Mark Smith - not sure if you've agreed or disagreed with me on here, but I hope the Block is proof of how dire and mad Auckland is. Fingers crossed interest rates double or preferably treble.

Mark Smith

Certainly agree 100% about Auckland prices and the same for most of Chch. But hoping for interest rates to triple and financially ruin people isn't that cool.
I haven't watched the series, but checked in tonight out of a sense of morbid curiosity. The numbers don't seem real and I am currently thinking bad things about real estate agents/auctioneers.

MrsFychan

I watched the whole series.

bit a stab in the back for the guys that got just 25K, they put their heart and soul, sweat and tears in making a lovely family home. 25k for 10wks work for 2 people just doesn't seem worth it.

missed how they got the reserve prices, did they actually say? but yes 900k for a 3 bed then 1.1 odd for another 3 bed less than 100m away is ridiculous

Bo-Jangles

You can see the houses here;

http://www.bayleys.co.nz/The-Block-NZ

Folks probably won't realise just how cosy these places are; all four are on one section 1C, 1D 1E and 1F so that means somewhere amongst them there is also 1A and 1B. One of them was a relocatable added to the section.

Justcol

it is a competition you know with winners and losers

MrsFychan

really ?

sr71

Not all roses in the UK either :

http://www.buzzfeed.com/dlknowles/br...ket-in-gi-fm44

lardyl

IRD should tax all of that profit at the appropriate rates as if it was done as work, cause that is what it was.....along with all the other do-er uppers.

If I was paid to do any of it through the books then I'd be taxed, why not them???

/bah humbug/