AndyCampbell

Totally – a good job is very important. I have started doing a COL and housing recce and must say that Auckland houses seem very expensive. I’m looking at Auckland as there seems to be more jobs going and I guess the business capital of NZ ? Of course it’s all relative, wages, house prices etc. It’s the same here in UK, if you look at London prices are sheer madness but the salaries are relative.

Justcol

That's the hassle with auckland, it has now overtaken London in the
most expensive places to live list, and there is no extra allowance paid on salaries.


Ive tried living in Aux and couldn't see the point of it.
I didnt move to nz to live in a place that was more expensive than the UK
Was worse for commuting than the UK, paid lower wages than the UK,
had higher priced and much lower quality housing than the uk.

Many convince themselves that they have to go to auckland,
but unless your job is exclusively only in auckland, I would look very
hard at other areas

AndyCampbell

I would say that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ is not going to work in any situ.

For my requirements, as a solo parent I really don’t want to live out in the stix, I think that is more suited for couples.

On a side note – comparing London to Auckland would be setting oneself up for disappointment. Paying London prices doesn’t mean you are going to get London. For all it’s warts London has a world class public transport system and a vast amount of history and culture. It is hugely multi-cultural and in many cases, a hop & a skip you are over into Europe.

Playing London down to make Auckland more appealing would just make the same in reverse look negative. My outlook is live and let live and allow space for us all to different.

There are a lot of Kiwis that do their OE and head to London

BEVS

Your best bet is to look at your own possible Deal Breakers & let us know what that would be for you.

None of us have walked in your shoes so what would be a deal break for any of us , won't be applicable to you at all.

I'll give you my first guess at what would be a deal break for you - That your children did not settle well & easily.

I've been here 12 years now. My own deal break was breaking my Dad's heart completely and utterly and in so doing I broke my own. He's dead now, 7 years ago and I will have always lost those precious 5 years with him at the end of his life. Forever. For always. The move was not worth it for that loss. The thing is , that for all what is often slickly written about 'one can always leave', it really isn't that simple. Your own 'deal break' hits you in the face and you simply have to live with it. You cannot cut and run.

Have a good look around all of BE. Not just the NZ forum to read about the assorted impacts that emigrating has on people. Not just that but read about those that take the harder plunge to return to their home country after many years away.

Justcol

Have you been over for a proper reccie trip ?
I don't know what Auckland has to offer a single parent
but having lived there, I would hate to be stuck there as a singleton.
If you think not living in auckland equates to living in the stix, then go to auckland.
I don't think anyone had played London down, its a fabulous place.
Unfortunately if I had to compare Auckland to a UK city, I'd be
struggling to place much higher than Doncaster
If you ignore the beaches it really has very little to offer.
Of course kiwis flock to London, for a brief period they want to experience
life in real city, where there are things to do and places to go

Wherever you end up, best of luck.
The world would be a dull place if all liked the same things

AndyCampbell

Thanks, I chose to ask that question in that format for my reason to learn further about NZ.

Also, reading other areas of a forum I would be more a spectator, I prefer to interact, it also gives one a good feel of the communication flow and interacting with folk that have ‘been there, done that’.

If there is some trigger in this thread to alert a moderator to advise me on the questions I ask please inform me. I don’t want to upset the apple cart .

Cheers

Justcol

Just my opinion
Asking for deal breakers is far to broad a question
In all honesty, I probably don't have one.
I arrived in nz as part of a family of 4, now I am the only one left here.
My kids grew up and returned to blighty for Uni
My wife, for reasons known only to her, also returned, and yet I chose to stay.
Why, because my kids had reached an age where they would
have been leaving home anyway, it was their time. yes I miss
them, and I wasnt prepared to return to blighty as I remembered
the reasons I left in the 1st place.
So what's my deal breaker, I guess I don't know.

You are asking people to think about their absolute worst case scenario
Its not that simple and you simply dont know what it will be

Try thinking of some questions around issues that concern you
or processes that you need a greater understanding of

AndyCampbell

I am sorry to hear of your rough time .

Maybe my question is too broad for some but really I asked the question as something that would potentially concern me.

I think that is how people build pictures - asking questions and doing the research albeit that some questions are not for some. Just as the stix suits you but would not me.

I appreciate your input and sounds like you are at peace with your lot. That is a good place (not geography) to be.

BEVS

I don't actually understand your response .
Are you writing that because of my admin badge? I was responding as someone 12 years in New Zealand.

TBH and IMVHO you won't learn anything about NZ or about those of us that have emigrated to NZ from assorted parts of the UK by asking us what the crack point has been , is currently , will be or could be.

If you look, very few people have tried to give you some sort of answer. Likely because there is no answer as such. I have freely & openly shared one aspect with you. That is all.

Perhaps the deal breaker thing happens before emigration. The sort of stuff one sees on Wanted Down Under and the like. Where prospective migrants weigh up their own pros and cons and decide whether to take that leap of faith or simply discover that the grass is not greener elsewhere, simply different.

Who knows . Each and everyone one of us and are circumstances are so very very different.

BEVS

You've done sterling with your life though Col.
I've read you go from being the family man just emigrated. Go through the grim mire and back again & come out another side .
They'll still be the tough days and the ups and downs as we both know. The trick is in finding that bit of balance and acceptance for that which we cannot change & taking heart from that which is good in our lives eh?
Applies for anywhere in the world of course but we both know what I mean.

Justcol

Sure do xx

Kotare

Not sure if you hold a UK passport or a mainland EU one, but how long do you give Schengen, EU, UK membership etc and would you gamble job/residency on it? NZ residency opens up the delights of Oz to you as well, how could you resist :-)

Justcol

As UK citizens, we all had / have the option of mainland Europe

I'm really not seeing where this thread is going or what possible
use it has been to the OP

Hazelnut

My deal breakers for moving 2yrs ago (still in UK) were lack of work for me and housing costs in NZ. Working on the former while watching the latter with trepidation.

AndyCampbell

Yes, that is a very good point. What is the time-frame to get NZ citizenship – is it five years ? Cheers