isv

Just found this article which you might want to read. I agree with the sentiments discussed therein. That's not to say I have turned 'anti' to a move to New Zealand - far from it. BUT if you are planning to move funds to NZ or purchase property you want to be very, very careful.

http://www.moneyweek.com/file/9631/i...w-zealand.html

I always find the analysis from the major NZ banks very useful. The Bank of New Zealand has a good grasp on what's going on:

http://www.bnz.co.nz/binaries/w080306.pdf

Alan.

turkeytickler

Very interesting.

Part of, but by no means all of, the reason we are packing up and going back to the UK is this outlook. As FTBs we felt the risks of buying property in New Zealand for a while at least were measurably higher than in the UK (which I accept also has an element of risk).

tt

ezvanetree

Interesting reading. I read something similar in an American newspaper (Asian edition) in December 05 in Indonesia, so it is certainly news out there.

There was a very hyper property market when I visited NZ in October--kiwis have always been obsessed with property (another reason I left the country--I was bored to tears listening to people talk about their investment properties, but I digress) but now it is ridiculous. When I left the country in 2001, property was moving quickly up, but nothing like I saw in Oct. of 05. And people are just blind to it--they'll have four houses in a small town that they rent out for pathetic returns, not noticing how little they are getting for the amount of money they have to borrow. When I lived in NZ I was told very often that, because a lot of people lost money in the 1987 (it was 87, wasn't it?) crash, the stock market is still a very scary place for NZers so people avoid it and focus on property.

But they are right about getting high returns for short term investments--I have money still in NZ, invested in various fixed term deposits, and they are certainly an excellent investment for me.

Thanks for the link. I have to move that money out before the NZ dollar drops and this has reminded me that I don't have ages to do that.

Paladin

Excellent links Alan....cheers!!!

Dave