Yve

Hi,
my husband and I and our 2 year old are considering moving to NZ, would like to know how any fellow Brits are getting on. How do you find the people, the feeling of isolation, is it really that bad? Is there TV/Satelitte, shopping malls and what are you bill like compared to the UK. Did you find it easy to get jobs there and what are the homes like. Are they damp/cold. The health care system, is it good? The schools, are they good? We will bring 100,000 pounds to put on a home and we don't want a mortgage with the current interest rates at 10-11%,what could that money get us in Wellington/Auckland suburbs. Is life more laid back? Is it better or lower than your expectations? The good and the bad. Lots of ?? but your replies will really help!!

Thanks

luvwelly

You can do searches on all those topics separately - they have all been extensively covered.

Genesis

Housing stock is pretty crappy, even the new stuff..unless you self build and do a decent spec. In my home I have added euro CH, a log burner, totally double glazed, added a REAL conservatory (not ply wood and plastic sheeting) as the house had a few aspects that the latter sorted in one hit.

NZ houses are cold and damp like mine was until I did all the above and bought a brace of dehumidifiers. We are very pleased with our home now. It just took the will and the way to get over ther problems.

Isolation is huge you will only know if you can cope with it..you can't make omlettes without breaking eggs.........

TV is dire most moan about the shops. I did not come here for either so I am not bothered that much..some are VERY much.

I think the health car in my district is awesome..others around the country think the opposite. I love the education too..have 3 kids at primary school..lots say its crap.

£100k = about $270.000..alas in Wellington to get ought decent you will have to add serious $ to get anything good. Even in this falling market. Look at www.trademe.co.nz on their housing section..Wellington area is well covered.

Or try www.propertybrokers.co.nz.


NZ has blown our socks off, we love it..way from perfect and we have had a few BIG BIG problems in the 3.5 years we have been here..so I am bigging it up from what I see as a realistic down to earth life is not totally perfect in NZ perspective. Have you considered Oz? Lots of would be NZ emirgees end up there..and then back home in the UK!!

Lots don't mind you! Why do you want to come to this faraway land that is considered backwards and full of problems? Fortunately most of the problems in NZ me and my family are able to avoid. Our lives here in NZ are way, wat better than what we left in the UK..in EVERY respect. Sure friends and family are missed and NZ is missing sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much of what is great about life in europe. You takes your choices..well happy with ours.

Browner_

Most are cold, some are damp if they dont get good sun aspect.

For 100,000 pounds, youd be lucky to get anything in an area youd be prepared to live in, in Wellington or Auckland.

Fooferfish

Take the blinkers off , and you will see there is more to NZ than Jafa land and the capital, ok if thats where your heart is set on, but if you want to be mortgage freem then you'll have to head further down south to the SI and the ends of the earth, you could probably get something half decent with a bit of work need in Dunedin.

I think all of those questions cannot be answered in a way that would help you decide whats bets for you and your family, NZ is so far away from rest if the world and without baby sitters and fanily aroundm, thigs can be tough, unless you will earn heaps , dont think you'll be hopping across the Tasmin to OZ all the time, Fiji and the likes, on a Kiwi wage, i dont think so.

I would do more research on where you think you'll end up, and where you did not want to end up, you might be surprised at other places, house costs etc.

Good luck with your choices.

Nige, Dunedin May 05

Patrick2007

Houses in winter cold take no notice of this sub-tropical crap!! not freezing but cold. Get used to throwing wood on a wood burner cos the cost of electricity for heaters forget it. But u will need a heater in ur kids room for sure as the houses ARE extremely damp ridden. Koreans that emigrated by the plane load in the nineties never experienced Asthma so bad fact. Health system does not exist u pay for healthcare unless u r on a low wage. If i were u i would try Wellington Auckland severely overpriced. Rent for a couple of years. If u r giving good jobs up in U.K. think think and think again.

Bellasmum

I would suggest that it depends on where you choose to live Yve.

I have lived in NZ for the majority of my life and have never lived in a damp house and don't plan to.

The secret to avoiding damp in the top half of NZ is airing your home (otherwise known as opening your windows).

Genesis

Quote.......Health system does not exist u pay for healthcare unless u r on a low wage.





Well we are not on a low wage and the public health system in the Manawatu is excellent..have had 2 x kiddies ops, 2 serious emergencies and lots of other stuff. Wife is a nurse and we both feel we are getting way better care, and quicker than we did in the UK.

I guess quality of NZ healthcare is dependent upon where you live.

chocolate cake

You must have quite an advanced 2 year old, if he/she is considering emigrating to NZ

You don't come to NZ for TV, certainly the none satelitte stuff is poor, with long advert breaks.

Homes - yes, damp & cold in the winter months even in Auckland with it's mild weather and no real winter - autumn/spring like temps, but the houses are so poorly insulated.
Opening the windows is poor way of avoiding a damp house.

Didn't have too much problem getting a job, but to be honest Auckland wouldn't be my first job, it's just that most jobs are in Auckland and to a lesser extent Wellington.

100k won't get you much of house unfortunately, though it's worth renting to get an idea of areas first anyway.

I suppose it depends what line of work you're in, but work life's not exactly laid back. NZ hours are typically longer with less hols, taxes higher.

I'd agree healthcare with previous poster, in my limited experience so far healthcare is better in the UK.

Am Loolah

Hi Yve,

We have been here for coming up to 18 months now and are loving it thus far. I would say we have a more exhaustive social whirl of friends here than we did back in the UK. A mixed bag of Kiwi's, English, Maori & Australian. I personally therefore have never felt any isolation. I don't feel isolated from the rest of the World in any way because I'm more than happy with my little life where I am.

The TV channels show many American and English shows and an awful lot of ads! There are 5 free mainstream channels and Maori TV that are free, but you can get Sky if you want. Can't help you with costs I'm afraid as we're too tight and mean to our kids to have it!

There are 2 main shopping malls where we live and a bustling boutique type shopping street in the Mount. Also we are 15 minutes drive from a larger town with yet more shops. Nothing flash though - but shops all the same!

By bills I'm assuming you mean household bills? We pay rates, water, electricity & gas. Electricity & gas are billed monthly, as are your telephone lines and mobile which takes a bit of getting used to.

With regards to finding jobs I'd say that will depend on what you do and where you are looking to live.

Our home is approximately 8 years old and it is not at all damp. We have some underfloor heating (which does seem very expensive to run so we don't use it) and we have 2 gas fires. In winter we also use a gas portable and an electric radiator to take the chill off. I'm very happy with our home - but it cost more than we'd initially intended to spend.

We had one of the kids break her leg back in April and had first class care in our local hospital. Doctor's appointments are available the same day - unlike where we were in the UK.

Now your 100,000 GBP will not buy you much at all I'm sorry to say.

I suggest you have a search on www.realestate.co.uk and you'll get a better idea for the areas you are looking at.

As I said, for us it has been a great move.

love30stm

might as well go and top myself now.... makes me feel so great reading the threads.

Patrick2007

Read the thread Genesis i never said the Health System wasnt excellent, i will say it again whether u r at the top or bottom of N.Z. U HAVE TO PAY FOR HEALTHCARE IT IS NOT FREE. U have to pay for Doctors visits and pay less if u have a Community Services Card. Meaning low wage. As for the Healthcare being better than the U.K. i beg to differ.

love30stm

you have to pay for healthcare in the UK also its called "National Insurance".

the only thing that is worrying is Dentist prices, and yet to go to one yet

Patrick2007

Well Chocolate cake we must have been living in the wrong houses mustnt we? fancy not thinking of opening the windows hahaha. If anyone and it will indeed be the majority leaves a centrally heated home in the U.K. and experiences a damp ridden Auckland house which they will windows open or not open God help them!!!!

Patrick2007

Where do u get your information from? National Insurance doesnt pay for healthcare in the U.K. It is to build up your entitlement to certain benefits including the state pension. Here in the U.K. we have the NHS which doesnt exist in N.Z. As you are aware the NHS is FREE.