Auckland NZ - Anyone have tips for moving there?

[nickiw]

DH is having 3rd telephone interview tonight, they seem quite keen and may want us out there in 2 months!! Any tips for good areas to live, schools etc??

NikiW - how exciting!! You sound very organised. Would be interested to know what issues you had with Seven Seas, as we had them recommended to us (and think I suggested them to you), and we're in the process of deciding who to use. Also, who did you use for your container, and how much was it (if you don't mind me asking)?

Make sure you keep in touch via Mumsnet - would be good to catch up when we finally arrive in Auckland in Jan. And good luck with EDS (what role has your DH taken there?) - DH is thinking about contacting them to go back to work there when we return.

We used Robinsons for a 20ft container total cost came to £4026 that includes a full pack/unpack. Seven seas delivered boxes to wrong address and then charged us for another delivery, all call centre staff are chinese and very difficult to get along with!! Richard is in IT with EDS not sure which department, he went through an agency called de winter based in Auckland, I would love to catch up when you come over/go over, I may have stopped crying by January!!

nickiw albany and brownsbay may be a longish and 'hilly' bike ride for you dh!

he could do with the exercise!!! I don't believe he would do it for long anyway, one rainy day is all it would take!!!

We are looking at the rental market, but are wondering how easy it is to buy in NZ and the sort of costs involved. As we are not selling our house in the UK we have no large stash of cash, do things work the same as here and it is a multiple of your salary?

yes it is a multiple of your salary and you normally have to have a minimum deposit depending on the company. There are quite a few NZ bank sites just add .co.nz to the end:
westpac, nationalbank, kiwibank, asb
One of them might actually help you.

Browns Bay??? Really like the look of several properties here. Does anyone have any idea of how far it is to Takapuna from here? Hilly/Flat? Nice area?

nice area but it will be a hilly bike ride. I'll ask dh how long it would take to cycle.

Is it hilly along the coast, busy road or quite or bus journey, can't seem to get an idea of the landscape.

hilly, dh reckons about 20-30mins cycle and it is undulating so up and down to work and from work. But obviously depends on where in Browns Bay you are.
The bay is generally at the base of a valley or bowl so the houses sort of go up the hill looking out towards the water generally.
It is a nice area though.

Beach Rd is the coast road and East Coast Bays road is sort of like the spine of the hill both have hills and both would be reasonably busy in rush hour.

If you had a choice between browns bay and devenport which would you choose and why?

dh thinks it is a bit dependent on 'where you are' in both areas. He has grown up in Devonport area so is a bit biased. Both areas are a pain to get in and out of for rush hour with a car.
I wouldn't sign on for a house before you get there to be honest, I'm sure you'd find something even short term in the general vicinity of a good school over there and then wait for the right place to come along nearby.
Are you hiring a car for when you first arrive as that will make it easy to drive around, get a feel for the area, park outside some schools to see the kids that come out of the schools (sounds a bit snobby) but if the kids have appropriate shoes etc it is probably more indicative of a 'better' area.

Yes I agree, we will not sign up for anything until we are there, just trying to reduce the options! Going to get a car as soon as we arrive and drive around.

Hi Nickiw - how's the planning going, and when are you off??

We have left!! currently in Palm Springs, very hot. We are touring in an RV until 15.9.5, the goodbyes were really hard but feeling very positive, not looking forward to the flight too much....

Lucky you! Hope the trip is going well - keep us posted on how you get on once you get to NZ!

Yes NickiW we are all vicariously emigrating with you!

Not exactly the stressfree holiday you need before emigrating, but we live and learn!! Looking forward to setting down some roots again

Any tips for arrival in NZ? I will be bending your ears about properties next week!!!

The best bit is when they say "welcome to New Zealand". I was travelling with dh (who is a kiwi) and so they said "welcome home" to us.

A couple of years later I travelled on my own with my returning residents visa, and they said "welcome home" just to me and I thought that was a lovely touch.

I was terrified that I would be dragged into a side room and questioned on the Treaty of Waitangi - but it never happened.

Remember to throw away your fruit - getting fined $200 is not what you want to remember!

I will be lucky if my clothes fit in the suitcase, let alone anything else, just want to get there now!! I am a bit worried about the reception - lots of questions etc, but you have put my mind at rest, I always think I look guilty going thru customs at airports.

How exciting for you Nicki! Were hoping to move out to NZ to Kumeu at the end of the year, my mum grew up there and has recently been back on holiday, dp has been offered o job doing what he wants rather than what hes doing here thereas so much to sort out! but im dead excited

We'll be not too far behind you nicki arriving Nov 6 now coming back early.
Agree with bobbybob about the fruit, my advise would be to ask the people wandering around with dogs if there is anything you aren't sure about before you go through customs. There are tons of 'throw away' bins in the pickup area if you think you have something. Things like honey as well I think they are funny about.
You'll love it and the shore is great.

Yes, just want to click my fingers and be there now, checking houses all the time on net at moment, going to rent for 6 months then decide to sell up in uk and buy of go back to uk after 2 yrs.