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??

All gone a bit wobbly in Milford, landlords have decided they want more money $675 per week, great location, nice house. I have also found another house in Murrays Bay, which is the perfect house in the slightly wrong area, supposed to sign up tomorrow am, not sure what to do! Help!

Sorry NickiW, I don't know anything about Murrays Bay, so not much help. My understanding is that the Auckland rental market is a bit tight for landlords at the moment, so I would push back if you want the Milford one, and say that you will take it at the original rent, but not at the new one. How annoying! to greedy landlords!!

Good luck!

nickiw sorry I would hold out for what you want it is so frustrating though when you are dying to get out of the hotel I bet.
Murrays Bay is a nice area but just a lot further away distance wise from your dh's work and town etc. Personally I like Milford more than Murrays Bay but it is a personal thing and I haven't been up there for a while.

Really don't trust the agent so we are moving to Rothesay Bay on Saturday, bought car, pranged hire car!! Visiting Browns Bay school on Wednesday, Murrays Bay seemed newer and better presented but we love Browns Bay, so if we buy there the school is sorted, any tips on buying washing machines, fridge/freezers and childrens beds - cheap !!

Buy all your whitewear from the same place and ask for a cash discount. Fisher and Paykel is more expensive but they are really good with warranties, for instance my dishdrawer has broken just out of warranty and they will probably still pay for the repair as it's the motor and that really should last above 2 years.

If interest free is more attractive then Farmers sometimes have 20% off and 1 year interest free.

Oh, and buy a top loader - much more kiwi, and you save money by washing with cold water.

Definitely ask for a cash discount if you're buying all your whitegoods (or even 1/2 of them) from the same place. DH nearly died of embarrassment when I did that last time we moved back to NZ, but it saved us about $200 (that was at Farmers)! Farmers is a good bet, as you can get all of the whitegoods and the childrens' beds there, so will give you good bargaining power on a cash price.

I'm with Bobbybob on the Fisher and Paykel stuff -especially the top loader washing machine (I loathe the front loader in our London flat!!) - The F & P smart drive is fab.

If you don't want to buy new, you could try www.trademe.co.nz

I love the top loaders, but if I take it back to the UK it won't fit in the hole in my utility room, I think I will just go for something cheap for now, going to get it all today for delivery on Saturday (i hope!).

Had great fun in Farmers today, got washing machine, tumble dryer, dyson, fridge and freezer, assistant thought it was his lucky day, all on specials and then 10% off total price as well!!! Bought beds as well, all set for Saturday!! At last after 6 months of careful saving got to splurge, not on clothes but still very enjoyable...

Well done - it's great buying all new stuff isn't it?

I enrolled the boys at Browns Bay school today, Robert is starting Monday and Charlie on 20th Sept, there is no school uniform, well there is but not compulsory. Where can I get some nice, cheap, good clothes from, the same as say Tescos, George and Next? Any ideas?

Warehouse, hallensteins, farmers, or if you feel like a wee drive on Akoranga drive there is a factory store outlet which I think has a few stores you might be able to get a few staples cheaply but good brands if you know what I mean.

Farmers have a terrible customer service rep if anything goes wrong with their clothes or you buy wrong size etc. I don't shop there for clothes any more after too many arguments.

Warehouse clothes are good quality for price and their return policy is excellent.

If you are near a KMart I also find they can be good (or terrible - must depend on who the buyer is)

Bit late, just went to Farmers, the sizes seem incredibly big, poor kid only had 2 prs trousers and 3 t shirts!, at least he will be able to last the week now!! Warehouse seemed a bit cheap and nasty I will just try and find a bigger one I think, great for lots of other bargains in there, bit like Primark? Sitting in the sun now, ready to move in to our house tomorrow and back to some kind of normality. If anyone is every moving to the North Shores I would thoroughly recommend the Takapuna Motor Lodge, nothing has been too much trouble for them and really nice couple who run it. Even when I smashed the hire car through their industrial washing line!!!

It takes a while to get your "eye in" at the warehouse. And it can always be relied on not to have anything nice if you need stuff. I generally buy a year ahead in the sale.

Don't get me wrong, I bought lots of household stuff and toys for the boys, but the clothes were just a bit odd!!

lol at "bit odd"

Actually I was in today and I agree - think the boys buyer has been at the weed.

All slippers $5 though - can't go wrong. My mum got some $40 for $5.

Hi, this is my first post on mumsnet but I've been lurking on this thread for so long I thought I should introduce myself! DH and I plus dds 1,2 and 3 hope to emigrate to NZ in the next year or two so this thread has beeen invaluable. Hope you don't mind if I hang around and good luck nickiew.

We'll be baking a cake for you too.

I'm so glad someone replied! You are all so nice. We are saving like mad to do up the house so that when we sell we have a decent amount to bring with us. Dh contacted a couple of agencies in Auckland re work and was asked "how soon do you want to start?" so we think work will be ok (he's a quantity surveyor). I'm training as a pre-school teacher but we both have a year to go on courses. Once that's up Auckland here we come. We just want to give the dds (5,4 and 1) a better life and from all I've read NZ is the place to be for us.

Does it have to be Auckland - it's the most expensive bit - If your dh can work anywhere I would advise you to think about some other places.

nickiw ..
WELCOME TO AUCKLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You've been greeted by some great weather haven't you?
Give me a shout if you want to meet up for a cuppa ... I am a WAHM with a toddler (and a 5 yr old at school) so any excuse to get out for coffee is welcome! I live in Howick so a bit of a trek from you but I don't mind coming over the bridge to see you!

Bobbybob - no it doesn't have to be Auckland necessarily but probably there would be more work there? We have found in the UK we have to live nearish to London to ensure dh stays in work. We tried moving up north to be near his parents but work was a bit scarce. He had a 3 month period without work a couple of years ago and it nearly broke us financially - wouldn't want to risk it again. Personally I think Christchurch looks lovely.

KateF - I would have thought that Quantity Survyeing work would be available around most of the larger cities. Auckland is the main hub for commerce and IT, but there's a building boom going on all over the country, so would have thought that jobs in Christchurch would be a distinct possibility (I'm biased - I'm from Christchurch!). Which recruitment consultants did your DH contact? We have a friend who's a quantity surveyor and interested in emigrating as well.

NickiW - hope Robert enjoys his first day of school! Have you tried Hallenstines for school clothes? Not as cheap as The Warehouse, but better quality.

Will find out name of agencies from dh. Think he found them through NZ Institute of QS. He is more of a civil engineering QS (rail, utilities etc) than building but looking at realenz site we would certainly get more house for our money outside Auckland. It would be lovely to have 4 bedrooms as dds get older.
Nickiw - how's it all going?