where's best to live in nz,and what do we need to know?

[AngryBeaver]

My dh has been on at me for a year to move from the uk.He wanted Quebec,which looked gorgeous and romantic,but i wasn't sold on the winters and coudn't leave my mum.
He recentley said he wanted to move to NZ and i thought ,yeah if it's warm and a better life than here,let's do it.
So we've got fuck all money and 3 kids under 4.5 ...but we want to do it.
I don't know what's changed in me for me to agree ,but I hear th schools and hospitals are fab,and just want the best life for my lovely children.
I'm worrying though because I've read the houses are crap and cold.
We want sun,space and not too expensive (don't we all!)
We thought Tauranga,but that seems quite busy and we've read about boy racers.
We don't want Wellington as we've heard it's windy and weather not great.
Does anyone know about Nelson?Heard it's nice weather,but what's the reality?
We are going to put the house on the market this week,I am shitting myself,but I feel it's now or never.
Any help or advice,gratefully recieved

yes, good point,well made scroobious!
That's strange isn't it kiwi? Is that just coincidence d'you think? Or is there shit loads of Brits over there?!
I wasn't overly impressed by the house! Was it the land you were showing us? It was minging inside wasn't it? I was quite scared when i saw the deer by the fire,next to the ceramic pram
Dh leaves tomorrow to join you over there, he's hoping he loves it
Any tips for the flight?

The house was a bit of a joke. The deer is particularly freaky. But there are a lot like that around. In NZ, more of the value of a property is based on the land than the house. I was told 1/3 house, 2/3 land.

There are a lot of Brits in NZ. It varies with area and age but I'd say I meet more Brits than kiwi's.

Who is your OH flying with?

My top tip for the flight would be to just enjoy the fact that he is doing it without small children. The thought of being able to sit and watch films for 11 hours uninterrupted actually sounds like bliss to me now .

I've got a few Irish friends here and none of them have had any probs with Kiwis. Like scroobius said, not the same history at all as there is between England and Ireland

thelittlestkiwi, I had to laugh when I saw your story about the neighbour not talking to you! My experience with many kiwi blokes is that they have limited social skills and don't know what to say to a woman that they're not trying to chat up. I don't know whether you'd call that sexism or not!

I'm in Wellington and hardly ever encounter overt sexism. Did have a cop pull me over for "speeding" once (I was 6km over the limit according to him) because I was driving a nice-ish car in a small town in NZ and he "accused" me of being a "fancy housewife from Wellington". That's about the worst incident I can think of (I'm actually a single parent who works full time, but I wasn't about to argue with a cop!)

The average household income in NZ is a little over $50k so I guess a lot of people get by on that. And in a town like Whangarei it would definitely be possible to have a pretty good life on a lower income if you could manage on one car and find a decent rental (right now renting is definitely the way to go IMO). Heating would be much cheaper too! I'd say in Whangarei even in winter the power bill would be less than $150 per month unless you had a heated swimming pool.

Had a very quick look on TradeMe and thought this looked OK www.trademe.co.nz/property/residential-property-to-rent/auction-356228820.htm

But no, working in Auckland and commuting in Whangarei wouldn't work - you'd def need to have a job in Whangarei.

Yes, that's true not1not2. I've found the indirect barriers for women to be less here in my particular profession than in the UK. That seems to be mainly due to parental leave (for dads as well as mums) and flexible working hours as the norm. I'm sure it depends what you do and where though.

My neighbour is in his 50's and yuck, yuck, yuck at being chatted up by him. We had another neighbour come round a couple of days after we moved in who asked if my father was home! But he is older and obviously needs new glasses.

I've always struggled to see how the average income can be so low. I know that there is a big drop in the number of people who earn over the $70,000 tax threshold which suggests that many people are using the tax system to their advantage. We know a lot of people who use Loss Attributing Companies to buy rental properties and write off the costs against their personal income tax. Although the government were supposed to have stopped this we were told it is still possible.

It just doesn't add up to me- if average incomes are about $1000 a week before tax, so say $850 after tax, and average rents about $350, then how are people paying for food, petrol, insurance, school fees, clothes, shoes, heating bills and everything else for such large families? Or maybe I'm just a bit spoiled.....

People on that income with kids will get Working For Families kiwi - so tax credits, maybe accommodation supplement, etc

Waiuku would be too far for me. Somewhere around Pukekohe is possible. Can get rural for a very reasonable price but the commute might be a bit much unless you can go off peak. Pukekohe is Ok for shopping, Manukau is not far and Karaka is to have a new cinema and shops build over the next year or two.

I have a friend who commutes from Onewhero each day - lovely, reasonable priced and very rural. The commute would be too much for me though.

My bestie has just moved back from Cambridge to Whangarei funny enough (lived in the UK 5yrs), wouldnt ideally be their first choice as they were Whanga's born and bred and felt they had 'outgrown' Whangarei but they want DC2 and need the family support after a harsh run with PND with DC1. Anyhoo when I was back at Xmas I spent a week with them and yep they are BIG fans of the Saturday morning growers market (can get the best french crepes apparently, just as good as ol' Paris in their opinion!!) and all in all are happy to be based there.

The weather is lovely, the drive to Auckland is not great IMO but it gets easier with familiarity apparently, beaches are fantastic, they brought a basic 1950's 3 bed bungalow that needs a bit of work in a very good area with very good school for $260K as they wanted to be able to afford the mortgage on one salary while my friend hopefully goes on maternity leave in the next year or so, will spend another $20K on new kitchen/bathroom and fixing the roof I think it was. They are more than happy to base themselves there for the next 3 - 5 yrs and then re-assess if their careers would do better in AKL.

Our bestman and his family live in Whangaparaoa and that is a gorgeous spot (north), commutable to AKL CBD but not further IMO, so many devine beaches and a really neat vibe to the whole area (Whangaparaoa, Silverdale, Orewa, Red Beach, Gulf Harbour). You'd never need to go into AKL unless you worked there, has everything you'd need.

Pukekohe would be commuteable but it would be a v long one! More manageable if your DH was working in Manukau area, rather than CBD.

Thanks for all the suggestions.I'm going to google some images of Whangaparoa,that sounds nice. I like the sound of the weather in Whangagrei, but dh won't find a job there with good enough money I don't think.
Dh is just boarding now,he's been upgraded to business class,the jammy bugger We'll see what this trip brings.

Back to questions! How much is a check up at the dentist and are kids free?

There's a ferry from Whangaparoa to the CBD of Auckland too - takes about 45 mins I think - nice way to get to work. Nice beaches there. It's just above the Torbay/Browns Bay suburbs you were looking at before. I have friends who live there (Whangaparoa) and they catch an express bus from Orewa I think to the CBD - maybe 30-40 mins?

Can't remember how much dental check up is, a filling costs me $120. I think kids are free till 18 for stuff like fillings - you will pay for them at a regular dentist but they have free dental clinics based in schools. You pay (quite a lot I think) for stuff like braces. I'm not 100% on that - dd1 has only had one dental check up so far - someone with school-aged kids would know more than me.

Oh and I'm probably stating the obvious but if you do move, it needs to be something you both really want to do. It sounds like your dh is a bit keener than you. It's fair enough to have concerns, it's a big thing to do.

Yes, a ferry to work sounds like a lovely start to the day!
Hmm, I think it's fair to say he's keener than me,but I'd be disappointed now if he came back and said it was off!
I can't imagine not being near my mum,we are so close in every way.
Thanks for the dentist info,that's not so bad is it? Braces are really pricey here too as well.

"I can't imagine not being near my mum,we are so close in every way."

But you're contemplating moving just about as far away as it is possible to be without even having visited NZ?! Am truly at that.

I love NZ (for a holiday). We have distant relatives there and spent some time with them a few years ago which was lovely. But after a few weeks I was more than ready to come back home and see my lovely mum (like you we are close and see each other a lot), friends, family members. I knew then that there was no way I could live so far away.

Don't really know what the answer is as if you go for a holiday you will be seeing the place in 'holiday' frame of mind won't you. You do sound like you are trying to see the positive as DH wants this so much.

I have nothing helpful to add but just want to say I love the crepes in the farmers' market in Whangarei as well. The Fat Camel cafe does the best falafel too, if anyone wants to know!

I know,I know it's madness! BUT, I do feel like I'm stuck in a rut here. I've never loved the uk. I just love being near my mum.
A bout 4 months ago one of my friends told me they were emmigrating to majorca and I was , how can you leave your mum?? I could never leave mine etc...and here i am a few months lateer having agreed to do the same.
Can you live your whole life for one person?
Anyway -and this is sooo unrealistic,but I'm clinging to the possibility- Mum might fall in love with it and decide to follow!

ps.. at horupu's twopenneth! I will have to try them one day, I am a... ssshhhhh..... falafel virgin

Well,dh isn't overly enamoured with Aukland,but he's not really a city type of guy.He said it's a concrete jungle,with a mixture of nice shops like Louis Vitton next door to a really rundown shop. He's seen a few people wearing no shoes (is that the norm?I'd be worried about stepping in dog shit or glass here!) He has also seen several near misses traffic wise and described one as "like from a car chase scene in a film"..The bus driver told him they were crazy.

He's heading out to Torbay today.An eexpat on another site has offered to meet him and show him around,which is really nice.

My mum met a friend whose daughter lived in nz for a year but came home because "they've never heard of Clarins!"

He's here! How exciting! Yep, I agree with your DH entirely about Auckland (sorry, Aucklanders). Busy, noisy and very confusing until you know it better. There are some lovely parts but they're not obvious if you start out in the city centre. Is your DH going to get a chance to check out other places too? I recommend Wellington!

Shoeless is very normal here. I often let DS run around on the sea front, beaches and playgrounds without shoes as it's too faffy to keep putting them on and off. I've never walked round the city barefoot but I've seen plenty of others do it, especially around Rugby 7s weekend and the like. The streets are pretty clean compared to the UK. Dog poo to be found more in the suburbs but central Wellington and the city beaches are surprisingly clean.

Traffic is crazy, especially Auckland. Everyone learns to drive at 15 and stopping distances aren't part of the test. So, yes, bumper to bumper sin't telling you to get a move on, it's just the norm.

Don't know where your mum's friend lived. We can get most stuff in Wellington (couldn't live without Bobbi Brown make-up ) although it can be dearer. But then there's always the internet too. Amazon.co.uk does free shipping to NZ for orders over 25 pounds for example.

Really hope your DH's visit goes well.

Agree barefoot common Me dss rarely wear shoes I make them wear them to the malls and if we are going to dinner etc.... but I can't begin to count how many times we have arrived at a destination and said OK put your shoes on - to blank faces as they have left them behind. I usually keep a pair of trainers in the boot of the car in case we need them and they have forgot.

I wouldn't be put off AUckland by a trip to the centre - you need to see the areas people live rather than work and shop. I can only compare deciding whether you would want to live in London by Oxford Street - especially the Tottenham Court Rd end - full of cheap and nasty shops etc.... and at the end of the day if you are not city people it's going to be hard to fall in love with any city. I love cities - I get more excited by the transit in Hong Kong, Singapore etc (we're trying Kuala Lumpa for the first time this year - very very exciting) than the thought of 'going home'. I look forward to the density of people, the noises, smells and find AUckland quite boring by city standards.

Probably why we live semi rural here

He hasn't picked the best time to visit weather-wise Angry, I've just put socks on for the first time since December! And yes, there is much much more to Auckland than the city centre...

thanks scroobious!...I have been to type that ALL day!!Ok,so dh has been picked up in Albany by a fellow expat (policeman) who was very lovely and honest and an excellent tour guide. Dh is in love with Torbay. He thought it was beautiful but wished he'd had a chance to have a scout about the shops. He was driven about and shown things of interset and had a really frank chat (apparantly i have been offered a little job ..unfortunately, without my mum to look after the 2 littlest ones i couldn't take it!still,nice to know)
He quizzed the man on gangs/boy racers/crime/schools/healthcare/dentistry etc and lots more..he recorded it all so I can have a virtual tour on his return,can't wait!
oh,and scroobious? good to hear they have b.b make up, I couldn't live without my mascara!

sibble
I told my mum what scroobious said (as i had read her post this am)re no shoes,and she did a cats bum mouth and said ..." yeeees,sarah-jane (friends daughter) mentioned that,too!" like it was dead hill-billy! I think it sounds quite nice and laid back. ex pat tour man said he likes his kids to wear shoes most of the time as a lot of the kiwi kids have lost the arch of their foot.
I asked dh if it was clean and he said, oh yeah its lovely, but i did see a big pile of dog shit outside the hilton

whatshesaid,I keep hearing that it's cold,but dh got burned at the beach and said it was boiling.He reckoned although it poured down on tuesday it was warm rain and the next day was lovely.

He is horrifed by Aukland prices, but he is really tight frugal he said it was $5.50 for kilo of bananas in city,but in torbay was a $1.50 forthe same. Same as London really though.I remember going to London on a trip with Uni and a vodka and coke was £8...i was

Anyway,he is really loving it.He'sgoing for a ride in a stunt plane today...this is the man who feels queasy going over the Thelwall viaduct - he is TOTALLY going to vomit

We pay $2.99 a kg for banana's in our inner Auckland suburb. My DD goes nursery in shoes and comes home without them most days. I used to find the bare feet thing odd but now it makes me smile. Odder is wearing your PJ's to the supermarket.

Gawd, isn't the weather just grim today? I swear the rain was horizontal. We've got the heating on and DD woke at 6.30am cos she was cold. Long sleeves from now on.....

AB- tell your OH to check out Mission Bay if he gets the chance. He can get a bus from Britomart in town in 20 mins.

Not Bulls.

Did you get the right thread thecoalition??

Good point kiwi i'll be sure to relay the pyjama comparision (seriously,wtf is that aboout? They've started wearing rollers as well now ))
Yes,i think it sounds nice.
Funny you say it's cold,dh reckons it's boiling.mind you,it was warm here yesterday but cold in the house,is that the way it is with you?
About to ring sky city to talk to dh,so i'll tell him about mission bay.ta for the tip.
sorry for typos sp etc..have a sick baby on my knee