New Zealand is a popular nation with ex-pats because it has nice weather, lots of green spaces, and a very low crime rate. If you are considering moving to New Zealand, then you will first need to do some research.
Buying a house and emigrating to New Zealand isn’t as easy as you might think. Failing to do research before preparing to buy a house could result in you being unable to actually live there, which will be explored in greater detail further on in this post.
Here are a few tips for buying a house in New Zealand:
Residency Permit
As mentioned in this post’s introduction, even if you buy a house in New Zealand there’s no guarantee that you will actually be able to live there. One of the first things that you should do is to see if you qualify for citizenship. Even if you want to stay in your New Zealand property for a few months of the year, every year, you will still need to apply for a visa of some kind. As long as you have a stable income and a clean criminal record, acquiring New Zealand citizenship shouldn’t be a problem.
Housing Market
Because New Zealand’s such a popular place with expatriates, the housing market can get pretty competitive. In particular, Auckland’s housing market can be a real challenge to break into. Auckland is the nation’s capital if you weren’t already aware. Prices in Auckland are soaring. There are many other areas of New Zealand that are very expensive, also. If you intend on moving to the nation, then it is a good idea to first research the housing market so that you can be sure you will actually be able to afford property there.
Regular Visits
Before purchasing a property, it’s a good idea to head over to New Zealand and see if you like it or not. Many people make the mistake of arranging to purchase properties without ever visiting the nations in which they are acquiring property, mainly because they have an idealistic view of what life’s like in the nation. Visiting regularly will help you to determine whether or not you actually like the quality of life that New Zealand can offer you. You should also conduct viewings of the house that you are considering buying yourself.
Hiring Agent
One of the best ways to find property in New Zealand without physically being there is to hire an agent, who will be able to search for properties for you and find ones that meet your criteria. When hiring an agent, make sure that you read their online reviews and ensure that the service they offer is high-quality. An agent will be acting on your behalf, so you need to be confident that they are professional, experienced, and most of all, competent. An agent’s reviews should give you a clear picture as to whether or not they are any of these things.
Rural Areas
New Zealand isn’t an especially large nation when compared to places like America. In fact, New Zealand is 36 times smaller than the United States. Because the nation is so small, it is possible to purchase rural property but to still stay connected to what’s going on in the nation’s cities and towns. New Zealand also has good transport links. With all of this in mind, you may want to consider moving to New Zealand’s more rural areas. Rural property in New Zealand can sell for a lot less than urban property, which means that you can get more for your money.
Security Guards
If you aren’t going to be living in New Zealand full-time, then rather than buying a rural property, you might want to buy property in a housing development. There is an absolutely massive amount of property that’s left completely unattended year-round in New Zealand, which means that property crimes do sometimes happen. Buying property in developments will prevent any burglars or opportunistic thieves from being able to raid your house, because there will be security guards driving around the area, making sure that houses are not being interfered with.
Transporting Items
If you are going to be moving with your family to New Zealand, then you will need to arrange transportation for your furniture and belongings. The best way to do this is by ship. Unfortunately, shipping your belongings to New Zealand can take quite a while. You can also send them by plane, although this can be very expensive. A shipping container with your belongings in will be a much more affordable way of transporting items. If you are on a real budget, then you could just leave your furniture back at home and buy new furniture after you arrive, which will probably be cheaper than the cost of shipping an entire house’s worth of furniture internationally will.
Cost Difference
Before moving anywhere, it’s always important to research the cost of living. Researching the cost of living in the place that you are moving to will help you to get an idea about how much you are going to have to spend each month to live. On average, a single person’s monthly expenditure with rent not included in New Zealand is around $980. For a family of four, it is $3,150. With this in mind, it’s fair to say that living in New Zealand can be very expensive. Make sure that you bear this in mind before you take the steps to move there.
Getting Around
If you move to New Zealand, then you also need to think about how you are going to get around. If you are moving there permanently, then you will need to get a driver’s license issued by the New Zealand government. It is possible to drive on a foreign license, but if you are trying to get full citizenship, then sooner or later a license will need to be issued, so it’s better to get it sooner rather than later.
New Zealand is a great place to live. It’s safe, pleasant, and beautiful. If you are planning to move there, then make sure that you do your research and prepare. A lack of preparation can make moving anywhere challenging.
