Housing - good standard properties to buy or rent
Housing is important, but there are several other factors that draw migrants
to New Zealand. Climate is an important issue,
as is the employment market. Cost
of living and lifestyle are also very much
top of mind when considering a move. Click on the links to find out more.
To get a FREE assessment of your migration status, or to arrange an appointment,
ring us on +44 203 239 9856 or email rwood@migration-solutions.co.uk
In
comparison with other Western nations, New Zealand enjoys a good standard
of housing and has a high level of owner-occupied dwellings. It has one
of the highest home ownership rates in the world - close to 70 percent own
their own homes and used to be known as the “quarter-acre paradise” because
so many New Zealanders own their own home in the suburbs on a 1/4 acre of
land. Today, the home familiar to most Kiwis is a wooden two- or three-bedroom,
single-storey detached house, set on a ‘section’ of about 0.1 hectares in
a city suburb or rural town. However, city apartment living is also growing.
In rural areas you will mainly find stand-alone (detached) houses including cottages, old and new family homes and large old villas or 'homesteads'. Many people choose to build a new home in the suburbs or perhaps on a 'lifestyle block' - a piece of land of several acres in a rural or semi-rural area.
Due to the temperate climate, most of the country is not exposed to extremes of temperature, so although most houses are insulated, they are less likely to have central heating or air conditioning or double-glazed windows. Instead, they use open fires, wood burners, or gas or electrical heating in winter.
Compared with many other countries, buying a house or apartment in New Zealand can be a very quick process and can be completed within three or four weeks. The average cost of a house in Southland is around NZ $89,000 (approx. £26,418) , NZ$130,000 (approx. £38,589) in Hawkes Bay and NZ$258,000 (approx. £76,585) in Auckland. The national average is NZ$ 179,000 (approx. £50,463)
If renting, the landlord can ask you to pay a bond of up to 4 weeks rent which is refunded to you when you leave the property. If you have caused some damage or not paid all the rent you owed, some or all of your bond is used to pay for it. The landlord must give your bond to the Bond Centre, part of the Ministry of Housing, within 23 working days of receiving it. You get your bond back from the Bond Centre by filling in a form after you have moved out. Rent is usually paid fortnightly and the landlord may ask you to pay up to two weeks’ rent in advance. If you use a letting agent or real estate agent to find the property for you, you will have to pay a fee to them, usually one week's rent.
Median Weekly Rental Prices in New Zealand (For the three months to June 2001. Source: Ministry of Housing Bond Centre)
Prices vary depending on location, but to give you some idea of the median prices per week, a two bedroom property in Northern Auckland costs NZ$225 (around £67) and a three bedroom property NZ$280 (£83.) In Rotorua, a two bedroom property costs NZ$140 (£42) and a three bedroom around NZ$180 (£54.) Wellington City costs NZ$250 (£74) and NZ$300 (£89) respectively, while Invercargill costs as little as NZ$92 (£27) and NZ$120 (£36.)
You will also be pleased to learn that the cost of living is generally cheaper than the UK. For example, a litre of fuel costs just 32p!