[nellyt]

Can anyone explain what warrants a property being defined a "lifestyle" property in the property mags rather than just a normal house?
Is it arbitary based on the editor thinking "that looks like a nice big house an immigrant may like"
or
is there some formal definition related to land use and or area etc? or is that something completely separate (but possibly highly correlated)

One person I spoke with said their "lifestyle property" had to have some sort of agricultural use, so they planted a load of olive trees.
Is this what makes a "lifestyle property" i.e the land use constraint?

[hball]

The words 'Lifestyle Property' in Real Estate speak usually mean very desirable so asking high dollars, a gate to drive through when you come home, a bit of land to play with - (if the land is extensively lawned the dollars are higher!), views/beach/mountains etc. If the property is in the vacinity of a large urban area your neighbours will often be city high flyers.

I don't think Real Estate agents specifically target immigrants - here in Auckland where Lifestyle starts around million the buyers seems to be Kiwis who have done their dash in the city. Some even buy them as second dwellings ready for when they retire.

[jdbob]

I've seen the term "Lifestyle Block" before, there's even a magazine (http://www.acpmedia.co.nz/TraderGroup/NZLifestyleBlock/tabid/137/Default.aspx) for it. In that cases it refers to a property large enough for small scale agriculture or livestock raising.

[Caroline and Dave]

Here you go

http://www.lifestyleblock.co.nz/articles/voice/01_what_is_a_lifestyleblock.htm

[Moorf]

That's a great website (and forum) for lifestylers, by the way. Really helpful lot. Round here a "lifestyle block" tends to denote a hobby farm or small-holding, generally run by people who have jobs to go to other than purely working on their land. Generally, anything over 5 acres here is classed as a lifestyle block.

[willsken]

Was talking to an agent the other day and she informed me that lifestyle blocks have the highest turn around of all types of property. People buy them, loving the idea and don't realise how much work they take to look after! We were tempted at one point but seem to have gone off the idea seeing how much work just having a big garden takes! Be different if we both didn't have to work.:roll

[Moorf]

They say "give them 2 yrs" round here. However, all the people I know who have one seem quite content! As per Willsken, this place is big enough for us with us working fulltime and it's just under 2 acres. Five acres, if not managed or used properly (stock/horses/etc) can be less of a lifestyle and more of a 2nd job if you're not careful.

[katandbob]

They say "give them 2 yrs" round here. However, all the people I know who have one seem quite content! As per Willsken, this place is big enough for us with us working fulltime and it's just under 2 acres. Five acres, if not managed or used properly (stock/horses/etc) can be less of a lifestyle and more of a 2nd job if you're not careful.

Most people call them 'NO'lifestyle blocks, as you (and this includes me) spend every spare moment doing chores...

for instance Work day: alarm goes off 6.45am
Put kettle on
start fire (or turn heater fan on) on a winters day
get breakfast on for boys
feed cats
feed chooks
feed horses
feed myself
wash up (wish I could have a dish washer - but on tank water its not an option)
water vegie seedlings in glass house
get ready for work
get mail
shut gate
go to work

Come Home...
feed chooks
feed horses (rob helps now bless him! 25yrs and I finally horsyfied him :laugh )
ride horses (if its light enough) although how I will ride 4 a day I don't know!
feed US!
Wash up
Tidy up house (this could always be scratched LOL)
put washing machine on
...then dryer or hang on clothes horse - Yay for work cleaning the uniforms! this has helped in reducing this load)
COLLAPSE on sofa and dont move till bed

wake up

Start all over again.....

at the weekend I add the rest of the chores, baking, big clean, shopping, longer rides for the horses, Poo Pick - never ending! and gosh - soon I'll have to add cutting the grass - let alone weeding etc! ( I am fitting a propagation course in here somewhere)

I wish I could afford not work full time, but I wanted this life, and we need to pay the bills, so I'm not saying that I want to move (while I can still do all this) then I will sell up and move to a crib on a beach! or lake)

Even now I am wondering whos going to look after them when we go to the uk for a month next year:confused: oh well I'll figure that out later!

We have just over 8 acres, but if I won the lottery I'd by Hundreds of acres!!
in the hills, mountains I'd pay a manager to work the land and I would Ride all day!

Ahhhhh Dreams...................:laugh

old McSmithy had a farm eieiowww

Kat (PS before you wonder why robs not doing these things - hes at work too early and I have him making my horse float after work! Hes got a deadline to keep!)

[Familyofmonkeys]

They say "give them 2 yrs" round here. However, all the people I know who have one seem quite content! As per Willsken, this place is big enough for us with us working fulltime and it's just under 2 acres. Five acres, if not managed or used properly (stock/horses/etc) can be less of a lifestyle and more of a 2nd job if you're not careful.

Yep, we were also told about this saying...doing some careful planning now!

[j.cool]

Yes, "lifestyle block", We have been told by farmers, having 50 ha, that you are still considered a "lifestyle block" although the property is about 50ha. We have 4,6ha and it is work but a lot of fun as well. It always depends what you want. We live here for 5 years now and we don't want to go back into the suburbs.
We have 27 sheep, 25 Angora goats, 6 milking goats (2 male for the freezer), chooks, a dog and we still have fun. We want to become bigger. We became passionate about farming, So take care :laugh
Our property is on the market:

www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=115452283

When we started we haven't had an idea about farming, townies!!! We have to learn the hard way. The neighbours, real farmer(grins) were very helpful. We learned a lot, fencing, animal husbandry managing garden and our time. As Kat said it is. But I do now all work on the place, my husband is working. And I enjoy it. We are organic and we are members of wwoofing. Which means we have always helpful people here.
And I have done an agriculture class at the Northtec, it's free by the way. Very good. You learn all stuff like handling a chainsaw, tractor driving, fencing, etc. You learn to know people with similar interests.

We have friends which have a 5 acres block and they converted their property into a huge garden, they don't want life stock. It always depends what you want to do. Main thing is: You are happy.

We are happy with our animals, land, garden work. But you should realize that all animals are depending on you. And yes, a lifestyle block is a good life. You know where your veggies and meat is coming from and what is used to grow it.
I hope that I didn't spoil your idea to have a bit of land.:D

Lilo

Ps. The way to the letterbox is although a bit longer, take the dog for a walk.

[wiki]

I grew up on a 10 acre block from age 3-13 and from a kids point of view it's wonderful.
We spent all our time in gumboots (wellies for your UK types) and had our own ponies, hens, goats, pigs, cows and sheep at various times (my Dad was a butcher so the livestock was a great way for him to self-supply his shop)

It is a massive amount of work - not just like a big garden you can consider weeding now and then - but if you are prepared to graft it can be a great lifestyle choice.

[Moorf]

Our property is on the market:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=115452283

I'm amazed at the price of that property. You'd pay same, if not more, to live in a place like that round here..... and I thought it was way more expensive up there... :uhoh

[nippa&pippa]

:o I live in a house with 10 acres known as lifestyle block, south of christchurch. Yes it is big job involved as need to look after your land, fencing, brook etc as well as looking after animals etc.
Due to I got three young children (youngest is three weeks old), my OH is looking after lands etc by himself at the moment which take all his time over weekend while he work during week....
He is also currently doing lifestyle block course at agri-college which is very helpful (Helen, how did woz get on with fencing course??)
Before you buy lifestyle block, think careful that are you prepare to spent time on your block every weekend....