[sarahM]

I'm now looking at where it would be nice to settle in NZ. I would like to consider Hamilton but from my research it seems more expensive than some areas. I would have about £85,000 (I think this is about $232)to go towards buying a house and starting a new life with my husband and daughter. But with no jobs I wonder if this would go fast and if my hubby and I got O.K jobs (average NZ salaries) what kind of life I could have. On an average salary is a mortgage of £50,000 ($137NZ) considered a lot? As you can see I am still in the early days of researching whether to emigrate to New Zealand.

[Sam B]

I think Hamilton is cheaper than the other 3 main cities, and some areas of it are cheaper then others.

[StevieD]

Only you can say what you want. But that isn't too bad a sum to come with. It all depends what you looking for. BUT - the banks are very helpful here, and will work out your finances with you.
Hamilton is an up and coming city, but there are nice places around. If you used to living rural then more remote parts will suit you, and the house prices are usually a lot lower.
Take time to look at the real estate sites (Harcourts, Ray White etc.) to get a general idea. But you can't really tell from pictures. The only time you can really tell if you like an area is when you are on the ground.
This forum is a help though with members scattered across the majority of NZ.

Good luck on your emigration and welcome to the forum.

Steve

[sarahM]

Thanks for the advice. I've started looking at areas and was wondering how people choose their area to live in. I've started looking but as I've never been to NZ before it has been quite differcult. I would be really curious to see if anyone emigrated who had not visited NZ before. Do you think this is risky?

[Georgebulldog]

Thanks for the advice. I've started looking at areas and was wondering how people choose their area to live in. I've started looking but as I've never been to NZ before it has been quite differcult. I would be really curious to see if anyone emigrated who had not visited NZ before. Do you think this is risky?

Hi SarahM

Welcome to the forum
I think you will find a load of people who went to NZ withot visiting first, well I hope so as hat's what we are doing although some think were mad but I think enough people go out there & dn't come back so there's gotta be something great about it :)
Good luck
Lindsey

[IanW99]

For a lot of people who go to NZ, they will already have a job lined up which will dictate the area that they will live in. And most of those who don't have a job will be heading for an area which will hopefully have the sort of jobs that they are looking for.

So the basic location is usually known e.g. Wellington, Auckland or Christchurch, you then need to investigate those areas to find a suburb that you would be happy living in or not too far to commute from.

Moving anywhere is risky, but you can minimise the risk by using the web and forums like this one.

Ian

[John Z]

We were here a year ago and already saw in the meantime how one of our favourites near Hamilton was in the hands of one real-estate agent in particular. The real-estate prices in Raglan are definitely manipulated as many prices of houses that were for sale a year ago still are for sale with higher prices now, especially when they come in the hands of one particular real-estate agent. He pushes the prices up with about 10%, as said, that feels very "strange" to me when I saw most of the owners had lowered their prices already during the last year.

But, the Waikato is a great place to be!

Cheers, JohNZ

[ourquest]

Where you would like to live is all about you, and what environment you feel most comfortable in.

Here on the forum, for those of us not yet resident in NZ, it sometimes feels like we are all the same because we go through the same EOI and ITA process. But once we arrive, that is when the challenge to integrate into NZ begins and it then becomes very clear that not everyone thinks the same way after all. Everyone experiences things very differently, and perception is not truth, in absolute terms, anyway. Point is, someone could tell you Hamilton is great, but that will carry no value at all for you.

To pick a town off a map and by looking at websites is fun, but cannot compare to first hand knowledge. Since it costs so much to relocate in the first place it makes so much sense to spend the first few weeks in NZ travelling around a bit and getting an authentic feel of the country, particularly if you are not required to start work straight away. Once you have done that your questions will become much more meaningful (because of the greater trust you can place in the responses to them) and the answers far more specific and beneficial.

All the best for your search for information. It is a memorable time and very fulfilling when you start to feel on top of it. And I do admit that the better prepared you are the better when you arrive. However, it can be difficult to tell the difference between "preparation" and "preconception".

[Nick88]

I agree with Ourquest. Try and travel if you have the flexibilty (I realise not everyone does) and then choose where you want to be. You may never have a chance like this again. I would also rent for a bit, not only so that you can move if you don't like the town/job, but also cos the NZ housing market is starting to show signs of slowing down.

[colandros]

We're also looking at hamilton/cambridge areas so are in the same boat.
My wife has been and says cambridge is nicer but she also said that hamilton is cheaper and still has lots of nice areas.
i found this while looking for hamilton info.
I've copied and pasted from another site which i hope is ok with the moderators on here. if not i can pm you a link to the site.
hope this is of some use.
cheers
col

First up, there is no beach at Hamilton, it is the only inland city in NZ! On the map it looks about 20 minutes drive from the coast but as it is a very hilly road, nearer to 45 minutes in real time. However, to make up for having no beach, Hamilton has several Gully systems and if you rent/buy a gully section, you will have some stunning views and the peace and serenity of living in the country but still be in the city

I personally think it is a good place to bring up children - great parks, including Hamilton Gardens, great museum with interactive stuff downstairs for kids, at least 2 swimming pools, a reasonable zoo considering the size of Hamilton;any amount of preschool by the look of it. http://www.hamiltoninfo.co.nz/tourism/activities.html

About an hour and a half drive to the Mount and Tauranga, maybe 2 to Taupo, 1 to Rotorua, 90 minutes to Auckland, 6 -7 hours drive to Wellington.

We live about 4 minutes drive from the hospital and there are some nice properties around, depending on your budget and your taste. Like anywhere you go, good areas, bad areas. We were warned to stay away from Melville, Nawton and around the University. Also, traffic can be bad if you want to work in the CBD but live in east Hamilton as there are only 2 bridges over the river to carry all the traffic. I found it to be on roughly the same scale as York as we had just come from there. I was concerned about inner city living before we moved here, never having done a recce. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be that feel here at all. In some respects it looks a bit like the type of American city suburbs you see in so many films: the grass between the road and the pavement on many streets; mailboxes rather than letterboxes on your door; a huge amount of of trees within the city; individual houses rather than semi-detached or rows of adjoining houses. Look at: http://www.lodgerealestate.co.nz/?nav=suburb_profiles&sub=suburbs for a suburb profile.

There is a reasonable range of shops in the city centre - none of the names that Brits are used to but plenty of shops for all that. 2 quite small malls and loads of other shops. http://www.aatravel.co.nz/new-zealand/Hamilton_Shopping.html

The weather: I think it is far better than the UK weather - we have an orange tree in the garden, now have you ever managed to grow one in sunny Britain? No, I think not! Even now, in what is the equivalent of November, it isn't that cold. More like September to my mind. I have been told it hasn't snowed here since 1960 and there were about 4 - 6 frosts last winter. It gets pretty foggy and humid here in winter apparently but as we only got here in October, I haven't experienced that yet. Yes it rains a lot in NZ but it buckets down then the sun shines more often than not, giving the humidity that people moan about. Use a dehumidifier and you will be fine. We have just had a heat pump installed a few weeks ago but have hardly had it on. Our house also had a Domestic Ventilation System - basically a big dehumidifier that vents through the ceiling and that seems to be taking care of any dampness.

Average wage in the Waikato is around $17, there seems to be plenty of work about, always jobs going in the local press: http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/

We found finding a decent rental a bit of a problem initially but there are some good ones out there, just be patient and one will turn up. We found a rental with Hamilton Property Rentals: http://www.hamiltonpropertyrentals.co.nz/ Also look at: http://www.lodgerealestate.co.nz/?nav=rentsearch http://www.realestate.co.nz/rental/rental-house/hamilton-city Yes, you have to pay a bond but you do get it back. It is worth asking your current land-lord for a reference if you currently rent as you may well be asked for one when you initially look to rent here.

{This next bit is lifted from a thread on gangs, written by StevieB} Here in Hamilton we have Mongrel Mob and Black Power around, but we also have the youth or dispossessed who can't get into a 'main-stream gang, and have now decided to copy America and run in either the 'Bloods' or the 'Crips', which I believe have also spread around a large part of NZ (we've even got the really desperate ones who have formed the 'East Side' and 'West Side' gangs...so desperate they couldn't think of a name past the part of the town they were in!) I see them all the time in my job, but also in my neighbourhood. However, it seems that you either have to be in a rival gang or have some gang connection, or be really flaunting just how rich you are, before they will bother you. And while I agree that many, in fact possibly the majority, are Maori, there are also Pakhea, Somalian, Tongan and Asian members...unfortunately the population in the majority of the gang stronghold areas is predominantly Maori, so they're an easy target. It also seems to be a generational thing and the older members may have had enough and want out, and be trying to keep their kids out, but the kids want the 'respect' they've seen they're dads, uncles and big brothers receive, so of course they're going to do it all again. Don't sweat it...if you're not part of the gang culture, you're unlikely to be affected by it. Like everyone says, live and let live. There has been a substantial success rate in the probation service with 18 to 30 year old male Maori offenders attending Tikanga programmes and thereafter leading offence free, responsible lives. These programmes teach traditional Maori values in a marae environment (they are residential), which get the students in touch with the culture they know they are a part of, but have no experience of. {Thank you StevieB} This may make you think that there are gansters on every corner, which is not the truth at all. There is crime wherever you go. Hamilton is no better and no worse than any city you may visit.

Hamilton has some decent cafes and restaurants and a really good, newly completed cinema at Chartwell. The seats are big and comfy and the seats are on a steep incline so that someone sat in front of you would need to be about 9ft tall to spoil your viewing pleasure.

Please remember: this is my opinion. I have thoroughly enjoyed living in Hamilton so far and my opinions reflect this.

[sarahM]

Thanks for all the info. I didn't think about gangs being in NZ like that. I have lived in London and gangs are a really concern at the moment. I was wondering what NZ is like in accepting people of ethnicities. My husband is African and I am English and we have a mixed race daughter. Do you think this will be an issue? We were looking at the Hillcrest area, any thoughts?

[colandros]

I really cant see ethnicity making any difference at all.(and i'm not just trying to sound all pc) Like the uk nz seems to be abit of a melting pot although from what i've seen they dont appear to have the same predjudices as we do here in the uk.

[Nick88]

Africans get looked at sometimes because they are so rare here (then only with curiosity), your daughter will have absolutely no problems.