[Moorf]

If you are looking for property in the Chch area please be careful when looking at houses with cosy open fires and woodburners.

"From 2006, you may not be able to use an open fire within Christchurch city. Soon after that, older wood and coal-fired heaters will need to be replaced with cleaner, better means of heating - and there will be strict guidelines in place governing pollution and energy efficiency standards for replacement burners."

For more info visit http://www.ecan.govt.nz/CleanHeat/chp.html

We put an offer in on another house recently and were about to settle on a price when they said "oh, one thing, the woodburner will need replacing in the next year or two" :eek We will now negotiate based on the cost of replacing said woodburner :roll:

[Zoush]

They refer to open fire or wood burners as the main source of heating in the main living area, do they? To put it the other way round, you are allowed to have open fire if you have another heating which is adequate for heating the main living area (and, of course, it does not depend on burning wood). Am I right?
They don't want to be the only NZ city with a smog problem in winter, i suppose.

Frithjof

[Moorf]

I don't think ANY open fires will be allowed due to the amount of pollution they create but authorised woodburners that meet the new Clean Air policy will be allowed... this link has more simplified info...

http://www.ecan.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/FBB361C3-B41D-4EC5-8865-65A5AC4E0A92/0/simplifiedruleschch04.pdf

[mechidna]

Ok, the terminology is throwing me off. I know what a woodburner is, but is an open fire the same as a fireplace?

[Moorf]

Yes Mechidna, an open fire is in an open hearth with chimney :P

[mechidna]

But Moorf, that means no more romantic fires in the middle of winter. What are you supposed to do, rug up and hop for the best?

Definately a warmer place for me!

Thanks!

[Moorf]

I'm afraid so, you'll have to roll on your sheepskin rug in front of a gas fire :? , diesel fire :( or a woodburner :P

[veronica]

Closed in wood burners are better than open fires i that situation, less chance of a stray spark!

They are also hot on people installing pellet burners too look simular to a woodburner but cleaner.

[freeflyer]

Moorf a word of advice, Don't rush into buying a house. I know that renting after owning in the UK can get you down. You've only been in NZ for a short time and alot can happen.
I'd look around for a better rental for at least a year and see how you feel then.
When people first arrive in a new country there emotions are everywhere and it can take along time to feel your way in. What's a nice place in the summer can be hell in the winter. Strong winds , not alot of sun, smog ect ect.
Fools rush in.
As for real estate agents it sound like your learning fast. They don't eat if they don't sell, unlike the disinterested UK estate agents.

ps, it's not a home your looking for, you left that behind.
your looking for a house.

[wilson182]

Moorf a word of advice, Don't rush into buying a house. I know that renting after owning in the UK can get you down. You've only been in NZ for a short time and alot can happen.
I'd look around for a better rental for at least a year and see how you feel then.
When people first arrive in a new country there emotions are everywhere and it can take along time to feel your way in. What's a nice place in the summer can be hell in the winter. Strong winds , not alot of sun, smog ect ect.
Fools rush in.

I think you are spot on here, as you say, once you have owned your own place it is hard to accept life in a rental, but it is better to wait and look around (although I think Moorf and Woz have done that)


As for real estate agents it sound like your learning fast. They don't eat if they don't sell, unlike the disinterested UK estate agents.

ps, it's not a home your looking for, you left that behind.
your looking for a house.

I'm not sure about the last comment though, for someone who has decided to stay in NZ, a home is exactly what they are looking for :nice1

[veronica]

I would also say that on the whole there is no difference in the estate agents either. didn't find most of them hungrey enough to put much effort in in NZ when we were looking last Autumn.

[Moorf]

Hi freeflyer - I hear what you are saying... but we ARE looking for a home.. that is the only thing that is missing here. Couple that with rent money being "money down the drain" and that the rent we are paying would be almost the same as a mortgage payment then financially it makes sense too.

We have offered on another place - strange thing is it came on the market the day we walked away from the other property.

Personally, I feel that if you can get into a home and get out of the awful rentals then you may even stand a better chance of staying here! Especially if, like us, you know what you are looking for in terms of insulation, heating etc.

Of course, house buying isn't something to rush into but we feel we are doing what is right for us.. it's not for everyone.

Moorf

[freeflyer]

Hi Moorf,

just a quick apology for my OH's mad rantings on this thread, unfortunatly the combination of the words 'Christchurch , woodburners and real estate agents' seems to send him into a manic depressive frenzy, well more manic than normal anyway :laugh

He is off to cairns this week (no woodburners required) so should cheer up soon.
good luck with the home.

Anna

[Timbo]

Anna. Make sure hubby packs his brolly. :laugh

[Moorf]

Hi Anna.. oh don't apologise!! His rantings may ring true for some people, just not for us :nice1

Veronica - I wonder if things have changed since you bought, all the estate agents we have had dealings with seem pretty desperate to sell - mind you, we do appear to have been looking at lemons :roll: - most of the houses we have been interested in have been on the market for some time and Woz is always up for a barter - but it would appear that if a property is on for a while there's probably something wrong with it rather than no-one being interested :? at least, in our experience.

A house here in Sumner was up for $310k the other day (south facing, hill in the way so not much sun and on a section only freeclimbers could use :eek i.e steep) and the day it went on sale it had an offer and 5 back up offers!! :eek

[freeflyer]

We went to try and view a house here in the UK the other day and the estate agent said maybe we could have a look at it next week, if he could find the keys!

In NZ I was once trapped in a car all day with a REA, who insisted on showing me every property he had, and some that belonged to other companies!
another insisted that we viewed the bedroom of a property , even though the owners were in bed asleep.
another REA showed us a bathroom whilst the owner was taking a shower

and one REA was so desperate that after falling down the stairs of a property we were looking at, she insisted that we checked out the indoor/ outdoor flow whilst she was writhing on the floor in agony with what looked like a broken ankle - she was still trying to sell the property to us as we were driving her to the hospital :laugh

Moorf - you havent reached lemon stage , until the REA tries to describe to you the benefit of the property's composting toilet system :nice1

Timbo - would the brolly be for fending of the crocs or stabbing the cane toads :laugh

Anna

[Moorf]

I didn't know whether to laugh or sob at your post Anna !! Funny though - having said that it was cruel to push that REA down the stairs :laugh

.. actually, no it wasn't!

We've had our valuation and building inspection for our recent "find" back today - more negotiating power within them so here's hoping we aren't going to lose this one too.. didn't post about it sooner as didn't want to jinx it!! If we don't get this house then we are going to rent for another 6 mths to a year as we have had a GUT-FULL of it so far and it's taking over our lives, costing us heaps in solicitors, valuations and building inspections and stressing me out.... :(

Costs: (each time you prepare to buy)

Building inspection : c. $400
Valuation c. $400
Solicitor c. $800 (or if there are probs more.. we are currently in for a $1200 fee from previous disaster and this current purchase) :wah