[shakyle2906]

Can anyone recommend a suitable place to live, with a four year old little boy ?

We hope to be able to come over on working visa once my husband can get a job offer

Sharon

Any advice would be grately appreciated!!

[kiwidebs]

Hi Sharon

Probably need a little more info. Do you want country/city/small town? Lifestyle block/apartment living? Near to beach/ski fields/forest/shops....?

We live in West Harbour in Auckland. It's def on the outskirts of a city and wouldn't suit some. We love it here, but my family live just around the corner so that's why we settled here. Some on here have bought lifestyle blocks and are loving country life. If you let us know more of what you're after we'll be able to help a bit more.
Welcome to the forum.

Debs

[Diny]

Welcome to the forum !!

Like Debs says - you need togive abit more background info before that question can be tackled.

However, you also need to bear in mind that what can be a paradise, ideal location for one person can be a living nightmare for the next.

Keep us posted.

Diny

[Hannah]

NEW PLYMOUTH!!!!!

But then i am biased!!!!! However, we travelled North and South Island 3 yrs ago and only truly fell in love with NZ when we arrived in New Plymouth! (hubby keeps telling me not to go on about it as he doesn't want it to be 'discovered'!!!!)

Look up Pukekura Park and the Wind Wand on google for some lovely local pics!

[shakyle2906]

I know we sound vague, but really dont know of any areas.
Ideally we would like some where 'quiet' but with a little life if you get my meaning. We ideally would be looking for a house if possible and any views, etc would just be fantastic.
What our main thing now is that in order to apply for working visa, my husband has to get a job offer -any ideas on that ?
He is a joiner by trade - any ideas where they are most in demand ?

Sharon

[K&CS]

Could really do with knowing what your budget is - how much would you want to spend on a house? Are you going to be bringing much cash with you? There are some fabulous areas that meet your criteria but they can be pretty expensive! Sorry, I can't answer re joiners, although I'm sure they're pretty much always in demand.

Kate

[Mart1]

Hi Sharon,

If your rearly not sure lots of brits head for north shore, Auckland which has many and varied suburbs also a lot of brits like the bay of plenty area both areas like a lot of NZ are very child friendly. lots of brits go to Nelson on South Island, Wellington and Christchurch. The best thing is proberbly to look on the internet or search this forum and other NZ migrant forums on the web which have lots of info. Best of luck.

[sarahw]

Well considering the amount of building work going on in Welly at the moment & planned in the next year or so (OH is in construction industry) I'd say Welly!! Personally I'd say for your OH to get himself over here for some interviews - you won't get a visa until you get a job & no point coming to somewhere you won't get work or be happy. Reccy trip is well worth doing.

I've seen quite a few joiner jobs in the Dominion Post Newspaper - do a search on the internet for jobs & Dom Post (or go to Trademe jobs) you can search the whole of NZ or just a particular area.

Otherwise you want to head to another city Auckland then Chch would be the best places for getting work but I hear Tauranga is expanding at a rate of knots (but house prices are quite high).

Good luck,

[MB]

Reccy trip is well worth doing.


Sarah, who's ace anyway, is spot on here. If you can possibly afford it, consider doing one, even if only one person comes over. I came over, for just a week or so, a couple of months before moving over with my family: I had my "recce" head on and spent the days investiagting work, transport, bank and other stuff, then reporting to the family most days via e-mail.

If the person(s) coming over for the recce trip are on a limited budget or -- perhaps more to the point -- have less than about a month to spend in NZ, then a good idea might be to target just one or two major destinations. Otherwise you find yourself leaving a city/region before you have barely found your feet, when perhaps the aim should be to spend enough days in each place to do it at least a good measure of justice (by, e.g., visiting three or four of its neighbourhoods or settlements).
Others might disagree, but IMHO a recce trip is different from a whistle-stop tour: that is, if you're serious enough about any given NZ location to put it on a recce itinerary, it's probably best to stay long enough to get to know it at least passably well. That probably equates to about a week in each place, give or take.

So: if your family NZ-migration budget will allow enough even for one person's budget air fare and eight days in a plain motel, consider a recce trip. As well as helping with practical detail, it is a great confidence booster. :nice1