>Yes Mini i knew you ARE working for tourism NZ
huhuh!!!!
OK to explain, I’ve done loads of tours in NZ with bands (accom ranging from Quality Inns kinda medium to luxury)
and been pretty much everywhere from the Catlins to Cape Reings.
then I moved here, but my BF is Swedish and when we got together I took him skiing in Queenstown (he totally fell in love, goes there at least once a year if not twice, and wants to live there!!) Also the first summer we were together I took him around NZ for 6 weeks. (staying at mainly backpackers – and there are soooo many good ones of those. i,e, in Nelson there’s one called Paradiso, which is one of those grand converted mansions complete with swimming pool, shared or if you’re not into that they also have single/doubles, barbecue laid on every night for measly bucks, equipment hire, internet, close to town, and around 20 bucks per person.Honestly. I’d choose them over a 3 star motel any day at quarter of the price – especially when I’m paying for it.
Oh and THEN BF was so impressed that he got his entire family from Sweden to come over the following year and I ‘tour-managed’ 7 people around NZ for an entire summer!! Even though BF’s parents are retired-age they loved the backpackers and farm-stays and B+B’s far more than the motels – so much more vibe.
>Diamond NZ is 2 hrs ahead of us, but about 10 yrs behind
So true –well, that’s the down-side of NZ and that’s why I live here – not to mention more opportunities in my industry because of more population….
>we have mentioned before how it would be good to catch >up, You said maybe NZ (on another post)
>great idea
yeah, but you’re not there yet, right????
When you and Diamond are in NZ I am on tour here in Aus (byron bay,,,,yum)
besides I was just in NZ last week for a few days. Daze, that should be, hehe.
My BF is gonna be there in muppet’s neck of the woods fixing up my latest low-budget cosmetically challenged bargain.!!!
> i’m trying to make up for those comments about you working >for tourism and the 10 yrs behind.
you are???!!!
Hey are you in NZ already? I am gonna be in the SI (Chch) for a wedding in January, if not before!!
mini we will be living in NZ from about the 5 of Jan (that the way it looks at the moment). We might live down at Balclutha (it will be cold).
Yeh Mini your swedish BF does he have a sister? Oh no, how do you delete comments, my wife is coming over to read the latest posts.[]
Spoke to a few agents today from Wairao, they both said Aussie investors are buy up big, (the bottom of the market) one guy bought 4, another who was looking last week wants about the same.
Westan
What’s happening with the gas to gasoline plant in New Plymouth. Just heard a rumour it was running in to a bit of trouble and may close down. Any truth in the rumour????
What else is driving the economy in Taranaki apart from the dairy farming?
Hi Guys
No town/village in NZ has completely disappeared unless it was a village specially built for a hydro station. One or two of these towns have completely disappeared except for the sealed roads.
I hear tell that the NZ Ladies netball team won the World Cup by beating the Australian team.
Australian investors are generally buying up anywhere in the country where they think they can get a bargain or the yield looks very good.
Hi
I just about to get on the small plane to get to sydney to get to NZ
sounds like I better hurry or there will be no PI left to get with all these aussie buying up
I will try to fill in reports from the towns while I am there and fresh in my mind
Wellington tomorow then Levin Monday night and then north see were the car takes me
recovery
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the info posted.I need to reply to 3 of you!!
MUPPETT: I just found your little town on the map i have. Should be able to drop in on our way from Hamilton to Taranaki. But hopefully you will be able to met with Westan & I before that.Westan & i spoke Friday & it looks like the dates we will aim for are 26 & 27th Sept.Will narrow it down later. Let he or i know about your movements around that time too.Did you buy a house yesterday like Westan did?? Boy theres lots of places starting with T Near u??
WESTAN: Can`t believe u bought yesterday.!!! Did u find one for me!!![][]Will ring you about 7.30pm tonight after i`ve put the kids to bed. Have a cuppa or beer in hand ready for the yak.
MINIMOGUL: Thanks for your offer for the accomodation, we would love your advice. We have 15 days over there.We haven`t quite decided which towns we are going to concentrate on yet but here is a rough itinery.We have from the 25/9 to 9/10. Fly in on 25th to Auckland late afternoon. Going to head towards Hamilton ist night Then go on to met Westan & maybe Muppett on the way to Taranaki. Then over to Wanganui, Palmerston North Then up to Snow fields for 2 days of skiiing(if theres still snow). On to Turangi & Taupo. Then across to Rotorua for tourist stuff & up to Tauranga ,Thames Coromandel & then up to Bay of Islands. There will be myself ,Husband & two kids aged 5 & 8 . We love staying at B&Bs, farmstays & would look at Backpackers if we could have more private rooms. Can`t have shared accomodation with the kids.Don`t want luxury accomodation as we are really only needing a bed for the night & not the facilities it is offering. Want to save our money for all the IPs we want to buy!!!!Having said that we would like some places with kitchenette so i can ccok occasionally. We would appreciate any suggestions of places we should go to ( with your knowledge of the island) Both for tourist interest or towns you think we should have a look at. As it happens i am training some staff at a large motel in Sydney on the 25th & 26th August.I got the impression you live inner city & thought we might be able to catch up while i am working. I will be staying at my Cousins at Bondi Junction from the Sunday night 24th August so if you would like to met email me at the address i posted about 10 replys back & we can arrange a time. Its a shame u can`t make it to NZ to met up with us all but i suppose Bryon Bay is the next best thing[][]Well, i better go & put the watering system in the garden now, hopefully my husband has already done it!!![]
Thanks to you all for your advice & willingness to help.
Cheers Diamond
My movements during that time will be dictated by your movements. Are you hiring a rental car? If you are we are only 250kms or 3hrs from Auckland if you want to spend the night with me? We should have enough space. If you do I will email instructions to you.
We didn’t buy a house yesterday but we looked through six which we had already short listed. First offer goes in tonite.
I will fill you in about the towns starting with when I see you.
muppet
show’s what an ignorant Aussie i am, the all blacks were playing the south african’s not the French.[] But i did know the game was in Dunedin because an agent i spoke to was heading of to watch the game that night.
Go the Kiwi’s they won again,[] i’d better start barracking for them since we will be living in otago. And my Aussie rule team Richmond aren’t doing to well.[xx(]
Recovery have a great holiday and successful trip, I’m feeling like i should be there now as some great deals are being snapped up,
Talk to you tonght Diamond, did you get the email?
bye westan
regards westan
Hi Muppett & Westan,
Thought i`d just check in to see if any of you had replied. You`re all quick off the mark today.
M: Thanks for the roughie on the time to your place from Auckland. Yes we are hiring a car for the whole time we are there. When i talk with Westan tonight we might get down to making some firmer plans for the “get together” Do you have any preferences ie. At a restaurant, club, park, etc.??
Westan will have his wife with him so there will be sux of us to meet up with you. How many in your family??
if you email Westan or i we might be able to ring u as there is a cheap deal with AAPT to NZ at the moment on weekends. For anyone else reading this as well its $6 to call NZ for as many times as you like all weekend.
Will chat soon.
W: No, Graeme will have to get the email of the computer for me, i`m illiterate on computers, hes the whiz. Can`t even email people!! Will have to learn won`t i?? Anyway i`ll get your email off now & read before tonight.
Cheers Diamond
Hi D
I’ve already emailed Westan with my ph # etc.
There are 3 of us. Wifie, me and 8yr daughter. Also have family in Auckland and Napier. Six extras might be interesting for the night. We could still meet at my house for the day anyway, have a meal and have access to computer and the internet.
Regards Bob
ps I missed out the letter T from my previous post.
can all you guys that are joining in this topic, email me on [email protected]
i will get back to you with what i want to discuss.
Muppett
yes we agree that all of us staying with you is to much. Is there any Motels/accomodation nearby? if we have to travel how about we book 3 rooms, one for me and the females, i mean 1 for me and my wife, one for Diamond and family(4) and one for you guy’s (i’ll pay for your room muppet). that way we can sit up late chatting (if we don’t run out of convestation earlier).
i was talking to Diamond and Hubby (can’t say his real name on the forum) and we think we should get together on the 26th of Sept.
westan
Wow, I can’t believe the traffic here from you guys over the last couple of days.
Diamond, you asked about why a NZ trust. The feedback I’m getting from brokers over there is that it’s much easier to borrow in either individual names or in the names of a NZ entity. As my existing Aussie trust has am Australian company as trustee I can’t easily use it. I’m now trying to decide whether to go ahead and set up the NZ trust structure (about $1500NZD) or just buy in joint names.
Hi all,
RODC: Thanks for that info on trusts. Talked to BNZ today & they said you can no longer set up loans over the phone since about one month ago. Says all banks are the same & that you can fill out the paper work ealier & email but have to physically go in to bank in NZ to complete it. Does anyone out there know of another way!! I was going to try some NZ brokers tomorrow.
WESTAN: If you are still up would you please ring me tonight! Hubby won`t let me ring you this late. It`s 9.30 pm now & i will be up on the computer for the next hour. Need to talk about somethings for NZ trip.
MINIMOGUL: Thanks for your email > I am going to reply tomorrow. Have to get hubby to show me how to do it otherwise i would have done it by now!!!
Seeing as u appear to be the resident NZ brain ( westan may c this as an oxymoron![][][]) What towns north or south island are good for semi decent homes under 60k? I’m a small time investor soon to have have 30k-40k to throw around and the kiwi market seems to be so much better than the aussies!
Wow, I knew there was much interest in NZ property from Australia but it sounds like there is about to be a whole lot more.I have a group of companies which have specialised in residential property investors needs since 1996 (including NZ’s 1st Property Investment specialised mortgage broking company).
So Diamond, I had to laugh at this “Talked to BNZ today & they said you can no longer set up loans over the phone since about one month ago. Says all banks are the same & that you can fill out the paper work ealier & email but have to physically go in to bank in NZ to complete it. Does anyone out there know of another way!!”
It’s so funny because it’s so absurd for BNZ to tell you that! We have literally hundreds of offshore clients… And NONE of them have to physically go into the bank! I am not surprised to hear this came from BNZ as they are the ONLY Bank in NZ that refuse to deal with mortgage brokers.. (since just a few months ago when they decided that brokers were too expensive to service).Because BNZ no longer deal through intermediaries I guess they are concerned that they must “meet the customer” for security/potential fraud reasons.
And if you are going to invest in NZ then let me give you some basic advice…
Be wary of small towns… I say this ONLY because I have seen several property cycles in NZ and I know what happens when we are in a property boom. It goes something like this… Big city investors get tempted to invest in small centres when good returns in big cities get harder to achieve due to increased values. This drives up prices in those small centres and drives down returns (as rental growth will not match value growth (i.e. just because more investors invest this doesn’t mean that there is more rental demand!)
I’m not saying don’t invest in small towns, I’m just saying be wary
When the boom is over (and in NZ it typically is short lived i.e. 2 years or so) then rents drop and values in small centres can be decimated!
After all who wants to own a property in a small centre with high vacancy rates.
Don’t be fooled into thinking Huntly will become an outer Auckland suburb… Its 60 km from the outskirts of Auckland! Also some Banks will not lend on Huntly properties due to the mines underneath it! (How about that for re-sale!)
And be wary of those promoting towns like Tokoroa as wise investments!!! Tokoroa was a ghost town in the slump of 1992! I know people who lived there that were buying properties for $5,000 (in 1992 i.e THE BOTTOM OF A PROPERTY SLUMP) and renting them out for $20 / week. Those properties are now apparently worth $50,000 + with rents of @$140/week (in 2003 i.e. NEAR THE TOP OF A PROPERTY BOOM)
There are plenty of “newbie got rich quick” investors who are apparently promoting Tokoroa as a wise investment? GOOD LUCK I say! But those of us that have been around for a whilst know better than to buy in small centres whilst a boom is on!
You don’t have to be too clever to work this one out…
My attitude is to stick to the larger centres. You can still get good returns if you are picky.