Beware of Long Rant: Housing in Christchurch

I have a good reason for not writing recently: I've been working more shifts to save more money for the upcoming trip to the STATES (so excited!) which is in less than 3 weeks time, and in the meantime Scott and I are moving, but we don't know to where, so house-hunting is taking up all of my free time and free brain cells, which are few and far between.

And we haven't gone on any trips, so I have no pretty pictures.

So this house hunting is consuming all of my thoughts. Seriously- I had nightmares about it last night and I got no sleep. So maybe if I share my thoughts with you, inter-web, then I will sleep better tonight.

I may have mentioned it before, but there is a major problem with housing in Christchurch. (Not to be confused with the major problem with housing in New Zealand, which is that most of them come without insulation, double glazing, or central heating.) The problem with housing in Christchurch is that 90% of residential housing had at least some damage in the earthquake, and many are either torn down, uninhabited, or in the process of being rebuilt. So all of these inhabitants are displaced. But to where? And then thousands of people are coming monthly to Christchurch to work on the rebuild- engineers, geotechs, contractors, laborers. All these people want housing! And they don't even want cheap, crappy housing. The audacity!

And we haven't even gotten to the biggest problem. Insurance companies. To be fair, they're probably society's biggest problem anywhere, but they're even worse here. This is why: when a family is displaced from their house, the insurance company has to pay for them to live somewhere else for 3-12 months while the house is being rebuilt. At cheap hotel rates, this is $700/week. When a family has 5 kids, a simple hotel room won't do. So it is cheaper for them to rent out a house for the family, than a hotel room.

Fair enough, except, anyone with a decent house is hip to the idea of renting it out for a few months to insurance companies and reaping $100-200/day. At those rates, you don't even need year-round tenants. At those rates, you move in with your kids and rent out your own house so you can go on that Italian vacation you always dreamed about.

I get it, I would probably want to try to do this too. However, this leaves so very few houses for normal people. There should be a kickback for landlords who do rent to normal people. (Looking at you Christchurch City Council). Right now we live in a broken house. There are cracks in the walls, all of the brick siding on the outside is gone. It rains in our bedroom when there's a storm (every damn week). We have mold, we have damp clothes, it is cold. And we pay more for this than we do for our mortgage on our house. In California. One of the more expensive states in the USA.

So we are looking for a new house, one that is closer to Scott's work and that doesn't have an indoor water "feature" during bad weather. Like any professional couple who work hard for their money, we have a simple set of standards. We want (in order of importance):

A) A good location. Safe neighborhood. Close to the hills, for mountain biking. Close to Scott's work.
B) An "affordable" price. Yes, it will still be hundreds over our freaking mortgage at home, but that's what you get when you live in a beautiful worldly city earthquake shattered town. An affordable price for us is $400/week ($1600/month for you Americans) or less.
          -sidebar: I know that if you live in San Francisco you pay like, $2000 a month for a room. But        trust me when I say: Christchurch is not San Francisco, and also trust me when I say: You are getting ripped off and I'm pretty sure you're crazy.
C) A garage. You know, the bike thing again. It must be secure.
D) A heat source. Either a heat pump or a pellet stove. You wouldn't think I'd have to put this on our list of "wants", but I do.
E) A decent kitchen. Right now I have a nice kitchen, and I realize this was a fluke in the Christchurch housing system. I won't get crazy and expect a dishwasher. But I do love to cook, so a full size oven, even floors and countertops, and maybe even decent storage space would be radical.
F) The little things, most of which we will have to for-go. But any of the following would be swell: a private outdoor space/ or even a backyard, a sunny backyard would be tops. A dishwasher. Internal access garage. Laundry room that isn't part of the kitchen. Off street parking. Nice neighbors. Decent water pressure. Earthquake repairs done. Double pane windows.... hahaha nah, just kidding. Lets not get crazy. This list is already asking too much!!!

So now that you've got an idea of what we're up against, let me show you what our options are (and why Im having housing nightmares)...

All photos are from www.trademe.co.nz and I can't think of any reason why I can't use them, but if I can't: my bad.

This 2-bed house is attached to its twin. These conjoined twins live on the corner of our dream location and a busy road. The yard is not private, there is no dishwasher, and according to the property manager, the kitchen is original 1970's. But it still ticks boxes A-D, and I don't have any reservations about it except that it's on a noisy road. It's $360/week.

Next:

This bad boy gets an A for location. And it's a free standing 3 bedroom home. Isn't this picture just stunning? I mean, look at that... that... that...

This is one of the better photos of this house in that it is destroyed on the inside. Like, holes in the walls, carpet on concrete, gnarly, destroyed. It actually has a cute little backyard and a dishwasher. And a 2-car garage. But before I start to make it sound just dreamy- there is no heat source. Nothing. Nada.

So what does an cold A+ location, B+ yard, C+ kitchen, D+ cleanliness house go for? Asking price, $410/week. We offered $360, and are waiting to hear back. This is a high contender on the list. (Seriously, I expect ya'll to be excited for us if my next post is photos of our stuff in this house.)

Moving on...

Now look at this! Truly charming. I mean the kitchen is tiny, but what a sweet little 2 bedroom conjoined twin house! And actually, the backyard is superb. Lawn, deck, grill... SUN! The works.

But location... when do you bend on location? It's several blocks out of the desired neighborhood. Bike safety is a bit lower, and its on a busy thoroughfare street. Traffic noise? With this shift-work working' girl? Ughhh... but it's only $350/week.

So this last one is at the top of our "budget":

And by top of budget I mean out of our budget. And its actually more than we need, but I'm including it here because we offered them the top of our budget and have yet to hear back. So she's still a maybe.

Location: A+. Storage and bike safety: A+. Heat source: pellet stove. A+. Kitchen... ehhh... but its private, in a lovely neighborhood, quiet, EQC repairs have been done... so I though I'd share.  Oh, and the entire carpet is a brown floral pattern, so thats a win right?

In case you were wondering, this is what we can get for the price of our California mortgage:

Downstairs apartment, 2 bedrooms. No garage. Does come with dodgy neighbor who will gladly "watch" the bikes while you're away.

Or this beaut: Look at the private fenced yard!! Heat source not necessary, the neighbor's meth lab keeps it toasty.

On the flip side, here's a few modest houses in the dream neighborhood that tick every single box (except the budget box, of course)...

This cozy little 3 bedroom charmer is a mere $1250/week. I mean, what else could one possibly do with $5 grand per month?

Or how about the following, a 2-bedroom home, for just $1200/week:

It has a single garage, single glazing, and it is on a very main thoroughfare street... shame on you people. Just... Shame. On. You.

Lastly, and just for kicks... what could we get in a different NZ city for our hard earned cash? Let's say, the quaint, coveted town of Nelson- our first choice destination back when we made that big move. What will $350-400 get us there? I mean, it's a city on one of the world's most stunning pieces of land- Abel Tasman National Park, the emerald green ocean... Surely $350/week will only get one a shack. A shanty...

You can't be serious. 

No. Just no.

Christchurch, I am begging here... these two hard working full time employees with no pets, no kids, who don't smoke, who have a perfect rental history, who enjoy gardening and don't throw loud parties (anymore)... we need a place to live. We want to love you.

(Note to self: can we both transfer to Nelson...?)

So You Want To Move To New Zealand...

Frequently I get emails from people, usually American, who are interested in moving to New Zealand. They usually ask similar questions, many of which mirror the questions and concerns I had before we moved. I try to answer the best I can, tailored to their individual email, but recently I thought… why not write more about this? I mean, I'd be naive to think anyone (anyone???) visits my blog for the cool bike pictures. You are mainly expats and future expats, looking for advice and camaraderie. I was there.

So here's one of maybe a few or maybe several posts relating to why you found this blog. You want to move to New Zealand.

Disclaimer: I am not qualified to give legal advice regarding visas or immigration, and any visa topics which may arise are based on my personal experience only.

How far in advance should I start planning my move?
We told ourselves at the beginning of 2012, this is going to be the year we go. And so we started our preparations in January. Because getting a nursing license involves taking the IELTS and then submitting tons of paperwork, 6 months flew by before we even started looking at visas. We started our visa process in October, and we were in New Zealand by December. I would recommend a year, though, for bolstering finances, planning the move, and gathering all of the documents required for visa application.

How long does it take to get a New Zealand visa?
Once the paperwork is submitted, I would recommend you allow a few months for processing. This being said, ours were processed in about 14 days. It's the gathering of required documentation for the visa application that will really take some time.

What is required in applying for a visa?
Regardless of the type of visa you apply for (see next question) you will require police clearance. For Americans, this means at least 6 weeks waiting for a paper from the FBI to come, stating you have no felonies. If you are applying for a 2+ year visa, you'll also need medical clearance, including several blood tests, a physical, and a chest X-ray. This is spendy, and takes a few weeks to process. The X-ray, once done, is only good for 6 months- so you've got to be coordinated in your planning and submission of your application. Other than these things, it's just about carefully filling out the paperwork and ticking all of the boxes. Oh, and sending them a check!

How do I get a New Zealand visa? What are the different types?
There are heaps of different kinds of visas… student visas, working holiday visas, work in skilled shortage areas, work to residence…., and this is where an immigration lawyer comes in handy. I hired one to assist us in our application process while we were still in the States. It's expensive, but it came with peace of mind. If you haven't gotten very far at all, I recommend you check out the NZ Immigration Website. I know, I'm putting this on you instead of answering the question- but this is where the legal stuff lives. Yuck!

Can I get a job in New Zealand? What kind of jobs are on the shortage list? 
Some visas (student, and such) don't require you to work, but most of them do! And many visas are easier to obtain if you have a job on the skills shortage list. Check it out here. If you are married or in a long term relationship, it is possible for one of you to obtain a visa through having a job on the list, and for the other person to get a Partner Visa, which will allow them to work at any job.

How much money should I save for the move? 
Oh boy. I don't even know what to tell you. No matter what you save, it probably won't be enough. And everyone is different.  But there are two sets of expenses here: your moving costs, and your when you get there costs. The only estimate I can provide is from our own (2 person) experience:

Moving Costs
Movers: $2500 if you are not bringing furniture. (And don't even get me started on the movers. I hated ours. They were sneaky fibbers. If you're moving from CA to NZ, email me and we can talk about who I wouldn't recommend…)
2 One Way Tickets to NZ from California: $1600
Food, lodging, etc. during period of inevitable homelessness between moving out of your house at home, and landing in NZ: $1000
When You Land Costs
Temporary accommodation for 1 week (unless you line up a place to live ahead of time): $800
Rental car for 1 week: $350
Buying a cheap but hopefully reliable car: $2500
Cell phones and contracts: $300
First months rent + bond + letting fees, etc. in Christchurch: $1300
Setting up electrical, internet, insurance, etc.: $400
Food, crappy furniture off of Trade Me, other life expenses during the first month before you get a paycheck in New Zealand dollars: $2000
Beer to celebrate your successful move to New Zealand: $10… per pint!!!

So lets do some math… $12,760. I know, ouch! But, you asked!

What should I bring with me when I move?
First and foremost, if you are one of those lucky people being sponsored to move (i.e.: you're not paying for the moving expenses) then bring it all! The furniture, the pets, the motorcycle! Pack 'em up! But if you're one of the rest of us, have a garage sale before you go. Or keep it in storage if you're planning to come back. Moving furniture is astronomical (you get charged by the size of your container space, not weight) so unless it has sentimental value or is of quite a bit of value, leave it behind. And if you bring it, bubble wrap it a lot. So now that you're ready to leave it all behind, don't! Bring all the small stuff. Replacing spatulas and picture frames and kitchen knives will be twice as expensive in New Zealand (think $150 for decent sheets. Go to Target. Go now!). Just shove the pillow cases in the pint glasses (no need for bubble wrap!) and the blankets between picture frames. Look at packing like Tetris. We brought all of our kitchen utensils, plates, etc. All of our clothes. All of our bikes, snowboards, camping gear, bathroom junk, sheets, pillows, etc. It will also be nice to have all the familiarity when you are so far from home. Of note however, your American electronics will not work (they will die) unless they have an input of 240 volts. Computers, camera chargers, and printers should be fine. Blenders, hair dryers, shavers, and toasters will all die a swift and smoky death. Unless you have a voltage converter (not just an adapter!). They are expensive and cumbersome. Don't bother.

What should I bring on the plane?
You'll need the essentials on the plane. Enough clothes to live for 4-8 weeks. We brought 3 bikes with us. Your computer, the sheets and towels, and I'd recommend again, a few familiar things to make it feel like home when you get there.

Where should I live? Where do I stay to begin with?
While the obvious answer here is a hotel, I'd advise against it. If you've come with a job offer, ask that employer if they have accommodation for new employees. A lot of employers do, and this will be a good way to meet people before you even start work. If not, I recommend doing what we did and staying in someone's house. We stayed with a family in Christchurch for the first week we were here, and while we payed basically what it would cost to stay in a hotel, we got a lovely warm welcome, and so much valuable information about the area that we never would have gotten from a concierge. Because of our hosts, we had set up bank accounts and cell phones within 12 hours of landing! We found them through AirBNB.

What is the general cost of things in New Zealand?
(Based on living in Christchurch. Rural areas will be cheaper, Auckland will likely be more expensive.)
Car: $5000 for a decent and reliable one, $10,000+ for one younger than 10 years old.
Rent: Rent is weekly, and varies a lot by neighborhood. But, for a decent 3 bedroom house that is not an apartment, not a duplex, not in a dodgy area, and not severely damaged by the earthquake, you're looking at $350-$500/week (so $1400 if you're lucky, and more likely $2000/month). Its expensive to live in New Zealand, especially Christchurch, so adjust to that now. If you're looking for a room in a flatting situation, think $150-$250/week, depending on your needs.
Buying a House: I advise against doing this until you've been in NZ awhile and really know where you want to be. But think a minimum of $400,000, $500k if you want to live in Auckland. (But why would you?)
Again, I recommend Trade Me for getting a real idea of property value in both buying and renting. Trust me, you'll be using it when you get here.
Groceries: Again, we're all different. I buy a lot of organic, so mine will be higher. I wrote a little post when we first got here about how grocery shopping isn't that expensive, and I kind of still stand by that. Certain things however- alcohol, bacon, quality yogurt, quality chocolate… (the important things in life) are definitely expensive. But as many expats will agree, you get what you pay for in NZ. And in NZ you get quality food. Anyways, our monthly bill is around $800. But it is quality, and we eat a lot.
Internet and Cell Phone: These are grouped together because you will likely pay for them together through the same carrier. Ours is roughly $200. Internet is expensive here, and limited. If I spend too much time blogging (ha! not lately!) we will run out… its like we're back in 1999! Phone minutes and data are limited as well, but texting is unlimited. That's really how Kiwis communicate.
Garbage: FREEEEEEEE!
Water: FREEEEEEEE!
Electricity: FREEE-….yeah right. Electricity is expensive. No one has central heating or air because of this. We have a heat pump (space heater built into the wall) in the living room that we only turn on when we can see our breath inside and have run out of snow parkas to put on. Cost of electricity: $80-250 for 2 people in a small house, depending on the month. I had a friend who left her heater on low for a few hours each day during the first month they moved in to their new house. 800 bucks. On low.
Gasoline: Sit down. $2.22/litre. Now do the math. That's $8.88USD per gallon. Yep. Try to live close to your work, or commute by bike or bus or camel or magic carpet. Gas is freaking expensive. One thing that's cool though- all gas stations sell the gas for the same price. So none of that Oh, we've just pulled in to Valero but look! Across the street at Shell it's 3 cents cheaper! Lets waste $2 in gas revving up this Chevy and going through two stop lights to get over there and save 60 cents!
Insurance: Ahh, finally some good news. It's cheaper here! Car insurance is optional (!) and roughly $15 monthly for 3rd party coverage or $40/month for full coverage. Our contents (home owner's/renters) insurance is $40/month. Health insurance? Psh, whats that? Medicine is beautifully socialized over here! (But not until you're a resident. You can purchase health insurance if you think you need it. Accidents are free for everyone. Go break that arm, no biggie.)
Eating Out: Lets just go back to that, you get what you pay for thing. And what you get is usually really nice, quality food. $15-20 for a burger, $30-40 for a steak, $15-25 for a salad, $25-35 for pasta. $10 for a pint of beer or a glass of wine, $15-20 for a really good cocktail. But hey, its a non-tipping country! So what you see on your check is actually what you pay.
Clothes, Furniture, Sports Equipment, Electronics, etc: Just double it. Whatever it costs in America, times it by two. If it costs less than that (it probably won't) then you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Wow, that last bit wasn't meant to scare you. I'm a huge advocate of moving to New Zealand! Im also a huge advocate of the belief "money isn't everything", obviously. And just like with the food, the whole life you pay for in New Zealand is quality, so think of it as investing in serious quality of life. See interspersed photos (from our first year) for reference.

I think this is a good place to stop for now, but I'll pick up sometime. If you've found this helpful, or have a burning question for me to answer next time, please leave a comment or send me an email.

And one last thing, I'm nominated again (thank you, whoever you are!) for the Lexiophiles Favorite Blog of The Year. So if you've got a spare second I'd love your vote (by Feb. 17)!