Today we set off around 10:30 and drove to Eastbourne which is about 30 minutes drive along the coast from Lower Hutt. We had a lovely breakfast of eggs benedict and a flat white before highlighting a few houses in the property pages to view today. In NZ, some homes become open to the public to view at pre-arranged times, usually at the weekend. So, we set about choosing which ones we could see, then Joe and Susanne very kindly drove us around to the different ones, stopping in between to get an ice-cream and drink from a local dairy (corner shop).

So, for around $330,000 - $350,000 you can get a 2/3 bedroom house on quite a small section (a plot of land, a “plot” here means burial plot so the word isn’t used in the same way as it is in the UK). The ones that were really lovely and had annexes or granny flats were about $400,000 and basically just about perfect and you could move in with no real need to do much. But, we could never afford $400,000 unless we earned loads of money and could get a huge mortgage. The way open houses work is that people go around to these houses, sign in on a piece of paper and then have a look around. The estate agent is there to answer any questions and we did see quite a few faces we had seen at other houses so I am sure we were all just about doing the same route!

I am not too sure yet about immigrating. I do like the weather in N.Z. but I am not sure about the houses. I can’t but help think that we would be better off in the U.K. with a bit more space as the houses at around $330,000 are really on top of each other. I really didn’t think that houses would be as close together as they are. Even in the U.K., unless you are in a terraced house, you aren’t really as close to your neighbours as some of them are here. So, my mind isn’t totally made up yet on whether or not I would like to move here. It is stunning, trust me, I don’t think you could find somewhere as pretty but I think I want to have a nicer house than we can afford and think I would be better off buying in the U.K., making money off that house in say 2 years, then moving over here with a bit more capital. But, with that comes more problems, Sophie would be bigger and Ross would still be at the Pru etc. etc. So, quite an eye opener today, and, as Ross says, these aren’t the only homes out there, these are only the ones with open homes today. And, we also haven’t really gone to look at houses in different areas even further out from Wellington.

But, we shall see what this week brings. Ross has updated his C.V. and is sending it off tonight to a girl at an employment agency and his C.V. is being sent to Gen-I (the I.T. side to N.Z. telecom) by another recruitment specialist so we shall see. I suppose my main point is that on his projected salary, we wont really get the house I thought we would have. I thought we would get loads more for our money than we can so I suppose I am just a little bit disappointed. However, I do know that we have to start somewhere and in the U.K. it would be even harder for us to find a house. But, I think in the U.K. you would make so much more money on a house than you would given that the Kiwi dollar is only worth 2.7 to the pound.

We are just about to have another BBQ with Joe and Susanne, lord we are eating like kings. Susanne made a wicked Thai curry last night. Nicer than a restaurant one

Sophie’s new game is to pretend she is chewing but sticking her tongue out at the same time. It really is hilarious, I must get Ross to film it she looks really funny when she does it.

Better go now, hope everyone is well.

Lots of love

CandiXXXXXXXX