For many Brits, moving to New Zealand is about a complete lifestyle change, typically swapping a frantic 9-5 working life for a more outdoorsy, rural existence.

 

Article written by The Overseas Guides Company

A popular way to achieve this is to buy a rural property with enough land to do a bit of hobby farming but not enough for it to be your primary source of income – what’s know in New Zealand as a “lifestyle block”.

“Lifestyle blocks are often an attractive option for immigrants looking to escape the urban life of European cities,” says Pattie Pegler, an expat who writes about her life on a lifestyle block near Christchurch on website NewZealandBuyingGuide.com. “But if you’re considering one, it’s important to do your homework and know what to look out for.”

Water supply is one thing Pattie advises potential lifestyle block owners research well. Many rural properties aren’t linked up to the town’s supply, so come with some sort of well or pump to provide water. How well this works shoud be checked, as well as how old it is and whether there’s any problem with the water it supplies. Adds Pattie: “When we bought our block we tested the water supply and it was positive for e-coli which can cause sickness!”

Likewise, Pattie advises asking about the septic tank. Find out where it’s located, how old it is and when it was last emptied.

You also need to know exactly where your boundaries are, whether anyone has a right of way or “easement” across your land and if so what are the conditions.

“Don’t overlook the basics though,” stresses Pattie. “When considering a property, ask yourself: How far is it to the nearest town/supermarket and is that a distance you can realistically cope with? Can you get a broadband connection? Where’s the nearest school? And how long will your daily commute be? The more places you look at and the more questions you ask, the better you will get a feel for how things work and what the local market is like.”

For details of properties for sale in New Zealand, visit the NZ listings on Rightmove Overseas. When emigrating to New Zealand or buying property there, using a currency exchange specialist rather than a bank to transfer your pounds to NZ dollars could save you thousands. Smart Currency Exchange can help you do this – for more information download their free guide by clicking here.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in New Zealand, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘New Zealand Property Buying Guide’

 

The views and comments herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Rightmove Overseas, Rightmove Group Ltd or Rightmove Plc