People & Places
Making it in Christchurch
After two years in New Zealand, Chris and Michelle Moores have built a life for themselves and seen their family grow with the arrival of their two sons, Jamie and Callum
Chris, now working as an estate agent, talks to Emigrate New Zealand.
Chris Moores is a typical Kiwi – friendly, wickedly funny and full of the 'get up and go' that New Zealanders are notorious for. Except Chris actually only emigrated from Manchester only two years ago with his then partner Michelle Hall (they're now married). After Michelle applied for a Working Visa (replaced by the Skilled Migrant Visa in December 2005) as a trained physiotherapist with Chris as her de facto partner, it took them 18 months, "due to us being slow more than anything," Chris admits, to finally relocate to Christchurch.
Of his initial impression of New Zealand, Chris remembers, "It was clean, there was no graffiti, all the kids we met were polite and everyone seemed to focus on outdoor pursuits."
This welcoming attitude made assimilation into the community much easier. "We had very few problems uprooting and moving. We fell into the way of life very easily, we both feel, particularly because Kiwis do make you feel welcome and help if you do have any problems.
"The impression is that most New Zealanders have a good balance between work, home and leisure time and I believe this is true. "Our own highlight of life in New Zealand has to be the birth of our two Kiwi boys: Jamie, just over two, and Callum who is seven months old. They are our pride and joy. "The social lifestyle is still more focused on home entertaining, although I can see the pub culture coming in from the UK a little – maybe due to the number of migrants coming over from there?"
Any other negatives? "On the downside, Kiwi fashion was a little behind and food, compared to the UK, seemed expensive – and still does." The couple also encountered a common issue for new migrants: choosing to live and work in different areas presented a challenge. "I guess one issue was that Michelle's job was in Ashburton and once she started working there it was clear that we wanted to be living in the seaside suburbs of Christchurch. "This job was too far away to commute sensibly and we did not want the long commutes we both had in the UK".
Chris left behind a job as a managing director of an industrial textile company in the UK. Finding the right job in New Zealand proved to be less of a struggle than he imagined, however, and he is now employed as an estate agent with Ray White Real Estate. "I was very fortunate in that I have a strong sales background which, when I applied for three sales jobs, was well received," he explains. "I got an offer from all the companies and the decision to try a role in real estate was a bit of a gamble but helped by the fact that I really enjoy talking and looking at property, combined with the fact that the company offered to pay a retainer as well as commission. "We decided that I should give it a go and if I did not like it there were clearly other opportunities out there for me."
The couple decided to rent for a short period, but it was never a long-term option for them. "We rented for about eight months only. It was always our intention to buy as we do not enjoy paying rent. "Home ownership is critical to us, although I appreciate this is not the case with everyone. I think about 30 to 35 per cent of Kiwis rent," says Chris. Obviously, there are going to be some concerns involved with entering an unfamiliar property market: mistakes can be costly.
Being in the position as both an expat and a property agent, Chris has been able to compare the process of buying a property in New Zealand with the UK. He says, "The process is much more precise and structured in New Zealand. In the UK you can make a verbal offer on a home and that is all that is required up to the exchange of contracts that could be six to eight weeks later. "Buyers can be knocked out by another buyer during this time (gazumping) or the owner may find that the buyer loses interest and finds something else without their prior knowledge." Chris continues, "In New Zealand, with the real estate agent putting the price and terms for buying a house in writing and both parties signing and agreeing to it, there is a legally binding contract from day one. "Both parties can then work to a deadline to complete the terms such as finance and building report allowing for a very transparent process. I deal with a large number of migrants who, once they have had the process explained to the, think it is far fairer and clearer in New Zealand".
After a visit to the UK, Chris also has a lot to say for the houses themselves in New Zealand. "Houses themselves are vastly different in New Zealand. "As I am currently driving round the UK visiting friends and family it is clear that a lot of houses look the same and are crammed into housing estates with minimal views and small gardens. "While such sub divisions are growing in NZ there is still a huge variety in the way homes look in a street. Design style, building materials, size and space can vary from house to house and I think this is part of the appeal for me. "It seems from talking to others that sea views were not so important to Kiwis until about five or ten years ago. Views are certainly deemed more important now and the prices reflect this!"
As far as advice to migrants looking to buy abroad, Chris is quick to come up with one thing: location. "It is exactly the same as in the UK. The old saying of location, location, location is true the world over. I feel that buying the worst house in the best street still is important if you want capital gain. "I guess one key difference is the emphasis on school zones in Christchurch. If you do want your child to go to a specific school you may need to ensure you buy within that school's defined zone, meaning streets that come into that school's area. "Also, it's best to speak to a lot of agents to find one you can trust and work with to help you buy"
Working and living in New Zealand is obviously vastly different to a holiday, and it can sometimes be overwhelming for new migrants who suddenly realise they will have to work longer hours to achieve a comfotable lifestyle. So has the reality of life in New Zealand lived up to the Moores's expectations? As Chris explains, old habits can be difficult to shake. "I have found that Brits, myself included, tend to drift into the 'work, work, work and little play' ethic that is dominant in the UK. I am currently changing this to be more balanced and enjoy the family life, which was why we initially chose New Zealand. "Real estate can be a seven day-a week-job if you let it and money can be a strong driving force. "But where does the time go? Time to cycle, kayak, run and so on has gone out of the window but we wouldn't change a thing about our lives now."
Despite working long hours, Chris still gets more quality time with his family and appreciates the role the spectacular environment in New Zealand has on his outlook. He says, "I now get to see my wife and family every day which in the UK was not the case as my job took me all over the UK and overseas. "Also, my drive to work is five minutes, with the sea at my doorstep as I leave my home, and I follow the coastline to the office. "If I am in a bad mood when you leave home it is impossible to feel grumpy by the time I get to the office."
Some downsides are unavoidable, however, like missing relatives who remain in the UK. "The major downside is that our family are so far away. This was our choice but is does not get any easier with time, particularly as parents age and nieces and nephews grow up while you're missing it." Chris continues, "I guess the cost of travel back also limits what we can do a as well. As the Kiwi Dollar is not strong against other currencies the cost of going anywhere in Europe is high. "I feel we are luckier than most in that we have UK investments that generate sterling but it is still expensive when we decide to visit family and friends. "Thankfully the phone is cheap and Internet helps with photos flying backwards and forwards. "The few negatives in no way compare to the benefits we have from living in a superb country which fulfils all our dreams".
Overall, Chris feels certain areas of the Kiwi lifestyle make it ideal for him and Michelle to live and raise their children. "There are always things you do not agree with in any country but just reading the papers in the UK recently makes us appreciate what we have in New Zealand. "The concept of not suing thanks to Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) means we do not have the 'grab money' culture that is evident in the UK." Of course, for Chris, who lives on the west coast which experiences much less rainfall than other parts of the country, the climate in New Zealand "wins hands down."
Chris can also indulge in his hobby: fishing. "Living in a country where you can fish almost anywhere for NZ$90 (£35.50) unlike the UK where all the best fishing is reserved for the elite at the cost of hundreds of pounds". So Chris has no excuses about 'the one that got away' anymore then.
With two young children, education has also shifted into focus for Chris. "Here, the education system still allows winners and losers and schools still have playing fields for sport. "I know I have listed a lot of them but I do not really want to focus on the negatives of the UK, rather I want to say that New Zealand suits us personally in terms of what we want for our children and us in years to come. "The education system is respected and the support in hospital for the birth of our two children was superb, plus we can afford for my wife not to work and to raise our children instead. "We do not need anything else, although a lotto win would be nice!"
Read another case study about emigrating to New Zealand:
From Wales to New Zealand
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