Everything you need to know about moving to NZ

While you'll have no trouble finding a motel for your first couple of nights of New Zealand, you'll probably want to get settled into a home as soon as possible. Many migrants rent for a few months while they get settled, then look for a home to buy. The process of looking for and buying property is slightly different here, and the homes themselves are quite different to houses in the UK.

• Houses in New Zealand - General information on what houses are like in New Zealand, including new homes, lifestyle blocks, and building your own home.

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• Renting a house - Investigate the price and availability of rental accommodation in New Zealand, including your rights and responsibilities as a tenant and renting furniture.

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• Buying a Home - A series of articles on what you will need to know before you buy a home in New Zealand:

1. Buying Property in New Zealand - Information on the housing market in New Zealand and home ownership in New Zealand, and how to find a house.
2. The Process of Buying a House in New Zealand - The process of buying a home once you have found a place you like - including purchasing by negotiation, in an auction, and by tender. Also information on the role of estate agents and their fees.
3. Arranging a Mortgage - Find out how to get a mortgage in New Zealand, what the interest rate will be, and why you may be best not to approach a bank directly.
4. A Legal Guide to Buying Property   - An article written for Broadbase International by Annabel Sheppard, a lawyer from Christchurch firm Wynn Williams, on the role of your soliciter in the house buying process.