Whether you are renting or buying, there are a number of things that you will find different about New Zealand. First of all, rents are advertised on a per week basis not on a monthly basis as in the US. This does not mean that you cannot pay monthly. It just means that the rent is calculated on a weekly rate.
If you are buying a property, you will not be paying ‘property taxes’ or ‘school taxes’, but you will be paying ‘rates’ to the local city or district council. Rates pay for council services like roads and storm drainage. (But schools are funded through general taxation, not property taxes).
One thing you will find different about some older homes is that they do not have central heating or air conditioning. So you may need space heaters in the winter months. That said, many newer homes do have central heating and, of course, if you buy an older home you can always have a heating system installed.
When you are looking for a place to rent or to buy in a city, don’t rule out a suburb just because it is called a ‘suburb’. Often the term suburb is used to denote any section of the city outside the central business district (CBD). While a suburb might be a 45-minute drive from the CBD, it could just as easily be right next door to the CBD and a five-minute walk away.
Interested in more information? Go to our main
housing section.