My Journey Home

[Dell]

I've read helpful posts by others here, who have used this forum to record their experience of making the move to NZ. I'd like to do the same as it will help me see my progress. At times, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels.

First, I have it a lot easier than most of you as I was born and raised in NZ but have lived in the U.S. for many years. As a NZ citizen, I can go home with no worries with PR, etc. I also don't have to worry about finding employment as I'm self-employed and will continue to earn my living the same way as now. I made the decision about four months ago with the idea that it would be a two-year plan, but it may well end up a one-year plan.

I joined the emigratenz forum for advice on shipping companies, what I can or can't ship, prices of goods in NZ (television, etc) and to make sure that I'm doing the right thing. I make an annual pilgrimage to NZ and have kept in close touch with a large extended NZ family and friends but will be leaving my son and three grandchildren here. (though he's a NZ citizen - so fingers crossed that one day, they might join me). After the move, I'll be spending 3 or 4 months of the year in the U.S.

Plan:
Spruce up house working on curb appeal.
Put the house on the market in May?
Sell house for much more money than I even dared hope.
Send money to NZ when exchange rate is two for one. (yeah, right.)
Buy a house somewhere between Warkworth (hometown) and Mangonui in the Far North with sea view out the front, bush view out the back, walking distance to the Four Square, a yoga class and a beach. * sigh *

So far I have:

*Painting/polishing/fixing (BIL, a retired contractor, is here for a week doing the dirty work)
*Front door has been sent off to have a new frame made.
*Bought new front hardware and locks.
*Cleaning out cupboards, getting rid of clutter.
*Packing away stuff that I don't need now and will take to NZ.
*Getting quotes from shipping companies - leaning towards Rainier.
*I've got someone interested in seeing the house in a few months pending their own property sale.
*I have a realtor lined up. She'll visit the house and give me an idea of
market value.

Phew. That's it for now! Back to work.

[JandM]

Sounds like a plan. All the best.

[mptopham]

Good luck with your plan - sounds ace

[Dell]

Stashing this here so I can find it later:

there is a grant available if the house was built before 2000. Details here: http://www.energywise.govt.nz/fundin...-clean-heating

(courtesy of Jo Jo. Thanks!)

[cantwait]

I'm sure it feels good to make progress and have a plan, Dell! Good plan...good luck!

[Dell]

More info to stash here, courtesy of April:

the removal companies say all sorts because they can't be bothered with the tricky stuff, like don't bring wicker, cane or seagrass, or herbs and spices etc etc - we brought it all and MAF were very happy with it. so aerosols are okay to bring but definitely won't last in the container. Bin or give them away.

[Dell]

I'm sure it feels good to make progress and have a plan, Dell! Good plan...good luck!

Thanks, cantwait! I'm typing with five sticking plasters/bandaids on my fingers from the dry weather cracks I get in my finger tips and knuckles at this time of year. This is yet another reason to return to NZ. In a few months the no-see-ums will be out, so that's another reason. (they're not quite as bad as sand-flies, however)

[Dell]

According to the NZ customs officer at the D.C. embassy, new painting canvases will be charged 15% GST (tape invoice to box) and a tiny percentage of the shipping. No duty.

But generally, most items that are brought into to NZ for business purposes will be charged both duty and GST.

[Dell]

Things are moving quickly. My wonderful BIL has worked hard all week and done tons of little jobs around the house to spruce it up. All that's left to do inside is to paint a bedroom and stain some window trim. I've set a couple of weeks aside in April to paint part of the exterior of the house and clean up the garden with lots of pruning/slashing and trips to the dump.

Then the house will be ready to put the house on the market!

I woke in the night with the realisation that this may well be my last winter in this house after 32 years. My son was two when I bought the house and lived here until he went away to university. Somewhere under layers of paint on a bedroom wall is a crayoned 6 foot long crocodile he drew when he was four. There's also the door frame where I kept track of his height as he grew. There's a half dozen family pet graves in the garden and there's a huge Granny Smith apple tree that my mother bought me when it was only a few feet tall. Fortunately, my son is not terribly sentimental about me selling the house and I've become curiously detached....unless I wake at 3 in the morning and think about it!

Reading everyone else's posts, I realise the house may not sell in 30 days - or six months for that matter....but I have a feeling it won't take long.

[Dell]

Stashing more info here:
If you need some legal advice, the Citizens Advice Bureaus are great. They would be able to tell you what your options are. And the best part is that they are free.