# young person renting in christchurch



## kevind23 (Sep 12, 2014)

Hi! I'm a fresh university graduate and I'll be moving to Christchurch in November for a job in the city. I'm currently looking at housing options... I would not like to deal with a car right now, so I'm hoping to find a flat somewhere close enough to bike/walk into work. Any suggestions for areas to live? I know the centre is not the best place right now (although it looks convenient on paper). I am coming alone so I'm also open to having flatmates that I could hang out with. Trademe and NZflatmates seem promising but as I'm currently living in the US, they don't want me on their website...

Anyone with a similar experience that could give me some advice? I'd appreciate it!

Thanks!
Kevin


----------



## escapedtonz (Apr 6, 2012)

Hi and welcome to the forum.

First of all, do you hold an appropriate visa that will allow you to travel and live / work in NZ ? 
Your post doesn't make it clear. It appears that you've finished Uni, decided to travel to Christchurch and you intend to find a job in the city but you've missed out the important logistics to achieve that.

Regards,


----------



## Kimbella (Jul 4, 2013)

kevind23 said:


> Hi! I'm a fresh university graduate and I'll be moving to Christchurch in November for a job in the city. I'm currently looking at housing options... I would not like to deal with a car right now, so I'm hoping to find a flat somewhere close enough to bike/walk into work. Any suggestions for areas to live? I know the centre is not the best place right now (although it looks convenient on paper). I am coming alone so I'm also open to having flatmates that I could hang out with. Trademe and NZflatmates seem promising but as I'm currently living in the US, they don't want me on their website...
> 
> Anyone with a similar experience that could give me some advice? I'd appreciate it!
> 
> ...



Hi Kevin,, and an early welcome to Christchurch. As a fellow American, I'd like to give you some head's-up on what to expect regarding transportation, as it is very different in Chch than what we're used to coming from the US (you won't get an honest or direct answer from anything you've read that has been PR prepared, or from recruiters). First off, cycling *is* possible, but in this city in particular, a cyclist is hit approximately every 2 days... several have been fatal hits this last year. The high hit rate is due to a few factors: 1) kiwi drivers are ***extremely*** aggressive, compared to what we're used to in the US. You won't even be able to know what I mean by that until you experience it. Insurance is not mandatory here, people who are injured (even through their own negligence) get paid through ACC, and the court system does not support suing for personal injury... thus, imo, you have a society that isn't penalized for crappy driving -- their insurance won't go up if they have an accident, since they may not carry it, they won't be out of money if they hit you, because ACC will kick in, and they won't be sued for personal injury, because the court essentially don't allow it. SO -- as a bike rider -- BE CAREFUL! 2) In general, kiwis in Chch hold cyclists in great contempt ... I'm originally from near Davis, CA, considered one of the US epicenters of bike-culture, and the degree to which bike riders are looked down on here is BIZARRE!!! 3) Bike lanes are more narrow than I'm used to, and because of the roadworks everywhere, you are often having to merge into traffic (with those aggressive drivers), plus there are large work trucks taking up tons of wide space in the roads.

So, I don't want to put you off at all--- just be aware, because it's a big deal biking in the streets here. 

As far as the bus goes, my daughter takes it daily to junior high, and it's mostly on time. However, the cost for her, as a student, is $1.25, so $2.50 a day round trip ... depending on where you are in town, it could probably cost you less to drive than it would to take the bus .... something to at least look into and think about!

Right now the city center is still being rebuilt, there aren't really "neighborhoods" as we think of them, with apartments or such. Because rent is so super high here, it seems more likely that you'd be flatting with other people. I'd definitely suggest going through a proper property manager, that way, regardless of whether people move in or out, your share won't change (until the rent is raised!). Coming from Chicago, the cold winters won't bother you, BUT, you should know in advance that the house builds here are absolute garbage (sorry, but it's true), think of a rambling farmhouse built in 1900 w/no insulation except old newspaper, and a fireplace, and that's most likely what you'll wind up living in. Except because we're by the sea, you have to add in constant dampness, and thus mold growing on everything you own if you don't wipe things down once a month or so in winter (my leather jacket and all my leather shoes were 'stored' my first year here, and when I retrieved them they were all covered in spots of soft filmy mold... sigh). Our dehumidifer pulls up to 12 liters of water from the ambient air in winter-time .... it's *really* damp here, at least by California standards. They do not have central heating and air as we know it in the US. Lots of places now have systems called heat-pumps, which work sort of like a one-vent HVAC system. A small unit is installed outside, then a wall unit is attached to the inside wall and all the heating and air blows from this one area. It's basically a larger, more efficient space heater, installed toward the ceiling, on the wall. The colder outside it is, the less efficiently they work. Thank god it doesn't know in Chch. Oh wait. lol!

As for areas to live, there are plenty of decent to nice areas. I've listed quite a few (recently) in some posts to Harby. Feel free to look the posts up under my name!

There are a few websites that you can check out: 
easyroommate.co.nz; flatfinder.co.nz; facebook.com/flatmatechristchurch; http://www.share-accommodation.co.nz/index.htm; Houses to Rent, Student Accommodation in Christchurch, Hamilton, Palmerston North NZ : Flatmates

I have never used any of the above, so cannot verify their authenticity ... they popped up under a simple google search. I'd also suggest googling "property managers in Christchurch, NZ" to see what comes up. You're better protected going through someone who will 'manage' wherever you stay... I don't think I'd want to "share" accommodations abroad under a casual arrangement some of the flat-sharers seem to use.... anyway, best of luck and congrats on the move. As E2NZ has noted, make sure you have all your ducks in order, my post is assuming you do, or are making arrangements now. Feel free to ask more questions if you have them, I'm happy to help.

Btw, my intimate description of the drivers and housing quality here in Chch is not meant as an indictment on the country, we all know the US has plenty of it's own problems -- it's just to warn a fellow American that comparatively, it might seem kind of 2nd world in those areas, compared to what we're generally used to. 

Cheers,

Kim

PS -- Just re-read the last of your post about not being allowed on the NZ web-sites. I'd suggest setting up a new hotmail address, or even downloading the plug-in hola to either google chrome or firefox. It will let you change your region from the US to NZ, which should allow you access to regionally protected sites. It's also great to use to watch Netflix!


----------



## kevind23 (Sep 12, 2014)

escapedtonz said:


> Hi and welcome to the forum.
> 
> First of all, do you hold an appropriate visa that will allow you to travel and live / work in NZ ?
> Your post doesn't make it clear. It appears that you've finished Uni, decided to travel to Christchurch and you intend to find a job in the city but you've missed out the important logistics to achieve that.
> ...


Hi--and thanks for the welcome! I already have a job in Chch and I am waiting for my passport to be returned to me with my work visa, so logistically I am all set. Sorry for the confusion! 

And Kim, thank you! That's some fantastic information! I agree that it sounds better to go with a property manager instead of a casual arrangement, especially when I am just arriving from the US. I really appreciate the frank description of driving/housing in NZ, I knew some bits of it already from my own research but it's good to have it reinforced. Of course it's always difficult to grasp the reality from text descriptions (but I know what to look out for when I arrive!)

I'm in contact with a future co-worker who says some people in the office are looking for flatmates, so I'm going to look into that as well as the websites you sent. I'm definitely into the idea of flatting instead of living all alone - and car pooling to work would be very convenient. 

Thanks again for the welcome! I'm sure I'll have some more questions in the future...but I think I'm in a good place right now.


----------



## suslik (Jul 20, 2012)

Kimbella said:


> /.../ So, I don't want to put you off at all--- just be aware, because it's a big deal biking in the streets here.
> 
> /.../
> 
> Coming from Chicago, the cold winters won't bother you, BUT, you should know in advance that the house builds here are absolute garbage (sorry, but it's true), think of a rambling farmhouse built in 1900 w/no insulation except old newspaper, and a fireplace, and that's most likely what you'll wind up living in. Except because we're by the sea, you have to add in constant dampness, and thus mold growing on everything you own if you don't wipe things down once a month or so in winter /.../


Wow, Kim, what you've written about Christchurch is pretty harsh! But the sad thing is... I agree with pretty much everything. 

I don't bike in Christchurch due to my circumstances (read: I've got two small children plus I'm living way out of town at the moment), but I see bikers when I am out driving and from a driver's perspective - I am NOT overly interested in getting on a bike, amongst cars, in central Christchurch any time soon! I see cars "cut in" in front of bikes, biking lanes are constantly merging in and out of traffic due to roadworks and overall attitude towards bikers does seem somewhat... weird. It's probably the most unsafe place, from a biker's perspective, I've lived in.

However, if you're into road bikes, there are lots of people cycling on a route Halswell - Akaroa highway - Gebbies Pass Road - Summit Road - Dyers Pass Road - Cashmere. It's hardcore hilly and makes some people look like they're about to have a heart attack , but on a sunny day there's easily a hundred, maybe two hundred people doing it.

Now, about housing: Kim is right, generally speaking houses ARE garbage, especially in low-to-mid cost range. If a house is advertised as a "charming villa" then you can pretty much bet your money on waking up to 14 degrees Celsius inside on a night when it's 0 degrees outside and you'll have windows covered in a thick layer of condensation.

From what I understand, old houses didn't have ventilation or insulation built in. Basically, houses "breathed" through floorboards and most had a long hallway down the middle (there's a reason they call it "breezeway") with bedrooms coming off it, because that's how they kept mould from growing. Instead of keeping temperature inside the house warm during winter, people took hot water bottles to bed (many still do) and layered up.

Now when houses are getting insulated (there's lots of government subsidies for that), many don't get ventilation put in place so what you get is: people warm up the air inside, insulation keeps the warmth in (well, sort of), but by doing that they're also trapping in MOISTURE. Like Kim, I have also found my clothes covered in mould during winter, so I have now learned to 1) keep any wardrobe doors open, 2) not have ANYTHING in containers during winter, 3) regularly check and move stuff around in cupboards and drawers, 4) leave windows open whenever suitable, for airing, and 5) invest in a good dehumidifier. I keep it running from 7 pm until 3 am when power is cheaper on a night rate and it regularly takes out 4 litres a night. 

As to finding a rental, I would also recommend checking out backpackerboard.co.nz . If you did go flatting with backpackers, it would likely be a place where people come and go every few months or so, however!, I have found it a great way of making (sometimes lifelong!) friends and meeting people. Heck, I am now married to a fellow backpacker I shared accommodation with 

Backpackers bring with them a certain amount of... ambience which you are unlikely to find if you flat with professionals who mostly just go to work, come home, hang a bit in the evening and... Anyway, I don't know what sort of a place you're after, but just putting it out there 

I often spend my weekends in central city and apart from traffic noise on busier streets, building noise close to construction sites and, uhm, promiscuous ladies  on a street corner later in the evening there aren't many reasons why I wouldn't live in central city myself. Heck, if I didn't have a family and children, I probably would!


----------



## Kimbella (Jul 4, 2013)

suslik said:


> Wow, Kim, what you've written about Christchurch is pretty harsh! But the sad thing is... I agree with pretty much everything.
> 
> 
> Haha! Yah, I wasn't meaning to sound so harsh -- just wanting to be honest, because it is a SHOCK to come here from the US (probably other places as well, but I'll only speak of what I know personally!) -- but, we immigrants would know that brutal honesty about circumstances isn't exactly what NZ is known for. So, yes, in that vein, my assessment was definitely harsh! But, it's based on now knowing what all the kiwi "euphemisms" mean ... as you so rightly point out: "charming villa" = no need for a refrigerator 10 months out of the year. lol
> ...


----------

