Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Octavius Hite]

My friend is moving to Christchurch in January to start his post-grad. He needs to find a place to live and it has brought some questions to mind:

1. Are there any good apartment rental sites for the Christchurch area? Any links or hints would be apprciated.

2. Are all apartments rented by the week? This seems to be the case from every ad we saw and we are a touch confused by this.

Thanks!

[sheba]

Apartments arent usually within the means of the typical NZ student....

Generally, everyone lives in a house (or flat) and they share it with up to 5 other people (depending on how many bedrooms it has). In the university areas there are heaps of places looking for another flatmate so finding a place to stay shouldnt be too difficult.

Tell your friend to go to a real-estate agent, or the accommodation department at the university - they both usually have lists of a lot of rooms available for rent, or there will be ads posted up around the university noticeboards.

Housing is not rented by the week, but it is advertised this way. Students usually receive a weekly allowance from the government so it is much easier to calculate costs.

Basically, a group of people find a flat (house) and everyone signs a contract usually for a year period. If you want to leave the house at any time, you just need to find someone else to take over your room and pay the rent, and they sign over the remainder of the contract. Alternatively there is a floating contract where you are just required to give a certain amount of notice before leaving. Generally the group will open a separate bank account for food, expenses rent etc. Everyone pays a certain amount into the account every week, and each month a lump sum is taken out for rent.

I think I answered your questions.... feel free to PM me for more info

[Ekuboko]

Generally in NZ when you rent a property, you pay a bond (security deposit) of about 2 weeks' rent that the landlord will deposit with the Tenancy Board and then pay two weeks' rent in advance. When you move out if the place, you and the landlord check the property together, and if there is any damage or things missing that you are responsible for, the cost is taken out of the bond before being returned to you.

Places to rent in Christchurch are pretty cheap compared to the rest of the country's cities, but of course the student areas around university are more expensive. And it is student-oriented flats that will incur a fixed-year contract even though uni is not in session for that long.

If your friend wants to live with other people, he could also look in the "Flatmates wanted" section of the classifieds of the Christchurch Press (or online). Wednesdays & Saturdays are the best days to check the paper. I think The Press has online classifieds, but not sure and have to go to class now, sorry.

Seeing as most of Christchurch is flat, it's easy and safe to bike around (paths and traffic signals for bikes), so your friend could easily live closer to the central city. I used to live on the town side of Hagley Park (two bedroom place) and bike through to uni every day in less than 20minutes, as well as walk into town in 10minutes.

If your friend would like some advice on decent suburbs to live in, PM me.

[peemil]

New Zealand is an under-developed third world country without modern amenities like water or electricity.

Most Kiwi's live in abject poverty in shanties, which they put together from scrap they find in the local garbage dumps.

Generally, the population is uneducated, illiterate and prone to violence.

Hope your friend is careful while they're over there.

[fidel]

Two words of advice for your friend

BROCKWORTH PLACE

Check out the noticeboards at Cantab Uni in the student union building and your friend will have no problems.

[peemil]

[wowser]

Try this/ these...

http://www.cce.ac.nz/text/lifeinchch (The following is taken from this site...)

Flatting
An alternative to on-site accommodation is flatting. The estimated rental for a three bedroom house in reasonable condition is NZ$ 180 to NZ$ 250 per week. Suburbs close to the College include Ilam, Riccarton and Upper Riccarton and are within a 10-15 minute bus/car ride and are close to shops and banks. Click on the map of Christchurch. http://www.ccc.govt.nz/maps/wises/

When setting up a flat you need to be aware of additional costs, usually including payment of 2 weeks rent in advance, bond (2 weeks rent) and phone and electricity charges. You may also need to buy furniture. It is important that you know your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. The following links are very useful:

Tenancy Services http://www.dbh.govt.nz/housing/tenancy/index.html
Student Accommodation http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/accom/

Below are some contacts which may be of assistance when looking for a flat:

Warwick Todd Ltd http://www.realenz.net/warwicktodd/
Ray White Church Corner http://www.rwchurchcorner.com/
Whittle Knight & Boatwood Ltd http://www.wkb.co.nz/
Flatting Accommodation http://www.propertystuff.co.nz/e29cc6c1114bd65f/

You will find many flats listed in the 'Flatmates' or 'To Let' sections of the local papers, particularly [b]The Christchurch Press or the Buy, Sell & Exchange.


Look at www.gumtree.com and look under the Christchurch section.

[crazylemongirl]

Yeah everyone flats in New Zealand. His best bet would be to fly in, stay in backpackers or cheap hotel for a few weeks and try and source a flat there. Also remember most of New Zealand will on holdiay until about 7-8 January.

Try this website too.
http://www.propertystuff.co.nz/97a22421d0df26d6/

[fusionbarnone]

I wonder how New Zealanders can afford to work in Korea considering how expensive the country is? Houses(even in poor areas) cost upwards of NZ$270,000 and the trend seems to be increasing. If the country is third world it is quickly becoming pricey which doesn't seem to be happening in some countries known as, "goin beggin". Wages paid in Korea can buy homes in the USA and Canada easily enough(4 years of saving in Korea with what is paid on the ROK) but doing the same in NZ would take decades. ALL of my American friends have told me the same "New Zealand is expensive"

[crazylemongirl]

[sheba]

Yes, the last few years have see a HUGE property boom - HUGE!!!

My grandparents bought a beachfront property around 20 years ago for $60,000. Around 5 years ago they had offers to buy around half a mil, and now the offers are over a mil....

I dont think NZ is expensive compared to other western countries.... the prices may be higher, but the dollar is weaker. NZ definately seems expensive compared to Korea though....

[peemil]

It's all lies.

[fusionbarnone]

BTW: highest ownership of Ferraris in the world too.