I specialize in New Zealand property acquisition and focus on Wanaka property with a colleague working on Arrowtown and Queenstown property search, analysis, purchase and relocation projects.
As you can imagine the market is relatively dead at the moment. Marion and I are using this precious time to connect with our young families – really relishing where we live and feeling so grateful for the quality of life we have on a daily basis, even under such limited conditions. In many ways it reflects the real essence of why we both relocated here from the North Island, over the past couple of decades.
Lockdown could look so much worse and does for many other families throughout New Zealand. Both Marion and I are able to cope with active boys and enjoy quality time with them in the outdoors from our front lawns, while not even coming near to others. Walks and bike rides on our deserted country laneways, down to the rivers within easy striking distance. Our pets proving invaluable over the past couple of weeks.
Being able to avoid the supermarkets with being self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables is such a bonus. I have even been able to fill in spare time with stocking the pantry with healthy tasty provisions for the next year from the orchard and vegetable gardens.
Hens free range in the paddock to provide fresh, super healthy eggs. All we are missing is the milking cow, heaven forbid!!!
We have our wonderful climate – my favorite time of year is autumn and so far, the lockdown hasn’t impacted on our winter or summer activities. Fingers crossed.
It is comforting living within a small cohesive community and with a sense of camaraderie and spirit. People trust and look after each other especially in small town New Zealand.
Having an outlook from our homes helps to stem the feeling of isolation and loneliness. The night sky’s enhancing coziness at the end of a day of family, exercise and an abundance of delicious food.
To thoughts of the future. The inspiring people of our community have largely arrived here with a background that satisfied the financial burden to get you here, but this was often not a sustainable or feasible option once here and has resulted in an entrepreneurial community of reinvented toilers. There is a sense of respect that these are the people who returned home after a holiday and actually made the sacrifices required to relocate to this paradise. This population of hard-working optimists will stand us all in great stead over the next months and years as the local, national and international economy reshapes itself into the new world we live in.
Speaking with locals we feel that our sense of community will rise in the wake of this, back to the levels we knew a decade ago before being swamped by tourists. Most people moved here to enjoy the clean air, to connect with nature and enjoy the thriving natural food scene. These things are not going to change, in fact they will be enhanced.
We had as a nation already started talking about the impact of campers and backpackers on the environment, and this gives us time to weigh up what’s important to us against the waves of tourist dollars coming in.
It’s our time to sit down as communities and as a New Zealand family and decide who we want to be and make some decisions to make us stronger and better.
On a personal note, as I reflect on this time, I feel truly privileged living in a caring community within a spectacular rural environment. And that being part of a country with strong, compassionate and decisive leadership made me feel truly blessed.
Once we emerge from our isolation there will be the financial consequences of the virus to deal with and the impact on the New Zealand property market will be a daily reality for us. Marion and I have remained fully connected with our contacts and are poised to assist our buyers. There are currently no flights into Queenstown. We will be able to view, evaluate and connect out of town buyers efficiently with the inevitable opportunities that the market will offer. We have vast experience, skills and respect for evaluating opportunities on behalf of absentee buyers.
If ours is the lifestyle that this global tragedy has pointed you to, then please reach out to us for a personalised service on your behalf to make a New Zealand property acquisition a reality for you.