HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS?

 

For a while now we've talked about selling up here and downsizing to a smaller residence or even an apartment. This has been driven by several factors; first, we're ageing and have to consider medical emergencies due to our health issues; second, we live a half hour drive away from shops, services, health outlets etc; third, there is no public transport here and we are totally dependent on a car that always works; and fourth, we have an old house that requires maintenance and have a smallish property that still requires gardening, tree cutting and general rubbish removal by trailer to the tip (a half hour drive away).

We thought we'd make the change in a few years but have now decided to do it straight away.

Wellington is going to be our destination. The Old Girl has few relatives left alive but one of her cousins who moved to New Zealand a decade or so ago has now permanently relocated to Wellington. I have friends in Wellington and a sister living in Waikanae. These factors really dictated selecting Wellington but for me it's returning home.

We will sell our house first and have the money banked before we look to buy in Wellington although I have spied a couple of prospects but am unsure about the neighbours:

Actually, Oriental Bay or Wellington waterfront are the desired locations. We will not 'fall in love' with a place before having the sale money in our pockets though and, if we can't find the right place will rent in Wellington for a few months while looking.

Ideally I'd like to get the house on the market before Christmas which will require a lot of downsizing and a big tidy up. Sanding, painting, cleaning etc is on the cards as will stopping The Old Girl from getting a new kitchen, bathroom and laundry built. I have to keep reinforcing to her that it is dead money as new buyers will likely redo it anyway. I'll discuss with a real estate agent when we get one along.

The choice of an apartment rather than a house is because we are looking for an easy care property that we can just lock and leave whenever we travel. Twenty years ago I'd never have considered this but, after having owned apartments in Auckland and lived in fairly large apartments in Toronto and York, the prospect, with the right sized apartment is now a possibility. The Old Girl knows that I like space and that us living together in a tiny apartment is a recipe for disaster. To this end we'll be looking for a 3 bedroom apartment with a couple of bathrooms, a garage and storage space. This is why it might take time. I have already sneaked a peek at some great ones in Oriental Bay that fit the bill but, as I said it's foolish to look too seriously before we have the money and are ready to move.

With luck we might be ensconced in early 2025.