5 Reasons To Move To Otago

Mountains, rivers and lakes, stunning cities with unique atmospheres, globally top-ranked universities need we say more about the Otago region? Otago is one of the most beautiful and liveable regions in New Zealand, so there’s no wonder why you’re contemplating moving there. Today, we’ll set you on the right path and outline five top reasons to move to Otago.

Education

Otago is basically synonymous with ‘fantastic education’. The facilities in Otago are some of the world’s best for education: The University of Otago, in Dunedin, consistently ranks within the top 1% of universities in the world. Dunedin is known as a student town, with many kiwis and international students flocking to the beautiful city to get their degrees.

Family life

Family life in Otago is simply a dream. It’s perfect for all ages, from young ones to grandparents. Otago is a great place to raise children with many great primary and high schools, like Mount Aspiring School in Wanaka and King’s High School in Dunedin.

As you could imagine, Weekends are never dull – especially if you choose to live in Queenstown – the adventure capital of New Zealand – or close to it.

Jobs

Otago is a particularly great region to live in if you’re in education, tourism, technology, or any creative fields. Dunedin, for example, became a UNESCO Creative City of Literature in 2014, so if you’re an aspiring novelist, writer, or simply a book lover, your skills will be welcomed in Otago. Likewise, tourism is a huge part of the region. Adventure sports in Queenstown draws a massive amount of tourists each year, as do nature-based holidays in the region. And, as education is such an integral part of the region, teachers and university lecturers are always in high demand.

Housing prices

If the house prices on the North Island are getting to you, it’s time to check out Otago. While the median house price in Auckland is around $1.25mil in the Otago region, it is $721,000 – almost half that of Auckland. Moving to Otago is not only great for your family but great for your wallet too.

Nature

As humans, we crave being close to nature. Whether you’re a full-on outdoor adventure type who loves nothing more than camping, hiking, and water-skiing or have a more casual relationship with nature, Otago is the best place to get away from the hustle and bustle of a big city and appreciate the great outdoors.

Ready to move to Otago? Get in touch with New Zealand Movers. They’re your experts in intercity and international moves, helping you get settled in the Otago region, wherever you’re coming from.

New Zealand Movers pride themselves on a professional, affordable service, offering full-scale moves with packing and storage included if necessary. Get a quote from New Zealand Movers today.

 

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5 Reasons To Move To Canterbury

Christchurch, and the entire Canterbury region, is one of the best places in New Zealand. Not only to visit, as so many of us do but to live there. Mountains, beaches, and national parks are all part of the deal when you move to Canterbury, along with the perks of a modern, international city. Here are our top 5 reasons to move to Canterbury and why New Zealand Movers are the team to get you there.

Housing is refreshingly affordable

One of the best things about moving to the Canterbury region is that you’re almost always saving money when buying or renting a house, compared to the North Island. The median house price in the Canterbury region is around $680,000, while it’s well over a million in Auckland and Wellington.

Job opportunities in Christchurch

Job opportunities in Canterbury are plentiful. The Canterbury region has seen its fair share of hardship in the past decade, but the city of Christchurch has quickly set about rebuilding itself, with plenty of work to be done in construction, IT, retail, and hospitality. No matter what field you’re in, there are plenty of job opportunities in New Zealand’s second-biggest city.

It’s practically designed for family life

Canterbury is a haven for families, with top-ranking primary and secondary schools like Rangi Ruru Girls’ School and Middleton Grange School, alongside highly-rated universities like The University of Canterbury.

Not only is there world-class education but plenty of family-friendly activities. Weekends are spent the way they should be – hiking, bike-riding, picnicking, and going to the beach on warm days.

Nature

Nature is one of the biggest drawcards of the Canterbury region. Mountains, rivers, and beaches are all big parts of life in Christchurch, with national parks dotted all over the region. You’re also super close to New Zealand’s national playground: the Otago region, where hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to each year for adventure sports.

International city

Ōtautahi, Christchurch is an international city, home to New Zealand’s first international airport. You can go straight from Christchurch to Australia, Singapore, the USA, and Dubai to anywhere in Europe, with frequent services from the city.

Sold on moving to Canterbury? Get in touch with New Zealand Movers. They’re your experts in intercity and international moves, helping you get settled in the Canterbury region, wherever you are moving from.

New Zealand Movers pride themselves on a professional, affordable service, offering full-scale moves with packing and storage included if necessary. Get a quote from New Zealand Movers today.

Pet Relocations

Our four-legged friends are an integral part of the family, they gave us undivided love and attention, helping the whole family with moral support.

So, if you’re moving to a new place, then there’s no question that they’re coming too. Thankfully, pet relocation is a lot easier and more affordable than it used to be. In this post, we’ll outline everything you need to know about relocating locally and internationally with your pet.

Managing intercity pet relocations

If you’re moving to another city in New Zealand, relocating with your pet is pretty straightforward. Put your dog in a secure section of the car or your cat in their travelling box and hit the road! If you’re crossing the island, this is still perfectly fine; pets are allowed on the Cook Strait ferry too. But what about if you’re moving a little further away?

Managing international pet relocations

Taking your pet overseas can seem like a very stressful task. Luckily, the team at New Zealand Movers are experts in international pet relocation. The first step is to give them a call. They’ll talk you through the entire process, necessary paperwork and explain the operations of their trusted partners in international pet travel.

How to prepare your fur baby for international travel

Before your pet becomes an international jetsetter, there are a couple of ways in which you’ll need to prepare.

Talk to your vet

Booking a full check-up with the vet before going overseas is essential. Your vet will give you a clear idea about your pet’s general health, administer the necessary vaccines for arrival in your new country, and, if not completed already, will implant the ISO-compliant microchip in your pet.

  • Get groomed
    Make sure your pet is groomed before the flight. This prevents them from excessive scratching and makes them more comfortable for the journey.
  • Crate training
    One of the most important parts of international pet relocation is crate training. Your pet needs to fly in an IATA-approved pet crate, and they need to be comfortable with this before the flight. That’s where crate training comes into play – to associate the crate with a safe, happy place. Start with short periods of crate training, building up slowly until your pet can happily sleep in the crate overnight.
  • Stock up on favourite toys
    To help your pet be totally comfortable during the flight, you should line the crate with their pet’s favourite blanket, a favourite toy, and an old piece of clothing that smells like their owner. These things are super comforting and help your pet stay relaxed in the overnight flight cabin.

To start the ball rolling on a pet relocation, talk to the team at New Zealand Movers. Being the country’s favourite business for international moves, they’ve helped countless people move their pets overseas, ensuring that they’re happy, healthy, and prepared for the move.

How Long Should It Take To Move House

Moving house soon? You’ve sorted out where you’re going, how you’re getting there, and what day is the big move. But what about how long it will take? You need to make sure you’ve covered everything off in your diary – most notably work commitments.

The answer depends on a few different factors: the number of items you have, where you’re moving to, and the efficiency of your moving team. Let’s take a closer look.

How big is your home?

There’s a pretty clear relationship between the size of the home and the speed of moving. The bigger your house is, the more possessions you have and the more time it will take to move everything. Families of four and more usually take a few hours to move all their stuff. Your moving team should allocate the whole day to moving your belongings (if it’s a local, same-city move) but should only take 4.5-6 hours to get it all done. Singles and couples can usually get their stuff moved within three or four hours.

Where are you moving to?

Whether you’re moving across the street or across the globe, you should find a friendly, professional moving team who knows their stuff. Of course, the further away you move, the longer it’ll take to get your things there. Allow a couple of days for intercity moves and several weeks for international moves. There are two primary transport options for international relocations, Air freight and sea freight. Air freight is a significantly faster option than sea freight however is usually more expensive.

In the current COVID climate, there are significant delays will international shipping. To find out more about how long it will take for international moves, contact the team at New Zealand Movers.

When are you moving?

Let’s not forget good, old traffic. The day you choose to move will also be a factor in how long it takes to move house. Weekdays, between the morning and evening rush, is usually the quickest time to get your possessions from A to B. Weekends might be more convenient, but traffic tends to be consistently busy.

Other considerations

Whether you need additional services may also influence the time it takes to move. Consider your need for full-scale moving services, including packing, storage, and unpacking.

Which team of movers are you choosing?

And, finally, one of the most important decisions is who you hire to move your household effects. A team of amateur movers won’t get the job done as efficiently as a team of professionals like New Zealand Movers.

New Zealand Movers pride themselves on highly organised, efficient, and time- and saving moving services. They’re one of the country’s leading companies for relocations, helping Kiwi families get into their new homes sooner. Give New Zealand Movers a call 0800 000 022 today for a fast, affordable quote.

5 Reasons To Move To Auckland’s North Shore

Sandy beaches, family-friendly suburbs, and a fast-growing population: Auckland’s North Shore is one of the best urban areas in New Zealand.

From chic, beachside neighbourhoods like Devonport to the family-orientated suburbs of Albany, the North Shore offers a range of diverse living options.

Here are our top 5 reasons to move to Auckland‘s North Shore.

A range of quality suburbs

The North Shore is a large urban area of Auckland, and within it lies many top suburbs. Two of Auckland’s most sought-after suburbs, Takapuna and Devonport, known for their beaches, community feel, upmarket retail, and café scene, are located on the North Shore about 20 minutes from the city centre.

A little further north, you have the suburbs of Rosedale and Albany, which present perfect options for family life. Houses are slightly more affordable in these areas compared to Devonport and Takapuna.

Education

Some of New Zealand’s best schools are located on Auckland’s North Shore. The prestigious Takapuna Grammar School is consistently top-ranked in the country, along with Westlake Boys’ High School and Carmel College being local favourites.

Giving your children the best education possible is the aim of every loving parent and moving to the North Shore guarantees this.

Beaches

The North Shore beaches are one of the region’s biggest drawcards, and the best part is that they’re pretty much everywhere. There are café-laden beaches like Devonport and Takapuna Beach and popular beaches further north, perfect for picnics and family weekends like Browns Bay and Long Bay Beach.

The North Shore is ideal for families who want to give their kids a true coastal upbringing.

Commute to the CBD

Getting from the North Shore to the CBD is easy, depending on which suburbs you’re in. Northcote, Hillcrest, and Glenfield are all 10-20 minutes’ drive from the CBD and have direct bus routes. In contrast, Devonport, Bayswater, Beach Haven, and Birkenhead all have ferry lines to and from the CBD, presenting a fantastic alternative route to work… and a beautiful way to start and finish your day!

Family life

As you can tell by all of the amazing features of the North Shore, it’s absolutely ideal for family life. In terms of practicality, the North Shore has everything you could ask for, and there’s little need to cross the bridge for shopping, medical and specialist appointments, sports commitments, and more.

The North Shore is one of our favourite spots in New Zealand. To get you settled into your new North Shore home, get in touch with the experts at New Zealand Movers.

As NZ’s largest and most trusted nationwide moving company, New Zealand Movers specialise in family moves for local, intercity, and international relocations. No matter where you’re moving from, New Zealand Movers will get you into your North Shore home. Get a quote today.

5 Reasons To Move To Parnell

Tree-lined streets with large, extraordinary homes, world-class schools, cosmopolitan living with a strong community feel: there’s no other place in Auckland like Parnell. Consistently ranked within the top three most affluent suburbs in Auckland, there’s no wonder why everyone wants a little piece of Parnell.

In this post, we’ll outline five reasons why you, your partner, and your family should move to Parnell.

The homes

Parnell is the Beverly Hills of Auckland. As Auckland’s oldest suburb, it’s home to some of New Zealand’s finest examples of domestic architecture – large estates, Edwardian townhouses, and 1920s bay villas are all part of the architectural delight that characterises Parnell.

Property in Parnell is some of the priciest in the country, but what you pay for is what you get – and, in Parnell, you’re getting the best of the best in terms of property.

The schools

Parnell is one of the best suburbs in the Southern Hemisphere for education. Ranking consistently high in the Education Index, New Zealand is already one of the best countries in the world for education. Some of New Zealand’s best schools lie within a stone’s throw from Parnell, including Auckland Grammar School and Epsom Girls’ Grammar School. The University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology are also close by.

Cosmopolitan lifestyle

Not only is Parnell the ideal family suburb, but it’s also one of the best suburbs for the young professional. Parnell Road is the main food and entertainment strip in the suburb, home to plenty of cafes, wine bars, patisseries, restaurants, and more. There’s never a dull evening when you live in Parnell.

Close to the CBD

Parnell is in super close proximity to the CBD, making the morning commute to work an absolute dream. You can take a short bus or train ride into the city with regular public transport options.

What’s more, there are plenty of bike lanes connecting Parnell to the city.

Not only, is Parnell close to Auckland CBD it is also close to popular districts Ponsonby, known for its restaurant scene and Newmarket, known for upscale retail and high fashion.

Close to the best beaches in Auckland

And to top it all off, Parnell is also nearby some of the best beaches in Auckland.

When you live in Parnell, summer is a dream as it’s just a few-minute drive to Mission Bay Beach, St Heliers, and a stroll from the Parnell Baths – a 100-year-old set of saltwater baths on the edge of Judges Bay.

When moving to a premier suburb like Parnell, you need an expert team of movers. New Zealand Movers are one of the country’s most trusted and reputable moving companies, having moved countless Kiwis into the suburb of Parnell. Get in touch with New Zealand Movers to discuss your move today.

Five Reasons to Move to Asia

Feel like wandering the crowded streets of Shinjuku on your lunch break? What about climbing the Great Wall of China on your day off? Or visiting the Taj Mahal when you get the chance? Sounds like you’re ready to make the move to the world’s largest and most populous continent: Asia! There are about a thousand reasons why moving to Asia is something you should do, but we won’t write you a thesis. Instead, we’re going to boil all those reasons down to our top five, and then we’ll let you know who to call to make your move to Asia happen.

1) Culture change

If you feel like getting out of New Zealand, and you really want to experience somewhere different, then you simply must move to Asia. Sure, you could move to Europe or America or Canada, and you’d see a slight change in the culture, but other Western countries share a much similar culture with New Zealand than any country in Asia does. Moving to Asia means you’ll get to see a completely different way of life – something that most New Zealanders won’t get the chance to experience.

2) The people

Asian people are known for being warm, funny, welcoming and hospitable. Even if there are language barriers, you’ll find that you’ll meet people and make friends without any trouble. It’s rare for Asian people to meet a New Zealander, so you’ll be a total novelty to them!

3) The food

If you consider yourself a bit of a foodie, with Asian food being a particular weak spot of yours, then strap yourself in for a food journey of a lifetime. Every single country in Asia has an entirely unique cuisine, let alone the different regions within those countries. The naan in Northern India, the sashimi in Sapporo, the kimchi in Korea… you won’t be able to go anywhere without being tempted by delicious, authentic (and inexpensive) food.

4) The atmosphere

If you thought Auckland was a hoot on a Saturday night, get ready to see what real liveliness is. Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul, Jakarta… these are all cities with millions and millions of people, many times the size of New Zealand itself. In other words, these cities never sleep. There’s always a party when you move to Asia.

5) Moving into your apartment with NZ Movers.

Apartment living is the most common form of accommodation in most Asian cities. It may take some adjusting and reorganising if you’re used to living in a house. But with New Zealand Movers, they’ll help you massively in that department. NZ Movers have helped countless Kiwis pack up their bags and head to Asia for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They’ve helped Kiwis navigate language barriers and get their belongings to their new Asian city, reliably and affordably – or, if their apartment can’t fit all their belongings, NZ Movers offer storage services too. As New Zealand’s most experienced team in international moves, NZ Movers are your go-to team for moving to Asia. Get in touch on 0800 000 022 and start your journey sooner.

Moving into an Apartment Checklist

There are so many benefits of living in an apartment, rather than a unit, townhouse or house. Firstly, you’ve got less space, so it’s much easier to work with what you’ve got and make your apartment look fab. Secondly, they’re so much easier to keep clean! And thirdly, you get a true sense of living a cosmopolitan lifestyle, because presumably you’re in the city, or close to it. So, before you’re popping open bottles of champagne in your cosy place, here are a few essential things to tick off when you move.

Furniture

No matter where we live, we need furniture like tables, chairs and beds. Apartments are usually smaller than homes, so you’ll find that less furniture takes up a lot more space than it would in a house. This means you should check off a few things before going out and getting your furniture.

  • Measurements
    Pay more attention to measurements when buying furniture in your apartment. You want to avoid buying a sofa that’s too big for your lounge room.
  • Lift size
    Make sure you can fit your furniture into the lift, if that’s what you’re using to transport your stuff to your apartment. Most apartments in NZ don’t come with those neat little hooks like what they have in the Netherlands.

Kitchen

Your kitchen should be fully stocked with all the utensils and crockery you need to make and enjoy your meals. Here are some of the essential things to consider

  • Kitchen space
    Just like with your furniture, you don’t want to overdo it with your kitchen goods if you have limited kitchen space. Make sure you’ve set everything up as efficiently and ergonomically as possible so that you’re economising on space.
  • Logical layout
    Conserve your time when making meals in the kitchen by laying out your utensils logically.

Bathroom

The bathroom is one of the most-frequented rooms in an apartment. There are little differences between house bathrooms and apartment bathrooms, but if your bathroom doesn’t have towel racks, we suggest rolling up your towels and putting a bathroom fern next to them for perfect presentation.

To-Do List

Make sure you’ve written these tasks down on your to-do list before moving into an apartment:

  • Organise electricity and gas
  • Organise internet
  • Redirect post to your new place
  • Organise contents insurance

Book in with New Zealand Movers

And last, but not least, make a booking with New Zealand Movers to make all of this happen. They’re New Zealand’s best team of movers and packers, helping you get into your new apartment as smoothly, reliably and affordably as possible. Get in touch with NZ Movers and make the move towards your new apartment.

Apartment living

5 Reasons to Move to the USA

The flashing lights of Broadway, golden Venice Beach, the Hollywood sign calling your name – it’s a party in the USA! What can we say about the third largest country on Earth? With over 330 million people, there’s never a dull moment when you move to America. Thousands of cities, millions of people and opportunities are waiting for you to discover them. So, if it’s time for a change of pace, and you think you might like to swap New Zealand for New York, then here are 5 great reasons to do it!

1) Time for adventure

Everyone knows that the USA is one giant playground. It’d probably take you an entire lifetime to discover all that America has to offer. There’s a reason they call New York City the ‘concrete jungle’, for example: it’s so easy to get lost inside it. If you’ve been missing that feeling of wanderlust, then moving America is the best thing you can do to scratch that itch – you’ll always be left with a feeling of wanting more.

2) Endless choices of lifestyle

Being such a vast place, there’s literally endless choices when it comes to lifestyle in the USA. If you feel like experiencing a mega metropolis, then Los Angeles, New York and Chicago should be plenty big enough to tick that box. Feel like being somewhere less mind-bogglingly large, but still an important cultural capital? Think about San Francisco, New Orleans or Seattle. And if you’ve always dreamed of life away from the big cities, there’s plenty of rural places too.

3) Catch a sports game

The USA is a sporting nation, just like Australia, and although their sport looks quite different to ours, we can guarantee you’ll still have fun. There’s baseball, basketball and NFL to look forward. With almost 1000 sports stadiums across the country, the US has the highest number of sporting facilities in the world, so we can be sure you won’t miss out on a good game.

4) Road trips galore

The USA is the ultimate road trip nation. It’s pretty much where great road trips were born! Jump in the car and meander through the vast country, seeing sights like Mount Rushmore, the Great Canyon and Yosemite National Park. Planning the road trip is one of the best parts, so make sure you do your research.

5) Work opportunities and moving with NZ Movers

If you’re moving to the US for work, there are plenty of opportunities for you. With a population of over 300 million people, you’ll slot right into your place in society. And when you need a top quality mover, experienced in international moves, you need NZ Movers. They’re NZ’s experts on international relocation, having helped hundreds of Kiwis just like you make the move to the USA. Get in touch with their team to organise a quote and get one step closer to living the American dream.

5 Tips for Planning Your Move

Planning is the key to success, and it’s applicable to most things in life – including such an important life decision like moving houses. If you don’t succeed in planning your move, then it’s impossible for your moving experience to be successful either. So, to avoid a stressful move, here are 5 tips you need to employ during the planning stages.

1) Make lists

Lists are a great way to organise the way you move. To-do lists, purchase lists, get-rid-of lists: the list of lists goes on. These are all great ways to have something tangible in front of you which guides you through your moving journey.

2) Clean your new place before moving in

Another pro tip: clean your new place before moving day, not afterwards! Having no belongings in the house is the best time to clean it because there are no obstructions. It’s also nice to get settled into a fresh new place when it’s lovely and clean.

3) Book ahead

The best way to ensure your move is not a complete and utter disaster is to leave it till last minute to book the moving company. So, how do we avoid this? Write your to-do list, that you need to book your moving company.

4) Get rid of things you don’t need

One of the most satisfying tasks is getting having a clear out and getting rid of things you don’t need. Broken treadmill covered in cobwebs in the shed? Donate it. Air fryer that you were given last Christmas but have never used? Re-gift. Collection of clothes you don’t wear anymore? Op shop. There’s nothing better than clearing up the house in the lead up to the move.

5) Choose the right mover

You can’t just choose any mover – you’ve got to choose the best one possible. This is where the team at New Zealand Movers enters the picture and saves the day.

NZ Movers are one of New Zealand’s most dedicated, diligent and versatile teams of movers and packers. They can help you move whether you’re a single student heading off to a different city to study, or a family of five who’s looking for a bigger place. NZ Movers pride themselves on delivering the best quality service at competitive prices, so call them up and grab a quote today.