When decorators go mad ...

kunekune

This house is in Hamilton, New Zealand (applied for a job there, keeping an eye on the market). I think the owners have been watching too many decorating shows.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-me-property/Residential-property/Houses-for-sale/auction-274961796.htm

(at current exchange rates it is about £170K, at normal exchange rates maybe £145K)

Millerdog

Maybe its just me then, but I rather like it !

Good Luck with the job hunting, I rather like the idea of that too!:)

kunekune

The pool probably doesn't meet NZ fencing laws, but yes, it is quite nice!

I've lived in Hamilton before, and when this job came up, I thought, Hmmmmm.

BitterAndTwisted

It's a lovely house and there's nothing wrong with it that a deft hand with a paint-brush can't fix in five minutes BUT that pool looks far too close to the house and it seems to be taking up the entire space at the back. Is NZ warm enough to get enough use out of a pool to justify the space it's taking up?

peachyprice

I wouldn't fancy waking up in some of those rooms with a hangover, particulary the green one _pale_

kunekune

Hamilton is, definitely. The temperature in the summer will be in the 20s for 3 months or so, as it is inland and doesn't get the sea breezes. I recall quite a few days in the 30s when a pool was essential after work. Not everyone wants one, they are a lot of work, but we've had them before and definitely they were worth the effort (swimming naked after dark is particularly nice).

It isn't a large section - about 1/6 of an acre I think - but the concreted area isn't the only part of the garden. There are some grassy bits as well. I think that it is close to the house so that they could fence around the patio and keep direct access from the house - the fencing rules are strict, and all doors onto the patio must be self-closing. The more common approach to pool fencing nowadays is to put the pool away from the house, with a separate fence around the pool. It's safer and also during the winter, you're not staring at a cold pool for several months.

catwoman150

some of the rooms are a bit bright and busy. Apart from that the house looks nice, with the pool.

sunshinetours

The pool will probably be warmer than inside the house knowing most NZ houses! NZ'ers seem to be a pretty good bunch of people but they certainly have a very strange idea of their own climate. Australia may only be a few hours away but NZ climate is very different (and very different within parts of NZ aswell!)

An outside pool in North Island of NZ is no more use than one in the SE of the UK IMO

PS good luck with the move by the way - hope the exchange rate picks up for you

kunekune

It depends on where in the North Island: we certainly got use of one for 3-4 months a year in Bay of Plenty and also Auckland. Our first year there, OH tried the pool in September ("but it's spring" he said) That didn't happen again. Bit more reliable summers than here.

But I totally know what you mean about cold houses, I've loved being in a toasty warm house during the winter the last 4 years. I notice that quite a few people are installing heatpumps now, but central heating is extremely rare.

Not sure whether we'll go back: I don't even know whether I've been shortlisted yet. OH jokes that the exchange rate means I will be, as it would be a rather bad time for a move. But I'm applying for jobs in other bits of the UK as well. Going by my recent track record, I expect I'll still be in yorkshire this time next year!!!!