Cracker by Damian Christie

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Cracker: Johnny Foreigner & the Auckland Property Market

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  • FletcherB, in reply to Jim Welch,

    I keep seeing this, like giving your passport to your lawyer along with the million pieces of paper you have to provide to complete a property purchase is such an outrageous idea. It seems to me a small, easily satisfied requirement. If you don’t have a passport, I’m sure a copy of your birth certificate would do it.

    It’s no big deal if you’ve got one… but if you dont have one, it could be a problem.

    Who in NZ is likely to not have a passport? Any immigrant, whether legally resident or just visiting, is likely to have one . Any NZer who’s travelled overseas will have one (even if expired), but seeing as travelling overseas is not a requirement of purchasing property.. it’s likely that most property purchasers who don’t have a passport are NZers… except for the Australians who came here before 1982 (or so?) when passports were not required for Australians to enter.

    But then… lets say you HAVE a passport… but choose not to present it… maybe you want to pretend to be a NZer when you’re not really one?

    A birth certificate is not a bad idea… but we don’t all have them… they cost money and time to get. I have them for my kids because I chose to pay the (small) fee when they were born… but I assume this is not universal? I have no idea how long it takes to procure one from internal affairs if you dont already have one? How long can you hold up a property sale to determine if the purchasers are allowed to buy?

    None of these issues are insurmountable… but having to invest $150+ and six weeks advance planning in a little book just to prove you're allowed to purchase is quite a change of culture from simply signing a sale/purchase agreement with vendor or agent, swapping lawyers details, and making sure the funds are available…

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report

  • Robert Urquhart,

    I've lived in NZ all my life with no need of a passport. The only photo ID I possess is my drivers licence and I'm damned if I can see why I should need another. I have friends my own age (30s) with neither, and I think it's fair to say that they feel discriminated against in a number of common situations involving financial transactions.

    Christchurch • Since Mar 2009 • 163 posts Report

  • linger,

    @FletcherB:
    Which incidentally brings me to one of my pet peeves: New Zealand birth certificates have an expiry date, and have to be “renewed”. That can’t be anything other than pure revenue gathering. I don’t plan on getting unborn, or even reborn, any time soon.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report

  • FletcherB, in reply to linger,

    Which incidentally brings me to one of my pet peeves: New Zealand birth certificates have an expiry date, and have to be “renewed”.

    Um… are you sure? I have a 2002 and a 2004 example in front of me, and I cant see any expiry date, and I’ve just read all the fine-print to make sure.

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I'm fairly sure I had to produce a passport at some point when buying a house, primarily so the bank could be sure they were dealing with the actual me rather than some impostor.

    Anyway, I don't think you actually have to evidence NZ citizenship when purchasing something like a farm that *is* subject to the act. The enforcement requirements are post-facto - one can be fined or forced to sell the property, etc.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to FletcherB,

    Which incidentally brings me to one of my pet peeves: New Zealand birth certificates have an expiry date, and have to be “renewed”.

    Um… are you sure? I have a 2002 and a 2004 example in front of me, and I cant see any expiry date, and I’ve just read all the fine-print to make sure.

    Mine cost me $7 back in 1984. There's no mention of an expiry date anywhere. I happen to have it handy because I used it only last week to establish my ID with both a bank and a government department.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Brent Jackson,

    Because I plan to live here for a very long time, all the increased value does is increase my rates.

    and your ability to secure business loans, etc

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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