Oops ... one thing that I did want to add but forgot in all my soapboxing ...
Newer homes here do have the amenities one would expect in a middle-class house in the US. They don't have the 2,100 square foot McMansions, if that's what you're after, but I have looked at places with nice kitchens, central heat (via heatpump), 2+ bathrooms, walk-in closets, etc. etc.
Also, I do want to add that we're not entirely sold either. Before we came we committed ourselves to being here for 2-3 years (if possible), believing that it would take that long for us to really be able to judge if NZ was for us. Beside not being able to find a teaching job, I've yet to encounter a 'deal breaker' at this point. But, it's only been four months, so ...