[djm]

Hello everyone, newbies here,

Needing some opinions please.

We are a 2 child family living on the Gold Coast, Australia. We are middle to low income earners. With housing affordability now a crisis here, there is no way we can afford to buy a home here, depressing-depressing. Anyway's we are kiwis considering returning to NZ.

While we are aware NZ has housing affordability problems, we have been very surprised with house prices in the Manawatu region, (lower NTH island)different areas 3 bedroom houses going for roughly $150'000. I can understand kiwis who have been living in cities such as Auckland where it can be very expensive for some, moving to the Gold Coast where it is probably still cheaper, but comparing prices in the Manawatu region for the same here on the Gold Coast, $150'000 is wayyyyy cheaper.

People give us the same ole argument of lower wages/higher cost of living.....
I suppose for us, even on NZ wages/cost of living, $150'000 seems reasonable for a 3 bedroom house.... or is it not...?!

Combined we earn about $50'000 NET per YR, but obviously in NZ that would be significantly lower.... probably putting us in the low income bracket. Please anyone who is in a similar monetary situation, 1-2 children family, is a $150'000 mortgage an out of reach goal for a low income earning family??

Thank you,
djm