New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Often confused with Australia because of its close proximity both geographically and culturally, New Zealand stands apart from its Western cousin when it comes to the natural scenery. The beautiful surroundings make New Zealand a natural place for the luxury home market to flourish.
Legislation regarding who can buy property in the country has become somewhat more stringent in recent times however. It is hard to say exactly why this is, as New Zealand prides itself on being a diverse and open society. Nevertheless, new legislation makes purchasing property difficult for anyone who is not a native born citizen or a tax paying resident. There are also loopholes for citizens of Australia and Singapore, as New Zealand has an agreement with both of those countries.
For those wanting to purchase a home in on the world’s most beautiful locations this new legislation does provide a few problems. The process of becoming a naturalized citizen is of course long. While New Zealand is welcoming to all peoples from all backgrounds, it does take several years to actually become a naturalized citizen. This is not surprising. Even the United States, which lets in over 1 million immigrants a year (not including illegals), has a lengthy process for naturalization that can take upwards of five years.
The best way to become eligible to purchase a home in New Zealand is to marry some one from that country. This is the fastest way to become a legal home buyer in the country. Of course one should never seek a relationship with someone purely for utilitarian purposes. However, if one is looking to buy a home in New Zealand than the chances are good that he or she is going to be spending a lot of his or her time in the country.
Unless one is already in a relationship than it would not be a bad idea to look around for love in the country which one would like to make his or her future home. Ultimately, buying a home in a different country is a big decision. If one is to make such a big decision than it would be wise to correspond it to the other big life decision of marriage.