Q & A

Farming can be hard work, and it often requires specialist knowledge and skills.
 
If you don’t have farm management experience, consider investing in a farm management course. The Primary Industry Training Organisation is the body accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to deliver skills assessments and training to New Zealand's primary industries.
 
Several New Zealand universities like Massey University (in Wellington) and Lincoln University (in Canterbury), offer specialist farming agricultural courses.  Some of these courses are specifically targeted at farm management, and can help you when buying and setting up a farm, or taking one over.  The courses cover necessary farm theory, and also provide hands-on practical farm training exercises.
 
As a less-thorough alternative to courses, various New Zealand farming industry bodies including Dairy NZ, Beef & Lamb New Zealand, and Horticulture New Zealand can be contacted for advice and information.

Some New Zealand lifestyle blocks can’t be connected up to the telephone network, due to their physical distance from the nearest telephone exchange.  Other Internet connection possibilities do exist, including satellite connections. A number of specialist rural Internet providers can get you connected to the Internet for a low cost. Google ‘satellite broadband’ and shop around for local providers.

Once you've bought a farm, you may decide to invest in farm equipment. You can purchase new farming equipment, or buy second-hard farm equipment (which is often cheaper, but may have a shorter useful life remaining).  The following guidelines will help you to decide the most appropriate option:
 
Features and specifications:

• Research what features and specifications are available (online or in print) for the farm equipment you wish to purchase.
   
• Make a list of the features that are must-have, nice-to-have and unnecessary for your needs (including power and fuel considerations).
   
• Focus on the must-have features when searching for farm equipment.  Buying higher priced equipment with better or additional specifications may help the resale value for that equipment in the future.
   
• Ask about the attachments that are available for your farm equipment.  These attachments can make your farm equipment more versatile.

Value and future costs:

• Research available pricing for your equipment online or in-store, so that you don’t pay too much. Consider auctions for buying second-hand equipment, but ensure you understand true market pricing, to ensure you get a bargain.
   
• Research different brands for different types of farm equipment. No one manufacturer is the best for every type of farm equipment you'll need.
   
• Consider farm equipment dealer support locations. If it’s the type of farm equipment that will need regular maintenance, factor any ongoing fees into your costs of ownership. Buy brands of equipment that you know can be serviced within a convenient distance of your farm at a reasonable price.
   
• Consider your likely level of use of the equipment. It may be ok to buy cheaper brands if your use of the equipment will only be light. It's worth investing in better brands for more heavy uses, where quality is important.

 

• If attachments aren’t included with the base unit, make sure you can easily obtain these at a reasonable cost. Versatility may save future expenses.

 
Condition and quality

• Check the condition of farm equipment carefully, to correctly assess value.
   
• Electronics on farm equipment must not be obsolete or unserviceable locally.  Electronics that cannot be serviced could render the equipment worthless.
   
• Watch out for smoky or hard to start engines, gears that won’t engage or structural problems like cracks and fractures in frames and plated areas. These are red flags that often point to much bigger problems.
   
• If you’re not a farming expert, take someone who is with you to inspect the farming equipment you intend to buy (new or second hand).  Their experience could stop you from spending money unnecessarily on faulty farm implements, or on equipment that isn't suited to your intended task or usage.

• ·         Zoning – Will the local council permit your intended land use?
  
  
  ·         Size – Do you need space for a small farm with animals, or simple lifestyle pursuits? Or do you need a larger space to develop gardens and farm crops?
  
  
  ·         Rates and charges - Council rates are typically based on property value and are often calculated differently for rural properties than for urban real estate. You should be able to get information about rates and other local charges form the relevant local council website.
  
  
  ·         Neighbours - It’s a good idea to meet your potential rural neighbours before you take the plunge. While a rural property will give you more lifestyle space, there may be other issues such as land access, easements and rights of way.  You should discuss these items up-front with neighbours to avoid surprises.
  
  
  ·         Type and size of house – Do you want to live in a classic Victorian homestead or a modern townhouse? How much space will you need? Do you want a house to do up, or a house with minimal maintenance required?
  
  
  ·         Water availability and quality – In rural New Zealand communities without a local water supply, rain-water collection from roofs is common. Check that your water tank system has been well maintained, to ensure water quality.
   
  ·         Fences – Do you plan to keep livestock or pets on your property? If so, you’ll need to install adequate fencing to keep them in, and to keep any pests out.
   

• If your rural property can’t be connected to the telephone exchange, don’t worry.  There are other telephone connectivity options for most rural properties, including satellite internet and telephone connections. There are various specialist rural internet providers available who can get you connected inexpensively. Just Google the words ‘satellite broadband’ and shop around for local providers in your area.

The definition of rural land includes any land that is used or intended to be used for the grazing of livestock, dairy farming, poultry farming, grape growing, orchards, beekeeping, horticulture, the growing of crops of any kind, and vegetable growing.

This intended usage makes the soil quality and land slope more important than the land you buy for a family home.  Some important issues to keep in mind are:

• Is the land surrounding the lifestyle block you want to purchase used mainly for agriculture, commercial purposes or private use?
• Does the property already have appropriate Council approvals and the correct zoning for any external buildings or other developments you have planned?
• Consider your own health and age. Will you have regular need for medical facilities and services that are only found in cities and regional centres?  Does your new rural location have a doctor or medical centre nearby?
• Does the Sale and Purchase Agreement for your lifestyle block include any required licenses such as water usage rights etc?  It's very important to make sure that you know what is, and what is not, included in your purchase.  Get legal advice if you are a first time lifestyle block buyer, to minimise risks.
• How easy will it be for you to have utilities such as power, gas, sewage and phone connected to your lifestyle block?  What costs are involved?
• Check for flood plains, areas with access problems or limited water supply.
• Check for any easements or rights of way that may be through the property. Even though they may have not been used for some time, their use by others can affect your own usage rights.
• Check that effective noxious pest controls are in place on your land. Pest eradication can be expensive, so prevention is usually the best approach.

If you are considering buying undeveloped rural land, check the following:

• Water tables, depth, quality and reliability
• Closeness of utilities like water, gas, electricity, telephone and any costs to bring them to the land / property for installation and maintenance
• Local road maintenance and accessibility, and any potential costs to connect these up to the property

• Countryside living is great for most families, and most families learn to love the simplicity that it offers over time.  With less leisure distractions than in the city, and comparative isolation from neighbours, many families actually spend more time together.  Families eat together, play together, and often work together.
  Regional areas of New Zealand typically have lower crime rates than cities, good quality roads and infrastructure, and good health care. Countryside living also provides plenty of wide open spaces for children to play safely in. Rural communities typically work with community groups like Rotary and Lions, with Government agencies, and with schools, to provide children with many of the same sporting, social, arts and other opportunities that they could access in city areas.
  As rural land is a lot cheaper than land found in cities, it's more likely you can afford a property with plenty of outdoor space. You can work together as a family (parents, and children) to achieve simple country living goals, like growing veggies in the garden or building a hen house and raising some chicks.

• Children will take time to adapt to any change of home location.  Once they've settled, most children really enjoy living in the countryside.  Older teenagers may initially miss city nightclubs and attractions like amusement parks, but younger children should adapt more easily.  An important aspect of settling in the location for children will be their making of age-appropriate friends at their local school.
  Children living in the countryside can reap the benefits of living in a small, close knit community, along with the values it instils.  Happier children make for happier parents, so moving to the countryside is often positive for the whole family unit.

Most New Zealand areas have a relatively consistent amount of rainfall throughout the year, but there are regional variations, which are largely dependent on the landscape. The West Coast of the South Island is the wettest part of New Zealand.  The East Coast of the South Island is the driest, due largely to the rain shadow caused by the Southern Alps.
 
Despite regular rainfall, some areas of New Zealand will suffer from occasional droughts. The year 2013 saw one of the worst and most widespread New Zealand droughts. That drought affected southern Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, the central North Island, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, the Wairarapa, and parts of the north and west of the South Island, for over a month.
 
Previous droughts occurred in 2007, 2008 and 2010, so the 2013 drought is not an isolated case.  If you are purchasing a lifestyle block, you should definitely consider rainfall and the effects on your land if it does not arrive.  The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) is the authoritative source for weather information in New Zealand.  It's a Crown Research Institute established in 1992.
 
Farmers in the region you’re moving to will also be good resources to help you understand the long term weather trends, and the best ways to cope with weather up's and down's. Our First National Rural Specialists can really help too. Contact us now, and we’ll happily share our comprehensive rural expertise with you.