When originally looking for land, we were looking around Wellington. After all, it was where we are both from and grew up. We didn’t even think of anything else.

Then, after a couple of months of looking, we became disheartened. Is that all you get for that? Big money for small sites.

Then it dawned on us. We were not too far from being in a position where we could live anywhere in the country without worry of full time incomes. Thanks to the last 10 years of saving a large percentage of income, we could take large income drops and still be OK.

So we considered some spots outside of Wellington where we could get more bang for our buck. Our shortlist was Wairarapa, Nelson area, Hawkes Bay, New Plymouth, and a lovely area of Northland.

Out of all areas, we just loved Northland the most. Helps that land was also the cheapest, which means we can achieve more with the build.

The biggest drawcards for us are the small town feel, beautiful beaches, and value for money.

We want our kids to enjoy a childhood of exploring the outdoors, being children, feeling part of a community, and having parents that are available. We feel this is easier achieved in a small town.

On top of this I have a fear of earthquakes. I’m sure most people do, but mine is possibly worse than most. I lived in a high rise apartment in Wellington for about 5 years, and the new buildings can sway a lot. I hated it. Even small ones. Since then, especially since having a young family, I now worry about big earthquakes. For all the regions most likely, Wellington is it. As much as Wellington has always been my home, we decided it is time to leave. Call me irrational or running away if you will, but it is how I feel. It’s also not the number one reason for leaving Wellington.

The biggest pull keeping us in Wellington was of course family and friends. This is the incredibly hard part of all this. We will be leaving our family and closest friends and that decision did not come easy at all.

Another concern is the lack of cultural diversity in our new small town. We hope to offset that with regular travel, thanks to our newfound time.

At the end of the day though, our time on earth is limited, and we need to do what is best for us. We don’t think we can achieve the lifestyle we desire staying in Wellington. Our house will have a spare room and we will be encouraging regular visits.