Hi, we're Estella & Gabriel. We walked away from a perfectly good life in Singapore to build a house in the corner of the world. Along the way we started keeping every checklist, spreadsheet and guide that got us through the visas, the money, the house build and the goodbyes. This is all of it, for free, for anyone brave or mad enough to be doing the same thing.
Five NZ cities compared side by side on housing, jobs, transport, culture and lifestyle. The full breakdown, written through Singaporean eyes.
Read the reportChecklists, spreadsheets and templates from every stage of the move. More on the way.
Every stage of our move, and the posts we've written about each one. The spreadsheets, checklists and reports live inside each post and in the Resources library.
The groundwork before you commit. Comparing cities, understanding visa pathways, and figuring out whether the numbers work for your household.
The unglamorous middle. Applying for your IRD number, getting documents notarised and couriered from overseas, and lining up a lawyer before you need one.
Posts coming soon.
Buying the ground it all sits on. Comparing sections, understanding titles and covenants, and getting through conveyancing and settlement from overseas.
Posts coming soon.
We're building a new home in Canterbury from 7,500 km away. Everything we've learned about contracts, appliance selection, heating rules and negotiating with builders, all done remotely.
Posts coming soon.
Transferring savings across borders, opening NZ bank accounts before you land, and deciding what's worth shipping versus rebuying.
Posts coming soon.
The soft landing. First week errands, finding your people, and the things about Singapore we're packing into our hearts instead of boxes.
The reason we picked this corner of the world in the first place. Road trips, lakes, ski fields, and the spots we drag every visitor to. Less admin, more mountains.
We publish these as we go. Nothing else, no spam, just a heads-up when something new is ready.
Most of these resources exist because someone asked for them. Tell us what would help you and we’ll add it to the route.
Request a resource💛 If any of this saved you time or a few tabs, you can chip in whatever you like. Everything here stays free either way.