Thank you, we have a home in New Zealand

Time for a quick residential break from all the Excel awesomeness. I have an exciting news to share with you all.

We have a home in New Zealand.

New Zealand? I thought you are in India!

In the middle of 2016, we moved to New Zealand. We have been living in windy, lovely and beautiful Wellington ever since. After renting a house and sampling life in NZ, we decided to call it home for next few years. The next natural step is to buy a home and move in. Unfortunately, this is where things went crazy for a few reasons.

Buying a house in Wellington

• The housing market in New Zealand (more so in Wellington) was going gangbusters with prices increasing every week.
• There is very limited stock and any modern, warm, well situated house would go in to a bidding war and sell for ridiculous amounts over asking price.
• I never liked the idea of paying a mortgage. I have bought all my houses (except the first one) with cash. But that was in India where prices are amazingly cheap compared to markets like New Zealand. After shuffling around some funds from India and living well below means for the last 18 months, we had enough to pay good chunk of purchase price. We still needed some mortgage, but it is not terrifyingly large and I could pay it off if needed.

So after going to numerous open homes, reading heaps of builders reports and losing half a dozen bids, we were ready to give up. Then almost randomly, we ended up purchasing our home.

Details and pics of new Chandoo.org HQ

This is by far the biggest house we have ever owned or lived.

• Size: 170 sqm house, 625 sqm land
• 4 bedrooms (3 rooms where we will sleep and other will be the real Chandoo.org HQ, my home office) and open plan living with dining and kitchen
• Location: northern suburbs, Wellington, NZ

Check out the pictures.

All the furniture is seller’s. We are moving in this Friday (24th of November).

From outside:

Living room:

Kitchen:

Master Bedroom:

View from back:

Thank you & Thanks to Excel

It is amazing how much of my life is owed to you. Thanks to your enthusiasm to learn, I get to live in a beautiful home in one of the best cities in world. I get to raise a family, travel, do awesome things and feel purposeful, all thanks to you.

It feels fitting that we are moving in to our new home on thanksgiving weekend.

Thank you.

I am also thankful to Microsoft, for creating one of the most wonderful software ever. Without Excel, you wouldn’t be reading this blog, I wouldn’t be living in New Zealand. Thank you MS.

Thank you also to my family, teachers, friends & colleagues for helping me learn, grow, make, fail, prosper and understand.

More Personal Stories

If you would like to learn more about the personal side of Chandoo.org, have a read thru these,

• We have a home, India edition
• Story of Chandoo.org Start-up
• How Excel changed my life