Live in America, plan to move to New Zealand, but have loads of questions!!! Please help answer some.Thanks?

I've been reading but don't seem to get enough answers with books. Here's my list. Thank you to everyone that answers and who took the time to read. I do plan to go there and eventually open a business. So, when you answer, can you keep that in mind for some of my questions as a helpful hand. Thank you. 1. Is instrumental music popular in New Zealand? garage bands, symphony orchestras, etc. Are there a lot of concert halls or music stores? 2. Is golf popular? Are there a lot of courses? 3. Is the economy in an expansion or recession? How long has it been in it? 4. What is a scenic(green Hilled) city within an hour of auckland? 5. Which major city is known for arts? 6. Which college is best for arts? 7. Which city/area is the best for trout and salmon fishing? 8. North or south Island? 9. Is the automotive market anything like the U.S. for demand in style and power? 10. Best place to live near Auckland? 11. What is the cost of items, mainly houses, compared to U.S.

Public Comments

1. Interesting questions - will try to answer as many as I can: 1) yes classical composers include: Douglas Lillburn, John Psathas, Lyle Creswell, Gareth Farr. Many music stores exist the biggest and most wide ranging in scope is real Groovy which is in all major cities. garage bands - not to sure. Jazz, hip hop, dance are popular bands. Then their are rock bands like Shihad, Datsuns and pop bands like Crowded House, Split Endz 2) golf is very popular, yes. You will find gold courses in all major cities and most towns have one nearby. 3) expansion at the moment. 4)hmm Not sure...but go to Wellington that is a scenic and green hilled city on the other end of the North Island from Auckland! 5) Wellington is known as the arts capital. 6) probably Victoria University of Wellington - look on the websites for each cities university and see what takes your fancy. 7)Taupo for trout. 8) South island for the beauty but a bit isolated. 9)Lots of Jap imports but there are a hell of a lot of those darn SUV's around. 10) not sure. 11) Going up all the time - look at a local real estate website like 'Leaders'. Hope this helped a little and you come to N.Z really soon! 5)
2. 1. I would have to say that garage bands a quite popular here. Wellington has quite a niche for instrumental/lounge music and I am sure that there are other places in NZ that are too. Music stores - you have a good variety to choose from. Soundz is a nationwide chain and there is Real Groovy in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. 2. There are a lot of courses in New Zealand. For the best coverage; check out this site: http://www.golfing.co.nz/golf/golfingnz/tag/home/golf_courses/ 3. Unsure, sorry... not really my forte 4. NZ is very hilly. You are looking for a hill by itself you could look at Mount Maunganui which is about 2.5hours from Auckland and quite pretty. 5. Wellington is the city that is most known for the arts. 6. Massey has a College of Creative Arts http://creative.massey.ac.nz/ 7. Trout fishing is best done in the North Island around Taupo or Rotorua. Salmon is best done in the South Island, particularly the Waimakariri, Hurunui, Taramakau and Grey rivers. 8. Both. They both have cities, beaches and mountains within hours of each other. 9. You wont get anything like a Chevrolet truck over here (but they are out there). Most people will drive jap imports (Toyotas, Hondas, Subarus, Mitsubishis etc). 10. The Coromandel is beautiful but rural otherwise you may want to look on the outskirts of Auckland like Pukekohe, Whangaparoa etc. 11. Depending on the area the prices will vary quite a bit. Check out: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/PropertyNewsletter.aspx This gives you an overview of general housing situations in NZ.
3. Maybe my answer will add yet more to the whole picture. This is going well. 1. Music is big here in all the guises you mentioned. Selling anything around music is feasible, as pretty much anyone plays instruments and appreciates music very much. 2. Golf is more than popular, it's an epidemic, and some of the world's most beautiful golf courts are here. 3. The economy is in expansion, and has been in it since about 1993. Predictions of its demise are by now being laughed at, as it keeps going up with no end in sight (and quite a way to go still - think Ireland 1995 now and here). 4. Auckland itself is so huge that a suburb of it will mean "one hour within Auckland". It's perfectly fine to live right in it. Auckland is nice. 5. The artiest towns are likely Dunedin, Christchurch, and of course Wellington and Auckland. Art is equally big all over NZ. 6. One of the most intense art schools is Dunedin's old art school, one of NZ's oldest. 7. Trout fishing: The southern half of the South Island is perfect for it. I suggest Dunedin, again. 8. Both are nice, but the south Island is pure bliss. 9. US cars are considered very cool here, and people love righthand drive US cars, especially Chrysler. For lack of more vehicles like that, many opt for the Australian Holdens and Fords with their large V8 engines. Any bloke who loves his car here drives a V8 - unless he's a member of the Subaru crowd (supercharged rallye things). 10. Auckland: Up north from it, anywhere just outside the city limits, is paradise. 11. House prices: Think Texas. US$ 100.000 will buy you a nice house in the south, 200k an extremely nice one. Go up by 50% in the North Island.