I'm hoping that we'll get lucky and find a tolerant landlord. This part of the process is the worst: taking the dogs over - so difficult. By like gypsymom says, they are like family members. One can't disregard the unconditional loyalty of your friends/pets and betray them. So yeah, that part is one where we'll have to "trust the universe" and get on with it. I can't wait to buy our own property. That would be priority one in NZ. What are the possible obstacles for a new resident in buying a property (assuming that the salaries are adequate)?