My house was structurally damaged. the land has dropped closer to the water table and the land is more prone to flooding from sea level rises and river inundation, although it never has. the sewerage is not perfect but its working and if necessary i could set up a composting sewerage system.
I live next to a huge area of land where thousands of houses have been demolished. some of these houses were livable, but for various reasons people couldn't stay. Such a waste. The government has not decided what they will do with the land, although its a fantastic environment and a natural drawcard.
I live in a really nice community where most of us know each other, we've had a few people leave and enter and it will take time for our area to adjust as there have been some people enter who cause a bit of trouble. Over time the people I know will leave through natural attrition and don't know what will be left. in the meantime, I belong here and want to do what I can to rebuild our community. On saying this, we're in a state of transition and if I look at it as solely a financial decision I wouldn't build an expensive home here.
So I built the house a few years before the quakes. Planning permission limited my choice and I built a 4 bedroom basic but solid warm home built for sun and function. I would have preferred to build two flats. But as I couldn't anywhere in the city I built a family home which would be easy to rent out and live in. They've just changed the planning rules and I can now build two flats on this site.
So anyway its been a long journey following the quakes, i could write a book about it but the insurance companies are starting to acknowledge I have structural damage which is expensive to repair. if they do repair it, it will be according to the old building standards and therefore not the solid home I had. They may even rebuild, but we'll see.
Some people around here are using their insurance to rebuild, others are selling their home as is where is uninsured, unfixed and moving with their money.
I am looking at all my choices if its not a rebuild.
1. let them repair - result is a house which is not the solid home I had. selling, well any buyer would know the background and use it to their advantage. but its an easy option.
2. live in my house as is where is. take the money and loan it to a young couple I know who want to build an eco friendly unique home which they can't build if they rely on banks, then when the money is returned, build a new solid smaller home which is higher. I don't want the cash as it complicates things. and I personally don't want to benefit from being a landlord. its would be like a rent to buy.
3. live in the house as is where is , take the cash settlement. and when the market has settled (I believe its at its peak due to the rebuild and other reasons) build two flats or build one flat and live in it for a while and build the other one later. or a big studio, but thats an option for later on.
I'm not sure what the details of any cash settlement will be. but I now know it would be significant and simply saying repair, good luck insurance companies, calling their bluff (prove to them they're dreaming) is now not the only option.
People who share on this website think outside the square, and I've always done things differently. Part of me really likes the idea of taking the money, but in my mind I had taken the risks in the past, I was secure. Although in reality, as those effected by the financial crisis would say. There is no such thing as security. We need to adapt to move forward and live according to our own values.
after living in limbo for four years, i don't want to plan too far ahead, but one can't help contemplating all the options.
and that is my story

I guess underneath it all I can relate to Darryl Kerrigan form the Castle movie. we've had our own battle here, thousands of us, its about understanding what really matters, and at the same time securing our financial future in terms of keeping our options open. Its the serenity.