So you buy apartments there? We rent apartments in the US. What a lucky girl. Thankfully, she's sensible.

Our son also lives in an apartment off campus. Seems lots of upper classmen do that these days.

Yeah, I'd love to hear more about everyone's kids.

Yes Dotsie, expensive apartments! Elizabeth's small one bedroom place was several years ago and was $175,000, worth more now apartment living is become more popular. We also have a lovely beach front apartment (somewhat more expensive!!) on the Kapiti Coast, just up from Wellington and an hours drive from our little farm up in the Manawatu.

Hopefully you can view this site to see the area I'm talking about.

http://www.kapiti.org.nz/MapNewZealand.html

If you click on the home page it gives you a nice photo of the coast.

Hi, Flossie: Congratulations on having a daughter who has chosen a very noble profession! Teaching takes a lot of courage, patience but most of all love and I tip my hat off to all who choose that vocation. I wish her all the very best!

Hi, Dotsie: Folks purchase flats in the UK as well. I think that concept in real estate has become so overrated and actually contributes to very inflated and unrealistic property values. Anyone can apply for planning permission to convert a £200,000 family home into multi-dwelling units of £175,000 (at least) which are often the size of a rabbit hutch. Demands outstrip supply despite of. Newly-built flats of the townhouse style start off at £295,000 for a 2-bedroom unit. Still without enough room to swing a cat!

And isn't there a "tax" of some sort on closets over there Lola? I always found that crazy. You don't find many places over there with closet space. Lots of hutches, amoirs, etc...no closets.

JJ

Lola, I get the picture. The places are small and cost lots of moolah.

Real estate prices have been out of control in recent years. All of the sudden houses are selling in the millions! Isn't that ridiculous? And I recall a few years ago, hardly one house was over a million dollars. Now all the sudden houses are over a million and some are two and three. It used to be farms and huge pieces of property cost that much. Now some houses do. I'd love to know where everyone is getting their money.

I have watched the program House Hunters for years now and they have taken the show to other countries so they also have International House Hunters. I was shocked many times seeing the cracker boxes in some countries and none have closets. They have to buy wardrobes. It seems there is no in between, they are either huge or cracker boxes. The price for apartments, condos or town homes are outrageous and so cheaply constructed...We need to count our blessings.

Hi, JJ: Closet tax? No, I have never heard of it although there used to be a window tax which they have done away with now. And yes, once upon a time most houses had no built-in closets and those that do did not have much depth to it. I had to ship wardrobe, bureaus, chest drawers etc. from our home in the US. They're now starting to wise up though and most homes are getting fitted with built-in wardrobes.