Oh where Oh where should we live?

Unless you have experienced the housing search in Auckland it is hard to fully describe.To summarize let's say it is worse than shopping on Black Friday in the USA! You will call about a house and either hear two options...1.RENTED
2.available at this time only (but when you go it is rented)
Auckland might be the only place in the world with a shortage of housing whether you are buying or renting. On Saturday when we arrived and settled into our room we went out on a search for city apartments. With seeing only 2 JC and I agreed that shoe box housing style isn't for us! After hours and days of looking on the internet for housing we were able to set up a few for Tuesday to go see. Our first appointment was at 9:30am in a beautiful "resort" style apartment. We loved the bigger style apartment (which is still quite tiny) and the facilties. The realtor had no time (which is like most here) and within a quick walk around the apartment and complex it was either a YES or NO! I couldn't believe in 15-20 minutes we were ready to sign a contract! Feeling nervous and sick from the rush I didn't know what to think. I left JC in the apartment to handle the contract while I went on a search to find an owner in the apartment to ask questions. I found a nice lady who I began to speak to about the monthly bills. She was very helpful and made me feel better about the quickness of signing a contract! When speaking to others in the city this is how the process is... When you see it you sign! The realtor was short, sweet, and mad that I had taken up more time by speaking to the lady because she had another appointment! Needless to say JC and I left feeling a bit nervous, confused, and happy. I wanted to take the bus to go see the next house which was a bit further away but it was a house! On the way to the house I texted the realtor to ask if we could see it earlier. She wrote back that the house was RENTED! So JC and I didn't look anymore and felt like we made a great quick decesion. The next day we went to the realtor's office to sign the agreements. So strange you pay the realtor a comission(which is a lot) and they don't pick you up to sign the contract nor show you a place more than 20 minutes! I was very turned off and still am about that craziness! Needless to say, we have the apartment which is fully furnished (which is rare) and can't move in until the end of March! Until then we shall enjoy our cheap rent at the hostel and keep exploring the city! We rented a fabulous place in high hopes of having many visitors! :)