the problem was made worse because some of their investments overseas could not be cashed up to cover the deficit – except at a huge loss due to the war in the Middle East.

Boo friggity hoo. Your oil investments are not quite valuable enough to liquidate? Fuck off.

"We live in Wellington and the market’s not good right now."

Oh, so you could sell you house, but not for what you think it's worth? Fuck off.

"But it has given us some time to stay in the house and be able to go overseas to see our family."

You're cash-poor enough to not afford a holiday overseas.

JFC.

I suspect this will end badly for them, and I hope it does.

They're refusing to sell their house over 60k in equity, thinking the "current downturn" will turn around. No, we've just come out of a bubble, this is what house prices should be.

As for your oil stocks, I hope the bottom falls out of those.