The dream of returning is fading for us

[Guest mayjess]

Dont know why Im posting this - suppose I`m looking for advice or other ppls opinions, well my story as most of you know is that we emmigrated in 2006 to Adelaide, due to mum-in-law passing away & homesickness we came back in 2007, bought a house intending to stay here forever, but I was kidding myself, I knew deep down Adelaide was right for us & what I was missing here was my familiarity. So house up for sale at a higher price than some in the area nearby due to spending left over profit from previous house on it, so all our cash is wrapped up in this house, so we have a small amount of savings which would actually get us to OZ but not enough to survive without a job asap, so I feel we`re doomed, Im trying to stay positive (i really am) and I know if we dont go within 12 mths we wont go, as our visa`s will be expired, so what do ya do????? give up & stay put & get on with life or keep hoping house will sell???? lifes so tough, my own fault coming back here & getting into this mess!!!!

 

thanks for anyone who took the time to read our dilemma

 

Mayjess

[Cannons]

mayjess

 

Really feel for you we too are trying to sell our house but have till 2012 before our visa runs out.

 

Stay positive if its meant to be it will youv'e got a year so theres a good chance you'll get a buyer within that time things are picking up.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Guest guest569]

At least your prepared and know its going to be tough at first. You'll know first hand what you need to do and where to get it from .

So many come out ( including myself) thinking things will all be too easy with rose tinted glasses. Not their fault at all possibly the press, reality tv (wanted down under)Or like me just lack of research.

Not all turn around and go back but if they do i wish them all the best but you went back for the right reasons and learn't something that was right for YOU !!!

Good luck.

[Guest CDJ_Edwards]

Just keep holding on to your dream.

We've just completed on the sale of our house, it took over a year, but things are getting better.

On your really down days try and remember the good times you had in Adelaide, they could be just around the corner again.

Good luck.

[Guest mayjess]

Thanks everyone, yes I know better than anyone, its not easy, but one thing I do know my kids were better off there than here, believe me! I am up North & things arent very nice at the mo,.my sis asked me every week `why have you brought my neices bk here?`

 

Keep the replies coming, keeps me going, thank you everyone

 

Mayjess

[Guest the4hopes]

Just keep focusing on what you want, it will happen. To us coming to Australia many years ago was just a dream! Now after a few years of knowing what we want we have got it. We now have new dreams to go for, and it will happen. Do everything you can to sell your house, know it will sell and focus on that.Before long you will be back here,so start planning!!

[Guest guest3462]

Hi Mayjess,

I really feel for your situation you are in a position that I would dread.We came to Adelaide having had our house on the market for over a year with only 3 viewings and we are thrilled to be finally getting rid it this week. We ended up selling it for a lot (£70,000) less than the market value but we knew we'd rather struggle here than hate being there.

You can always rent that place out to pay the mortgage on it until the property market picks up and come back over here. I know it will be a struggle, but you will be safe in the knowledge that it is a better place for your family and in time things will hopefully settle down to allow the life that you deserve.

I really hope that things work out for you and will keep everything crossed that you manage to get back.

All the best

JC x

[Anne B]

It's not easy is it? From putting our house on the market to getting on the plane in a couple of weeks time will be 6 months in total, so even if you are lucky enough to get a buyer it's a long process. We put our house on at a realistic price, lower than what we would have got 2 or 3 years ago, otherwise it would still be up for sale now.

 

The housing market won't do much now with Christmas approaching but it will pick up in the spring. You always have the option of renting it out, even if it's just for a couple of years, the rental income will help out and once you are established back in Adelaide you can sell the house (hopefully for a better price than now and a better exchange rate). But it all sounds so much easier on paper than it is in practice. Just moving and sorting out years worth of junk is a nightmare!!

 

It all depends on how desperately you want to move back to Adelaide, or could you improve your life by moving elsewhere in the UK/Europe, somewhere where you don't have the constrainsts of a visa?? Just a thought. If its bad up north why not try down south? Or France or Spain??

 

I wish you well, the housing slump has ruined a lot of things for a lot of people. But maybe with a bit of lateral thinking you might find a way round what seems like like an impossible situation. Good luck.

[Guest Guest75]

I really can't give any wise advise apart from hang on in there.

Such a shame that you have realised where home is and are trapped.

 

It will come I'm sure.

 

:)

[Guest Nicky&Andy]

hi mayjess, we know what your going through, although we only did a recci to activate our visa,our house still hasnt sold , we cant drop the price any more, like you though we do have time , our visa expires feb 2013,its a shame though as if we would have sold our house straight away, our oldest son would have been moving with us, (he is determined to stay in the uk:sad:)

 

my advice is dont give up hope, i keep telling myself, things will happen when there meant to

 

keep smiling

[catherine.c]

Hi Mayjess

What a horrible position to be in - is there any chance you could take some time off from paying your mortgage? Ours allowed us 6 months which meant we could save a bit. This is in fact the only savings we had when we came out. Did not bother putting property on market as houses were just not selling so rented out instead.

I had a job to go to but my husband scoured the internet for companies in his line of business and emailed / rang people on regular basis and managed to set up an 'informal' meeting for as soon as we arrived. Lucily we both started work 2 weeks after arriving.

We have been here just over a year now - still in rented accommodation, still with second hand furniture (and not much of it) but have never regretted it once.

Good Luck to you

Catherine

[Guest steph&neil]

Hi sorry to hear about your situ, I would agreed with the people that have suggested renting you house - maybe a short lease, then putting back on th emarket in spring.

I also think it would be a good idea to go to the bank & ask for a payment break? I hope you get back because it sounds like you are getting fed up with the UK & know what you want do, anything is possible & with a supportive sister I am sure you will be back very soon x

[Guest mayjess]

Hi Everyone, thanks for the replies, all taken on board, we are going to keep it on the market for a couple more mths,get xmas out of the way I think & see what we can do, if one of us secures a job before we go then we will rent it out, we have enough to get back but not to live on without work!

 

Ann B- yes Adelaide is where we have to come back to, I wouldnt move anywhere else, the pull to get back is far too strong, I have lots of friends there waiting for us.

 

Mayjess

[Guest thekings]

Hang in there Mayjess, it'll all work out in the end, probably just seems along way off at the moment.

[Guest mayjess]

Thanks so much, I keep telling myself that,lol, I have to believe it`l happen in good time, but in the mean time i have rang my mortgage lenders and asked for permission to rent it out, just in case, so I have to fill the forms in for that!

 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing isnt it, I dont really regret coming back to the UK, we had to really, but I do regret buying a house, shouldve just rented one for a bit to see if we could settle back here!!! you live & learn eh?

 

Mayjess

[Guest thekings]

You certainly do live and learn, it makes us better people, well at least thats what I keep telling myself

[Guest rowy]

Your story is so moving. We all have our fingers crossed for you and maybe 2010 will bring new luck to you to get back where you really want to be. Keep strong and focused, Penny

[Guest mayjess]

Your story is so moving. We all have our fingers crossed for you and maybe 2010 will bring new luck to you to get back where you really want to be. Keep strong and focused, Penny

 

Thank you so much for that lovely post, I am trying to stay focussed, I am imagining my life back in Adelaide every day, and I am emailing organisations with my CV everyday, but as most of you know they dont entertain you until you are actually there (I cant blame them) but I honestly would just pack up & go, renting house out, if one of us had a job to go to, feels like were asking for a million pounds,lol

 

The ironic thing is, we were all on different paths not so long ago, whereby hubby was intending to stay here & daughter but now were all hoping to get back but we are stuck!

 

fingers crossed Im lucky with the lottery tonight - I`l hand the house over to who ever wants it !

 

Mayjess

[Guest clare]

I really feel for you. We have had visas 3 years house took 3 years to sell due to the slump and i suppose we put it up for sale for too highly priced but it went last may and are salveging what we lost living with my mum and dad until sometime next year. Its a terrible feeling u think nobody really understands how important it is and how it really gets you down a lot of the time. Hang on in there please, dont eva give up we are going to make it to adelaide and our lives are finally going to start. I truely hope that you to will make it, stay strong!:)

[Guest mayjess]

I really feel for you. We have had visas 3 years house took 3 years to sell due to the slump and i suppose we put it up for sale for too highly priced but it went last may and are salveging what we lost living with my mum and dad until sometime next year. Its a terrible feeling u think nobody really understands how important it is and how it really gets you down a lot of the time. Hang on in there please, dont eva give up we are going to make it to adelaide and our lives are finally going to start. I truely hope that you to will make it, stay strong!:)

 

Appreciate that Clare, Im glad you are still positive about going, I will never give up, thats not in my vocabulary lol, I go for my goals until I get them, I dont think the house will sell YET for what I need, but I will prob now think more about renting it out, so im gonna focus on jobs now. Did you get the price what you put you house up for ?

 

Mayjess

[Guest rachinadelaide]

Keep on being positive!!

When we are faced with problems we try and make some possible plans to find out what is possible and how....

If you had to rent the house out, would the rent cover the mortgage? Would there be any spare cash? Pick a date to fly out and work out how much you could save up by then by cutting out everything (we stopped buying coffee in coffee shops and took our flask and sarnies everywhere for a year when we were saving - it all adds up!!). Then find out how much a cheap, small house would be in a cheap area as a first step back into Adelaide. Look for shelf stacking jobs in the supermarket to see you through at first. Find out how much some second hand furniture would be....could you substitute a camping airbed for a bed for the first few months? Buy a couple of Ikea's budget chairs insteda of a sofa etc etc.

We would even consider buying a tent and iving on a campsite (but we don't have kids and are clearly slightly mad!!)

It doesn't sound too appealing but it might be an option to get back in and give you time to find jobs and build up some savings.

 

Best of luck, Rach

[Guest clare]

no we didnt get anywhere near wot we wanted and needed for the house but it was break the bank or break us u know! lol life is very tuff isnt it i know a few people who have rented their homes and gone to oz u neva know it could work 4 u. look in to it concentrate on jobs this is soooooo hard! thinkin of you! stay in touch x:arghh::arghh:

[Guest clare]

no we didnt get anywhere near wot we wanted and needed for the house but it was break the bank or break us u know! lol life is very tuff isnt it i know a few people who have rented their homes and gone to oz u neva know it could work 4 u. look in to it concentrate on jobs this is soooooo hard! thinkin of you! stay in touch x:arghh::arghh:

[Guest mayjess]

I am not a materialistic person thankfully & would not be going on a spending spree for furniture etc, I am shipping my stuff back over & would borrow (hopefully) blow up beds etc until my stuff arrived, we are waiting for the forms to ask permission to rent house out, then I will contact an agency & get the financial side sorted, in the mean time I am contacting loads of Non Gov organisations for work, I work in community health Mainly smoking cessation,I have written to Quit SA, but there are never ever any vacancies I have loads of experience many years & I am the lead trainer for new staff!!! its a hard nut to crack in OZ, but I will keep trying.

 

I wnat to say a massive THANKYOU to you all, the support is overwhelming & I truley appreciate it.

 

Mayjess

[hardycot]

Oh dear I feel for you.... we were in a similar situation when we were trying to move over here in 95 we only had 3 months before the visas ran out, so we came over for a 2 week reccie validated and then went back it was January so not much chance of selling our house but we managed to do a part exchange with a couple who were expecting twins they lived in a 2 bed house so we did a swap so although we still owned a house there we could release some money to get to Oz, we kept it for a couple of years rented out and sold it when the housing market had picked up again I suppose it's quite unusual but it worked for us. Good luck I hope things work out for you, can you not come over and re validate your visas?