Where to stay when you don't have work yet?

[Guest miraclebabycaw]

Hi all

 

We are arriving in December and are going to rent a short term rental for 4 w in Port Noarlunga when we first arrive. It's holiday season so we will probably take a bit of time and have a real holiday with the kids before starting to head out looking for work etc. Probably do some part time work towards end of december and jan if we don't find work. Both dh and I are planning on starting to send out CV's soon, so this is all bearing in mind the fact that we may not have a job to go to. Should we have to look for work, naturally we are not going to know where the job is so will need to find somewhere to rent that is kind of central while we look. We will need at least a 3 if not 4 bedroom house (my mother will be with us after 3 months and I have a girl and a boy so they can't share a room). We also can't afford more than around AUD400 - AUD450 at the most a week. Any suggestions on areas that would provide a good school for the kids (primary and high), and also has good transport facilities. I don't want to be spending the whole day running around on transport alone just to get to one job interview. Once OH and I find a job we will then hopefully move to somewhere inbetween that is perfect for us both to commute....although this might not be good because then moving schools again and more uniforms...UGH

 

Any suggestions welcome?

 

Thanks

[Diane]

What sort of work do you both do? That might help to decide if you need to be within easy travelling distance of one particular area - for instance office work you would probably be looking at the city, whereas for something more in the engineering line, you might need to be within easy reach of - for instance - Grand Junction Road, which is to the north of the city, or Lonsdale in the south?

 

I personally think the schools in the east and north east are the best in Adelaide (Athelstone, Modbury, Golden Grove), plus there is a very wide choice. A lot of people seem to want to live near the beach, but to me, being near work is far more important, as that's the place you go to every day, year round! South East such as Belair, Blackwood, Glenalta, Eden Hills is also very nice

[Guest miraclebabycaw]

Thanks Diane. Both hubby and I are office workers..he's in the bank in foreign exchange and I am in IT so I am assuming Adelaide city is going to be the best bet for jobs

[NicF]

Thanks Diane. Both hubby and I are office workers..he's in the bank in foreign exchange and I am in IT so I am assuming Adelaide city is going to be the best bet for jobs

 

If you work in IT then the technology park at Mawson Lakes might also be another potential source of employers. Uni SA also have an IT department at Mawson Lakes - my DH starts work with them in a few weeks. Some of the northern suburbs between Mawson Lakes and the city might be a good place to look for rental. They're also cheaper than some of the other suburbs. We're considering Modbury Heights and Redwood Park as they are both relatively cheap, near Mawson Lakes and the Tea Tree Plaza Oban interchange and they have, as far as we can tell, good primary and high schools.

 

Nicola

[Guest pixie7]

Just a word of warning- Adelaide shuts down virtually for Dec and Jan so dont bank on getting employment over this time. We arrived the first week of Jan and OH is in IT so registered with agencies etc but lots of people were off on holiday (recruitment person at businesses etc... no one takes over!) or watching the cricket lol! So OH got his job in Feb when companies return to normal. Sorry - just trying to make sure you are prepared to last a while with no income- just in case!

 

Generally IT agencies (and of cause companies) are in the city so you may want to be closer than Port Norlunga- how about Sheidow park/Halletts Cove/ O'Hallaran hill? You should get a house for $400 in those areas (check out realestate.com.au)

Goodluck!

[Guest miraclebabycaw]

Just a word of warning- Adelaide shuts down virtually for Dec and Jan so dont bank on getting employment over this time. We arrived the first week of Jan and OH is in IT so registered with agencies etc but lots of people were off on holiday (recruitment person at businesses etc... no one takes over!) or watching the cricket lol! So OH got his job in Feb when companies return to normal. Sorry - just trying to make sure you are prepared to last a while with no income- just in case!

 

Generally IT agencies (and of cause companies) are in the city so you may want to be closer than Port Norlunga- how about Sheidow park/Halletts Cove/ O'Hallaran hill? You should get a house for $400 in those areas (check out realestate.com.au)

Goodluck!

 

Thanks Helen. Yip I'm aware that most places shut down. Our family are telling us to rather go Jan, but everything including air fares seem to be a lot higher in Jan. We also wanted to give the kids a decent holiday and give ourselves time to adjust and find our way around. Dec we plan on just "touring" and looking around and getting to know places and of course house hunt. Jan we are happy to try do a lot of diff temp jobs to keep ourselves busy for the month. I've often heard nothing happens till after Australia day. That is why we decided on Port Noarlunga for Dec..kids can go to the beach and we can just chill..hence the reason for this post as we def will have to move closer to Adelaide from Jan.

 

Thanks all.. Will def look Mawson lakes way. I have a contact at UniSA thanks to my godmothers son who is the IT director at the Uni of Sydney, so will be contacting these guys soon to see if I can't "hopefully" get a job to go to.

[jim and adel]

I've often heard nothing happens till after Australia day. That is why we decided on Port Noarlunga for Dec..kids can go to the beach and we can just chill..hence the reason for this post as we def will have to move closer to Adelaide from Jan.

 

I'm sure you've thought it through but I'm wondering why you'd base yourselves further out initially than you intend to live after the first month. Renting in PN for the first month only to expect to move closer to the city seems like more upheaval at a time when there'll already be plenty of confusion trying to find your feet! Adelaide is a coastal city - it's relatively easy to get to a beach wherever you are if that's high on your priorities (especially when you first arrive and aren't working, and therefore have free time on your hands). Moving house itself isn't hard if all your belongings haven't yet arrived, but getting to know a new area with all that this entails can be. If a beachside location is really important for those first few weeks, couldn't you choose one closer to where you expect to end up? Brighton, Glenelg, Henley etc are metro, and West Lakes, Semaphore and North Haven are within easy reach of Mawson Lakes. (I've got nothing against PN or the south, but if you're not planning on living there I'm just questioning why you'd base yourself there in the first place.)

 

Jim

[Guest miraclebabycaw]

Hi Jim

 

Basically because that's pretty much all I can find accommodation wise for that time of year at a reasonable price. I've scoured lots of furnished rentals, and there is either no availability or they are over AUD100 per night which is just beyond my reach right now (we are coming from South africa and with an exchange rate of over R8 to the AUD it's VERY expensive). The max we can do is AUD700 a week. We need 3 bedrooms min as there is 3 adults and 2 kids. So if any of you know of anywhere closer in that is furnished and at a decent price it would be great.

 

Thanks

Shona

[Guest sarahtwinn82]

We've been here 2 years and it took my husband who is a Radiographer (on the skills shortage list) 12 months to find work and still to this day he's only on a temp contract. Unemployment is high in Adelaide and finding a job is not easy, we try so hard to look at life here through rose tinted glasses and don't get me wrong the life here is good (if you have a job). Finding a job is a nightmare, employers are rude they don'"t acknowledge job applications and if your not succesful they just don't bother telling you, they can take months to arrange an interview and then some more months to make a decision. Also they favour Ozzies over immigrants so be mindful of that. I have a friend who is a IT Manager and she applied for a job in the march and they contacted her in the August about an interview, Try and secure some employment for at least one of you before you leave South Africa. www.careerone.com.au www.seek.com.au . But on a more lighter note we live in the southern suburbs and we have a brilliant 4 bed family home and it's $360 a week. The bus stop is right outside our door to the city.

[Guest Django]

I personally think the schools in the east and north east are the best in Adelaide (Athelstone, Modbury, Golden Grove), plus there is a very wide choice.

 

I could agree with you but that would make us both wrong.

 

 

I think you would be hard pushed to beat schools in the Woodcroft/Reynella East/Aberfoyle Park areas. Our primary school have given us lots of support and have great resources. Good links including a Park and Ride to the city. You can pick up a nice 4 bed rental there for around the $400 a week mark. Excellent sports clubs and close to both hills and beaches if the surf club is your kind of thing. Have to say though I have been here nearly 4 years and never set foot in one.

[adelaidenow]

Some of the northern suburbs between Mawson Lakes and the city might be a good place to look for rental. They're also cheaper than some of the other suburbs. We're considering Modbury Heights and Redwood Park as they are both relatively cheap, near Mawson Lakes and the Tea Tree Plaza Oban interchange and they have, as far as we can tell, good primary and high schools.

 

They are more expensive then the equivalent (distance from CBD) down south....good reason why of course.

 

They are not cheaper, but are cheaper than pales closer to the city admittedly.

[jim and adel]

Hi Jim

 

Basically because that's pretty much all I can find accommodation wise for that time of year at a reasonable price. I've scoured lots of furnished rentals, and there is either no availability or they are over AUD100 per night which is just beyond my reach right now (we are coming from South africa and with an exchange rate of over R8 to the AUD it's VERY expensive). The max we can do is AUD700 a week. We need 3 bedrooms min as there is 3 adults and 2 kids. So if any of you know of anywhere closer in that is furnished and at a decent price it would be great.

 

Thanks

Shona

 

Makes perfect sense!

 

Good luck with the move, Jim