horror story

[Guest susanmary38]

Hi all

Sent our papers of to S.A gov applying for sponsorship on a 176 visa 4 weeks ago, patiently waiting for there reply so we can then apply for visas.

Thats not why I'm writing this thread, a couple of friends of ours went out to Perth just after xmas, and they are on there way back, reason being they say it is far too expensive to live, he is a builder and is finding it hard to earn a decent wage, there is lots of work out there but no body wants to pay, also housing in extortionate, says some Aussies are living in there cars as they cannot afford to rent or buy houses, upset by this they took a trip to Adelaide with a view to relocating there, only to find out it is much the same.

We can't believe this is true as we have friends in Adelaide, although our friends say it is hard work for 18 months, once you get your self established life is great and they will not be returning to the U.K. we think the guys in Perth should give it time but they insist they come back before they waste any more money.

Has any body else heard of similar stories, this has really put my wife [sue ] off the move.

Dave n Sue

[Guest graandjac]

:)Hi Guys , we have friends who went to perth (still there) and although you are right i just cant see how Adelaide is as expensive as Perth . Perth has had boom which has been in full swing for 3 to 4 years ,and yes house prices have gone up considerably in both, but the average house price in Perth is in the region of $80,000 to $100,000 above that of Adelaide these figures were taken from a little chart our agent gave us about a year ago.

 

The big thing for all of us is the "kitty" we have to take and not get caught up in the bigger and better game, we all need to buy a house within our means , no matter how you look at if you compare the sq m house price from the uk to Adslaide......Adelaide wins by miles.

 

Cheers Graham

[Guest Rachael]

No-one said moving to the other side of world was going to be easy. I think you have to give it a while before you come running back. If you're looking for work, like building for example, then it may take a bit of time to get established.

Perth is one of the more expensive places to live and work but I can't imagine Adelaide to be the same.

Personally, I'm not going to Australia to make my fortune, I'm going because I know Adelaide will be a better place for my future children to live than in England.

My husband worries about money a lot and I know it's an important factor but not as important as having a safe and prosperous place for your family. Something I think England is lacking these days.

 

R:)

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

It is important for evryone to hear stories like this, but remember they are stories, so allthough they are true, they are probably exagerated here and there!

|or some people it is an uphill struggle when you get here, for some it is still un uphill struggle after a couple of years.

The trick is to decide the real reason for going in the first place, and if its to make a fortune in wages then dont bother, you have to come for the right reason. Dont get me wrong I know a few people making a fortune, but I know more people who are struggling to some degree.

Rachel hit the nail on the head.

Perth is more expensive than here, but we are a nd will catch up with our own boom!

sarah

[Guest stufi1997]

[some people it is an uphill struggle when you get here, for some it is still un uphill struggle after a couple of years.

The trick is to decide the real reason for going in the first place, and if its to make a fortune in wages then dont bother, you have to come for the right reason.

 

 

We are under no illusion that we will be any better off in oz.. infact it's probably going to put us back a good bit. here we are almost mortgage free ..jobs , friends, family. The rental's out there are far more expensive than what we can charge for our property here and as we are going to play it safe and do that for a year i must admit it's a bit daunting as i have no idea how much work there is for yet another decorator nor if i can keep our heads above water on a mear painter's wage. But as long as we can pay our bills and wake up smiling in the morning then it all be worth it.

I only hope the boom in realestate does'nt climb too much for the next year so when we do return to sell here then perhaps we can afford to buy something modest around Adelaide. Stu.

[Rachiegarlo]

When we came back here from London, we had 2 children. We rented for 2 years and then moved in with my mum to save for a deposit for a house. My hubby is a painter and I wasn't working then. After 18 months at my mum's we bought a house. It was a very basic house, very much a starter house, needing renovations etc, but it was very close to everything we wanted. We could have over extended and bought a bigger/ better house but didn't want to just be able to pay the mortgage. I finished my nursing degree and began working when my 3rd child was 4, so then we had 2 incomes. We don't have a luxury lifestyle, but the kids have been away interstate, been able to go on scout jamborees, have good clothes and go to things with their friends. My youngest is able to dance her little heart out 6 days a week. We could have afforded to move, but we decided on private education for their High school yrs.

I guess if you buy something that you can comfortably afford to begin with, then you can achieve a good lifestyle. Tradesmen are in demand and can earn good money if they are willing to put in time and effort. Adelaide works on word of mouth and if someone has had a good tradie, then they will recommend them to their friends etc. Camping holidays are cheap and because of the mild weather achievable for about 7-8 months of the yr.

 

If you are starting from scratch it will take time and money to get to the place you were at when you left UK. It's amazing just how many things you take for granted but add up when you have to rebuy, like kitchen stuff, cleaning equipment, linen apart from the big furniture. It is achievable and one thing you will have on your side is the weather. You will only need to heat your house for a few months and usually just in the evenings. The beaches, national parks etc are free or a small entry fee. There are lots of really good places to go locally and because you are new you will get the most out of it and see and do things that people living here take for granted.

 

Come expecting to work hard, building your new life and you may be pleasantly surprised. Back in the old days of assisted passages, if you went back before 2 years you had to repay the government the money they spent helping you to emigrate. If you stick it out for that long and then decide it's not for you then you will know you gave it a chance and you will have done what many only talk of doing and you may find your kids if you have any don't want to go back.

 

Cheers

Rachel

[Guest susanmary38]

Thanks for all the positive replies, much appreciated & makes a lot of sense.

We didn't read too much into our friends dilema, they are obviously expecting too much too early, you are all correct if you want something bad enough you have to work damn hard to achieve it, we know things are on a par in Adelaide with the U.K, & as a tradesman [sheet metal worker] I'm hoping there will be plenty of work out there.

We have friends in Hallett Cove who are now enjoying life, but it has been hard for them.

We are under no illusions of grandure, just want a better way of life for all my family.

Once again thanks for all your replies.

Dave N Sue