Some ideas for our visit please?

[srg73]

Ok so we set off tomorrow from Singapore for Aus and a short visit to establish how things lie and validate 189 visa. I have contacted most agencies however no firm appointments. I have been told to simply go door knocking as they are not interested until actually stood in Aus wanting work that day. In regards to a property search, we are simply going to look around areas as see what we like although already have a good idea from our last trip. No kids so no schools etc.

 

Agencies, door knocking, calling etc?

House, simply area searches at the moment?

Financials, we have a meeting for this.

My wife has agreed to meet up with some recently moved poms for some suggestions and a chat which is amazing.

 

Anything else we are missing?

 

Thanks

 

Simon & Claire

Edited September 22, 2013 by srg73

[sinob]

Hi Simon & Claire,

 

My advice would be, go to all the rental open inspections you can in the areas you're interested in, see what you get for your money and get a good idea of the standard of rentals in the area. The realestate.com.au app lets you filter by open times. Our eyes were opened when we arrived! You don't have to tell the agent you're on a validation trip, lie ; )

[Guest Sarah Bradley]

Meet ups are good. Are you hiring a car? I would recommend a drive along the coast starting Largs bay for a coffee take a look at Henley Beach and perhaps Glenelg for lunch. Pop into Brighton for a quiet walk on the beach and some quaint little shops and then down to Christies Beach for fish and chips. You will get a good idea of what the areas are like just looking at the houses try taking the smaller roads rather than the main ones and you will get to see more. I live near Brighton and am happy to meet you for a coffee or a walk too. Hope you have a great trip. Sarah

[jimmyskinner]

Dont base yourself or live any further south than Hallett Cove, too far from the city and in my opinion i think you miss out.

[Diane]

.. You will get a good idea of what the areas are like just looking at the houses try taking the smaller roads rather than the main ones and you will get to see more.

 

A good tip is if an area has a lot of speed bumps on the roads, that means they have a problem with hoon drivers, if they have lots of gated communities, they probably have a fairly high crime rate, and if there are lots of old cars and furniture in the garden of the properties, it might be a lower socio-economic area! Also try to drive past schools at home time (don't loiter (sp?) or you'll give the wrong impression!) to get a feel for how much pride the kids take in their school and how well behaved they are - although kids will be kids worldwide so you have to make some allowances - and visit some local shopping precincts to see if there is a lot of vandalism (bored kids) and graffiti (ditto). (I know you said you don't have kids, but if there are a lot of bored kids where you are living, you might suffer the fallout!)

[srg73]

Everybody, thank you for your advice and obviously keep it coming if possible.

 

We are hiring a car, staying just south of Hallet Cove and want to look at areas including Hallet Cove, Brighton and Bealair dependant on our garden requirements. We currently live semi rural and this seems to suit us although road connections are currently good.

 

Any thoughts on the employment agencies?

 

Thanks and will keep in contact if anybody wants a coffee.

 

S

[zebedee]

Agree with Diane, it's all in the front gardens! And realestate.com.au is your friend - check both rental and purchase rates, we rented in Lockleys to start with without giving too much thought to house prices - and then after a year of renting we really wanted our own place and had to move again, which turned out well as we much prefer our new location (though I am still fond of Lockleys, Henley and that area).

 

Further out of the city gets cheaper but you'll find some areas where the house prices seem too good too be true. There is usually a good reason for that!

[Anne B]

What is it with Australians and parking their cars on the front lawn? Often there will be 2 or 3 cars on the grass and an empty driveway. Strange....

[chrisda]

Hello Simon and welcome.

Pick up a hire car and have a good look around mate. Take a lot of what you read on here with a pinch of opinionated salt!!!You will soon get a feel for an area. There are some brand new areas down south like the seaford and Seaford Rise suburbs. there are new houses in the Noarlunga downs area as well. The comment that you shouldn't stay any further south than hallett Cove is a joke. A lot of the suburbs that are 7 or 8 minutes further down than hallet cove are a quicker drive to the city when the expressway works properly.

Drive down the coast and walk along the prom at christies, walk on the jetty at port Noarlunga, move down to seaford and Moana and then have a look at the wine region in mclarenvale. The village of Willunga is worth a visit and if you are going to tourist places cut accross the hills to Hahndorf (avoid the congested city roads), Blackwood etc.

Whatever places you visit don't be influenced by biased small minded people who have never lived out this way. Thousands of new Brits are making homes out here and not everything revolves around the other side of the city.

 

Chris

[Diane]

.... don't be influenced by biased small minded people who have never lived out this way. .....

 

Bit rude to call someone small-minded and biased just because their opinion isn't the same as yours! Or perhaps you have a few old cars in your front garden and a settee or two and took offence at that comment?

 

To the OP - as you can see, everyone has different views and opinions, which is why it's so difficult to (a) make a decision before you get here or (b) assume what someone else finds attractive is the same as you will find attractive!

 

Good luck with whatever you decide :-)

[jimmyskinner]

I forgot i can't have an opinion, We have been here just two years and in that time I have probably worked in 50 to 60 different suburbs from Elizabeth down to Victor Harbour and Robe plus all round the hills and southern beaches, and i do think ( in my opinion, for me nobody else ) people do miss out too far away from the city.

[Adaobijoy]

Suggestions on this site by little and big minded individuals have proven to give potential POMites an idea of ADelaide....

it is up to the person to make a decision after weighing the options.

tbh.....posts on here proved very valuable to me prior and post arrival here.....so keep it coming,

[Blossom]

I forgot i can't have an opinion, We have been here just two years and in that time I have probably worked in 50 to 60 different suburbs from Elizabeth down to Victor Harbour and Robe plus all round the hills and southern beaches, and i do think ( in my opinion, for me nobody else ) people do miss out too far away from the city.

It all depends on what you are after. I could count on one hand the amount of times I go into town in a year. Further out though, away from the city I love. Port Lincoln is the perfect sized place for me.. Just a bit too far away. I would love to live out normanville way to get away from the berbs. I feel I miss out living in the city.

[TonyD]

Dont base yourself or live any further south than Hallett Cove, too far from the city and in my opinion i think you miss out.

 

How long does it take to get to the city centre from Hallett Cove? - seems a fair distance but looking at the photos on google earth it looks wonderful.

[Guest Guest75]

How long does it take to get to the city centre from Hallett Cove? - seems a fair distance but looking at the photos on google earth it looks wonderful.

 

Hi Tony.

 

It depends which bit of Hallett Cove. It's a very large suburb.

 

We live down at Cove Point which is the most southern and furthest away from the city.

If no traffic I'd say 30 minutes, with traffic - add 10 mins on for peak.

 

Knock a good 5 mins off if you live in the closest part of Hallett Cove.

 

 

Hallett Cove is a nice area,some older parts now but all the facilities and still not too far away from the city - nice drive into the city as well- great views of the sea.

[srg73]

Hi lady's and gentlemen (just trying to pasivy things and offend nobody), well arrived and all great although hire car was sold out so have got a smaller car than the suv we ordered although the replacement more likely better for us. Staying in great property and no offence to anybody but we have set our boundary line at Hallet Cove which I realy like but my wife prefers Brighton (guess Brighton it is then?). We have dismissed Belair and will try North Adelaide which we have not seen before as stayed with my brother last time in central CBD. Have also decided our days of living in central city are over so will continue our looking around the burbs. looked at a couple of properties from real estate site and they seemed much better than the site makes out although 3 of them have been there a while making me wonder what's wrong with them? None had cars on the front lawn however one did have a neighbour who seemed to like big boats with the 2nd suffering from surround sounds of barking dogs!

 

Next on list, all important employment and will start chasing agencies tomorrow.

 

Again thanks for the info, Lenzerheider Restaurant tonight for aniversary.

 

S

Edited September 24, 2013 by srg73

[Diane]

If you get the chance, take a drive out this way - I'd invite you for coffee but am working all this week I'm afraid :-( Norton Summit is a lovely drive to take as well, with a great hotel at the end of it.

[Blossom]

 

Again thanks for the info, Lenzerheider Restaurant tonight for aniversary.

 

S

Ooooohhhh, I hear it is very nice there. Let us know how it was. :-)

[Cherrypecker]

Hi,

 

Just to prove the point that everyones likes/dislikes are different. We have also been here just over two years, and we wouldn't dream of living anywhere further north than Hallett Cove.

 

Different horses, for different courses.

 

[Guest Sarah Bradley]

To answer the parking on the lawns comment:

 

Because they can!! ... and it very rarely gets so wet that they sink into the lawn, and the grass round here is very hardy with big roots so driving on it doesn't kill it, and guests then get to use the drive and when you have one carport and 3 cars you are forever shuffling who needs to get out if you all use the drive..... that's all I can think of right now but I also thought it was strange when we got here