SerenaJ

Thanks so much for your reply - sorry for the late response; I've been away with work and then not had a chance to check messages since. I'd be keen to understand any tips relating to buying at auction, as it seems all the properties we are looking at are going this way. Does the 5 day cooling off period you mention only relate to properties not bought at auction? In regards to building and pest, are you suggesting that if the vendor has had one done prior to auction we ignore it and get our own done in every instance? Why is this? Is it not reliable if purchased by the vendor (i.e. could they have negotiated to have certain things omitted from the report or something?). Would you have any advice on the contract? As the contract is already drawn up prior to the auction, what should be our course of action? Should we have a solicitor review it prior to the auction? Or are contracts all pretty much of a muchness and we should just go with it? Thanks so much for your help. We've seen anther property that goes to auction on Saturday (we lost out on the last one I was posting about) so we need to get ourselves organised pretty quickly! :-)

Thanks for the advice. So, if buying at auction, you show the contract to your own solicitor prior to the auction? Seems sensible to me, only our mortgage broker said you only need to appoint a solicitor after signing the contract? Same for searches. If you pay for all the searches prior to the auction, then don't get the house, this is a huge expense. But is that just what you have to do when buying at auction? We don't want to take risks and put a deposit down only to lose it, but similarly we don't want to keep paying thousands of dollars getting contracts checked and searches done, and then getting outbid at the auctions. Yes we are PR residents. Thanks for your help. It feels so unfamiliar compared to the UK. :-)

We've found a house we're interested in buying (Brisbane), but it goes to auction on Saturday. We've only just applied for an offer of a loan so our finances won't be sorted in time to bid, but we're planning on going to the auction to see if the property gets passed in and if we have a chance of negotiating a contract (we've been advised only to sign one with a 14 day finance clause). What we're totally bewildered by is what inspections and legal checks we should get done. There is a building and pest report (provided by the seller) but would most people get their own done in addition? What other inspections would people normally get done (or is that it)? Also, when would we get a solicitor on board? Does the solicitor check over the contract - if so would this be before or after signing the contract? We had a quote from a solicitor for all sorts of searches that they can undertake - but which are recommended? The house was built in the 1930s if that has a bearing. Thank you for any help / advice.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice. Gave my husband and I some really good points to consider and talk about. We had a parents evening tonight with the teacher and have agreed that we will support our son in using the new style of writing and the school has also agreed to support and encourage him no matter what style of writing he uses during the transition period. We've positioned it with our son as 'learning to write Australian' and said we will all learn together. So he's happy to give it a go and knows he can also continue to write in the cursive style outside of school if he prefers. Hopefully it won't be too painful a process for any of us. Thanks again for the advice.

Hi there, We've recently moved to Brisbane and our 7 year old son has just started Year 2. He already completed a term of Year 2 in his previous school in the UK and since the start of Year 1 he's been taught the cursive handwriting font (as a pre-cursor to joined up writing). He now pretty much does joined up writing, as he finds this easier than keeping the letters separate... He's not the fastest or neatest writer in the world, but he's only 7 and we're really proud of the progress he's making (especially as he's left handed which can make it a little more awkward). But now he's being told at his new school that he needs to strop writing this way and start forming his letters separately in the non-cursive style. I emailed the teacher when he came home and told me that this is what he's being told, and she says they "implement the Queensland handwriting font and this forms part of our assessment and reporting. I just need you to be aware of this as I feel your son can be encouraged to apply this font here at school whilst continuing to enjoy his success and progress with cursive writing in his free time." My husband and I can't help feeling this is a little like going backwards, and we are also are worried about the effect this will have on our son's self-esteem, given that he's now being told he writes 'wrong'. He's rather a perfectionist, so we know it will really upset him if he has to start relearning to write and therefore making mistakes. What would your advice be? If it's really just a question of the school being able to score points in terms of reporting on the handwriting abilities of each year group, then we'd rather look after the interests of our son than the group interests of the school.

Thanks for that - it's reassuring to get a good review from someone with children there. Do you mind me asking how old your kids are? We have a 7 year old son, so he'll be starting Year 2 later this month. We're moving into a house in Bardon next weekend. Not sure if you're able to recommend any good local places for us to make contact with children of his age before school starts - he's not had anyone his own age to play with for over a month. Really feel for the poor lad... :-(

Thanks for this - really useful. :-)

Hello. We've just arrived from the UK and are looking at buying a car, as it seems like such a false economy to rent for more than the first week or so. We have no idea what's involved here though... Do we need Aussie licences before we can buy or is a UK licence ok? Will we need a permanent address to register a vehicle (we are in holiday accommodation until early Jan)? What are the main steps to taking over ownership of a vehicle here (we'd be buying 2nd hand). Any advice on whether better to buy from a dealership or private sale? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Hi all, We just arrived from the UK on the 10th and are looking for a permanent rental as we're in holiday accommodation at the moment. We've found somewhere we like in Bardon and it's in the catchment for Ithaca Creek State School. Our son is 7. Just wondered if anyone has any experience of the school and whether it has a good reputation? Thanks.

No worries... I know we need to take our own view on things / the risk etc. Thanks for all the advice though - much appreciated. :-)

Thanks for all the info... v useful. :-)

Agreed. At the moment we have no idea what we'll need what for... or when. Lol! We're just finding lists of advice on what to take, but wondering how many documents are actually essential, and what they'd need to be produced for. Any tips much appreciated :-)

Great - thanks for the tip! Useful to know... :-)

Yes we do internet bank, but might not have a printer for a while when we get to Oz, so will need to bring them printed out in advance, hence the discussion about whether to bring in backpack when we go traveling or send in air freight box. Also it's the other docs to consider as well: mortgage statements and paid up mortgage confirmation, copies of recent utility bills showing payments made, birth certificates, marriage certificates, employment references, copies of medical and dental records, school file for our son etc.

Thanks - yes this is a good idea. We'll do this.