money transfer from Ireland

[mandy m]

Hi,
Has anyone from Ireland any info about transfering money from their banks over here to banks in Oz. All replies are much appreciated.

[Liam]

Hi Mandy

I recommend you use a professional service like Xe.com . Here are the details of how it works XEtrade - How It Works

You simply fix in the rate with Xe.com arrange for th funds to go from your Irish bank to them and they convert the money and transfer it to your bank in OZ or send a bank draft.

good luck

Liam

[hedgehog]

we used the commenwealth bank and did a rate watch, hifx do the same too just like the post above with xe.

[mandy m]

Thats great thanks i will have a look at them. Liam i see that you are in Sydney thats where we are hoping to be heading can u recommend any where nice to live?

regards
mandy

[Liam]

Hi Mandy

We moved back down to Sydney from Port Stephens (everyone thinks we are mad!) for work reasons. Where you live in Sydney primarily depends on your work as the last thing you want is to be commuting for hours (Australian weather is too good to waste time in traffic!)

I work out of the Castle Hill in the North West of Sydney and we live further out in a small village called Kurrajong Kurrajong NSW Australia . The benefits are lovely lifestyle, small school, and ability to afford a nicer house with a pool to rent/buy. The down side is travel to the city takes 1.5 to 2 hours in peak hour. It only takes me 40 mins to my work and it is an easy hassle free drive.

So I recommend renting a place while you find work, then rent again for 12 months within reasonbale distance of that work to see if you like the area and it suits your family.

Best of luck with your move and please email if you have any queries as I am happy to help out.

[mandy m]

Heya Liam

we were looking in around castlehills and baulkham hills area but i have read these are in the "biblebelt" is this true? i hope not because the houses look lovely and in our price range, also we have two kids aged 6 and 3 and was wondering what the schools were like? and one more thing! whats the transport system like in these areas? thanks for your help Liam.

regards Mandy

[Liam]

Hi Mandy

Well I work in Castle Hill and yes there are numerous different churches around here including the big Hillsong group but it really does not have any effect on you if you do not wish to have anything to do with any of those groups. I have been working in the area 2 years and no one has hassled or "invited" me to partake !

Castle Hill and Baulkham Hills have both seen the value of houses drop in the last 2 years as they were part of a major boom 2000-2003. It is a perfect time in the next 12 months to be buying here as it is a buyers market.

We have started looking at schools in the area and there appears to be plenty of choice from public to low cost Private to very high cost private so don't worry about that.

Shopping.....too much choice..you can get everything you need and a lot you don't!

Transport ----- now that's a bit of a problem as the Rail link is not expected here until 2017 (another reason why good buying time now!). There are bus services and bearing in mind the number of young couples with families out here it will never be "good enough" but people do seem to manage. Because distances in Australia are so big most people have cars but you can pick up a runabout very cheap as a second car.

Here are some handy links for property and other info:

Home Price Guide® – Auction Results & Property Prices essential knowledge about the suburbs you want to buy in. Best money you will ever spend

Hills News Local Free Weekly Newspaper

The Hills Shire Times | Hills Shire Local News another Free Weekly

Baulkham Hills Shire Council Local Council services and other important information

First National Real Estate Australia - Free Property Guides - About First National

hope these are of help

Liam

[mandy m]

Heya Liam

thats great info really appreciate it, just hope we get the visa now, we have just sold our house!!!!!!

kind regards

mandy