Where can I live in ACT?

Samfire · 18-02-2009, 01:09 PM

We are applying for General Skilled sponsored subclass visa 176 to permanently move to Australia. We are applying for sponsorship in the ACT, where hubby's skills are in demand. We noticed when searching property listings for puchase in the ACT, that neighbouring Queanbeyan in NSW has some very attractive properties for sale, and in some cases, are cheaper and more value for money than the Canberra properties (in our opinion of course, based on what we are looking for in a property). Can anybody tell me if we are allowed to legally reside over the border in NSW? It's only a short distance to Canberra, ACT and hubby will be working in ACT. It would also mean that we would be exempt from stamp duty as first-time buyers (I think!), and this would go a long way in helping us to acquire the type of property we have in mind. I would be grateful if anyone who knows the ins-and-outs of the legalities, could post a quick reply.

Thanks in advance!

Samfire.
Applied for TRA 23/12/08
Approved 2/2/09
State Sponsorship Lodged 18/2/09
Waiting!!!!

paulimouse · 03-07-2009, 09:21 PM

Hi there - I am not sure if you ever found out the answer to your question...... I asked the same question to the ladies from ACT when I met them recently and they said there was no problem with you living there........ Hope that helps!

Quoll · 03-07-2009, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samfire

We are applying for General Skilled sponsored subclass visa 176 to permanently move to Australia. We are applying for sponsorship in the ACT, where hubby's skills are in demand. We noticed when searching property listings for puchase in the ACT, that neighbouring Queanbeyan in NSW has some very attractive properties for sale, and in some cases, are cheaper and more value for money than the Canberra properties (in our opinion of course, based on what we are looking for in a property). Can anybody tell me if we are allowed to legally reside over the border in NSW? It's only a short distance to Canberra, ACT and hubby will be working in ACT. It would also mean that we would be exempt from stamp duty as first-time buyers (I think!), and this would go a long way in helping us to acquire the type of property we have in mind. I would be grateful if anyone who knows the ins-and-outs of the legalities, could post a quick reply.

Thanks in advance!

Samfire.
Applied for TRA 23/12/08
Approved 2/2/09
State Sponsorship Lodged 18/2/09
Waiting!!!!

You want to live in Queanbeyan???

Just joking - lots of people do live in Queanbeyan - you just have to be a bit picky about where you want to buy - same as anywhere really. Only downside, apart from the fact that it is Queanbeyan is if you have kids - many parents want their kids to be in ACT schools but if you are a NSW resident then there is no guarantee that you will get them into the school that you want because you will be at the bottom of the priority ladder. Of course if you dont have kids or you dont mind the NSW system then that wouldnt matter. There are also some services which are NSW/ACT specific and you would have to take the local service rather than what may be perceived as a better service across the border. Another plus of course is that car rego is cheaper as well but a minus is that if you need to use public transport into Canberra it is expensive and not as frequent as local services.

nik_kershaw · 04-07-2009, 12:11 PM

I currently live in Queanbeyan, moved here for good about a month ago. All the above points are valid, however I have a newly born son who was born in the ACT, but there wasn't any problems in living in Queanbeyan. Houses are cheaper here than in Canberra. A lot of people think of Queanbeyan as an area of the ACT but it isn't. There is good access to the airport and Canberra. The slogan on entering Queanbeyan says "country living, city benefits" which I think sums up Queanbeyan. As for public transport, the buses here are a little expensive but most people drive, and there isn't the traffic jams like in the UK. Parking is either free or very cheap compared to the UK as well as fuel being cheaper than the UK. Queanbeyan seems to have a bad reputation but I haven’t seen the bad side of it yet. If you need to now anymore about Queanbeyan then just give me a shout.

Samfire · 04-07-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoll

You want to live in Queanbeyan???

Just joking - lots of people do live in Queanbeyan - you just have to be a bit picky about where you want to buy - same as anywhere really. Only downside, apart from the fact that it is Queanbeyan is if you have kids - many parents want their kids to be in ACT schools but if you are a NSW resident then there is no guarantee that you will get them into the school that you want because you will be at the bottom of the priority ladder. Of course if you dont have kids or you dont mind the NSW system then that wouldnt matter. There are also some services which are NSW/ACT specific and you would have to take the local service rather than what may be perceived as a better service across the border. Another plus of course is that car rego is cheaper as well but a minus is that if you need to use public transport into Canberra it is expensive and not as frequent as local services.

Thanks for all the helpful info! I was on holidays, which is why I didn't respond sooner. I will bear all this advice in mind.

Samfire · 04-07-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik_kershaw

I currently live in Queanbeyan, moved here for good about a month ago. All the above points are valid, however I have a newly born son who was born in the ACT, but there wasn't any problems in living in Queanbeyan. Houses are cheaper here than in Canberra. A lot of people think of Queanbeyan as an area of the ACT but it isn't. There is good access to the airport and Canberra. The slogan on entering Queanbeyan says "country living, city benefits" which I think sums up Queanbeyan. As for public transport, the buses here are a little expensive but most people drive, and there isn't the traffic jams like in the UK. Parking is either free or very cheap compared to the UK as well as fuel being cheaper than the UK. Queanbeyan seems to have a bad reputation but I haven’t seen the bad side of it yet. If you need to now anymore about Queanbeyan then just give me a shout.

Thanks Nik!!! Definitely a lot of good points to consider when deciding where to buy! Just back from hols to find our long-awaited email approving our 176 visas! So, we're definitely on our way. Now comes the daunting task of where to start???? My head is spinning!!!!

nik_kershaw · 05-07-2009, 12:02 PM

Luckly my wife is an aussie so I was able to move over into a house and her family lives just down the road from our place so that helps. I think find somewhere to live, you may have to live in a hotel for a week or so before you can move in somewhere, then once you're here then the joy of finding a job etc begins. Bring a coat if your coming in the next month or so as it's quite cold. Good luck

MikeW · 06-07-2009, 08:10 PM

I'd be wary living outside of the ACT for 2 years just in case after 2 years they withdraw your visa on that basis!

Fashionably Late · 20-07-2009, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeW

I'd be wary living outside of the ACT for 2 years just in case after 2 years they withdraw your visa on that basis!

How could they withdraw a 176 visa as it is a permanent residency visa? Maybe I am not understanding something.

Katc78 · 24-07-2009, 04:01 PM

I'm from Canberra but grew up from age 12 in Queanbeyan. I absolutely hated even mentioning I lived in Queanbeyan as a kid, but now I'm not so ashamed. It's something of a 'bogan' town (ie. chavvy), but I think in recent years it has really improved with a lot of new estates springing up. There are definitely some dodgy areas there, and I think this has to do with it being much older than Canberra and having sprung up over time rather than perfectly planned. My mum used to refer to Queanbeyan as 'real', as Canberra, in comparison, can be quite cold and stark and devoid of life. Having said that, you'll never have to worry about being stuck in a traffic jam ever again!

It's about a twenty-minute drive to the centre of Canberra (Civic) from Queanbeyan, so yes, closer than some Canberra suburbs. Queanbeyan buses suck big time, as someone else said, everyone drives so it's not an issue... Canberra buses aren't much better but at least they're on time and appear cleaner etc. Not sure if the rule is still in place but it used to be that kids who lived in NSW and went to school in the ACT would get free travel by bus over the border - no idea why but very handy!

In terms of the stamp duty exemption, I'm not sure there's any truth to this. I bought a house at the end of 2005 in Canberra and the rule at that point (ACT Government rule) was that if the house cost below a certain amount then stamp duty was $20. I don't think the same rule applied in NSW, but thinks may have changed in that time. Check the government websites - www.act.gov.au and www.nsw.gov.au, they should have the info.

Other place to consider is Jerrabomberra - near Queanbeyan (not sure if it's in NSW or ACT actually!) and fairly new. Very suburban, but depends what you're after really. If you do go with Queanbeyan, look for something in the new estates and near the river (Queanbeyan River, flows down from the snowy mountains and you can swim in it in summer).

Good luck!