Where to rent in Sydney?

Hi,

I am very new to this site :-)

I have been offered a job with a 457 visa with a company in Sydney. I am planning to relocate from the UK (Henley-on-Thames) and move myself, my husband and our 16 year old daughter. My daughter has just started her A-Levels, I know that she is going to have to go back to school and study in Australia until she is 18.

I know that renting is very expensive. Although I have no idea what areas I should be considering, and where the good schools are ........ can anyone shed any light for me? Some help would be good.

The school my daughter currently goes to, is very friendly and a great school in an affluent area. I would ideally like a similar school .......

I also would like to rent an apartment near or over looking water and was looking at Rhodes area, again, this is just looking on the internet, it is hard to get a good feel as to what is right.

Do I find a school and then a place to live or the other way round?

I appreciate that you will not have all of the answers that I am looking for, but some help would be great.

If anyone has a 16 year old who has moved from the UK, that would also be good to know how they got on :-)

Thank you!

Housing depends on budget more than anything.

Do be very aware that a 457 is only a temporary visa with no automatic path to permanent and has a number of issues. Most important that it is tied to the job, so if you were to losd the job for any reason, you only have 60 days to find anothe willing and able to sponsor or leave the country.

Also, be aware NSW charge 457 holders for education and that 457 holder children are classed as international students, so no government assistance and very high fees. Also if they return to the uk, they need to be back 3 years or be treated as international students in the UK.

Where in Sydney will your job be located? This is an important factor to consider as commuting can be difficult. Also, are you looking for a private or government school for your daughter?

I'm going to try not to pour cold water on you here, but I think you need to think very hard about this

16 years old is not a great time to be moving a teenager especially on a temporary visa. Setting aside social issues, the big challenge is education and its costs

First off, in Australia: In NSW on a 457 in a government school you will be paying fees for your daughter of (I think) $6000 a year. Selective schools are not open to temporary visa holders. You can go private but this will be in the $5-$10K region for Catholic schools, $20K+ for straight private schools.

You will also need to think hard about higher education, because on a temp visa you will be paying international students' tuition fees for any Uni course - you can research these, but they are high. So you will need to get permanent residence as quickly as possible if your daughter wants to go to Uni and you don't want to throw lots of money away. Finally she won't be able to access student loans (HECS) until you are citizens, and that is a minimum of 4.5 years away so not an option for the start of Uni

Then there's the "what if it doesn't work out?" factor to consider. If you go to Aus but decide it's not for you and come back to the UK, the big killer as VS has pointed out is that she will be considered an international student in the UK and be liable for big fees again over there. There's also the question of getting into Uni in the first place, she'll have to go back and start A levels again or find some other way of matriculating which is likely to take time and cost money

In short, there is a lot of risk here. If it's a great job and/or comes with pots of money, and you don't mind those risks and the costs that may arise, then it's worth it.

You can't be sure about staying for good with any 457 job because ultimately it's just a work permit with no automatic pathway to PR. Lots of us did come here on 457s in the first place - self included - but I never needed to regard it as a commitment, we had the luxury of seeing it as a bit of an adventure, primarily because we didn't have teenagers. The realities of time and the rules in both countries mean you need to think about this pretty hard

Sorry. I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear

I know that renting is very expensive. Although I have no idea what areas I should be considering, and where the good schools are ........ can anyone shed any light for me? Some help would be good.

The biggest question is, where in Sydney is the job? Sydney is an extremely large city that spreads out quite far.

But since you mention Rhodes, somewhere on Upper North Shore would be lovely.

Somewhere like : Mount Kuring-Gai, Berowra, Brooklyn, Dural and Cowan, are all lovely family areas to live in. And within driving distance to Rhodes.

And Hornsby Girls High School easily accessible on the train or car from all mentioned suburbs, has an excellent reputation: http://www.hornsbygir-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/

Hi Claire,

See my post in here http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=254200

It depends on what you are looking for in an area, where is the job and what is your budget? Can't speak to the issues raised above but they seem valid and you'd want to have a good view on them before coming over.

Affluent = expensive not there is anywhere cheap in Sydney anymore. Some people commute 60-90 mins each way every day, personally anything more than 30 is too much for me. Generally speaking, the Eastern suburbs and lower North Shore are the most affluent suburbs (but you couldn't pay me to live in either). Middle, Upper North Shore and Northern beaches are a bit more middle class and family orientated.

The inner west is a mixture depending on the suburb. I love Balmain, Rozelle, real village atmosphere, close to the city but got it's own scene. Good mix of families living around here too (& Lilyfield, Drummoyne, Chiswick, Abbotsford). I'm involved with the locl footies team and it is very community based (2,500 members and plenty of teams at all ages for both boys & girls)

Hope this helps. If you give us a bit more of an idea on your criteria, we can halp narrow it down for you. I think it's

Budget,

Schools,

Commuting time

Leisure activities (eg is being close to the beach important)

Type of community

Hope this helps

Is it possible for your daughter to stay in the UK to complete her A-levels? It's a tricky time to disturb her education.

Also, on a 457 visa you will have to pay international school fees ($$$) and if your daughter chooses to go to university in Australia (if you are still on a 457) OR the UK it will be international fees both sides.

The company is located -

Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000

It would be a government school that I would be looking at.

Where in Sydney will your job be located? This is an important factor to consider as commuting can be difficult. Also, are you looking for a private or government school for your daughter?

Thank you, for the information :-)

Thank you, I agree, I would not want to travel more than 30 mins really each way.

Budget is approx $3500 per month, I am not sure I want to pay much more than that.

Schools would be a government school.

Beach is not important, but close to water would be nice, hence why we were looking at the Rhodes area.

Community, family, friendly etc.

Really appreciate your feedback and help on all of this!

Hi Claire,

 

See my post in here http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=254200

 

It depends on what you are looking for in an area, where is the job and what is your budget? Can't speak to the issues raised above but they seem valid and you'd want to have a good view on them before coming over.

 

Affluent = expensive not there is anywhere cheap in Sydney anymore. Some people commute 60-90 mins each way every day, personally anything more than 30 is too much for me. Generally speaking, the Eastern suburbs and lower North Shore are the most affluent suburbs (but you couldn't pay me to live in either). Middle, Upper North Shore and Northern beaches are a bit more middle class and family orientated.

 

The inner west is a mixture depending on the suburb. I love Balmain, Rozelle, real village atmosphere, close to the city but got it's own scene. Good mix of families living around here too (& Lilyfield, Drummoyne, Chiswick, Abbotsford). I'm involved with the locl footies team and it is very community based (2,500 members and plenty of teams at all ages for both boys & girls)

 

Hope this helps. If you give us a bit more of an idea on your criteria, we can halp narrow it down for you. I think it's

 

Budget,

Schools,

Commuting time

Leisure activities (eg is being close to the beach important)

Type of community

 

Hope this helps

Thank you, I agree, I would not want to travel more than 30 mins really each way.

 

Budget is approx $3500 per month, I am not sure I want to pay much more than that.

 

Schools would be a government school.

 

Beach is not important, but close to water would be nice, hence why we were looking at the Rhodes area.

 

Community, family, friendly etc.

 

Really appreciate your feedback and help on all of this!

Rents in Australia are typically quoted per week not per month. So I calculate that you are thinking of something just above $800 per week. This is generally not going to put you in an affluent area, it is quite an average budget for Sydney, some might even say you would struggle to find a nice house for that. I am not familiar with Rhodes and no idea about the length of commute, don't take any notice of driving times on Google though when you look into it, they won't reflect Sydney traffic. If there are trains out there, that would give you a decent idea though.

My other recommendation, don't limit it to one suburb. Sydney suburbs all roll into one, you won't know when one ends and the next starts, it is not like separate towns that you get in the UK. I would focus on broader area and a bunch of suburbs not just one.

Ok Claire, so work is bang in the middle of the CBD (city).

Rhodes is a relatively new suburb, ie they have built loads of units there recently. I think it's about 1/2 hour on the train but have a look at the city rail site. There is a big shopping centre in there. I think that there is only 1 road in/out and it can be a bit of a traffic nightmare. Also it is beside Homebush (Sydney Olympic park) so when there is an event on, the roads can get clogged up. I don't go out that way too often but find it a bit sterile. Have a look at the ferries too, the Parramatta river service may stop at roads and is a great way to travel to/from work. It depends on which end of Castlereagh st work is at, if it's the circular quay end, the ferry may work. If it's the Town Hall, Central end, you're on the train.

So how big a place do you need? I'm guessing 2-3 bedroom either house or unit. Do you want a modern apt As the previous poster said, rents are generally quoted in $ per week rather month. I've had a quick look at what $800/$810 pw ($3500 pcm) will get you around my area (Balmain/Rozelle) as I know it quite well. I think you can live a bit closer in than Rhodes in a more established suburb with a bit more life. Generally, in my area you would be looking a nice 2 bed unit in a modern complex (pool, gym and off street parking), No backyards but generally a nice balcony. Other options look like renovated 2 bed character cottages, may be street parking and a small front/back yard (but there are parks on every corner). Other areas worth looking at are Lilyfield, Drummoyne, Chiswick and Abbotsford. Chiswick, Abbotsford and East Drummoyne are all on the ferry route too and are close to the water. No train but there is a bus corridor along Victoria road which gives a lot of options. Gladesville, Ryde will give you a bit more for your money and are the next ring out but before Rhodes).

Can't really speak to the schools but have lots of mates around here whose kids go to the local schools and they generally have positive things to say about them.

Hope this helps

Meant to say domain.com.au and real estate.com.au will give you a feel for what $800pw gets you

The company is located Castlereagh St, Sydney

As I mentioned before, Upper North Shore is a lovely family area to live in.

Generally considered safe areas, good shops and amenities, excellent schools, lots of National Parks to visit (walks, fishing, boating, horse riding or bike riding) and also within 30 minutes drive of a beach.

(i.e.) Mount Kuring-Gai to the CBD is 50 mins on the train.

But if you wanted to live near work or even within walking distance to work, then look at inner city living: Balmain, Elizabeth Bay, Surry Hills or Glebe.

And if you wanted something in the middle of the two, then somewhere like Gladesville or St Ives maybe.

Extremely handy for work, but personally I would hate to live in the inner city. As too crowded and too noisy. But some people positively thrive on that vibe. I like to spend most of my spare time at the beach or in the National Parks; so choose to live near them.

Beach is not important, but close to water would be nice, hence why we were looking at the Rhodes area.

I don't know the Rhodes area well. I try to avoid it, as find the roads very congested around that A3 Sydney Olympic Park area.

If you like the water, and want to be reasonably close to work, then Riverview, Hunters Hill, Greenwich, Lane Cove West, Woolwich and Kirribilli, are also lovely areas near the water. But again traffic snarl can sometimes be an issue. Although some of them have fast ferries to Circular Quay I believe.

I have a friend who lives in Elizabeth Bay and walks to work. And another who lives in Manly and takes the ferry to work. And another who lives in Bayview and drives to work. They all have magnificent water views and all work in the CBD.

Honestly, this could go on forever. Best to book short term accommodation for say six weeks for arrival and explore these areas yourself. Or do a six month rental in Rhodes, and maybe look around for something better when you get here. Only you can judge whether you can cope with a particular area.

Are you thinking of this as a temp move or do you wish to emigrate permanently? You need to look into things very carefully before moving. As mentioned the 457 is a temp visa and no matter what an employer promises is does not automatically become permanent. Many people have been let down at the last minute by employers who promised PR sponsorship, leaving them 60 days to find another sponsor or leave.

It will also make a deal of difference to a 16 year old, because of the disruption to education, even if you can afford the high fees.

If you want to move permanently then look at independent migration to see if you qualify independently of an employer.

Research the good and the bad before leaping it is an expensive business, even if an employer helps fund the move, emotionally and financially.

I'm going to echo the comments that @northshorepom and @srh82 have made.

Moving your daughter to Australia in the middle of her A-levels is going to be massively disruptive to her education. The academic year starts at the end of February, and given a two month processing time for a 457, you've got no chances of being settled in Sydney by then. So either you takes a year out of school, or has a massive amount of catching up to do. And that's before you think about things like differences in the curriculum.

My suggestion would be either to move in July next year, and send your daughter back to the UK for her final academic year, or put off emigrating until the middle of 2018.

As for Sydney, property costs are on a par with London. I'd be looking along one of the rail routes, or somewhere that has a ferry service on the harbour.

A lot of places look much better on the listings websites than they do in reality, so you really need to be here to see them. I'd recommend staying in temporary accommodation for a couple of months to get your bearings. In any case there's shipping time to get your furniture down from the UK.

Lastly, most rentals don't include white goods, so you need to budget for a washing machine and fridge.

As the thread has been re-livened, I'm going to go back to previous advice and in light of the additional information provided (ie housing budget) suggest: Don't do this

It sounds like you are leaving a settled and fairly affluent home life in a nice place (Henley) for what is a bit of a leap in the dark.

$800pw is not enough for a house in a nice part of Sydney with an easy commute to the CBD and especially with proximity to water. It IS enough for a flat/unit with those things. So let's be completely clear: your option is to live in a flat, so make sure you're clear on that and OK with it

Then we get to the education, and for me this is what tips the balance. You're essentially gambling her whole educational future (A levels and Uni, if she's that way inclined) on this move working out, and that's too big a risk to take IMO. And if she is University bound, then you have to be prepared for some really substantial fees whether she goes in the UK or Aus (please don't ignore or underestimate these), or to defer Uni until you become citizens, if you ever do. There's just too many ifs in that equation for me

If you were just a couple, or if your child was younger than, say, 13-14, or if you didn't have much to lose in the UK (let's say if you lived in a horrible place, or her school was hopeless, or you were about to lose your job with no prospect of another) then I'd be saying yep, go for it. But given the info you've provided, my advice can only be not to do this. There are real risks of ending up in a much worse place both short term (relatively worse off) and long term (mucking up your daughter's education)

Sorry. It's a good place here, if you get the liveability (salary vs commute vs housing costs vs leisure) balance right, but I think the timing and circumstances are wrong

As the thread has been re-livened, I'm going to go back to previous advice and in light of the additional information provided (ie housing budget) suggest: Don't do this

 

It sounds like you are leaving a settled and fairly affluent home life in a nice place (Henley) for what is a bit of a leap in the dark.

 

$800pw is not enough for a house in a nice part of Sydney with an easy commute to the CBD and especially with proximity to water. It IS enough for a flat/unit with those things. So let's be completely clear: your option is to live in a flat, so make sure you're clear on that and OK with it

 

Then we get to the education, and for me this is what tips the balance. You're essentially gambling her whole educational future (A levels and Uni, if she's that way inclined) on this move working out, and that's too big a risk to take IMO. And if she is University bound, then you have to be prepared for some really substantial fees whether she goes in the UK or Aus (please don't ignore or underestimate these), or to defer Uni until you become citizens, if you ever do. There's just too many ifs in that equation for me

 

If you were just a couple, or if your child was younger than, say, 13-14, or if you didn't have much to lose in the UK (let's say if you lived in a horrible place, or her school was hopeless, or you were about to lose your job with no prospect of another) then I'd be saying yep, go for it. But given the info you've provided, my advice can only be not to do this. There are real risks of ending up in a much worse place both short term (relatively worse off) and long term (mucking up your daughter's education)

 

Sorry. It's a good place here, if you get the liveability (salary vs commute vs housing costs vs leisure) balance right, but I think the timing and circumstances are wrong

Spot on.

I agree with all the comments that this is not fair on a 16 year old. To be living in a below par part of Sydney in a flat, well it is just not worth it.

$800pw is not enough for a house in a nice part of Sydney with an easy commute to the CBD and especially with proximity to water.

Sorry but, totally disagree with this comment.

I have lived in two really nice house rentals, in lovely areas of Sydney, near the water, with an easy commute to the CBD.

And the rent was less than $500.00 a week.

One of them had a massive garden and views too. The other within a five minute walk of water views and lifestyle.

Sorry but, totally disagree with this comment.

 

I have lived in two really nice house rentals, in lovely areas of Sydney, near the water, with an easy commute to the CBD.

 

And the rent was less than $500.00 a week.

 

One of them had a massive garden and views too. The other within a five minute walk of water views and lifestyle.

That is truly extraordinary and I think to suggest that it is easy to find a nice house in a nice area for $500 in Sydney is doing a great disservice to people that are looking to move as they are not going to find that to be the case. They simply are not.

Sorry but, totally disagree with this comment.

 

I have lived in two really nice house rentals, in lovely areas of Sydney, near the water, with an easy commute to the CBD.

 

And the rent was less than $500.00 a week.

 

One of them had a massive garden and views too. The other within a five minute walk of water views and lifestyle.

Any reason for the location of such fab bargains to remain a secret?

Tell us where they were - which suburbs?

Or even how long ago

Agree with what northshorepom said. It would be crazy and cruel to move a 16yr old from a settled existence in UK to Sydney. We took our kids back to UK for a year when they were 13/14 and it was a nightmare re-settling back into Sydney schools even though we knew the ropes and they had friends here. And the notion that you can land a house with water views and get your kids into a good school with a rental budget of $800 a week is fantasy. Sorry, but Sydney can be a really tough place to make a new start if you have kids.

North shore hit the nail on the head with his post and agree with others that saying you can get a rental for $500 is totally unrealistic.

we lived in mona vale 2 bed town had partial sea views rental was $750 per week ( 14 months ago) it was recently up for rent $925 now.