Expatmummy

My OH has just been made redundant, along with approx. 150 of his HO colleges over the last 6 months by an allegedly successful construction company, after they spent quite a bit bringing us over and then getting us work sponsored PR (he's been with them for several years and gained work for them)... not a mention of this in any of the local press. Several friends OH have gone through the redundancy cycle or, as they are self employed in O&G, not had any work for 6 months. Other friends in a variety of suburbs mainly north of the river have had to sell their houses at a loss. Advice we had from folk when we were thinking of buying (fortunately we didn't) was to go in at least 10-15% under asking.... we know 4 people who did this and were successful in the western 'burbs.

Just my penny worth, but things aren't looking as rosy as the papers and pols would have us believe!

Hi, we looked into schools and had our daughter down on waiting lists before the OH had his face to face interview. By time we arrived she'd been on the lists of 4 school for 6 months (we had to pay to go on the lists), when we spoke to the schools they were hazy about where she was on the lists etc, but once we got here and interviewed things changed very quickly and she was offered places at 3 out of 4! She is in Yr 7 and just started her 2nd full year at the place we decided on. If you've set your heart on a particular school then you do have to get in there early doors for the lists, and work very hard at the interview (we were at on place for over 2 hours). Places for kids born 2000/01 are a lot harder, we've lived in several countries and it has always been difficult, apparently there was a bit of a baby boom to do with people deliberately trying to have a millennium baby (not what we were aiming for!) Good Luck :biggrin:

Hi,

We bought a Nissan Dualis before Xmas, I think they do a 7 seat version from Nissan in Osbourne Park (the lovely Brendan there), great deal, no deposit and interest free for 3 years, plus a couple of grand off the list price. Renault were also doing 0%, and Toyota are doing cheap money too. If you shop around there are some very good finance deals at the mo!