mwgster

Hi We came over last October and secured a rental in Burns. My wife loved the clean polished look of the area where as I like to see trees and a big of greenery! It is very subjective. Yes, it is very expensive to buy. Land is pretty much $1000 per sq mtr so a 550 sq plot will cost you $550,000. In Yanchep, land is half the price and the other side of Marmion is cheaper too (but not much). A half descent single storey house will cost 250k + and a two storey some 300k plus. Plots in Iluka are a little cheaper and it is a big more established. Plot sizes seem to be getting smaller too. We were speaking to our agent last week and she said not to buy for 12 months as the market is destabilising. It may give sterling time to catch up too. Houses in Ocean Reef are generally older. You can pay $700k for something quit hideous and still need to spend $150+ to refurb! Shops in Currambine are handy and Lakeside in a Joondalup is only 10 min away. If you will be working in the CBD, the train from Currambine takes 30min and compared to train services back home, you will be pleased. Driving to the city is not really a option. Once you get to the Ocean Reef section, your screwed. Doesn't matter what time you get there either, be it 6:30, 7 or later. Parking in the city is expensive too. On another note, getting work here is not easy. I hope you have work lined up? You will get the 'need WA' experience line a lot and there is a great deal of protectionism. In my book, that's fair enough, I am an outsider coming in. If you don't see it this way then you will find it hard. We have had countless good Ozzie friends tell us the same. East Coast is slightly more cosmopolitan so a bit easier.....but again, this is not down to experience, just what others tell us. I am an engineer by trade and I have worked as a labourer for 6 months. I have only just secured my first engineering job. My wife, who is a lawyer and practice manager by trade is still unable to get work. With regards to the economy,.... Well it is going down hill. National debt is at an all time high. Many of us are bracing for some hard hitting decisions come the budget a week on Tuesday. My response may seem a bit 'glass half empty' haha But in all honesty it is a great place to live but it will cost you financially and emotionally.

Hi All I am here in sunny Australia and am permanently employed. The company I work for has it's own Super Fund but is not QROPS registered. I have been looking at a myriad of Superannuation schemes and as somebody else on here has posted, am super confused! ha I realise that maybe I need to be paying for the advice of a financial/pension specialist but just to at least get me started, are there any super funds that would come recommended. I am looking for a fund I can move from job to job, has death benefit &/or income protection, does not have massive fees, is QROPS registered so that I can transfer my UK funds but most of all that is simple enough for me to manage!! Any advice would be much appreciated... Martin

Hi The Peachey's We are flying out on the 13th of October and I was wondering exactly the same thing re. travel/health insurance. Should we get travel/health insurance for say a months cover while we sort out medicare etc? If the insurance company got wind of the fact the insurance was taken out for emigration and not a holiday as such, would that be an excuse for them to null & void the insurance? The devil is in the detail as they say.. I hope somebody comes up with an answer.. If I find anything out, I will let you know. Martin

No, not meant that way.. Just happy to have the visa!

The kick in the teeth is paying for 4 flights when I originally thought it was only me who would have to validat the visa.. Ha It's all good really. thanks for your reply, very much appreciated. M

Hi This may sound like a pretty daft question but I just want to be sure.. We (wife & 2 kids) will be holidaying in March 2013 as we need to validate our PR Visa before the end of April. (house not selling arrrgghhh). The first kick in the teeth was when I realised all applicants have to travel to Oz to validate the visa & not just the main applicant (me). Few more grand to find than I had planned for! :mad: This is definitely the case is it? The other question is whether we need to apply for a visitors visa when we go on holiday or are we now covered as we have a 175? Your help on this would be very much appreciated :biggrin: Martin