Beckfield

29 minutes ago, Beckfield said:

I’d stay clear of the west end of Newcastle.

One more thing Juliaoz01 if I may:  what exactly is the west end?  Do you mean areas to the west of the city, or is the western area of the city itself??  Thank you, 

39 minutes ago, juliaoz01 said:

I’m from the north east and know Newcastle very well. It all depends on what you’re after and what your budget is too! The likes of Jesmond and gosforth are nice and very close to the city, but it’s expensive and things like parking are a nightmare. Both have great pubs and restaurants and shops though. If you’re after the coast, tynemouth and Whitley bay are nice but are quite expensive too. A little bit further up you’ve got Seaton delaval and Blyth where it’s a bit cheaper but still right on beach. I’d stay clear of the west end of Newcastle. There’s lots of country villages and towns around Newcastle like throckley, wylam and bigger places like Hexham and Morpeth are nice too. Newcastle’s weather might be a bit damp and chilly but it’s a fantastic city. So many great shops, bars, restaurants as well as theatres and museums. You’re never bored! It has a great buzz and the Christmas markets around greys monument are so christmassy you soon forget how cold it is! Can you tell I miss it?!

Hi Juliaoz01.  This is fabulous info..  Thanks so much.  I have noted the areas you mentioned and am about to google real estate there.  Yes, I can tell you miss it...  I feel for you.  Homesickness comes in waves, in my experience.  Sometimes it's a dull ache and other times it's full blown agony.  I hope you can get home for a "Newcastle fix" soon.  Thank you again for all the info.  

2 hours ago, VERYSTORMY said:

I spent a big chunk of last year in Whitley Bay and was amazed by it. The sea front has been totally refurbished and has a really good buzz about it. During summer the council hold free concerts in the park opposite the sea every weekend - not just little local bands, but big international acts. 

Newcastle is also doing incredibly well and has a boom feel about it with a huge amount of new investment. 

Sounds like you enjoyed it Verystormy.  I looked at Whitley Bay on images and it's really beautiful. We were going to go to Scarborough, which is more or less home for us, but we are concerned there mightn't be many employment options - especially for young daughter.  I have a fear of the unknown, with Newcastle, as we are a quiet country family and it looks to be an enormous city.  Fantastic for entertainment, uni, etc, but could be overwhelming for very "un-streetwise" girl!  House is going back on market this coming week.  Gave up last time after 9 months.  Here's hoping!  Thanks for your interesting reply.  

9 minutes ago, can1983 said:

Great atmosphere around the place whenever I've been. Transport with 'subway' and trains / buses.

but its a seriously cold and grim place weather wise

Thank can1983.  Might need to invest in some thermals then.  Lol.

29 minutes ago, Toots said:

I always liked Newcastle but haven't been there for a long time now.  Last time I was back in the UK I visited a friend who retired from Newcastle to the north end of Whitely Bay.  She is really enjoying living there.  It's 10 miles from Newcastle.

Thanks Toots, that's helpful.  Whitely Bay looks lovely from the pictures online.

Hi everyone, are any of you familiar with Newcastle?  If so, which areas are safe/unsafe, and which are pleasant environs.  We have young adults who will be relying on public transport.  Any info appreciated.  We have looked online but the opinions are quite conflicting.  Thank you!

On 02/09/2018 at 18:25, Marisawright said:

I remember your posts from the last time.  You may find you have more luck this time if you start with a low price.  Sometimes it's counter-productive if you start at a high price, then keep reducing - people will hold off thinking that you'll just keep on reducing the price.  

I repeat my offer of contacting me privately.  First step - let me know what town you're living in so I can take a look at property values.  

I can't remember if I asked last time - did you prepare your house before they took the pictures?  By which I mean:

•  ruthlessly declutter every single room (pack everything non-essential in boxes and put the boxes in the garage, or in storage somewhere);
•  remove every single photo and picture of yourself and your family;
• get the garden and the house looking immaculate.

Then once the pictures are all taken, keep it looking exactly the same until the house sells.

People should be able to see past your stuff but they don't.  They just don't. 

Thanks Marisawright, I've done all the above and have someone who's good at this stuff looking at it for me.  Haven't listed it for sale again yet.  Appreciate your help, thank you.  Here's hoping!!  

@paulswin   Great to hear you sold..  you know how it feels, so frustrating isn't it?  Mine was on for almost a year.  You must be so excited about going back.  I think you were wise to not hang out for the highest price, but to take what was offered, so you can get on with your own plans.  Hope it all goes really well and your children settle well into their new life.  All the best.

Hi Everyone, lovely to read so many positive comments about returning to UK.  I was trying to sell our house so we could go but it just wouldn't sell despite all our efforts and price reductions.  As the hankering/homesickness is still there I am about to try again.  We thought we'd be home by last Christmas but the best laid plans...  If it doesn't sell this time we'll probably give up.  

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

Hi again Marisawright, Yes, that's right, we're going one way.  No returning.  So if I click your name and then click message, is it a private message between you and me?  Thanks.

I repeat my offer earlier - if you want to send me a message (click on my name and look for the Message button), I'd be happy to take a look at the listing for the house. You could even just paste the link to the online listing in a post here, if you don't mind people knowing where you live.   The important thing is to make sure it's going to appeal to city investors as well as locals.

2 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Have you given any more thought to renting the place out and then renting a place in the UK?   Country places often get good rentals compared to their value.

Hi Marisawright, Yes, we did discuss look at renting the house out but when we looked at others' properties that are currently rented out around here most of them are not looked after at all and the yards all let go - hate to think what the insides are like...  It kind of scared us to be honest, that we would find our house in a poor condition afterwards.  We are kind of resigned to being stuck here... over the tears and disappointment stage, and just hoping a miracle might happen.  Have to keep smiling !

On 3/6/2018 at 18:03, bristolman said:

I agree, if I had listened to the usual susects there is no way we would have come to the UK as it was made out to be some sort of 3rd world hellhole. I wouldn't move in either direction based on the opinions of random people on a forum. It has to be something you want to do. 

Yes, you have a good point bristolman.  We're all different.  Personally I would never have left our own country in the first place - but didn't have a lot of say in the matter, being just a little 'un at the time...   I have always missed it...  Left school, went to work, saved like mad to get a ticket home.  Had been missing my grandfather so much it was almost unbearable....  Finally saved enough, and went home.  My grandfather died just before I got there.  No words to describe it really...  Anyway, to me no matter what, England will always be home and I will always love it.  I have dreamt of going now we have no commitments to keep us here anymore, for so long.  Still trying to sell the blasted house!  If anyone on this forum is a praying person, this might be a good time.  I can see no means of selling this house other than with divine intervention.  Best wishes to all.  

On 11/22/2017 at 18:02, Lady Tottington said:

 

So 4 weeks ago a job offer and today we waved good bye to our belongings as it travels the 12 week journey. I can't believe in 4 weeks, we have done so much but we are now rattling around an empty house, jobless, carless and furnitureless just waiting to board that Big Bird back to Blighty on Sunday.

Still got very mixed emotions, im tired and stressed but very very excited, thank you for all you that helped, guided and gave advice, hopefully I will be on here again next Spring (UK) letting you all know how fantastic, freezing Yorkshire is and this was the best decision in years!! Bon Voyage

Best of luck to you and your family Lady Tottington.  Can imagine the mixed emotions.  Please let us know how it goes and how you feel to be home.  

On 2/20/2018 at 15:30, MissMissingEurope said:

Hi everyone, i'm a new member on here but a long-time reader of the MBTTUK forum! I've been in Perth for 8 years now with my husband and have 2 kids who are 4 and 1. We are all dual UK/Aus citizens. We have been considering moving back for years now and have pretty much decided that we will do it, but it will take us a couple of years to organise everything and save up enough money to do it. We have already ping-ponged once over 10 years ago so we are aware that both places have their pros and cons and we aren't looking at the UK through rose-tinted glasses/with a grass is greener outlook. 

Reasons for moving back: wanting to be closer to friends and family, boredom with Perth, not liking the isolation, hating suburbia, bored of the samey weather and lack of distinct seasons, missing Europe (oh so much! I have NEVER stopped missing Europe since we arrived here) and the ability to travel cheaply, wanting our kids to grow up being able to experience all the Europe has to offer instead of living in the insular bubble that is Perth. 

We aren't sure where in the UK we will move back to yet. I feel that if we are going to move back, we need to do it soon because if we stay here too long we will get "stuck" here.. our kids will become proper aussies, they will attend high school then probably uni in oz, may settle and have kids here and then it will be so hard to move back! At least if we move soon and it doesn't work out, we can always come back before the kids start high school (though i doubt we would do that). I have met elderly British people here who long to go back to the UK but are stuck here because they have kids and grandkids here. I just cannot see myself living here into old age. 

The thing is, whenever I mention this plan to anyone (family included), I get really negative reactions and people telling me that it would be a terrible mistake to move our kids away from this place that apparently is "the best place in the world to raise kids". They make out like the UK is some third world country that's a terrible place for families and it really makes me worry that they are right and we are going to make a terrible mistake. They also comment on how awful the UK weather and act like we would be crazy to go back to it but honestly, i''m bored of the Perth weather.. i'm sure i'll miss the heat but weather is not everything. 

Because of the negative reactions, sometimes I feel like giving up on the dream of going back and just accepting that the best thing for our kids is just to stay here, even if we don't want to. Then again, I don't want to look back in 10 or 20 years and think "what if?"

I guess i'm just looking for some reassurance from someone.. did you move with young kids and find that it was actually ok? Do your kids have a good quality of life in the UK? Has anyone had similar negative reactions from people?

 

Hi MissMissingEurope, I hear what you're saying about wanting to go but still feeling doubts due to others' opinions.  Personally I don't think this country is any better than anywhere else as far as raising kids is concerned. The western world now seems to be blending into one and Australia is largely adopting American ways, values, morals and habits.   There are good things about living here, for sure, but it's not paradise as it's often painted to be and the climate is becoming so hot that in the not too distant future large chunks of it will be uninhabitable.  We now have regular blocks of summer when the temps stay in the mid 40's. When I was a kid 30 was considered a heatwave.  Not any more.    I too have lived in WA and felt cut off from not only the world but also from the rest of the country.  I hope you arrive at the decision which is best for your family, despite others' views - including mine!  Wish you all the very best. 

14 hours ago, Tricky said:

Well it's all go at our end. Currently getting the house ready for sale is going well and we are counting down the weeks. Have had some quotes for the dog's shipping and now we have to start sorting belongings. 

It's interesting, but we've never really realised that we've been missing out on family life until now. And our daughters birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and we are so relieved that it'll be the last birthday where it's the three of us and next time the whole family can be there instead of on Skype. 

Only 20 weeks or so left. It'll fly by. 

That's so exciting Tricky.  Wish you and your family all the very best.  Lots of happy times ahead.  

On 1/15/2018 at 11:22, Tricky said:

Just wondering whether anyone has been in a similar situation and can offer advice or offer advice even if you haven't. 

My wife and I have been in Adelaide for 7 years, and two years ago had a daughter. 

We like living here, and although sometimes we feel a bit isolated from the rest of the world and that it's tough to just 'pop' somewhere else we have no major issues with the place. We have a house here and are citizens. 

We have however started to talk about how our daughter is the other side of the world from family. Granted they have come to visit and we have been back there with her once, but it's still a limited amount of time and we can't really afford a European trip every year. 

We are now trying to decide whether we should head back. We didn't leave the UK because we hated it, we left for an adventure really. 

Obviously only we can work out whether it's worth it financially, whether we sell our house here or rent it out just incase, etc. We know that jobs aren't a guarantee straight away, as we knew when we came here however we were quite lucky in that regard. 

Has anyone had similar feelings, moved back and it has/hasn't worked out. Reasons as to why? We just wanna make sure we make as best educated decision as possible. 

We would be living 30-50 minutes from family as we would plan to move back closer to a city instead of country villages. We don't expect to see family every day and we realise that we will never know for sure if we made the right decision. 

Enough of my rambling. Thanks in advance. 

Hello Tricky, I really sympathise with that feeling of uncertainty as to what's best for your family and whether you should go back or stay in SA.  Personally, I would certainly go.  Bonds with extended family can't really be forged easily when the visits are few and far between, and your daughter is just a tot, so it would be really lovely for her to grow up knowing her extended family.  I was a child of a migrant family back decades ago, and we always missed our grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins so much.  Whenever there were weddings or other special family occasions we were always the ones who were stuck here unable to go, and to some extent it affects your identity because you're cut off from your relatives and feel removed from the clan, if you know what I mean.  We missed out on lots being so far away from everyone else we loved.  Living 30-50 minutes away is nothing, given the distances we all do living in Australia.  I travel an hour to the nearest major town.  So personally, I say Go, and rejoin your family.  Life's so short....  and the need to belong is so important.  All the best!!

Wonderful.  Thank you Newjez.  The paint pots idea is really smart.  I haven't heard of it before.  

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

@Beckfield , I'm sure you've watched all those shows on TV about preparing your house, but just in case...

THE most important thing is to "de-personalise" your home.  People are amazingly stupid, really - you'd think they could manage to ignore your decor and see the bare bones of the house, but an awful lot of people can't.  You'd be surprised how many people don't buy a house because the furniture wasn't to their taste.

So, you need to get out your packing boxes and pack (or throw!) away every single thing you can manage without for the next few months:

• Remove ALL photos or paintings of yourself or your family members (of course, you can keep them on display during the week, but they MUST all disappear when there's a viewing).
• Pack up all your ornaments, because ornaments are a matter of personal taste.
• Remove every stick of furniture that's not absolutely necessary (e.g. if you're packing up your collection of glassware then you can pack up the cabinet too).

Basically, the emptier your house is, the better - and you should get the real estate agent to take new pictures of your almost-empty house, too.  

Make sure the pictures don't make the rooms look dark. Ordinary photos often do, so they'll need to be photoshopped.   The big real estate agents bring in a professional photographer with high-powered lighting to make the rooms look bright!  They also use a fish-eye lens which makes the rooms look larger.  If your agent has taken ordinary photos, they probably look poor by comparison with other photos on the websites.   

Take a look at the wording on the website.   A country home may appeal to a city investor, but they need to know how much the place could rent for - so make sure that's mentioned.

This is fabulous info Marisawright.  Thank you!  We had a massive cull and garage sale a few months ago, so we've dealt with the clutter, but looking around I think I can improve further on it.  So empty is good.  And here's me thinking I should put something in the second living area so it doesn't look so naked.  It's empty at the moment except for a bookcase.  Lol.   I'll put in place all these suggestions.  Here's hoping.  Thank you for bothering to pass on all this helpful stuff.  Very much appreciated.  

39 minutes ago, VERYSTORMY said:

I don't see why cats would be an issue in finding a rental. 

If it is possible you will make the move, then I would wait till you have made the move to get another dog, particularly if it is an older dog. 

Do get a pet shipper involved at an early stage if you decide to make the move. The cats should be fine with the journey, and there is no quarantine, but it takes time for the rabies injections and things. 

That's good (about the cats).  Yes, won't get another dog in the short term.  Still missing the one I lost too much, but one day...  Yes, I organised a shipper and got the rabies needles done a few months ago.  We thought we'd be in England by early December last year.  Lol.  

20 minutes ago, VERYSTORMY said:

Yes, even when we first arrived back and lived in the south east in some of the most in demand areas of the country (Windsor and Ascot) we had no issue finding rentals with a dog. The U.K. is much more dog friendly. 

That's really nice to hear.  My little dog died 15 weeks ago but we have 2 indoor cats (indoor because we love the birds too!) and I miss my dog terribly.  Loved her to bits...  Anyway we thought we'd go to one of the rescue places and get an older dog in need of a loving home, but with the house not selling we don't know whether we're Arthur or Martha.  I like your rental idea.  Would they also allow 2 cats in a rental do you think?  One of them is 13 and we've had her since kittenhood.  We could never part with them.  Rentals in NY seem to be quite expensive from my research this morning.  I might broaden the search.  Thanks Verystormy.  Appreciate your input.  

48 minutes ago, ali said:

I'm sorry ...there isn't - we only allow free advertising for lease breaks and not house sales.  

O!  No worries, thanks Ali.  

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

In that case, I'd certainly suggest you share a link to the real estate page here.   I'm wondering if the photos or text are not selling the property effectively.  If you don't want to share it on the forum, send me a link in a private message.

I wasn't aware there is a real estate page here.  How do I send you a private message?  I'm not terribly savvy technologically.  Can you outline steps?  Thanks!

6 hours ago, bristolman said:

Never give up, it's a goal that is well worth fighting for and you won't regrI et it when you get here. Keep your chin up and don't give up. As others have suggested have a look at renting. 

Thanks for the encouragement bristolman.  My spirits have plummeted I'm afraid but you're right, we have to keep hoping.  I think when your house takes so long to sell you feel as though you're in limbo and everything is on hold.  I don't feel as if it's going to happen at all now.  We're kind of resigned to that depressing fact.  Hope against hope we're wrong. 

10 hours ago, VERYSTORMY said:

We rented and still are. The house sold but because of the economic downturn in WA the house sale didn't give us any cash. So, currently saving for a deposit. 

Outside of the south east renting is fairly reasonable. We have a nice country cottage in a picture postcard village for £500 a month. 

Sounds great.  And they let you have your little dog there? 

9 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I think it might be worth posting a link to your internet listing here, and asking people for feedback.   It's not really giving too much away and you never know, we may be able to offer some helpful advice.

Are people coming through to view, or are you getting no enquiries at all?  

9 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I think it might be worth posting a link to your internet listing here, and asking people for feedback.   It's not really giving too much away and you never know, we may be able to offer some helpful advice.

Are people coming through to view, or are you getting no enquiries at all?  

Well the market here is slow, as I said, but we've had it for sale now for 8 months and there have only been a few viewers - and I'm almost certain some were just nosy locals.   Yet the number of "page visits" on the online real estate page is enormous.