Paul1Perth Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 At the time I felt like we did a huge amount of research and we backed it up with a reccie. We moved in 2008 when the exchange rate was 2.6 so everything seemed cheap back then, we knew our salaries would be less but with the median house price in a few of the suburbs we had researched around $500k we looked forward to a 'downshifted' but comfortable lifestyle. To be honest there were warning bells on our reccie but my OH was so committed to the dream that he sung loudly over them We went to home opens in the suburbs we had ear marked and realised the median price houses were dreadful compared to our house in the UK. We moved out to look at suburbs with 'land and home' packages and hated the distance and sterility. We visited the school we had applied for for our son and withdrew the application. (Un)fortunately my OH had two interviews and was offered both jobs whilst we were on our reccie and we just didn't stop and analyse the results of our research! We were naive in believing money didn't matter and that we'd be happy with a simple Australian life of beach and BBQ. I would say the chances are the lifestyle you have in the UK will largely be the one you want in Australia so if going out for dinner, going to see bands etc. is what you do now you will still want to do it and those kind of things are much more expensive. It also impacted our ability to make friends as we often couldn't afford to accept invites, we would have to think twice about even going to a BBQ if it meant we had to 'bring a plate' and some drink. I am not sure we could have 'researched' that more - perhaps living in the UK on reduced means for a year or two? But we truly believed the weather/lifestyle would compensate, we also had good friends already in the UK who we'd be comfortable to say 'we can't come we're broke' to. I don't know if it would have turned out differently if we had been better off, I don't think so because in the end we just didn't think Australia was 'worth it'. 'It' being living and raising our son in a very different culture away from extended family. I also agree that until you have lived in the heat (not just holiday'd) and with the flies, ants etc. you cannot really know how you will adapt. From memory Lady R you also bought yourselves a pretty flash house in a nice suburb didn't you. Looking back do you think you overstretched yourselves? If you couldn't afford to go round to someone's house for a night out when you had to only "take a plate" and a few drinks and you were both working in decent jobs my assumption is that you did. I think going out to see bands is cheaper than the UK, for an equivalent band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Then you remember incorrectly P1P - we lived in Hamilton Hill - by no stretch of the imagination a 'nice' suburb. We lived in the same street for 4 years and in that time my OH was assaulted on our doorstep, a neighbour had someone break into the house whilst she was asleep on the sofa (smart cookie, she went into the kitchen, made a cup of tea and threw the boiling hot liquid on him - a tip to remember, better than a knife or a gun because it can't be used back at you!), several neighbours were burgled and a women was violently assaulted in the street. We certainly hadn't experienced that level of crime in our neighbourhood in Scotland (which isn't 'posh' either!) We built a house on 400sqm (ish) rear strata block and it was timber framed (i.e. much cheaper). It was a three bed which for a family of three is reasonably modest - we did have a 'studio' attached to the garage built for an au-pair - it added very little onto the build cost of the garage (basically a stud wall and bathroom fittings) and enabled us to save a fortune in childcare costs, so arguably a 4 bed. In case anyone doesn't know a demi-pair works 'free' 15 hours a week for board and lodge. I did post photos on here when we were selling and I am glad you remember it as 'flash', it's a testament to the 6 months of very hard work & creative flair my OH put in to the interior and his ability to take stunning photographs We got a good price when we sold that's for sure and his work and a couple $1000 added about $50k in value. I am not knocking Hammi Hill, we had our first rental there and chose to stay - it's 'up and coming' in estate agent speak but not on a par with where you live P1P. We bought what we could easily afford at the time, unfortunately we had some unexpected misfortune - that's life (& it could have as easily happened in the UK - in fact we always say we have no idea how we'd have faired in the GFC had we not migrated). We also made mistakes with the mortgage and build contract - not really anyone's fault but our own but we were used to the integrity of IFA's in the UK and had never built a house before and had no-one to advise us. I have advised many other people since, some have thanked me, some have ignored me (& then come back and said they wished they hadn't!). The purpose of the thread was 'did you do your homework', the purpose of my response was 'yes, but then we ignored it' and we fell for the 'rather be poor in Australia than rich in the UK' line. I am not saying that isn't true for some but it certainly didn't work for us - no point people going in with their eyes closed. I suspect most people think they can handle 'downshifting' but in reality can't - unless you are embracing a very different lifestyle than the one you had in the UK (cattle station maybe?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Thanks for the reply LadyR. I know you've no need to and I had no idea that Hammy Hill was that rough. I only remember seeing the photos and thinking what a nice house it was.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themod53 Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Sounds like you had a bit of a rough time there lady R. We see those nasty neigbours programs all the time on TV at the moment. Its a sign of the times im afriad! We've lived in the same place for 3 years and I couldn't even tell you my neigbours names, but I do know what music they like! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Sounds like you had a bit of a rough time there lady R. We see those nasty neigbours programs all the time on TV at the moment. Its a sign of the times im afriad! We've lived in the same place for 3 years and I couldn't even tell you my neigbours names, but I do know what music they like! Just life! That was over four years, although it did strike us as ironic that one of my main motivators for moving to Australia was a perception it was safer My OH was assaulted on the night we were going out to celebrate getting our PR visa! I do not want to put a downer on Hammi Hill - we liked living there. I was just challenging P1P's assumption that if we had lowered our expectations 'she'd be right' Hamilton Hill used to be what in England they'd call a council estate or here they'd call a scheme. There is still a disproportionate amount of social housing and many aboriginal families, just looking for a review to share I saw the comment a third Homeswest, a third little Italy and a third Yuppie - just about sums it up I'll let you work out which category we fit in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kapri Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I did a huge amount of research on several different cities. I know a lot about Melbourne and Perth despite never having been to either! I think my research paid off, even though a lot of it was irrelevant. I haven't been surprised by much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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