skippy79 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Please, feel free to share your thoughts with me on this one.. Here's some info I'm Australian and live in Belgium with Belgium partner and daughter. We're thinking of selling up here and moving to Qld (sunshine or gold coast). I haven't been in Australia since early 2000. We have a holiday planned next year for 3 weeks to visit family ( from sydney up the coast to the GC) and get a bit of look around. This is the hard part though. We have a good business(hospitality) here where one works 50hrs a week and the other 35hrs, we live 5km from the business and our daughter goes to school 100m down the road from our house. We earn good money for Belgium standards ( net €5K a month) and from next year onwards our business repayments are done and we can up our net income by €2K, so we definitely can have a comfy life over here, but I've been wanting to move back to Australia for several years now ( partner knows and understands and has lived abroad before). We have finally got a reccie trip booked up to have a look around and visit family. We would sell our business here and would look for one over there after my parnters defacto visa would come through (somewhere in 2017 we think). We would have enough money to buy a business outright ( up to $250K ) and have +/- $100K savings to get set up ( cars, place to live etc etc) and don't mind putting in hours to make the business work Heres the question, do you think we would be nuts to sell up a move back to Aus with the financial uncertainty and the way the Australian economy is now ( commodities less in demand, mining problems, some even think the start of another recession) Not only for myself and my partner but I would also like to do the move for my daughter, Australian schools and lifestyle are a lot better than here and she loves sports and the outdoors. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 If you are both equally happy about the move, I don't think there is anything particularly mad about it. Migrwtion is expensive and can mean a step back, but that does not mean it shouldn't be done. My only hesitation about your plan is your choice of location, Sunshine Coast or Gold Coast, people seem to pick these because they sound kind of idyllic, the reality being they are places with particularly high unemployment. But if you have done your homework and believe it is the right place for you on a practical level then that is ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy79 Posted August 19, 2015 Author Share Posted August 19, 2015 The location is not set in stone yet, thats one of the reasons why we have decided to do a reccie trip next year and travel up the coast while staying with family, We would be doing 3-4 days sydney and then travel up to the sunshine coast in a week, and then stay 4-5 days and have 3-4 days to travel back down to sydney.. We're both happy about the possible move, but since we're self employed, just wondering if we're throwing away a gold business to start all over again with the insecurities about buying a business or starting one and worrying about having nothing to fall back on if it doesn't work out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teejams Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 We are doing something very similar. Giving up three very successful business' that we've built from scratch, a fab house and amazing school and area that's taken us years to find, not to mention family and friends. We'll be taking a huge pay cut on employment in Australia and moving to a complete unknown for us. I've thought several times, if someone described these circumstances to me, I would think they're completely mad. However.... You said that Australian schools and lifestyle are better than where you live now. You've lived in Australia before and have family there. Therefore you have proof of positive experiences and the benefits for your family. We are going purely with reckie experiences and lots of positivity! With everything there are risks, but life is now, not in the future! There always seems to be some sort of talk of recessions. Look back on years of PIO forum discussions and you'll see people were talking about the very same years ago. It sounds very exciting and I'm sure you'll have a great adventure if you decide to go for it. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 As Bungo says, you're likely to be worse off financially if you migrate. For one thing, you'll have the cost of moving a family halfway around the world - far more expensive than when you left Oz on your own! Also, you'll be starting a business from scratch or buying one, which means you'll have a year or two with little or no income (because you'll either be building a new business or recouping the cost of the purchase cost of an existing one). Sydney just wouldn't be practical, due to the horrendous cost of housing. As you're in hospitality then perhaps Queensland holiday areas would be the right place for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 The location is not set in stone yet, thats one of the reasons why we have decided to do a reccie trip next year and travel up the coast while staying with family, We would be doing 3-4 days sydney and then travel up to the sunshine coast in a week, and then stay 4-5 days and have 3-4 days to travel back down to sydney.. We're both happy about the possible move, but since we're self employed, just wondering if we're throwing away a gold business to start all over again with the insecurities about buying a business or starting one and worrying about having nothing to fall back on if it doesn't work out Your trip sounds like a good idea. I can only say again that plans don't have to make financial sense in order to be good plans. We once lived in a tax free environment earning $500k per year between us, but we moved, because happiness is more important than money. I don't want to sound trite about that, because I do think finances and financial security is very important, but sometimes other things are more important. Another thing I have thought. The people that move country because they sit there whinging that their lives are rubbish and expect a country to change that, are likely to be disappointed. On the other hand, people that are successful with their old life, be that success in happiness or in business, will probably find the same success wherever they go. I guess what I mean is if you can run a successful busines in Belgium, then I daresay you can in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy79 Posted August 19, 2015 Author Share Posted August 19, 2015 @ Teejams - I'm not really worried about the so called recession to be honest, I've been following this forum for about 7 years now, so get the picture... Good luck to you guys!! @ Marisa - Recouping the price of the business isn't that bad as we will be selling ours to fund it, so we don't have it in cash now anyway, so hopefully we would be able to pay ourselves a salary from day one( if we buy an existing business that is ), and otherwise we will have a buffer of 6months or so. I would prefer QLD, only because I know it has a very strong tourist trade, and the so called recession or not won't stop tourist, whether national or international( might even get more internations due to a weak aussie dollar :wink: ) I suppose all we have to do is have a good reccie trip and continue saving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Not sure why you asked Skippy,sounds like you've already made up your mind.As far as schooling and being outside goes,I moved to the UK with my aussie kids 12 yrs ago and tbh?No diff!Infact I would go as far to say we spent more time outside in the UK than Oz.Schooling?My kids did equally well in both countries. Best wishes,and hope you find what you're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Skippy, I have to ask this, you say schools and lifestyle are 'better' in Australia than they are in Belgium, in what way better ? You havent been there for 15 years. Will you be in a position to get a mortgage ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 If you know the lifestyle in Australia suits you better I wouldn't question that, it doesn't suit everyone but you've been there enough to know. As for schools,however, like others I'm surprised to hear you say that. As someone once married to a teacher, and from impressions of friends' teenagers, I'd say the Australian system wasn't as good as the British system. I can't speak for the Belgian system of course, but in general European schools have quite a good reputation - I know my sister and her oh were planning a move to France at one point, and one attraction was the superior education. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 We moved to Australia knowing we would be worse off but it meant my OH was coming home and getting to spend time with his elderly mother while he still could. There is more to life than money and as long as you have enough to live on you should follow your heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 The best option being come out and reacquaint yourself and form a decision. Not sure what you mean by reading posts on this forum for several years with regards to recession comments. QLD and WA are definitely experiencing downturns over the past year after boom conditions. If I had a successful business in Belgium, I would be very hesitant in making the move on a whim. Better education? Wonder why you think that? From someone that moved back here after several years in France and near by countries I would seriously question that.( rather enjoy Belgium from frequent visits , but never lived) I don't consider you are coming with enormous funds either, considering costs here. I'd voice caution on reacting to nostalgic feelings in influencing your decision. At least a visit may help arrive at a decision, if stay open minded and look past superficial things. Remember you operate a successful business, in an interesting part of the world with easy access to a host of other places. You are in a country where your kids can easily speak four languages, if willing. You are more in the midst of things. Are you willing to risk all to start again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 If you've made a successful business in the hospitality industry in Belgium then you shouldn't worry too much about the mining slow down. I don't think it's going to affect the hospitality industry too much. Maybe there will be more people visiting and holidaying in Aus in the next few years with a lot of places people went to before seemingly more dangerous by the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Yeah ok Paul!I won't post any links!:wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 If you know the lifestyle in Australia suits you better I wouldn't question that, it doesn't suit everyone but you've been there enough to know. As for schools,however, like others I'm surprised to hear you say that. As someone once married to a teacher, and from impressions of friends' teenagers, I'd say the Australian system wasn't as good as the British system. I can't speak for the Belgian system of course, but in general European schools have quite a good reputation - I know my sister and her oh were planning a move to France at one point, and one attraction was the superior education. To be fair I wasn't questioning the lifestyle but the idea that the lifestyle is 'better'. What does that mean ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Please, feel free to share your thoughts with me on this one..Here's some info I'm Australian and live in Belgium with Belgium partner and daughter. We're thinking of selling up here and moving to Qld (sunshine or gold coast). I haven't been in Australia since early 2000. We have a holiday planned next year for 3 weeks to visit family ( from sydney up the coast to the GC) and get a bit of look around. This is the hard part though. We have a good business(hospitality) here where one works 50hrs a week and the other 35hrs, we live 5km from the business and our daughter goes to school 100m down the road from our house. We earn good money for Belgium standards ( net €5K a month) and from next year onwards our business repayments are done and we can up our net income by €2K, so we definitely can have a comfy life over here, but I've been wanting to move back to Australia for several years now ( partner knows and understands and has lived abroad before). We have finally got a reccie trip booked up to have a look around and visit family. We would sell our business here and would look for one over there after my parnters defacto visa would come through (somewhere in 2017 we think). We would have enough money to buy a business outright ( up to $250K ) and have +/- $100K savings to get set up ( cars, place to live etc etc) and don't mind putting in hours to make the business work Heres the question, do you think we would be nuts to sell up a move back to Aus with the financial uncertainty and the way the Australian economy is now ( commodities less in demand, mining problems, some even think the start of another recession) Not only for myself and my partner but I would also like to do the move for my daughter, Australian schools and lifestyle are a lot better than here and she loves sports and the outdoors. thanks I guesstimate (sic) that if you are running a successful business on Belgium, you will be able to do the same thing in OZ. Possible difficulties: You have not lived in OZ for some time, then it is like emigrating with all the unsettling aspects that COULD affect you and / or other members of your family. One thing I've found with myself is that after worrying about a decision, eg last year whether to take maximum pension or lump sum and smaller pension, once I'd made decision, I stopped worrying about it. I was not choosing between right and wrong but between two RIGHT options. Would it be possible to have someone manage yr Belgian business just in case u wanted to return? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I really don't think Australia has changed that much since 2000 despite what people say. Maybe in the West but you are not going there. I would look a bit closer to Brisbane if it were me, or even North NSWales because I would be a bit nervous about work on the Sunny Coast and Gold Coast but if you are planning on a recce that will give you that info. I am sure you will be just fine, you only live once as they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country vic Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 You have a total of $350k euros is that around $800k in Australian dollars? i assume you have looked online at businesses for sale and know what you can get for the budget you have in mind?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 To be fair I wasn't questioning the lifestyle but the idea that the lifestyle is 'better'. What does that mean ? Hard to quantify but I'd definitely say our lifestyle, for the whole family has been better since we came. Depends where you are coming from I guess and what your interests are. We lived near Stockport when we emigrated but both of us loved the sun, beaches and Ocean. We had a time share on the Algarve and loved it there. We loved the climate, the ability to walk out of the apartment and be at the beach in 5 minutes. Thought we may as well go and live somewhere we could do those things on a regular basis and not just for 2 or 3 weeks a year. As it's turned out the kids have loved it too. More opportunity to do a lot more sport related things. Obviously water sports that they wouldn't have even dreamt of if we had still been living near Stockport. Not going to be the same for everyone though. We loved last weekend when it had been the warmest for along time. My wife got back to work on Monday, full of the joys of spring. She works with another English lady and said what a lovely weekend it had been and had she enjoyed it. To her surprise the lady said no it had been too hot as she went out "power walking" and got a bit sweaty. My wife told her she'd been running and exercising at the beach the same day and thought it was wonderful. Her reply was I'm not a sun worshipper and it's OK if you are that beach. Grumpy git.:wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 The tourist industry in Australia will never match Belgium, or Europe in general being in the thick of things so to speak. It largely depends on what sort of tourist idea to hope to pursue in Australia. I would say a very fickle industry here and very prone to downturns in business with a faltering economy. Tread very carefully before committing. Being well set up in Belgium does not necessary transfer well the Australian landscape. A rather different scenario coming out from Belgium than from somewhere like the North of England as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy79 Posted August 21, 2015 Author Share Posted August 21, 2015 You have a total of $350k euros is that around $800k in Australian dollars? i assume you have looked online at businesses for sale and know what you can get for the budget you have in mind?? Have been looking a businesses online for a while now, following daily additions. I'm not sure where you found that €350K is $800K, but can I exchange my money with you now? :laugh: euro to dollar is about 1.5, so €300K would be $450K We are very outdoorsy people, spend as much time as we can outdoors or on the water. We have a boat here in Belgium and try to be on it as much as possible from april/may until the end of september. Just knowing we can spend nearly the whole year on the water is another bonus for us. My daughter loves it and it's great to see her smile all day long whenever we are on the boat. It's also very hard to keep her indoors here in Belgium, if if raining she'll want to be outside, so I just know she'll be fine there. Our holidays here in Europe consist of either in spain or croatia on the water for 21 days a year, or in the pool at the hotel, a right water rat! Thanks a lot for the imput guys!!, even if they are ones I don't want to hear :biglaugh: I'm thinking about possibilities of work for me outside business ownership as well, so have been looking into that, but it will require retraining for several months ( which I'm fine with that and are even looking into things next year when we visit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Have been looking a businesses online for a while now, following daily additions. I'm not sure where you found that €350K is $800K, but can I exchange my money with you now? :laugh: euro to dollar is about 1.5, so €300K would be $450K We are very outdoorsy people, spend as much time as we can outdoors or on the water. We have a boat here in Belgium and try to be on it as much as possible from april/may until the end of september. Just knowing we can spend nearly the whole year on the water is another bonus for us. My daughter loves it and it's great to see her smile all day long whenever we are on the boat. It's also very hard to keep her indoors here in Belgium, if if raining she'll want to be outside, so I just know she'll be fine there. Our holidays here in Europe consist of either in spain or croatia on the water for 21 days a year, or in the pool at the hotel, a right water rat! Thanks a lot for the imput guys!!, even if they are ones I don't want to hear :biglaugh: I'm thinking about possibilities of work for me outside business ownership as well, so have been looking into that, but it will require retraining for several months ( which I'm fine with that and are even looking into things next year when we visit... Dont let others rain on your parade...from reading, you will/can have a fab life here:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 The tourist industry in Australia will never match Belgium, or Europe in general being in the thick of things so to speak. It largely depends on what sort of tourist idea to hope to pursue in Australia. I would say a very fickle industry here and very prone to downturns in business with a faltering economy. Tread very carefully before committing. Being well set up in Belgium does not necessary transfer well the Australian landscape. A rather different scenario coming out from Belgium than from somewhere like the North of England as well. You ever been to the Gold Coast flag? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 You ever been to the Gold Coast flag? You mean in the state that is experiencing its third recession inside twenty four years? Gold Coast, where a few years ago punters lost big time in housing investments? You mean an area of high unemployment, rather high crime and shady developers? You fancy it do you? No stayed well clear. Little to recommend it. Now Bruges in Belgium (have you been?) is an absolute tourist delight. No idea where the OP's business is in Belgium but deep consideration would be the order of the day if it were me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Hard to quantify but I'd definitely say our lifestyle, for the whole family has been better since we came. Depends where you are coming from I guess and what your interests are. We lived near Stockport when we emigrated but both of us loved the sun, beaches and Ocean. We had a time share on the Algarve and loved it there. We loved the climate, the ability to walk out of the apartment and be at the beach in 5 minutes. Thought we may as well go and live somewhere we could do those things on a regular basis and not just for 2 or 3 weeks a year. As it's turned out the kids have loved it too. More opportunity to do a lot more sport related things. Obviously water sports that they wouldn't have even dreamt of if we had still been living near Stockport. Not going to be the same for everyone though. We loved last weekend when it had been the warmest for along time. My wife got back to work on Monday, full of the joys of spring. She works with another English lady and said what a lovely weekend it had been and had she enjoyed it. To her surprise the lady said no it had been too hot as she went out "power walking" and got a bit sweaty. My wife told her she'd been running and exercising at the beach the same day and thought it was wonderful. Her reply was I'm not a sun worshipper and it's OK if you are that beach. Grumpy git.:wink: Good for you but it wasn't about you was it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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