CiderDrinkingCoder Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Hi Guys I've been an avid viewer of the forum for some time, but only just braved up enough to create an account and post for the first time. (So, hello! :smile:) The wife and I have recently been granted 189 visas, and we're going to hop over to Melbourne in June to activate them (I know, great time of year for it, right!?). We're looking to move over permanently at some point during 2017. My questions are really rooted around that, and I would be really, really grateful for thoughts / advice / shouting down for being a muppet by those who have gone before. A little background, first of all - as I appreciate that, without context, it's hell to give any kind of response. I've been working as a software engineer / project manager / risk manager for a major (unpopular) Scottish bank for the past ten years. That said, I'm happy to turn my hand to any of those three aspects of my work in any industry. The wife's an actuary (I know, I know... more fool me). We're a little bit angsty about moving to Sydney, as we've spent the past decade enjoying the costs attached to living in London. So our eyes have turned to looking at somewhere maybe an hour / two hour commute from Melbourne. Specific Questions: 1. We have thought about renting a serviced apartment in the CBD of Melbourne for at least the first six months' stay in Australia. Our bank accounts will, by that point, have been active for at least six months. Hopefully that will help develop some kind of credit profile, as I fully appreciate we'll be starting from scratch. Does this seem a reasonable time frame to those who have made similar moves to Aus? Perhaps we should consider serviced apt for a longer / shorter period? 2. Can anyone provide any insight into 'best' seasons for job hunting in our respective fields? Here in the UK, we're used to jobs coming up en masse once bonuses have been paid in March. Anything similar to be aware of, that might help the timing of our move? 3. Where can I get a decent pint of cider in Melbourne??? Many thanks for any and all responses. I look forward to becoming an active member of what seems to be a lively community. Cheers CDC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srh82 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Little Creatures, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne (short tram ride from city) 6 months will cost you a lot in a serviced apartment, 6 weeks might be more sensible. January/February is a good time, but with your professions I would just avoid the run up to Christmas and you should be fine. Sorry I answered in reverse order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiderDrinkingCoder Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Thanks for the swift response I'll try Little Creatures soon as I wake up with mental jatlag in June! Yeah, I know six months is going to be a fair whack; problem is, last flat we had to hunt for here, it took us two months before we were able to seal the deal on a place :-\ Just concerned about job hunting and house hunting in such a short frame of time. Perhaps I'm just making a mountain out of a molehill based on a bad experience here in Old Smoke(?). Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srh82 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 No problem. Worst case scenario you offer to pay 3-6 months up front! It will still be much cheaper than a serviced apartment I would imagine. Ps. Jetlag and alcohol are a shocking concoction! ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabelj28 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Thanks for the swift response I'll try Little Creatures soon as I wake up with mental jatlag in June! Yeah, I know six months is going to be a fair whack; problem is, last flat we had to hunt for here, it took us two months before we were able to seal the deal on a place :-\ Just concerned about job hunting and house hunting in such a short frame of time. Perhaps I'm just making a mountain out of a molehill based on a bad experience here in Old Smoke(?). Thanks again i did 3 months in a serviced apartment and had secured and moved into a property by the end of that time. It depends which suburb of Melbourne you want to be in. I'm now in regional Victoria and commute (an hour) into the city by train everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) Welcome! Don't worry about your credit profile - it doesn't work like that in Australia! You'll only need a month to find a long-term rental - estate agents will be happy to take you on provided you can prove savings, or a job offer, or can pay six months' rent upfront. The whole process of getting a flat is much faster, too - you go and look at the place, submit an application, and if it's accepted you'll get the keys within days. I couldn't believe how long it took to do the paperwork and get keys to our rental place in Southampton, so slow compared to Oz! You don't negotiate on rent - what the ad says is what you pay, (unless you want to offer a higher rental to beat other applicants). You do need to be organised - bring written references from your current/previous landlords, and be ready to submit an application at the inspection. Wise move to avoid Sydney - I love the place but it's pricey. Melbourne is more affordable, though it's one of the more expensive cities by Australian standards. Edited February 5, 2016 by Marisawright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiderDrinkingCoder Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Thanks Guys That puts my mind much at ease. Nice to know that renting is more straightforward out there. If you think they'll be happy enough with the savings balance and six months' up-front, that takes a fair bit of the stress out of the situation. I think longer term, we'll definitely look at buying something out in regional Victoria: from what I see, there are lovely houses in reasonable areas for the same price as pokey flats near the CBD in Melbourne. If I were still in my 20s, I'd take the CBD... But I'm getting on a bit now :-\ Now all I need to do is find a bloody job... Alas. Someone's bound to be mental enough to hire me. Thanks Again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I think longer term, we'll definitely look at buying something out in regional Victoria: from what I see, there are lovely houses in reasonable areas for the same price as pokey flats near the CBD in Melbourne. Just bear in mind that Melbourne is a huge, sprawling city - by the time you get out in the country, you're a hell of a long way from the CBD! Make sure you look for places that have good public transport as you really don't want to have to drive, believe me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiderDrinkingCoder Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 I quite believe you, Marisa. Having driven around London, I've no desire to drive around another large city as long as I live. We've been looking out toward the Melton / Kurunjang area in terms of places far enough from the city for a quiet life, but close enough to commute in. Are there other areas folks could recommend taking a peek at? In terms of budget, we don't want to get tied to anything massive mortgage-wise. We could probably put down about $200,000 as a deposit (but ideally, a relatively large percentage deposit [50%ish]). Any suggestions from any quarters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I quite believe you, Marisa. Having driven around London, I've no desire to drive around another large city as long as I live. Australian cities are very different from London though traffic can still be a nightmare because they are so spread out. That said, I would say - don't try to make decisions until you get here. Sign up for a six-month lease on a rental flat, then take the time to look around. Life out in the country in Australia is totally different from life in the country in the UK. Although everyone thinks Australians think nothing of distance, many Aussies despise long trips except on holiday. You may find few of your colleagues live rurally AND people won't travel to come to dinner parties or barbies - so you may find a quiet, leafy, middle-range suburb has more amenities and a better social life - plus a better commute of course! Another thing that surprised us about flats in the UK (at least in the South of England where we've been looking) is that flats in trendy inner areas are often grotty and old, as you say. That is the case in some parts of Melbourne and Sydney but there is far more new development than in the UK so a lot of flats in the inner suburbs are far from grotty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy--bee Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 1. We have thought about renting a serviced apartment in the CBD of Melbourne PMd you with information on an option. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosiew Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 With no offence to the people of Melton, I'd suggest you have a good reccie before you choose it. It is pretty low socio economically and depending on your idea of life in Australia you may find there are places that suit you better. A budget of $400,000 is low not just for Melbourne but for many commutable towns. The median house price in Melbourne is over $600K. If you are interested in commutable "inner country" areas take a look at Sunbury, Bacchus Marsh, a fixer upper in Gisborne maybe. Train fares are nothing compared to the UK (I think around $15 a day including your city travel). As Melbourne is over 100km from side to side commutable country towns are around 50 - 60 km from the CBD. Others will be along with other suggestions. And by the way, the inner suburbs are awash with craft cider.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosiew Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Also the advantage of Sunbury apart from the last stop on the suburban line (more trains) is that you can get a 4 bed, 2 bath house for around $375,000 with good schools and infrastructure. And houses are appreciating which is always good too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Rosiew beat me to it! I was going to suggest that perhaps Melton might not be quite the place to aim for! You could look even further out - some of our family are in Lara and seem very happy there with one commuting into the city every day and he says it's very easy and you've got Geelong within cooee as an alternative for employment. Or you could go further out to Ballarat - lots of commuters from there and it's not a bad little town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiderDrinkingCoder Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 Thanks for the heads up, guys. We will be doing a good hunt around! Already started looking at a few of these places this morning - I don't mind anything up to a two hour commute, so some attractive options opening up. (Especially if train tickets are that cheap!) Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosiew Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 To give you an idea of train times : Geelong - about 60 minutes depending on which station. Lots of coastal areas to visit nearby Sunbury - 40 mins Gisborne - 45-60 depending on level of express Bendigo - city about 2 hours north west of Melbourne Ballarat - city a bit over an hour west north west of Melbourne Belgrave (end of suburban line, east of city, green and hilly) - just over an hour If you want coastal suggestions, someone will be along - but bear in mind that the coast is expensive and may be out of your budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiderDrinkingCoder Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 Thanks, Rosie Budget wise, we just dont want to tie ourselves to a huge mortgage; but if the right place came along we would be tempted. We already have estimates on what the bank are willing to lend based on the worst estimates of salaries for ourselves - so willing to potentially look at inner suburbs (especially if the cider is good). Hypothetically, if we were to take out a mortgage, where would we get most bang for a million in the city? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosiew Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 That depends what you call the city. In Melbourne most areas within 10km of the CBD are called the inner suburbs. If you want lots of bars, restaurants and people you could look in Brunswick, Carlton, Fitzroy, Northcote all north of the city. You could look at Richmond, Burnley, Kew to the east and St Kilda, Elwood, Brighton to the South/ beach and then Williamstown in the west if you want to have a beach and a great view back to the city. In a lot of those areas you will be looking at a 2 bed terrace in good nick for a million. If I had a million I'd be looking at Ascot Vale - 15 minutes by train to the north west - some lovely leafy streets, open space and plenty of places nearby to eat and drink. I wouldn't worry about a cider drought - very fashionable at the moment and plenty around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosiew Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Here is the list of suburbs with a median OVER a million - she's a long list! http://www.reiv.com.au/property-data/high-performers/million-dollar-suburbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becontree Boy Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 (edited) Melbourne's a great choice but don't hunt for an IT contract between November and February if you can avoid it. They are few and far between. Concur with previous postings about rentals. If you are renting then for starters I'd look anywhere within half an hours commute of the CBD. This would give you an opportunity to really get to know a great city. From rental experience, I'd recommend somewhere like Box Hill as being a good place to start. If you are buying then, unless you are both well paid, it might be worth considering further out. Oh, I read you can manage a $1million - that will give you quite a few options! You can buy a tiny refurbished Victorian workman's terraced house in a trendier part of the inner city and a small mansion in the outer suburbs for that! I live in the first country town west of Melbourne called Bacchus Marsh. Great character: Australia like it ought to be! It's just a 40 to 55 minute commute to the CBD by Vline from there. Here's an example of what $1 million would buy you in the Marsh: http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-long+forest-121954154 . Out west but nearer the CBD, you have plenty of new estates like those in Tarniet, Melton and Rockbank but, like those in the outer Eastern suburbs, they are all a little anonymous. Personally, I'd avoid the inner west, like Footscray and Sunshine - but if you're young and hip then you might like it that industrial urban decay newly meets gentrication there. Good luck for your futures in Australia - I'm sure you'll find something in Melbourne and Victoria to meet both your aspirations and your pocket! Edited February 25, 2016 by Becontree Boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy1986 Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Hello CDC, A friend of mine spotted this post and put me on to it, since I have a lot in common with you. I asked the same things a few years ago and said friend helped me out. A serviced apartment in the city will cost you a lot for 6 months, there are several poms on here that rent short terms for new migrants, but I'd seriously look at airbnb, find something a bit further out and strike a deal with the owner. I think we paid around $700 for about 10 days in a serviced apartment in the city, there wasn't much choice at the time. Don't worry about credit ratings. They don't care about UK history, just as long as you have a job and things look good right now. We were offered a credit card from ANZ the day we opened up our accounts, no questions. A little over 6 months after arriving we got a $500,000 mortgage for our first home. As long as you can prove you have money coming in, they don't care what was happening a year ago. Job hunting seasons, any time thats NOT Christmas, June should be alright. I'm a software dev, came over on a 189 without any work, and found a job within a week, the first place I interviewed for. There is a LOT of work at the moment for good devs. People seem to be coming and going all the time, lots of places hiring. My place is always looking for referrals, we do lots of work with the big 4 banks so you may well be a good fit. LinkedIn is your best bet, set location to Melbourne and wait a week and you'll start getting found by the recruiters. No idea about cider, sorry! Feel free to send me a private message if you want to talk further, I got a lot of help from these forums so would like to pay it forward! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiderDrinkingCoder Posted February 25, 2016 Author Share Posted February 25, 2016 Hi Guys I just wanted to post a brief thank you for the help and advice so far - I really do appreciate it hugely. Impressive to see what can be had within an hour's commute: can't even dream of something of that calibre in that price range over here in the south of England. I'll have to go and set up a new LinkedIn profile. Unfortunately, had some - shall we call them "security" - issues just over a year ago when someone took a disturbing interest in my wife, and had to shut down virtually all of my online presence. Glad to hear things are lively in the job scene - and we wouldn't be looking at necessarily interviewing for the first few months of getting out here, anyways. Time to settle in and get used to things properly. Digestion should never be rushed, right? Salarywise, even if I have to take a step down, between the two of us I should think we'll be in a more than comfortable position. I will very likely take up offers of quizzing further, so thank you especially for those. However, you're all busy folks - so I'll make sure I only do that when I've managed to compose something half-decent and not half-arsed. Cheers Again CDC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosiew Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Just note with the tip above about renting in Box Hill - because of a quaint old law in that municipality there are no pubs...just saying..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiderDrinkingCoder Posted February 25, 2016 Author Share Posted February 25, 2016 That's that one off the list, for a starter, then! :err: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzzy--bee Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 6 pubs/bars in Mordialloc! :laugh: BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.