12 month update

[M1cha3la]

6 hours ago, ScottieGirl said:

I don't think you are mad, on the contrary you have bought at the right time in the Perth real estate cycle?

Haha, thank you  I do understand the sentiment of it being a little mad, but there are always pros and cons of buying any house. I definitely agree with you, we wanted to buy and as we can't turn the clock back 15 years to pre boom prices, the current market felt like the best time for us. I am just glad it is not at the height of a boom, then I really would of cried with shock 

Really, I shouldn't of put the value in my post. It was just an honest review of our experience that I hoped would help others. But it is not the case for the whole of Perth. VXRH is right, there are cheaper houses out there if you go further out or to different suburbs. Prehaps what I should of included was that we did not live near a city in the UK and we got tired of the hour long commute each way to work, so this time we decided we wanted to live as closer to work. But I could go on forever with details and my first post felt long enough as it was  

Edited July 5, 2017 by M1cha3la

[Toots]

9 hours ago, ScottieGirl said:

I don't think you are mad, on the contrary you have bought at the right time in the Perth real estate cycle?

................  and you bought a house where you chose to live not where it would just 'make do".  The area of Duncraig and nearby suburbs is very nice.;

[ssiri]

Hiiii my lovelies [emoji8]  

I have been here a year [emoji33] I have no idea where it has gone if I am honest, and I have also not spent nearly enough time on here repying all the help I received. I would like to say it is because I have been too busy enjoying life here.. Maybe. Maybe not, honestly I am not sure.

Buckle up. Here we go.. 

Work

We came with no pre set up work. Hubby was the main visa holder as an Finance Controller (accountant). I was lucky, I got a job 4 weeks after moving here, as a general admin, it was a step back from my previous roles, but strangly an increase in pay. I hate it, but it pays the bills and a year on I am still in it.. Hubby (bless him) truely has struggled. It has taken 10 months and 400 + applications and a major pay cut to get a permanent job here. I won't lie, it is tough for accountants in my hubbies field. General feel: I read it before I came and I could go on about incompetence and nepotism in the Australian workforce, yes,  it is very much there. Without going into hours of detail, career wise, we are both miserable. 

Money

Damn the brexit. We completed on our house sale the day after the vote. Good bye 2.05 hello 1.60. Yeay. We sat and waited and waited, the £ is screwed. Lets move on.

Houses

Compared to our part of the UK, it is bloody expensive here. But then to be fair, we did not live near a major city in the UK. We rented for the first 12 months. An rubbish old 80's style house that is cold, damp and dusty. Yes, pictures online lie, but we visited in person so we have no one to blame but ourselves [emoji23] what a location though, sea views and a pool. I forgive my realestate agent for being shocking, they all are. 12 months in, we brought another 80's style cold, damp house for far more $ than I am comfortable with. But I am still in Leicester price mode,  not Perth prices. $630k for 3 bed still feels ridiculous though..

Weather

Move to Aus, it is warm they said.... LIES. I have never felt so cold in my life 

I am told we moved during the coldest winter/summer on record (my luck!). Sure, those 28c days are peachy, but 4c at night in that 80's single glazed house, with no central heating, it has not been fun. Perth, you need to sort this s**t please [emoji23]

 

Social Life

We have no social life. But that is ok, we didn't in the UK either to be fair. We are not sociable per se, we do not have a big circle of friends so have not missed out on that. But, in the 12 months living in our rental, despite seeing our neighbors on the drive way everyday, I have no idea who they are. 

On the flip side, 2 hours in our new house 3 lovely neighbours (nosey sods) came around to say hi. Maybe its suburb related, maybe its owner/rental related. Who knows. I am sure if you make an effort to make friends (unlike us) then you will be fine.

Cost of living

We have not really noticed a diference. Yes, cheese is more expensive. But god fuel is cheap. It is swings and round abouts. We paid £6 for a glass of wine in the UK, its $9 here. Neither here nor there really for us. Overall, taking every houshold cost into account, I would say no more expensive or cheaper than the UK.

Overall

My god, I sound miserable. Honestly, we love it here. Yes, it has been the hardest year of our lives. We "knew" it would be tough. We "knew" it would take time. We had no idea. It has been the biggest learning curve for me and I discovered I am far more British that I realised.. I was the driver of this move and have felt in many ways accountable for it all. The days hubby was so depressed when he couldn't find a job. The days we froze watching movies. The day my mom got rushed into hospital and I was the other side of the world. Emigrating sucks.

But it is also the best thing we have ever done. Every day on the way to (my hell) of a job, I am in awe of the stunning beauty that WA has to offer. The ocean, the gorgeous parakeets, the sunshine. We are miserable here but we also love it here, in a weird twisted way. We know that the current jobs, houses ect are not forever and we have a hope for the future that we never had in the UK. 

So. Would I do the last 12 months again?

Yes [emoji3]

Thanks for reading (to the end... if you got this far [emoji6])

 

 

We've been here just six months, living in Sydney (suburbs), and a lot of what you say resonates. It's pure ecstasy and agony. Paradox and contradiction. Yet I wouldn't change it for anything (having instigated the move, my partner was willing however, being an Aussie

And wanting to be closer to ageing family)

 

 

Work - I had a job offer in my field before I arrived. My other half got one a month in -also in her field. So far so good, pays way better than the UK but yes - bloody incompetent, too laid back IMHO and wasteful. This, coming from someone who has worked pre and post Austerity in Britain and knows what the good and bad times were like. Still it's a 2-5 year plan before moving onto (ideally) running our own going concern.

 

House - we are renting, similarly in the U.K., and plan to buy in the next few years - investment and retirement property. Prices are high but seem to get a lot more for the money.

 

Weather still need to get used to the scorching summer - but Sydney winter so far is a doddle. More Autumn and Spring than winter. Where we rent is single glazed also and it can go down to 4-6 degrees, but the heating has been on sparsely and sporadically.

 

Friends - miss my UK friends and find socialising here is more family and community oriented. This is different/the one thing I find hard getting my head round. Back in Britain we lived in the South East - 40miles out of London, relatively 'white collar', 'white' ethnicity area. Still my group of friends were the most diverse - all ethnicities (White, Asian, Black, mixed race) - 90% of the group are Brits, 10% from Europe or further a field. All age groups - from 30s - 65, gay and straight, all religions, including atheists, varying jobs from lorry drivers to lawyers/; artists to ex army security personnel. And this was rural Buckinghamshire, not London. We all knew each other and socialised extensively.

 

I'm trying to get the same going here, and the ice is slowly beginning to thaw - glacial pace, but I'll keep chipping at it.

 

Food/lifestyle - expensive, but great variety - swings and roundabouts indeed.

 

Missing Britain - first three months, massively. Now - I catch myself out with the odd nostalgic moment but getting settled in. Glad that there is good Brit telly in abundance here - loving Line of Duty![emoji108]

 

So all in all at times difficult, sad, different, happy and loving the adventure [emoji3]

 

 

Sent using Poms in Oz mobile app

 

[Collie]

15 hours ago, M1cha3la said:

Hi Collie,

Thank you for the lovely reply.

I totally agree with what you said about the boom and bust. It is all relative really. We knew it would be tough and had many conversations over timings, but in the end we figured if we can make it work here at its worst then we can survive anything. It is slowly all coming together. We brought NOR near Duncraig.

What brought you over from Sydney? Good luck with the job search too. My hubby is ACCA (the enemy haha) and CPA, I am sure he would be more than happy to offer any advice, tips and contacts that could help 

Hey Michaela,

Duncraig is nice, I have some family in Greenwood so up that way a bit.  Ignore the begrudgers.  Long term that area will do well IMO.  I'm NOR too but a little closer in, Mount Hawthorn.

The Sydney institution that is Hurricanes have opened up in Hillarys if you guys are ribs fan.  Best ribs ever (big portions so don'y have a starter)

Yeah, it would be good to compare notes with your hubby on the work / career front.  I'll pm you my details and we can set something up in the coming weeks.  i have done some networking with other expats in the last few months, similar stories all around.  I'm finding Perth is a who you know town also so always good to build the network.

Talk soon and "Just keep swimming"

Colin

 

[leeeekiat]

18 hours ago, M1cha3la said:

Um, wow ok. Well I guess firstly as you don't know our full financial circumstances or our motivation to buy where we brought, that your post could be taken as a little, erm, rude? Am I mad, maybe. But then maybe I am a millionaire. Is any job ever 100% secure? No. No one would ever buy a house if they thought as such. But we do know our financial situation and are perfectly comfortable with it. And for all accounts it takes us 20 minutes to get into the CBD from our local train station. I didn't fancy Butler, even if we could afford a 10 bed up there, but thank you for the reply though 

heyo, another accountant here too :-) and sort of agree with the purchasing as buying at the exact minimum downturn in a cycle can prove tricky too..heck, we just purchase a place south of river and only planning to move in Mar 2018.  Not saying that this for everyone, but it suits our circumstance.

[Wa7]

13 hours ago, M1cha3la said:

Haha, thank you  I do understand the sentiment of it being a little mad, but there are always pros and cons of buying any house. I definitely agree with you, we wanted to buy and as we can't turn the clock back 15 years to pre boom prices, the current market felt like the best time for us. I am just glad it is not at the height of a boom, then I really would of cried with shock 

Really, I shouldn't of put the value in my post. It was just an honest review of our experience that I hoped would help others. But it is not the case for the whole of Perth. VXRH is right, there are cheaper houses out there if you go further out or to different suburbs. Prehaps what I should of included was that we did not live near a city in the UK and we got tired of the hour long commute each way to work, so this time we decided we wanted to live as closer to work. But I could go on forever with details and my first post felt long enough as it was  

I don't know the " in and outs " of your purchase but duncraig is a good spot.

[Guest]

On 05/07/2017 at 16:28, ScottieGirl said:

I don't think you are mad, on the contrary you have bought at the right time in the Perth real estate cycle?

Absolutely agree with this! You've bought at a good time. And yes, Duncraig is a great spot.

I like your really balanced post. It's absolutely OK to feel every emotion under the sun - it's such a massive thing to move overseas. It does seem that so many people do it these days it's probably seen as a 'easy' thing to do - make no mistake! Sounds like you've had a bit of a rocky start, hope things are a bit smoother herein.

I'm glad that both you and your hubby have work. For you - could you keep the eyes and ears open for something else? Obviously stay where you are for now but with a view of 'this will be doable for now, cash comes in every fortnight, but there will be something better in the future'?

The beach, oh the beach! Sunset... warm days... I have such lovely memories. And yes!!! Perth does and will continue to be cold in the future! I don't know who made up this warm all year round in Perth thing but it definitely ain't true.

Regarding friends - if you do feel like you might want to be more social, it's always a good thing (usually) to join some sort of team/club etc. that interests you and your hubby. If you're not that interested/bothered, just enjoy that glass of vino and that long warm walk along the coast with your hubby.

All the best!

[s713]

Love a good whinge.

We’ve been here 10 years+ now and have ties that can’t be undone; otherwise I would be out of here like a shot.

House – Like the OP, I never thought I would be spending more than 550,000 anything on a home, not even Lira or Rupiah. Our house defies all the laws of thermodynamics, it’s considerably colder inside than out, all surfaces acting like anti-radiators. The workmanship throughout is extremely poor, everything having a short lifespan including fixtures and fittings which are very cheaply made but not so cheap to get fitted. We have reverse cycle air-con which isn’t a patch on central heating, it becomes stifling very quickly then the heat dissipates in seconds once you turn it off. It’s our home but I feel no massive affinity towards it, even after 8 years.

Pool – I don’t know who these people are who swim in Perth in October, they must have volcanic springs under the house. I went in once before Xmas last summer and about half a dozen times afterwards. Biggest money pit in existence. Pools are OK if you have young kids who will get in regardless of the weather otherwise I’d avoid. Expensive mistake to learn for us. You could throw even more money at it and get your pool heated to buy you another 2 months swimming but after a while, you lose the will.

Neighbours – Know them to say Hello to, after 8 years. Our street is like a graveyard after about 6pm.

Night-time – Speaking of 6pm, why does 6pm feel like midnight? Even if I nip to the shops about 6.30pm, it feels like the middle of the night. The only way to counter this is to go to bed about 8pm. Which we do.

TV – Atrocious, takes 4 hours to watch a movie. If you hate TV sport, you’ve had it, as sporting events are prime-time here. Everything else is reality TV with deadheads or celeb TV with people you’ve never heard of. And 4 presenters being rotated as nauseum.

Aussies – After 10+ years, I still don’t get them. The older ones are OK, the younger ones I struggle with in the main. That whole laid-back Aussie thing, I don’t buy it, they’re rude and aggressive. And lazy, I guess that’s where the ‘laid-back’ possibly comes in. We moved to Australia determined not to buy into ‘Little Britain’ but that didn’t last long, you need people to relate to. Aussies are very different to us, fair enough I guess. But I’d say most people aren’t expecting it. Plus, sense of humour that would shame a German.

Social life – The wife and I go out but I wouldn’t exactly call it socialising, we sit in places where other people are but that’s about it. Pubs aren’t the same and the cost is really prohibitive. The only thriving business sector in Perth is Bottleshops, most people tend to be stop-at-home alcoholics. If they’re not into ice that is.

Eating & drinking – Here’s last week’s examples; the wife and her mate went to a Chinese in Jindalee, they got 1 prawn dish and 1 special fried rice, drank table water, $48. That’s 28 pound. For 1 meal. Between them. Then Saturday we went to Noble Falls for a walk, went the Tavern for lunch. $150, I had 3 pints. 2 meals and a pint and a half was $87. Then Sunday we took our nieces for lunch to a place in Mindarie. $150 for 2 adults, 2 kids. I had 2 ciders. It’s an absolute rip-off. Plus, it’s so hit-and-miss in terms of quality it makes it pointless. There’s a reason why the National dish of Australia is Hungry Jacks, it’s cheap and the same everywhere. I know Wetherspoons is rubbish but casual dining in the UK is better quality for a fraction of the price.

Other rip-offs – Bought some kitchen lights from a major retailer start of June, had to order them. $450. A month later, no contact so we went in. 16 year clerk told us ‘sorry no stock, I’ll try and order but it might be September’. When I asked whether anyone was ever going to contact us to inform us of this or whether they were just going to keep the $450 for a laugh, he just shrugged and said ‘nothing to do with me’.

Tradesman – Rip-off, and very poor.

Jobs – My wife was a Senior Project Manager in Economic Regeneration in the UK. Here she is an Event Coordinator in an old people’s home because it’s all she could get 10 years ago. She likes it but it’s not her career, she is never shortlisted for any jobs she goes for. I work in IT and am working on stuff I wouldn’t have bothered with 15 years ago in the UK. Don’t whatever you do make a career move to Perth unless you’re a labourer or a brickie or whatever. And those days are gone I think.

Culture – Prepare to lose track of anything contemporary. It’s 1982 in Perth.

Your kids – Most people move here for a better life for their kids. I agree that for little ones, it’s great, there’s parks and beaches galore and the summer allows a great outdoor life. However, once your kids hit mid-teens, they will be bored shitless unless (i) they are high academic achievers or (ii) they are very sporty. Not much doing here for teens and young adults, no jobs, $12 a pint, highlight of your week is an out-of-control party and a run-in with police, whilst off your cake on spliffs and cheap grog. No thanks.

The good stuff:

Scenery – The beach, The Hills, the walks, all very nice, I like them. If you live anywhere in Perth, make it the Hills. It’s beautiful. Everywhere else is lame, new (or embarrassingly 80s) and sterile.

Thanks for listening. xx

[Gbye grey sky]

1 hour ago, s713 said:

Love a good whinge.

 

We’ve been here 10 years+ now and have ties that can’t be undone; otherwise I would be out of here like a shot.

 

House – Like the OP, I never thought I would be spending more than 550,000 anything on a home, not even Lira or Rupiah. Our house defies all the laws of thermodynamics, it’s considerably colder inside than out, all surfaces acting like anti-radiators. The workmanship throughout is extremely poor, everything having a short lifespan including fixtures and fittings which are very cheaply made but not so cheap to get fitted. We have reverse cycle air-con which isn’t a patch on central heating, it becomes stifling very quickly then the heat dissipates in seconds once you turn it off. It’s our home but I feel no massive affinity towards it, even after 8 years.

 

Pool – I don’t know who these people are who swim in Perth in October, they must have volcanic springs under the house. I went in once before Xmas last summer and about half a dozen times afterwards. Biggest money pit in existence. Pools are OK if you have young kids who will get in regardless of the weather otherwise I’d avoid. Expensive mistake to learn for us. You could throw even more money at it and get your pool heated to buy you another 2 months swimming but after a while, you lose the will.

 

Neighbours – Know them to say Hello to, after 8 years. Our street is like a graveyard after about 6pm.

 

Night-time – Speaking of 6pm, why does 6pm feel like midnight? Even if I nip to the shops about 6.30pm, it feels like the middle of the night. The only way to counter this is to go to bed about 8pm. Which we do.

 

TV – Atrocious, takes 4 hours to watch a movie. If you hate TV sport, you’ve had it, as sporting events are prime-time here. Everything else is reality TV with deadheads or celeb TV with people you’ve never heard of. And 4 presenters being rotated as nauseum.

 

Aussies – After 10+ years, I still don’t get them. The older ones are OK, the younger ones I struggle with in the main. That whole laid-back Aussie thing, I don’t buy it, they’re rude and aggressive. And lazy, I guess that’s where the ‘laid-back’ possibly comes in. We moved to Australia determined not to buy into ‘Little Britain’ but that didn’t last long, you need people to relate to. Aussies are very different to us, fair enough I guess. But I’d say most people aren’t expecting it. Plus, sense of humour that would shame a German.

 

Social life – The wife and I go out but I wouldn’t exactly call it socialising, we sit in places where other people are but that’s about it. Pubs aren’t the same and the cost is really prohibitive. The only thriving business sector in Perth is Bottleshops, most people tend to be stop-at-home alcoholics. If they’re not into ice that is.

 

Eating & drinking – Here’s last week’s examples; the wife and her mate went to a Chinese in Jindalee, they got 1 prawn dish and 1 special fried rice, drank table water, $48. That’s 28 pound. For 1 meal. Between them. Then Saturday we went to Noble Falls for a walk, went the Tavern for lunch. $150, I had 3 pints. 2 meals and a pint and a half was $87. Then Sunday we took our nieces for lunch to a place in Mindarie. $150 for 2 adults, 2 kids. I had 2 ciders. It’s an absolute rip-off. Plus, it’s so hit-and-miss in terms of quality it makes it pointless. There’s a reason why the National dish of Australia is Hungry Jacks, it’s cheap and the same everywhere. I know Wetherspoons is rubbish but casual dining in the UK is better quality for a fraction of the price.

 

Other rip-offs – Bought some kitchen lights from a major retailer start of June, had to order them. $450. A month later, no contact so we went in. 16 year clerk told us ‘sorry no stock, I’ll try and order but it might be September’. When I asked whether anyone was ever going to contact us to inform us of this or whether they were just going to keep the $450 for a laugh, he just shrugged and said ‘nothing to do with me’.

 

Tradesman – Rip-off, and very poor.

 

Jobs – My wife was a Senior Project Manager in Economic Regeneration in the UK. Here she is an Event Coordinator in an old people’s home because it’s all she could get 10 years ago. She likes it but it’s not her career, she is never shortlisted for any jobs she goes for. I work in IT and am working on stuff I wouldn’t have bothered with 15 years ago in the UK. Don’t whatever you do make a career move to Perth unless you’re a labourer or a brickie or whatever. And those days are gone I think.

 

Culture – Prepare to lose track of anything contemporary. It’s 1982 in Perth.

 

Your kids – Most people move here for a better life for their kids. I agree that for little ones, it’s great, there’s parks and beaches galore and the summer allows a great outdoor life. However, once your kids hit mid-teens, they will be bored shitless unless (i) they are high academic achievers or (ii) they are very sporty. Not much doing here for teens and young adults, no jobs, $12 a pint, highlight of your week is an out-of-control party and a run-in with police, whilst off your cake on spliffs and cheap grog. No thanks.

 

The good stuff:

 

 

 

Scenery – The beach, The Hills, the walks, all very nice, I like them. If you live anywhere in Perth, make it the Hills. It’s beautiful. Everywhere else is lame, new (or embarrassingly 80s) and sterile.

 

Thanks for listening. xx

 

That's a lot for a first post.  Crikey, you do love a good whinge.

Though we are thousands of kms away in The Redlands I do recognise quite a few of those points.  Interesting that you didn't mention the climate either as a positive or negative.

Fully agree about a pool.  So glad we bought a house which did not have one as more trouble than its worth imo (speaking to all but one of our friends here who have them).  We have a hot tub/spa.  Far more practical and cheaper, easier to maintain.  Plus we empty it in May and refill in October.  Yes, we could use in winter but I like it to be very warm when getting out.

We don't eat out much (didn't in UK either) but there are less expensive options here in SE Queensland for sure.  Drinking in pubs/bars is expensive but I suspect cheaper than Perth.  I tend to think reassuringly so as I see much less drunken behaviour here and we don't drink much alcohol.

I find ABC and SBS good and watchable.  Agree about the other channels though.  Unwatchable apart from Channel 9 cricket and Channel 7 tennis and some of the rugby.  Also use catch-up but really watch a fair bit less telly here than in the UK.  From October to April we can go weeks without switching the TV on.  Agree about early nights.  Never thought I would be going to bed by 9pm lol but I do.  The downside is waking up before 5am - fine in summer when it is light and warm but not so great now when it is cold and dark.

We have had only positive experiences with tradies here, much as we did in the UK.  Maybe we have been lucky there as initially personal recommendations are difficult to find.

I am looking forward to visiting WA someday for an extended holiday as your scenery looks stunning.  Similarly we have so many beautiful natural environments here all within an hour or two drive.

We have been here exactly 2 years now.  Still loving it and I cannot envisage ever wanting to return.  Not that I have anything against England but I had 54 years there so cannot see the logic in returning even for a holiday.

[s713]

Haha. The climate has less of an impact on your life the longer you are here. It just becomes the norm and you end up moaning because it’s too hot or cold, like you do in the UK. When it’s mid to late 20s here it’s very nice and everyone seems content. When it’s the extremes that it is most of the time, someone’s always moaning. These days I’m freezing between mid-March and about November, that wasn’t really in the brochure when I was planning to come here. My Dad was here in January this year and it was cold then when the sun went down.

Re the pool, we have full length windows at the back of the house and it looks great from the kitchen. Realistically, that’s it’s only use. I’d much prefer a spa/tub.

We don’t have daylight savings in WA (for some bizarre reason) so it’s dark early even in the summer (and cold sometimes). Another downside of no DS is it’s cracking the flags at 4.30am, God knows who thinks all that is a good idea.

Everything that is good in WA is natural. Like I said, the walks, the beaches, the Hills, the views, all great. Everything that is manufactured as entertainment is rubbish and extortionate. Don’t get me started on Elizabeth Quay.

Perth’s real biggest problem is its isolation. You live in a bubble which is expensive and can be fully explored in about 2 years. After that, what do you do? Aussie holidays cost an arm and a leg and SE Asia is a bit of an acquired taste for me. I mean Bali is done after a couple of trips, Thailand is OK, blah blah, all a bit samey. Europe on your doorstep for 50 quid seems like a dream now.

[Gbye grey sky]

Reckon we have more of those mid to late twenties days.  Pretty much from April to June and then September to December.  But we also don't have daylight savings unfortunately so it's dark at 7:30pm even in mid summer and, because the sun comes up so early then the kookaburra dawn chorus starts around 4:00am outside our window lol.

It is never cold here in summer.

[Collie]

12 hours ago, s713 said:

Night-time – Speaking of 6pm, why does 6pm feel like midnight? Even if I nip to the shops about 6.30pm, it feels like the middle of the night. The only way to counter this is to go to bed about 8pm. Which we do.

 

TV – Atrocious, takes 4 hours to watch a movie. If you hate TV sport, you’ve had it, as sporting events are prime-time here. Everything else is reality TV with deadheads or celeb TV with people you’ve never heard of. And 4 presenters being rotated as nauseum.

That was a savage whinge

Can relate to some of it though.

Out of interest what area do you live in?

Perth is an early to bed, early to rise place which goes against natural night owls like me

I'm in Mount Hawthorn and there is a bit of life in the pubs, bars, restaurants around here/Leederville.  Closest thing to Balmain in Sydney I could find.  Quite like Freo also.

Drinks and meals out are expensive though (20%+ on Sydney).  You do get some specials, my local, the Oxford, does a $20 steak and drink on a weds which is quite good.  Nice small bar called the Cabin which does $12 cocktails on a Friday (cheap for Perth) and tapas type food.

TV tip - get yourself an Android box with Kodi ($50 on ebay) and you can stream anything you want.  Also you can subscribe to HDsubs which gives you all the UK, Irish, Russian, Italian etc stations (incl sky and bt) live.  A year subscription with 3 day playback is about $300 but they have free trials and shorter packages.  Worth checking out for winter.

On the job front - seems to be a who you know type of town rather than what you know.  Job hunting myself at the moment so can relate.

 

 

[ScottieGirl]

Out of interest @Collie what  prompted the move to Perth? I lived in Balmain and Rozelle for 18 years  and loved it but towards the end wanted something quieter. 

[s713]

@Collie we live near Lake Joondalup, nice enough spot although Joondalup isn't exactly the hub it was intended to be. OK for retail, not much else, certainly not employment.

Yeah, I quite like Beaufort St and the likes myself on occasions. And Freo is about as good as it gets here for an exciting pub crawl type day. Subi used to be OK but isn't now. And the City is no great shakes.

I have an Android TV box and have a HdSubs+ subscription, wouldn't be without it. Have binned off Foxtel and only really watch the news on free-to-air. I've started using Terrarium rather than Kodi, seems to work better for me for some reason. That's when my stone-age internet connection can be bothered obvs (forgot that in my rant).

[kungfustu]

@M1cha3la for the cold have you ever considered a gas heater.....they are a little odd in WA in that they are on a long flexible hose so can be moved around.....most houses have a few bayonet connections dotted around to plug and unplug the heater....I think they are a few hundred each but worth the investment.....they kick out quite a bit of heat.

[Collie]

On 7/13/2017 at 00:03, ScottieGirl said:

Out of interest @Collie what  prompted the move to Perth? I lived in Balmain and Rozelle for 18 years  and loved it but towards the end wanted something quieter. 

Sorry, just seeing this now.

Moved for my daughter (who should be in Sydney).  Long story but after nearly 3 years of coming over every month and trying to do skype calls, it just got too hard, it wasn't sustainable and both she and i were missing out o important stuff.  Don't get me started on the family court system and, some parents abuse the hell out of it and are let do so.  Teh whole thing needs a massive overhaul and children's matters should be removed from the court system altogether.

I don't mind Perth but if I had my choice I would be back in Balmain (or Dublin).  My little girl comes first though.

[justsouk]

Hiiii my lovelies [emoji8]
 
I have been here a year [emoji33] I have no idea where it has gone if I am honest, and I have also not spent nearly enough time on here repying all the help I received. I would like to say it is because I have been too busy enjoying life here.. Maybe. Maybe not, honestly I am not sure.
Buckle up. Here we go.. 
Work
We came with no pre set up work. Hubby was the main visa holder as an Finance Controller (accountant). I was lucky, I got a job 4 weeks after moving here, as a general admin, it was a step back from my previous roles, but strangly an increase in pay. I hate it, but it pays the bills and a year on I am still in it.. Hubby (bless him) truely has struggled. It has taken 10 months and 400 + applications and a major pay cut to get a permanent job here. I won't lie, it is tough for accountants in my hubbies field. General feel: I read it before I came and I could go on about incompetence and nepotism in the Australian workforce, yes,  it is very much there. Without going into hours of detail, career wise, we are both miserable. 
Money
Damn the brexit. We completed on our house sale the day after the vote. Good bye 2.05 hello 1.60. Yeay. We sat and waited and waited, the £ is screwed. Lets move on.
Houses
Compared to our part of the UK, it is bloody expensive here. But then to be fair, we did not live near a major city in the UK. We rented for the first 12 months. An rubbish old 80's style house that is cold, damp and dusty. Yes, pictures online lie, but we visited in person so we have no one to blame but ourselves [emoji23] what a location though, sea views and a pool. I forgive my realestate agent for being shocking, they all are. 12 months in, we brought another 80's style cold, damp house for far more $ than I am comfortable with. But I am still in Leicester price mode,  not Perth prices. $630k for 3 bed still feels ridiculous though..
Weather
Move to Aus, it is warm they said.... LIES. I have never felt so cold in my life 
I am told we moved during the coldest winter/summer on record (my luck!). Sure, those 28c days are peachy, but 4c at night in that 80's single glazed house, with no central heating, it has not been fun. Perth, you need to sort this s**t please [emoji23]
 
Social Life
We have no social life. But that is ok, we didn't in the UK either to be fair. We are not sociable per se, we do not have a big circle of friends so have not missed out on that. But, in the 12 months living in our rental, despite seeing our neighbors on the drive way everyday, I have no idea who they are. 
On the flip side, 2 hours in our new house 3 lovely neighbours (nosey sods) came around to say hi. Maybe its suburb related, maybe its owner/rental related. Who knows. I am sure if you make an effort to make friends (unlike us) then you will be fine.
Cost of living
We have not really noticed a diference. Yes, cheese is more expensive. But god fuel is cheap. It is swings and round abouts. We paid £6 for a glass of wine in the UK, its $9 here. Neither here nor there really for us. Overall, taking every houshold cost into account, I would say no more expensive or cheaper than the UK.
Overall
My god, I sound miserable. Honestly, we love it here. Yes, it has been the hardest year of our lives. We "knew" it would be tough. We "knew" it would take time. We had no idea. It has been the biggest learning curve for me and I discovered I am far more British that I realised.. I was the driver of this move and have felt in many ways accountable for it all. The days hubby was so depressed when he couldn't find a job. The days we froze watching movies. The day my mom got rushed into hospital and I was the other side of the world. Emigrating sucks.
But it is also the best thing we have ever done. Every day on the way to (my hell) of a job, I am in awe of the stunning beauty that WA has to offer. The ocean, the gorgeous parakeets, the sunshine. We are miserable here but we also love it here, in a weird twisted way. We know that the current jobs, houses ect are not forever and we have a hope for the future that we never had in the UK. 
So. Would I do the last 12 months again?
Yes [emoji3]
Thanks for reading (to the end... if you got this far [emoji6])

Sent from my iPad using PomsinOz

[justsouk]

Hiiii my lovelies [emoji8]
 
I have been here a year [emoji33] I have no idea where it has gone if I am honest, and I have also not spent nearly enough time on here repying all the help I received. I would like to say it is because I have been too busy enjoying life here.. Maybe. Maybe not, honestly I am not sure.
Buckle up. Here we go.. 
Work
We came with no pre set up work. Hubby was the main visa holder as an Finance Controller (accountant). I was lucky, I got a job 4 weeks after moving here, as a general admin, it was a step back from my previous roles, but strangly an increase in pay. I hate it, but it pays the bills and a year on I am still in it.. Hubby (bless him) truely has struggled. It has taken 10 months and 400 + applications and a major pay cut to get a permanent job here. I won't lie, it is tough for accountants in my hubbies field. General feel: I read it before I came and I could go on about incompetence and nepotism in the Australian workforce, yes,  it is very much there. Without going into hours of detail, career wise, we are both miserable. 
Money
Damn the brexit. We completed on our house sale the day after the vote. Good bye 2.05 hello 1.60. Yeay. We sat and waited and waited, the £ is screwed. Lets move on.
Houses
Compared to our part of the UK, it is bloody expensive here. But then to be fair, we did not live near a major city in the UK. We rented for the first 12 months. An rubbish old 80's style house that is cold, damp and dusty. Yes, pictures online lie, but we visited in person so we have no one to blame but ourselves [emoji23] what a location though, sea views and a pool. I forgive my realestate agent for being shocking, they all are. 12 months in, we brought another 80's style cold, damp house for far more $ than I am comfortable with. But I am still in Leicester price mode,  not Perth prices. $630k for 3 bed still feels ridiculous though..
Weather
Move to Aus, it is warm they said.... LIES. I have never felt so cold in my life 
I am told we moved during the coldest winter/summer on record (my luck!). Sure, those 28c days are peachy, but 4c at night in that 80's single glazed house, with no central heating, it has not been fun. Perth, you need to sort this s**t please [emoji23]
 
Social Life
We have no social life. But that is ok, we didn't in the UK either to be fair. We are not sociable per se, we do not have a big circle of friends so have not missed out on that. But, in the 12 months living in our rental, despite seeing our neighbors on the drive way everyday, I have no idea who they are. 
On the flip side, 2 hours in our new house 3 lovely neighbours (nosey sods) came around to say hi. Maybe its suburb related, maybe its owner/rental related. Who knows. I am sure if you make an effort to make friends (unlike us) then you will be fine.
Cost of living
We have not really noticed a diference. Yes, cheese is more expensive. But god fuel is cheap. It is swings and round abouts. We paid £6 for a glass of wine in the UK, its $9 here. Neither here nor there really for us. Overall, taking every houshold cost into account, I would say no more expensive or cheaper than the UK.
Overall
My god, I sound miserable. Honestly, we love it here. Yes, it has been the hardest year of our lives. We "knew" it would be tough. We "knew" it would take time. We had no idea. It has been the biggest learning curve for me and I discovered I am far more British that I realised.. I was the driver of this move and have felt in many ways accountable for it all. The days hubby was so depressed when he couldn't find a job. The days we froze watching movies. The day my mom got rushed into hospital and I was the other side of the world. Emigrating sucks.
But it is also the best thing we have ever done. Every day on the way to (my hell) of a job, I am in awe of the stunning beauty that WA has to offer. The ocean, the gorgeous parakeets, the sunshine. We are miserable here but we also love it here, in a weird twisted way. We know that the current jobs, houses ect are not forever and we have a hope for the future that we never had in the UK. 
So. Would I do the last 12 months again?
Yes [emoji3]
Thanks for reading (to the end... if you got this far [emoji6])

I'll have to say that reading this was the best laugh I've had in the past few months as EVERY element is almost word for word how we'd describe our first few months in Oz. You've given us hope [emoji4]and reminded us why we came and that we're still in transition so really appreciate your post.


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[Martinbjulieb]

Love a good whinge.

We’ve been here 10 years+ now and have ties that can’t be undone; otherwise I would be out of here like a shot.

House – Like the OP, I never thought I would be spending more than 550,000 anything on a home, not even Lira or Rupiah. Our house defies all the laws of thermodynamics, it’s considerably colder inside than out, all surfaces acting like anti-radiators. The workmanship throughout is extremely poor, everything having a short lifespan including fixtures and fittings which are very cheaply made but not so cheap to get fitted. We have reverse cycle air-con which isn’t a patch on central heating, it becomes stifling very quickly then the heat dissipates in seconds once you turn it off. It’s our home but I feel no massive affinity towards it, even after 8 years.

Pool – I don’t know who these people are who swim in Perth in October, they must have volcanic springs under the house. I went in once before Xmas last summer and about half a dozen times afterwards. Biggest money pit in existence. Pools are OK if you have young kids who will get in regardless of the weather otherwise I’d avoid. Expensive mistake to learn for us. You could throw even more money at it and get your pool heated to buy you another 2 months swimming but after a while, you lose the will.

Neighbours – Know them to say Hello to, after 8 years. Our street is like a graveyard after about 6pm.

Night-time – Speaking of 6pm, why does 6pm feel like midnight? Even if I nip to the shops about 6.30pm, it feels like the middle of the night. The only way to counter this is to go to bed about 8pm. Which we do.

TV – Atrocious, takes 4 hours to watch a movie. If you hate TV sport, you’ve had it, as sporting events are prime-time here. Everything else is reality TV with deadheads or celeb TV with people you’ve never heard of. And 4 presenters being rotated as nauseum.

Aussies – After 10+ years, I still don’t get them. The older ones are OK, the younger ones I struggle with in the main. That whole laid-back Aussie thing, I don’t buy it, they’re rude and aggressive. And lazy, I guess that’s where the ‘laid-back’ possibly comes in. We moved to Australia determined not to buy into ‘Little Britain’ but that didn’t last long, you need people to relate to. Aussies are very different to us, fair enough I guess. But I’d say most people aren’t expecting it. Plus, sense of humour that would shame a German.

Social life – The wife and I go out but I wouldn’t exactly call it socialising, we sit in places where other people are but that’s about it. Pubs aren’t the same and the cost is really prohibitive. The only thriving business sector in Perth is Bottleshops, most people tend to be stop-at-home alcoholics. If they’re not into ice that is.

Eating & drinking – Here’s last week’s examples; the wife and her mate went to a Chinese in Jindalee, they got 1 prawn dish and 1 special fried rice, drank table water, $48. That’s 28 pound. For 1 meal. Between them. Then Saturday we went to Noble Falls for a walk, went the Tavern for lunch. $150, I had 3 pints. 2 meals and a pint and a half was $87. Then Sunday we took our nieces for lunch to a place in Mindarie. $150 for 2 adults, 2 kids. I had 2 ciders. It’s an absolute rip-off. Plus, it’s so hit-and-miss in terms of quality it makes it pointless. There’s a reason why the National dish of Australia is Hungry Jacks, it’s cheap and the same everywhere. I know Wetherspoons is rubbish but casual dining in the UK is better quality for a fraction of the price.

Other rip-offs – Bought some kitchen lights from a major retailer start of June, had to order them. $450. A month later, no contact so we went in. 16 year clerk told us ‘sorry no stock, I’ll try and order but it might be September’. When I asked whether anyone was ever going to contact us to inform us of this or whether they were just going to keep the $450 for a laugh, he just shrugged and said ‘nothing to do with me’.

Tradesman – Rip-off, and very poor.

Jobs – My wife was a Senior Project Manager in Economic Regeneration in the UK. Here she is an Event Coordinator in an old people’s home because it’s all she could get 10 years ago. She likes it but it’s not her career, she is never shortlisted for any jobs she goes for. I work in IT and am working on stuff I wouldn’t have bothered with 15 years ago in the UK. Don’t whatever you do make a career move to Perth unless you’re a labourer or a brickie or whatever. And those days are gone I think.

Culture – Prepare to lose track of anything contemporary. It’s 1982 in Perth.

Your kids – Most people move here for a better life for their kids. I agree that for little ones, it’s great, there’s parks and beaches galore and the summer allows a great outdoor life. However, once your kids hit mid-teens, they will be bored shitless unless (i) they are high academic achievers or (ii) they are very sporty. Not much doing here for teens and young adults, no jobs, $12 a pint, highlight of your week is an out-of-control party and a run-in with police, whilst off your cake on spliffs and cheap grog. No thanks.

The good stuff:



Scenery – The beach, The Hills, the walks, all very nice, I like them. If you live anywhere in Perth, make it the Hills. It’s beautiful. Everywhere else is lame, new (or embarrassingly 80s) and sterile.
Thanks for listening. xx

Absolutely agree with all of the above. Spent 10 years in Perth. The only difference is we got out! [emoji322][emoji322]


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[SPASY]

Just reading through the above post and I would have to say you have hit the nail on the head dead on regarding Perth, I lived in Perth and was a FIFO working for 6 years but headed back the UK  before job losses really kicked in. 

I spent 6 years fooling myself that Perth was a great place to be but in reality it was on the whole 6 years of solitary confinement..Occasionally turning up for a gathering at someones house with a few bottles of beer in an eskey... A trip round the wineries, pop down Hilliaries, it got so repetitive. There is just nothing to do 

Perth was not an easy place to get on even in the boom years, people were always stabbing each other in the back in work, even with years of work experience companies would knock you back for no reason at all while HR assistants got their mates in. 

From what I hear its still exactly the same atmosphere in jobs if not worse. 

I miss the weather, some of the beaches and cheap fuel.. 

[s713]

The cheap fuel is largely counter-acted by the fact that you have to drive twice as far to get anywhere here. We've had our car 5 years and it's done 140k kms.

[NicF]

1 hour ago, s713 said:

The cheap fuel is largely counter-acted by the fact that you have to drive twice as far to get anywhere here. We've had our car 5 years and it's done 140k kms.

Depends where you live and how much you use your car.  We barely drive 10k kms a year most years.

[benj1980]

A brutal assessment and one I don't particularly agree with but maybe I will in a few more years. I'm coming up to 2 years in and still think it's a great place to be and more importantly my children would be devastated if we wished to move. Job wise my wife and I have very similar jobs to what we had in the UK on much better pay, I couldn't build a property next to the sea at the cost that I did in the UK and we've made lots of friends who we happily socialise with. I guess having primary aged children helps with this...

[Guest263228]

I agree with the assessments in general. Quite stoic those folk that have arrived in Perth in more recent times. I'm pretty sure I would have taken flight if arrived (back) too many years after I did. I suppose ignorance is bliss and it is what keeps it all going in a fashion.

I do think those fortunate enough to be in reasonable work will more likely be won over by far higher wages than UK though. That is the clincher as beaches seem pretty much alike at the some stage, but the weather will persuade many.

Nothing really special about Perth. A little underwhelming but doable If one is set up, debt free with not too many worries nowhere is too bad. Of course it is somewhat dull compared to more 'happening' cities, most we knew from late nineties have departed to all corners of the globe. (among foreign born) It took a long time as is pretty much the 'norm' to get local born contacts, in any meaningful sense. Very hot and cold in terms of off and on in contact and rather sensitive , a trait not always associated with Australians.