I've been in Brisbane nearly a year but over all it looks like I have to accept a substantial drop in standard of living or return to the UK.

A comparable house to the one I had in Scotland is out of my reach here...I have 600k/700k I need 900k $

My UK house value was around 400k GBP I have yet to see a houe here at any price that comes close in quality

Its the main problem really, Ive bought my car here but the house is still missing and Im dipping into the money from the sale of my UK house each month to pay the rent which is common in my circle of friends

I just cant bring myself to pay so much for so little house here for fear of a price crash...back to Scotland is the safe option for me and my family, no doubt about that, a granite house thats been there for 100 years is going nowhere, the build quality here is non existant, laughable most of the time, stuff that B&Q stocked in the 80's would be top end here.

And Im nearly banned from driving here!..the police are the only bloody thing that works here, I was seen taking off my seat belt off to open the glove box...3 points...4mph over the speed limit 3 points...turning left into a road that you cannt turn left on during office hours..3 points...ACAB!

My wifes in two minds as ususal which doesnt help...shes at her wits end with the health care are here and the fact we are never away from the docs..the constant near wildlife misses..snakes/spiders/god knows what...yet when the suns out you think youd be mad to go.

BUT we are constantly broke...really broke...cant buy a bloody magazine broke...not what I was expecting at all...worse than my student days 25 years ago...and I have kids now so its not on

Aus is not cheap anymore its swings and roundabouts and all boils down to where you settle and like best. Good luck mate

I sympathise with your predicament, but I can't help wondering how you have got into such a situation in only a year. Didn't you know what Brisbane house prices were like before you came? Were you expecting to be able to earn more than you do? How much research did you do before emigrating?

I disagree that Brisbane houses are of lesser quality compared to UK ones, if you actually compare apples with apples i.e. compare a spec house built in the 1960's in each place. A stone house built in Victorian/Edwardian times just doesn't exist here - in 1910 the total population within a 10 mile radius of the GPO was only 150,000 compared with 1,100,000 today, so it stands to reason that most of the houses are post-WWII construction.

What brought you here in the first place?

If you're having to dip into savings to pay rent when you're on $170k plus - then you have serious issues with money management.

That is a lot of money, we could live on that happily

I've just read some of your previous posts and it seems youre not happy in Aus and nothing is working for you even though I know there are a lot worse off than you who enjoy it here.

time to go "home" I reckon mate

With regards to the driving, my friend was fined for being 5km over the limit but I dont think he got points on his license, I thought there was a bit of leeway on that as in if you were only a couple of kms over, it was just a fine. I forgot to put my seat belt on once when I left the house, I had got a little way out of the drive and an alarm went off in my car - I wondered what it was and then realised and managed to get the belt on, I genuinely forgot, but luckily no cops around (learned my lesson on that one )

Be where your best opportunities are at the time. If you figure you will be more comfortable in Scotland then move on to Scotland. If you have a brilliant job in Qld and it's going to enhance your career then stay in Qld.

You cant live on sunshine and even that gets old after a while!

The house price issue is a big one here in Australia and I sympathise. I live in SA and in the UK I lived in southern England, so for us the houses are cheaper and better value here - but only just - and only thanks to the higher wages in Australia. If you come from a part of the UK with cheaper housing and move to an expensive part of Australia you're really going to notice the house prices. Like in the UK, they're not doing anything to control house prices in Australia, and in fact are working diligently to keep them artificially high.

Resistance is futile, basically.

Vogon poetry?


S

Trying to think of a Vogon haiku, but it's harder than it looks.

It sounds to me like you're just not that keen on Australia.
Wildlife near misses?

If you're not happy then of course you need to do something about it.
But very few people would agree you are in financial dire straits if you are earning $170,000 and you have over $600,000 to put towards a house.

Houses are expensive here so if that is the most important thing and you can get more for your money in Scotland, then it's a no brainer.

i completely agree with the price and quality of houses, we live in a 450 year old house that is likely to last another 450 years, our house in Brisbane will be lucky to last 45. New builds look as though they are built out of cardboard and sticky tape, its no wonder they are so bloody cold/hot. I wouldnt have such a problem with the quality if it was like it was about 12 years ago when they were cheap.

I thought the poor building was only a Perth thing. Obviously not. I know in WA it is shocking. A slab is not how you build a house. It is how you build a garden shed. Also sympathise with the cost of housing. Total joke

I think it best you do return - but I sense that your heart is just not in it. Anyone who uses the wildlife as an excuse has probably seen too many TV programs. Admitedlty we live in cool-climate Melbourne but I've seen 1 snake and practically no redbacks in 10 years.

It's enough to put anyone off.

Anyone who bought 12 years ago is laughing now. I don't think Aussie houses are quite as bad as people make out. I don't think they are all going to collapse overnight! I mean we have houses 100 years old in our village and they are fairly sturdy.


I built a garden office on stumps!