We're trying to weigh up whether or not to ship our furniture or to buy new in Oz!!

Not that our furniture is crap or anything but I don't believe Ikea have a store in Australia!!

Only kidding, Opinions on the quality of australian furniture please and the relative costs involved with shipping.

3K to ship or 3K to buy new?? Ikea, marks and spencers or john lewis? bespoke or off the peg? Does all the furniture look like the furniture that we've seen in the new properties that we've looked at on realestate.com?? (YUK)

Any good rental packages like the US have on furniture??

Michelle & Jenny

(also anyone know the stamp duty in Victoria??)

Ikea do have a number of stores and the prices are reasonably comparable to England.

For me it's worth selling all my furniture, thus getting some cash and saving on shipping fees and buying all new out there. For people with posher stuff or bigger houses, probably best to take it.

Stamp duty is A$ 2,560 plus 6% of the difference between the purchase price of the property and 115,000 - quite steep. In fact Victoria has the highest stamp duty.

Nina

... unless you buy off the plan ....

Best regards.

Buy off the plan???

Didn't realise stamp duty was that high. We'd probably look at 6months there before we look to buy anything (just to get to know the better subs to live in!) Geelong is where the prospective work for us is though. Bit industrialised.

On my recent visit the TV commercials were full of what appeared to be some prety good deals. Given the pricing and ssales that seems to be premanently on going is it worth all the expense to transport the furniture. What about selling it and using the money raised in Australia on some nice new bits to get you started?

Good luck and all the best.

Phil.

I think you're probably right!! It's just the memories thing but hey new start, new life, new memories.

Maybe we'll just take photos of the furniture and just look and say aaaah every so often!!!!

Not sure how much my ratty old sofa and rickety table and chairs will fetch.... (now where's that number for the salvos!)

Michelle & Jenny

I understand whay you mean. I have the disgraceful attitude of "if in doubt - throw it out!". This is a fairly hard line approach in furniture appraisal but it has serves me well.

Besides, the stronger light from the constant sunshine may show up those wine stains you thought you got rid of!

Like you say - new life, new start. Best of luck to you all.

Thanks Phil,

You know women shopping is a full time occupation so it may well help in our ability to settle if we get to know all of the local shopkeepers!! (not sure how our husbands will view this opinion!)

Good luck with your move too!!

M&J

Buying "off the plan" means that you buy a property that has yet to be built, but where the plans have already been drawn up.

I live in a suburb of Geelong ... let me know if you want any details of real estate agents. It's best to be on the Highton/Torquay side of the city in my view.

Best regards.

Brand new Ikea opened last week in Richmond. As good as any in UK at roughly equivalent prices.

Ah Ikea there is some hope then. Will be taking most of the furntiure as it took me two years to find the right dining table so that is definately coming.

footie chick

I was reading on another site from someone who'd already emigrated that from their experience and people theyd got to know that you should take EVERYTHING! I wasnt going to I must admit but I am not a very materialistic person and dont get all sentimental about my furniture but then Ive not got anything of any great value,most of it 'is' Ikea furniture lol

i don`t want to get over there after selling furniture over here and end up not having what i want.

We have to get a container so we might as well load it up, if we find stuff over their then we can always sell our stuff.

footie chick

you could see if there is somebody in uk who is migrating around the same time as you (of course to same destination) and share a crate?