gshem

Hi,

Visa approved and heading to Townsville at the beginning of August. Just looking for any tips or advice on settling in, best places to shop for furniture, white goods, etc. Thanks.

Rabc

Hello, Townsville weather is about as good as it's gets at this time of year. Cool monrings (by tropical standards anyway) and warm clear days.

If you are looking at renting try and secure something before you leave as the rental market is tight here. Most agents want you to inspect. If you need someone to do that for you let me know. If you are buying then now is definately a good time as things have slowed because of the recent increases in interest rates.

White goods can be brought in any of the larger stores around town (Domain Central on Duckworth Street has the higest concentration) and all negotiate.

Good luck with the move, if you need anything else drop me a PM.

Cheers

Rob

Maple Leaf

lucky you!!

i am so jealous!!

Dawn-D

Hi, congratulations on your visa approval. We too are heading for Townsville as soon as house is sold with 3 kids and a dog in tow.

I'll follow this post with interest as I'm now worried if rental is tight especially when we have a dog, hope this won't affect our chances!

Good luck with your move, keep us posted how you get on as we hope to be not too far behind you.

Steveclare

Hi
We are also heading for Townsville later in the year, and like Dawn have family and dog in tow so have same concerns regarding renting, i have emailed some of the estate agents and they seem to think it won't be a big problem. I have spoken to someone in Townsville and they said if you don't mind renting in a suburb that is not so pretty it should be ok.

Good Luck everyone with their moves

Clare

Dawn-D

Hi Clare

Have sent you a PM

Rabc

The rental market is tight but by no means a problem. You just need to get in touch with real estate agents sooner rather than later to have the pick. Try here:

http://www.townsville-real-estate.com/

Enjoy

MORCPOM1

CONGRATULATIONS on your visa and your move to Townsville. Wish it was us, sadly looks like the sale of our house has fallen through at the last hurdle. Should of flown out on 18th August completely gutted Will look forward to reading your update on your move. Best of Luck.

Dawn-D

Hi Rob,

Thanx for the link, will get looking!

Cheers

Dawn-D

Hi Liz,

The house fell through, that's awful, I'm really sorry.

We had an offer last week from a friend of a friend who knew we were going to Oz and as a result put in a ridiculous offer of £35K below asking price This is the reason we haven't let our estate agent know cause people then take the p out of you when they know you don't want to be here :curse:

Good luck for another sale though Liz, I'm keeping everything crossed and will send some karma

MORCPOM1

Thanks Dawn for the Karma, have sent you a PM.

gshem

Rob,

Thanks for these really useful link.

beanz

I have worked for many years as a Property Manager in Australia in various States. In relation to having a dog, I know this might sound silly but I often promoted tenants with dogs to landlords if: they had a reference from previous landlords/neighbours stating the dog did not cause any problems, you must state that the dog is an 'outside dog' and not a barker. You agree to fumigate inside and outside (for fleas) and provide receipt of fumigation on vacation of premises and also agree to cover costs of any damage caused by dog. Basically if you provide proof that you are a responsible dog owner - (to my mind paying the costs of a dog coming over from overseas helps towards that). So if a house to rent says no dogs still go for it. Keep in mind apartments definately do not allow dogs but maybe cats.

SEanll

RETAIL DEVELOPMENTS

Ok guys I hope this helps, Iam from Townsville and really there is only one way to describe it..... Boomsville. ATM Townsville is very shortchanged in terms of retail, Stockland Townsville is about to become regional Australias Largest shopping centre and once renovations are complete it will become Queensland third largest shopping centre. Flinders Plaza which starts in October will become Regional Australias 4th biggest shopping centre at a little over 250 tennants planned for the six story shopping centre right in the heart of the city. A great adition in terms of retail is Domain central 70 major tennants which include, JB HI-FI (Regional Queenslands only JB ) Dick Smith PowerHouse, Trade Secret, Australia's Biggest Havery Norman Super warehouse plus Australias largest Bunnings, aswell as a very modern Hungry Jacks fast food restraunt even Queenslands only Drive through Subway, Domain central also play host to many reatil outlets, In approximately 6 months time Domain will undergo an expansion which will see it expanding to pretty much double its current size. Willows shopping towns expansion will start in August after plans for a 100 million revamp of the shopping centre were approved a few months back it involves a 3 story carpark built on the former crazy clarks and coles side, it will also see a revamped Target department store plus a Big W department store. Stage one of Fairfield Central is almost complete in which its only a woolies, stage 2 involves the creation of Australias third biggest DFO department store and once completed will be an equivalent size to Willows shopping centre stage three will see yet another edition in the confident Big W department store brand. Below is some videos of the major retail developments in Townsville created by myself.

SEanll

CITY DEVELOPMENTS
Well I really dont no how to put this..... Hmmm lets start shell we... Yesterday plans were realeased for Townsville town sqaure a 30 story Iconic CBD skyscraper apparently once complete it will rival Federation sqaure in Melbourne. The face of the city has just begun to be totally gutted and redeveloped everywhere you look there are cranes creating CBD highrises, The Dalgety tower which is currently under construction will become regional Queensland highest building at 20 stories 73m and present the tower is currently at level 1 with a Favco STD 1500 tower crane implace. Another major development is Altitude the tower started construction almost a year ago and in that time only a lousy 6 levels of the 16 story tower have been completed. Another biggy is Central a planned master community for the heart of the CBD and is projected to be a 10 year project. Yet another biggy is T1 it was completed about a month ago and standing at 18 stories it reflects the booming times Townsville is in for iam really only selecting only a handful of major and huge developments for the CBD so to help you guys help Iam going to post some info on major skyline and city dominating structures planned for the city: