I haven't visited this forum since 9 August and only then for 5 minutes because returning to Oz went off our agenda, mainly because I got a new job here and my wife also went full time. We just couldn't take the risk, even with family support, of the uncertain employment prospects in Adelaide for two white collar workers - me in IT and my wife in teaching.

Quite honestly, I can't be bothered to trawl through all the posts, so sincere thanks if you can be bothered to reply!

Anyhow, I've two questions:

1. How easy have recent migrants found selling their UK house? I ask because migrating makes you pretty much a "forced seller". I'm interested in anyone selling for above the 3% stamp duty threshold of £250k.

2. How have recent white collar migrants found the job market in Oz? Managed to get a permanent full time job on the kind of salary you were expecting? I specify white collar because, quite frankly, I think it's much harder for white collar migrants in Oz.

Well i can't comment on Adelaide but i know that in Perth the IT market seems good, depending on your area of expertise and teaching doesn't seem to be a problem either providing you have your WA cerificate.

Lynn

1. we were below the 3% but were in Berks - don't tell the agent or prospective purchaser, and if you do, only after contracts have been exchanged, deposit paid etc. We put on the market start of sept, accepted offer end of Oct. We had the selling point of no chain, saying moving out of area with job and would be renting to start with - which is true, just don't have to give all details. We had buyer with no chain allowing us to be flexible with completion date - actually flew out a few days before. Friend nearby to where we were put her house up for sale around feb and that sold about a month ago.

2. agents are not good - you have to put in the hard work just to get their attention let alone get them to do their job. Job was obtained through contacts made via UK and several recommendations within the company (used to work for them in UK) - this is a contract position and is roughly on what he was on in UK as perm but don't have extras of pension/health/car/holiday. There is talk of being made perm but not on the rate he is on now.

1) Had no problems selling my house, I got a cash buyer within a week of the house going on the market - but then again my house wasn't in your price bracket.

2) I found it harder than I'd expected to get work in Adelaide, but as a public sector accountant it was hard to find jobs that suited my experience. I registered with a couple of agents who were very positive but didn't match me with very many vacancies. The one or two interviews I got through agents seemed to be clutching at straws as my experience clearly didn't cover everything they were looking for. I had an interview with Adelaide City Council for a job I'd spotted in the paper; got some very positive feedback but again my experience didn't quite match up. Then I spotted the job I've now got with the University of Adelaide which covered lots of things I've done, albeit in a different sector. Took two interviews to get it but I made it. The starting salary was less than I earned in the UK, but more than I expected to get here given the cost of living - and was the highest of all the jobs I applied for.

Ii took around 2-3 months of serious job hunting for me to get my job; I don't think I'd have had any problems walking straight into work if my experience had been in the commercial world.

Hope this helps.

Elaine

1. Sold my house to the third person to look round it;
2. Got a job offer 2 days after arriving.