April 2008 Applicants
May 17th 2008, 10:39 am
#151
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Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,594
Re: April 2008 Applicants
There's a thread called Form 80 and this was on it. Conclusion - I'm not filling in the Form 80!
We also applied for a 175 online, never filled out form 80 and never got asked to. Got a CO last week and they just asked for the values statement form. Will hopefully get visa next week. Good luck to you
Terri
hi ive applied for a 175 visa online, do i also have to fill out form 80?
Terri
May 17th 2008, 10:43 am
#152
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Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,594
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by vanessandave
I actually posted this before, hope you find it useful........
We recently got back from 3 fabulous weeks in the Brisbane, Sunny Coast and Gold Coast area, here are our random observations/opinions.....
1) The hinterland behind the SC and GC is stunning!!!!
2) Beware of the left hand lane when driving....it might just disappear!
3) I found driving in Oz far more relaxing than the UK, and generally very easy to navigate
4) We got an Oz map for our Tomtom satnav and it was priceless, saving us lots of time and probably a few arguments!!
5) Eating out was generally expensive compared to the UK, but I did find the quality better - especially the steaks! However we were tourists so I imagine some of the places we visited were priced accordingly.
6) Dogs - there seems to be a different attitude to dog ownership in that we walk our dogs off lead pretty much everywhere in the UK, but in Oz you need to find a designated area. Speaking to people these areas are quite common but we didnt see any. This is understandable with the wildlife that is being protected.
7) Crime/Vandalism - didn't see any.
8) Loving the free BBQ's scattered around the coast and parkland
9) The locals seemed genuinely pleasant and interested in who you are
10) Blatant 'adult' shops and lap dancing clubs
11) Public transport was clean and punctual
12) Lots of Thai restaurants
13) Much more of a North American feel to the country in terms of the sense of space, strip malls, wide roads and fast food restaurants everywhere
14) Petrol 60p a litre
15) Cost of grocery shopping in Woolworths and Coles was astronomical!
16) Hotels/B&B's very clean and reasonably priced
17) Smoking banned inside public places
18) Lots of wireless internet hot spots (we took our laptop which also proved to be invaluable)
19) Cheap sim card for our UK mobile from Crazy John's
20) There is SO much more to the Gold Coast than Surfers Paradise
21) We spoke to several estate agents and visited a number of open house viewings - the consensus was that house prices in most areas of the GC have started to come down, and vendors are being forced to accept offers below the asking price if they want to sell.
22) Building your own house appears to be so much easier than the UK. We hadn't really considered building our own until we saw the show homes at Jacobs Ridge. They looked perfect (I know they are show homes!) and a lot less expensive than I anticipated.
23) Never really liked beaches until I saw the ones in Oz, stunning.
24) Wildlife is fabulous, colourful birds, crazy looking furry things, massive bats...unfortunately never saw any snakes though.
25) Wear sunscreen all the time!
26) Jet lag really sucks!!!!
We recently got back from 3 fabulous weeks in the Brisbane, Sunny Coast and Gold Coast area, here are our random observations/opinions.....
1) The hinterland behind the SC and GC is stunning!!!!
2) Beware of the left hand lane when driving....it might just disappear!
3) I found driving in Oz far more relaxing than the UK, and generally very easy to navigate
4) We got an Oz map for our Tomtom satnav and it was priceless, saving us lots of time and probably a few arguments!!
5) Eating out was generally expensive compared to the UK, but I did find the quality better - especially the steaks! However we were tourists so I imagine some of the places we visited were priced accordingly.
6) Dogs - there seems to be a different attitude to dog ownership in that we walk our dogs off lead pretty much everywhere in the UK, but in Oz you need to find a designated area. Speaking to people these areas are quite common but we didnt see any. This is understandable with the wildlife that is being protected.
7) Crime/Vandalism - didn't see any.
8) Loving the free BBQ's scattered around the coast and parkland
9) The locals seemed genuinely pleasant and interested in who you are
10) Blatant 'adult' shops and lap dancing clubs
11) Public transport was clean and punctual
12) Lots of Thai restaurants
13) Much more of a North American feel to the country in terms of the sense of space, strip malls, wide roads and fast food restaurants everywhere
14) Petrol 60p a litre
15) Cost of grocery shopping in Woolworths and Coles was astronomical!
16) Hotels/B&B's very clean and reasonably priced
17) Smoking banned inside public places
18) Lots of wireless internet hot spots (we took our laptop which also proved to be invaluable)
19) Cheap sim card for our UK mobile from Crazy John's
20) There is SO much more to the Gold Coast than Surfers Paradise
21) We spoke to several estate agents and visited a number of open house viewings - the consensus was that house prices in most areas of the GC have started to come down, and vendors are being forced to accept offers below the asking price if they want to sell.
22) Building your own house appears to be so much easier than the UK. We hadn't really considered building our own until we saw the show homes at Jacobs Ridge. They looked perfect (I know they are show homes!) and a lot less expensive than I anticipated.
23) Never really liked beaches until I saw the ones in Oz, stunning.
24) Wildlife is fabulous, colourful birds, crazy looking furry things, massive bats...unfortunately never saw any snakes though.
25) Wear sunscreen all the time!
26) Jet lag really sucks!!!!
May 17th 2008, 11:36 am
#153
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Tamworth, UK
Posts: 46
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by tiger222
Wow, that was really helpful, VanessanDave. thanks for reposting it!!
May 17th 2008, 1:49 pm
#154
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 15
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Hello, I'm an April applicant (just!) too. I lodged my application on 30th April although it's for a de facto partner visa. No one else in this thread seems to be applying for that type of visa. Am I in the wrong place?
Anyway, I had my medicals last week and am sorting out my police check now. Hoping to move to Brisbane area towards the end of 08. My partner is from Queensland so we're going to give that a go. So many things to sort out first.
Like lots of you, I've decided to rent out my house instead of selling up. Is anyone using a proporty managment service? I've just started to look into it. Had one quote of 10% of rental income a month which sounds a lot to me?!?
Anyway, I had my medicals last week and am sorting out my police check now. Hoping to move to Brisbane area towards the end of 08. My partner is from Queensland so we're going to give that a go. So many things to sort out first.
Like lots of you, I've decided to rent out my house instead of selling up. Is anyone using a proporty managment service? I've just started to look into it. Had one quote of 10% of rental income a month which sounds a lot to me?!?
May 17th 2008, 7:58 pm
#155
Citizen Of The World
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 592
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by memewest
Great to hear that you have a tenant already.
With the market as it is at the moment, think renting is the best option. Where do you plan to be staying now then?? and have you arranged to put all your things into storage??
And yes, complex though the sums are, this is saving us money as well
Cheers
b
Last edited by benlast; May 17th 2008 at 8:01 pm. Reason: Typos
May 17th 2008, 11:38 pm
#156
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: A Small Village in Somerset.......out in the sticks
Posts: 1,476
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Hey Tiger!!
You'll never guess!!!!
My OH finally got his photo done today!!!
BUT........Scanner has broken....
need to borrow one to attach his damn photo now that he's done it...anyone got a scanner i can use??
Why is nothing ever, ever simple??
You'll never guess!!!!
My OH finally got his photo done today!!!
BUT........Scanner has broken....
need to borrow one to attach his damn photo now that he's done it...anyone got a scanner i can use??
Why is nothing ever, ever simple??
May 18th 2008, 11:18 am
#157
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,594
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by vanessandave
WOW.....how did you get a CO so quick??
May 18th 2008, 11:20 am
#158
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,594
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by cassie_coo
Hello, I'm an April applicant (just!) too. I lodged my application on 30th April although it's for a de facto partner visa. No one else in this thread seems to be applying for that type of visa. Am I in the wrong place?
Anyway, I had my medicals last week and am sorting out my police check now. Hoping to move to Brisbane area towards the end of 08. My partner is from Queensland so we're going to give that a go. So many things to sort out first.
Like lots of you, I've decided to rent out my house instead of selling up. Is anyone using a proporty managment service? I've just started to look into it. Had one quote of 10% of rental income a month which sounds a lot to me?!?
Anyway, I had my medicals last week and am sorting out my police check now. Hoping to move to Brisbane area towards the end of 08. My partner is from Queensland so we're going to give that a go. So many things to sort out first.
Like lots of you, I've decided to rent out my house instead of selling up. Is anyone using a proporty managment service? I've just started to look into it. Had one quote of 10% of rental income a month which sounds a lot to me?!?
We're looking to rent out our house - but we won't hire a property manager. We'll hand pick our tenants (we live near the Uni), then sign a lease and ask our neighbors to "keep an eye on things". It should be OK for 1 year.
May 18th 2008, 11:23 am
#159
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Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,594
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by benlast
Yep; they signed all the papers for a nice long lease on Friday, which is great news
We're now living in a newish little 2-bed apartment about a mile away from our house, with around 60%-80% of our stuff in storage! It's a damn sight more compact than living in the house, but it's only for six months.
And yes, complex though the sums are, this is saving us money as well
Cheers
b
We're now living in a newish little 2-bed apartment about a mile away from our house, with around 60%-80% of our stuff in storage! It's a damn sight more compact than living in the house, but it's only for six months.
And yes, complex though the sums are, this is saving us money as well
Cheers
b
That's great news! Did you go through the stuff first before storing it? Or did you just pack everything up?
I ask because OH was just saying we need to get a storage box and I said no, I need to go through and get rid of stuff. We'll have a sale first then look at storage.
May 18th 2008, 11:26 am
#160
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,594
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by memewest
Hey Tiger!!
You'll never guess!!!!
My OH finally got his photo done today!!!
You'll never guess!!!!
My OH finally got his photo done today!!!
Originally Posted by memewest
BUT........Scanner has broken....
need to borrow one to attach his damn photo now that he's done it...anyone got a scanner i can use??
Why is nothing ever, ever simple??
need to borrow one to attach his damn photo now that he's done it...anyone got a scanner i can use??
Why is nothing ever, ever simple??
I guess there's always losing it.....isn't there?
May 18th 2008, 9:19 pm
#161
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Melbourne Australia!
Posts: 259
Re: April 2008 Applicants
[QUOTE=tiger222;6362178]There's a thread called Form 80 and this was on it. Conclusion - I'm not filling in the Form 80!
If you're not then neither am I!
OH will be so pleased (he hates filling in forms),I am really happy I spent so long working out all of our holidays for the past 10 years in preparation
Going to wait for a CO before we do meds and police checks though, thinking of making the move early in 2009 as I have to give 3 months notice on my job which I will only do when the visa is granted.
We've had our house valued this week as we have finally made it fit for sale and given the state of the market it looks as though we are going to rent it out. If we can get away with it we are going to try not to take out any of the equity and just keep it rented for a couple of years. Looking for a tenant immediately and we'll take a 6 month rent on something smaller and cheaper with less commute to work for both of us so we cut costs that way.
Hoping to ebay some stuff this week.
Charlene
If you're not then neither am I!
OH will be so pleased (he hates filling in forms),I am really happy I spent so long working out all of our holidays for the past 10 years in preparation
Going to wait for a CO before we do meds and police checks though, thinking of making the move early in 2009 as I have to give 3 months notice on my job which I will only do when the visa is granted.
We've had our house valued this week as we have finally made it fit for sale and given the state of the market it looks as though we are going to rent it out. If we can get away with it we are going to try not to take out any of the equity and just keep it rented for a couple of years. Looking for a tenant immediately and we'll take a 6 month rent on something smaller and cheaper with less commute to work for both of us so we cut costs that way.
Hoping to ebay some stuff this week.
Charlene
May 19th 2008, 4:26 pm
#162
Citizen Of The World
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 592
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by tiger222
Did you go through the stuff first before storing it? Or did you just pack everything up?
This is because (a) we're now in a much smaller place, with limited space, and so we needed to be careful with what we tried to fit in here and (b) it reduces the shipping/storage costs. Plus it was actually very therapeutic!I reckon we have a little over 50% of our stuff in storage and a little under 50% here. There are also a few final items here that probably won't end up being shipped (like a big old CRT wide-screen TV that just doesn't justify the cost-per-cubic-foot).
Originally Posted by tiger222
We're looking to rent out our house - but we won't hire a property manager
Cheers
b
May 21st 2008, 1:19 am
#163
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,594
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Originally Posted by benlast
We did a very thorough purge of everything we didn't need/want, and sold/gave away a lot, plus filling the many recycling areas at the local tip This is because (a) we're now in a much smaller place, with limited space, and so we needed to be careful with what we tried to fit in here and (b) it reduces the shipping/storage costs. Plus it was actually very therapeutic!
I reckon we have a little over 50% of our stuff in storage and a little under 50% here. There are also a few final items here that probably won't end up being shipped (like a big old CRT wide-screen TV that just doesn't justify the cost-per-cubic-foot).
Our rationale for hiring a property manager is that it will let the house take care of itself almost entirely when we're away - the rent will cover the management charges as well as the mortgage interest and maintenance. Plus the same agents will handle a sale should we choose to do that. We didn't want to be stuck with trying to find and check out tenants in the UK when we've been in Oz for a year...
Cheers
b
This is because (a) we're now in a much smaller place, with limited space, and so we needed to be careful with what we tried to fit in here and (b) it reduces the shipping/storage costs. Plus it was actually very therapeutic!I reckon we have a little over 50% of our stuff in storage and a little under 50% here. There are also a few final items here that probably won't end up being shipped (like a big old CRT wide-screen TV that just doesn't justify the cost-per-cubic-foot).
Our rationale for hiring a property manager is that it will let the house take care of itself almost entirely when we're away - the rent will cover the management charges as well as the mortgage interest and maintenance. Plus the same agents will handle a sale should we choose to do that. We didn't want to be stuck with trying to find and check out tenants in the UK when we've been in Oz for a year...
Cheers
b
How's the 457 coming along?
May 21st 2008, 1:21 am
#164
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,594
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Meme -
You'll never believe where I found the April thread? Almost to the bottom of Page 4!
Surely there are others who have lodged their visas in April that haven't stopped in to say Hello!
You'll never believe where I found the April thread? Almost to the bottom of Page 4!
Surely there are others who have lodged their visas in April that haven't stopped in to say Hello!
May 21st 2008, 7:26 am
#165
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 15
Re: April 2008 Applicants
Thanks Tiger - I almost thought that no one was going to talk to me!
I think you're very brave to just let the neighbours 'keep an eye' on your property while you're away. I'm way too scared, but then we don't know for how long we'll end up staying in Oz.
Ben - I'd be interested to know what your property management people are charging you as a % of the monthly rent. As I said, the only quote I have so far said 10%.
Isn't it amazing how much stuff you can accumulate in your house over the years?! I'm having the storage/throw/ship argument with OH. I'd like to sort out and whittle down and ship the rest but he says get rid of most and store what's left. Anyone have any recommendations for shipping companies? I think I remember someone saying about £3200 for a 20ft container. Does that sound about right?
I think you're very brave to just let the neighbours 'keep an eye' on your property while you're away. I'm way too scared, but then we don't know for how long we'll end up staying in Oz.
Ben - I'd be interested to know what your property management people are charging you as a % of the monthly rent. As I said, the only quote I have so far said 10%.
Isn't it amazing how much stuff you can accumulate in your house over the years?! I'm having the storage/throw/ship argument with OH. I'd like to sort out and whittle down and ship the rest but he says get rid of most and store what's left. Anyone have any recommendations for shipping companies? I think I remember someone saying about £3200 for a 20ft container. Does that sound about right?
