NermaltheCute

Just thought I'd ask a question whilst I'm waiting for our new passports to arrive - we haven't put in an EOI yet as OH and daughter don't have passports.

So when did you put your house on the market? Hand your notice in(!)? Start emptying years of hoarded stuff? Get quotes for containers? Book the dogs on flights? You know all the stuff you think you need to do and don't know when!

I need something to plan whilst I sit and twiddle my thumbs waiting to start waiting when we put in an EOI with no job offer!

Am Loolah

It's all very confusing and I know I struggled with not knowing en the right time for everything was. To a certain extent, you'll be dictated to by circumstance.

We put out house on the market the day the packers finished and we had moved ourselves and the dogs out. We had new carpet laid so it made sense to vacate. We stayed the last week in a holiday home a couple of miles up the road. We were lucky and had an offer before we left the country, which was a huge relief.

Our dogs went in to kennels for the last 2 weeks as it was too stressful having to cope with them too. Once we had booked our flights we contacted airpets who organised the dogs. They were brilliant and basically call you up and remind you when the dogs are meant to be at the vets etc. I guess they realise how much people are dealing with on top of the pets. I think we had to allow a minimum of 6 weeks for booking the dogs - but if you email or call airpets they'll talk you through it all. What I really liked about them was I only ever dealt with the same person there, from my initial email right through to her taking the dogs from us in person when we got to their kennels at Heathrow.

I had planned to work up to the last couple of weeks before we left as I loved my job. However, despite my husband having given up work I soon realised that there was still just too much to be done, so I left about a month or 6 weeks before we left the country. Oh, and I still forgot little jobs like purchase new towels and linen!!

We started quite early on decluttering. It started with several trips to the tip, a couple of car boot sales (the kids loved doing these) and then ebay was our friend! Then whatever hadn't sold we either gave away or it was charity shops and tip again! Little point getting the container guys to quote if half of it isn't coming! Last car went to local auction and cheque was forwarded to my mum's who paid it in to our account.

You'll still find yourself saying why did you bring all this crap when you get here though!!

NermaltheCute

Thanks for that very comprehensive answer, will check out airpets soon. We will start the declutter now!

Ps do we need new towels and linen??

Genesis

Personally I would first establish that you are able to get the alloted amount of points. Then I would sell the house first, I hear so many people who have evrything done but the house unsold..once its done you can then get on with paperwork, medicals etc. Are you on the skills gap list?? Had we not been able to sell our house for us the move would not have happened. We were moving to france, the house sold then we changed our minds!!!! Thus we started the EOI relatively safe in the knowledge that the house was sold..course I understand thats not the case until you have t'money in bank!! DO NOT LET ON YOU ARE EMIGRATING...there are some very nasty people who will use this agin you when you come to complete..knowing they have you over a huge barrell. Say you are going east/west in the UK for a job change.

Stoof

we put the house on the market, and whilst we waited 8 months for it to sell, we started the de-cluttering, car-booting, getting fit, renewing passports etc etc.

we put the EOI in a couple of weeks after we moved into our rented place (a month ago)

we now need to do another round of de-cluttering and car-booting and have started selling the 400 CD's we didn't sell last christmas (ebay is our friend too!)

plenty of stuff to keep us busy whilst keeping fingers crossed for an ITA to land! hopefully when this happens (fingers crossed!!) we'll be ready and able to make the move fairly swiftly!

(and if it doesn't happen we should be in a position for OH to head over to NZ and secure job offer....)

that's our plan anyway! we needed the capital from selling the house in order to make the move... it felt like a long time those 8 months (especially as we'd spent the 6 months prior getting the house ready to sell!)

good luck!

NermaltheCute

Thanks again, all advice gratefully received. With the threat of house prices dropping even further we are thinking of selling asap! And then renting but it is a bit of a leap of faith.

traciridgwell

Think I would wait to do anything until your house is sold.........!!

Rock Ape

We proceded as follows:

*Got 2 job offers in Jan 2008 by phone
*Submitted EOI
*EOI accepted
*Went for job interview
*NZQA PAR recieved
*Got animals booked into quarantine (4 month notice required)
*Received ITA
*Pets booked for departure Nov 14th 2008
*Sold house (complete on Sept 17th 2008)
*Booked rented accomodation
*Started packing!!!!!
*Now waiting for NZQA full report

Total timeframe so far 7 months and counting

love30stm

We sold our house anyway went into rented before deciding where we wanted to emigrate to, we was in rented for 3 years, in a small 2 bedroom terrace with two kids... it was worth it in the end we have lived here 1 year now...

TeamEmbo

we did:
*put house on market feb 07
*started decluttering with stuff we really wouldn't miss if plans changed
*started applying for jobs
*applied for police checks
*opened NZ bank account
*6 day recce to NZ south and north islands and OH had 11 interviews mar 07
*sold house mar 07
*arranged NZ PO Box
*got job offer apr 07
*got quotes for container apr 07
*had medicals/x-rays may 07
*sold off lots of unused kids stuff, furniture, cars, caravan etc
*applied for WTR visa may 07 - got back within 1 week
*booked container for 2 days before house sale completion
*letters to all re change of address/paying off bills etc
*finished work on a friday
*leaving party saturday
*packers in tuesday
*finished packing wednesday morning, container arrived
*completed on house sale wednesday lunchtime
*loaded container, handed keys to new home owners
*stayed with inlaws for 2 nights
*paid off last of bills
*left UK friday

traciridgwell

The above all sounds great TeamEmbo - but we are all still trying to sell our houses!!!! You obviously sold at a good time in the housing market - wish it was all like that now!! - Thanks for the good advice though!! - makes things easier to see on paper!