ShazPas Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 We just arrived in Canberra last night for our short 2 week visit, all I can say is WOW what a lovely stateWe went to Coles to buy some food for the apartment could not get over the variety of products, we have to get into the time zone we slept until 1pm today but we should be fine from tomorrow.Thank goodness for the iPhone maps you do get lost at night but in the day all is good.I can not wait until we move here next year:) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamInACT Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Welcome! hope you have a great 2 weeks in out gorgeous "Territory".... Remember North side is best!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shell Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Have a great trip Shaz.Can't wait to hear all about it at the next meet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OubaasDik Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Glad you're enjoying it ... whereabouts are you staying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShazPas Posted October 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 We are staying at the Century apartments in Kingston, but all of our school interviews are in the North so we need to just drive around and find our bearings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PEgal Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 Awesome news Sharon!!!!!Have a wonderful two weeks and keep sending the news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OubaasDik Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 If you want to talk to any Saffas here, get on to facebook http://www.facebook.com/groups/canberracoffeeclub/ and talk - they're quite a friendly lot there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowman Posted October 5, 2012 Report Share Posted October 5, 2012 Enjoy Canberra. We will be there too next week for a quick visit- checking out schools and the burbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShazPas Posted October 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 Okay, so 2 days ago we had to purchase a Garmin the iPhone maps were to slow, the best move ever now we know where we are going. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazzmatazz Posted October 11, 2012 Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 Have a great trip Shaz.Can't wait to hear all about it at the next meet. We are keen to hear about it at the next coffee club. Have a blast and hope you OH loves it as much as you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keglin Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 (edited) Hope it is going well. We have only just moved here but we r loving it!Keglin Edited October 12, 2012 by Keglin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShazPas Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 We have being in the north now for the past 3 days looking at Bonner/Harrison/Gungahlin love these suburbs We are meeting with Gungahlin Collage on Monday so we will need to find a house in the area.My only problem is finding a place to rent with 3 little dogs, all of the rentals don't want animals so my only other option isTo purchase a house, but very expensive.We are now looking at me brining the kids over Jan 2013 so they can start school, my husband will then finalize everything In SA and come over later in the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megananne Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 hey shaz,ha,ha,ha! I knew you would just love it over there!!! What is not to love....Can't wait to hear all about your LSD trip when you get back, lets meet for coffee and swop info. Our move is creeping up on us and I wish it would just be time already - so excited to start our new life in Aus. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny & Rene Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 We have being in the north now for the past 3 days looking at Bonner/Harrison/Gungahlin love these suburbsWe are meeting with Gungahlin Collage on Monday so we will need to find a house in the area.My only problem is finding a place to rent with 3 little dogs, all of the rentals don't want animals so my only other option isTo purchase a house, but very expensive.We are now looking at me brining the kids over Jan 2013 so they can start school, my husband will then finalize everythingIn SA and come over later in the year.Hi, we have been in Canberra for almost 3 years. Did not have the opportunity for and LSD. We just decided on Canberra packed up and moved. When applying for rentals the usually say not pets just to try and avoid it. A lot of the owners will consider if you ask when you hand in your application. Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
africancowgirl Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Wow, I am off to Canberra next year (SS ACT) and it is exciting for me to hear all this positive feedback Please keep the info coming and good luck with all you are trying to achieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShazPas Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 This is fantastic , on Saterday night we meet up with some friends who left 4 years ago they also invited there mates overAnother 4 SA couples it was so nice to have all these people to talk to and get the ins and outs of the big move.I can not wait to get back here this morning when I woke up I thought aahhh my last Monday morning here in Canberra so sadBecause we leave on Wed night. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Marais Posted November 28, 2012 Report Share Posted November 28, 2012 We have being in the north now for the past 3 days looking at Bonner/Harrison/Gungahlin love these suburbsWe are meeting with Gungahlin Collage on Monday so we will need to find a house in the area.My only problem is finding a place to rent with 3 little dogs, all of the rentals don't want animals so my only other option isTo purchase a house, but very expensive.We are now looking at me brining the kids over Jan 2013 so they can start school, my husband will then finalize everythingIn SA and come over later in the year.We have been in Canberra since Feb 2012 so just over 9 months now. We are living in a rental in Bonner and we really love the area. We have taken the leap to build a house in a new area adjoining Bonner called Jacka. I have a daughter in Amaroo school and a son who is in Gungahlin college. Both are very happy in their new schools.If you have specific questions on the college or living in the area, pop in a question. My wife knows all about shopping on a budget here so she can offer valuable input in that regard too.Good luck with the move, it is stressful but rewarding.RegardsStephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlBrough Posted November 29, 2012 Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 <<snipped>>We have taken the leap to build a house in a new area adjoining Bonner called Jacka.Could you please shed some light on the cost of building v. buying an existing house?I am guessing you have done much thinking about thismany thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Marais Posted November 29, 2012 Report Share Posted November 29, 2012 Could you please shed some light on the cost of building v. buying an existing house?I am guessing you have done much thinking about thismany thanksOur decision to build was chiefly financial. There was little price difference between building and buying existing when we were house hunting. What does differ significantly is the cost of purchase. If you buy and existing home for around 500 K (Can't really get away much cheaper for a 4 bedder) you can expect to pay in the region of 20 K in transfer costs. If you build, you have the opportunity to do what they call a split contract.One contract is for the land and the other is for the building loan. The property transfer will then be done on the land contract as that is the first one to be completed.As a first time home buyer in Australia, I qualify for a rebate on the transfer costs. This rebate entitles you to pay a nominal transfer cost of $20 as long as the land value is below 230 K. Above this you pay on a sliding scale but it still would be nowhere close to the transfer cost you would have to pay on the entire house if you bought existing.In my case I now pay on $20 in transfer fees but i will have a period where i have to finance the interim interest on the loan as soon as the land has has been transfered and the bank has paid the money over to the seller. The builder will also be receiving progress payments at a couple of key points in the build (foundations, structure, roof, lockup and a final payment after all fixes have been dealt with) So effectively I will have to pay rent to live somewhere and finance the interest on the amounts paid over. But after all is said and done, i will still save over 10,000 dollars doing it this way.By the way as a first time home buyer in Australia you also receive a $7,000 payment called First Home Owners Grant (FHOG).Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShazPas Posted November 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 Hi Stephen, thanks for the info when I was in Canberra in October I enrolled my daughter in Gungahlin Collage year 11 and my son in Amaroo year 7, the kids are so excited to start at there new schools. We land on the 16 January 2013.I am going to rent in Bonner/Amaroo until my husband joins us at the end of the year hopefully our house and business will be sold by then because it would be nice to purchase a new land home package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlBrough Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 Hi StevenMany thanks for that info. It is definitely something I will be considering soon. ~Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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