The Wee We Update: Where are we up to?
No Jobs...
We had decided to have a couple of weeks to settle in before taking up jobs, but the process of getting to that point has proved a little more tricky than anticipated.
Ian has to chase up his professional regulatory body [the Nursing Board of Victoria] again this week, to find out quite why the original quote of 3 weeks needed to register to practice has been extended to 9 weeks so far... and counting...
He also needs to chase up a couple of possible links that may give him a job [friends of friends, agencies etc.]. Rather than take the first job he sees, he'd prefer to suss out the system, good places to work etc., and focus on getting a community rather than hospital-based role.
Claudine is to see HR at KMPG Melbourne and also discuss potential role with Advertising Agency early this week. A prospective Cafe manager job seems to be diminishing.
Driving Licences...
After being stopped and breathalysed 3 times in 3 days [her reputation clearly goes before her] and being severely reprimanded by the policewoman for not carrying her licence with her [required at all times here], Claudine was compelled to get her Victorian State licence back... Ian got one at the same time to avoid future complications. We produced the most hideous photos you've ever seen, but we're now legal for the next 10 years!
Amid the confusion about UK licences and their eligibility in Oz, the first cop that stopped us gigged: "What!?!" when we said Claud's UK licence would expire in 2037... "Yes," we explained, "in Britain, you can even drive when you're dead ..."
A Bank Account...
We've joined the Bendigo Bank, the closest thing to The Co-op Bank to be found in Oz.
No Deposit...
Although the houses are generally cheaper here than the UK, it's not quite that simple. We'll need about AUD$35,000 [about 15 grand sterling] to even get a 95% mortgage here, as they insist on $5,000 insurance [which covers the bank rather than us, of course] if you haven't got the "normal" 20% deposit! The fact that they have the house as collateral for the loan doesn't seem to enter into the equation for some reason. Add to that the $15,000 we need to cover obligatory Stamp Duty... and you see that the actual deposit is dwarfed by the other charges.
The ironic thing is, that based on our potential salaries and the fact that we have no debt, the bank would happily lend A$500,000. You gotta laugh eh?
We are looking at possible new build homes as you only pay stamp duty on the land price in that case, which could reduce our costs by 40% or more. But most of the new builds are way out of the city or in areas we don't want to live. The research will continue...
See, the sun doesn't always shine here!
Somewhere to Live...
So... we've decided to stay here with Stephen & Lisa in the meantime in order to maximise out ability to gather together enought to cover the deposit/fees etc. as soon as poss, although how long this may take us is anyone's guess. And it also depends on when we get jobs too...
[sorry, that was all a bit boring, wasn't it?]
We had decided to have a couple of weeks to settle in before taking up jobs, but the process of getting to that point has proved a little more tricky than anticipated.
Ian has to chase up his professional regulatory body [the Nursing Board of Victoria] again this week, to find out quite why the original quote of 3 weeks needed to register to practice has been extended to 9 weeks so far... and counting...
He also needs to chase up a couple of possible links that may give him a job [friends of friends, agencies etc.]. Rather than take the first job he sees, he'd prefer to suss out the system, good places to work etc., and focus on getting a community rather than hospital-based role.
Claudine is to see HR at KMPG Melbourne and also discuss potential role with Advertising Agency early this week. A prospective Cafe manager job seems to be diminishing.
Driving Licences...
After being stopped and breathalysed 3 times in 3 days [her reputation clearly goes before her] and being severely reprimanded by the policewoman for not carrying her licence with her [required at all times here], Claudine was compelled to get her Victorian State licence back... Ian got one at the same time to avoid future complications. We produced the most hideous photos you've ever seen, but we're now legal for the next 10 years!
Amid the confusion about UK licences and their eligibility in Oz, the first cop that stopped us gigged: "What!?!" when we said Claud's UK licence would expire in 2037... "Yes," we explained, "in Britain, you can even drive when you're dead ..."
A Bank Account...
We've joined the Bendigo Bank, the closest thing to The Co-op Bank to be found in Oz.
No Deposit...
Although the houses are generally cheaper here than the UK, it's not quite that simple. We'll need about AUD$35,000 [about 15 grand sterling] to even get a 95% mortgage here, as they insist on $5,000 insurance [which covers the bank rather than us, of course] if you haven't got the "normal" 20% deposit! The fact that they have the house as collateral for the loan doesn't seem to enter into the equation for some reason. Add to that the $15,000 we need to cover obligatory Stamp Duty... and you see that the actual deposit is dwarfed by the other charges.
The ironic thing is, that based on our potential salaries and the fact that we have no debt, the bank would happily lend A$500,000. You gotta laugh eh?
We are looking at possible new build homes as you only pay stamp duty on the land price in that case, which could reduce our costs by 40% or more. But most of the new builds are way out of the city or in areas we don't want to live. The research will continue...
See, the sun doesn't always shine here!
Somewhere to Live...
So... we've decided to stay here with Stephen & Lisa in the meantime in order to maximise out ability to gather together enought to cover the deposit/fees etc. as soon as poss, although how long this may take us is anyone's guess. And it also depends on when we get jobs too...
[sorry, that was all a bit boring, wasn't it?]
posted by Ian at 11:14 am
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