How do you find your life in London?

[Big Pete]

hmmmmm New Zealand must of been bad ..

[AustinWong]

NZ is not bad. But just like the rest of the world parts are not safe.

And it is nice but so is alot of the world.

It just so happens the UK is working well for us at the moment.

[Big Pete]

Good , pleased to hear it ..
Why havent you brought a house up there yet ?

[AustinWong]

I wish we could. But to buy even a 2 bedroom victorian terraced house in West Ealing where we have settled in so well will set you back 350k. My earnings ranges from 45k to 50k depending on overtime. And my wife does not work as she cares for our 4 children.

So really the chances of buying is Zilch!!

[Big Pete]

Originally Posted by AustinWong

I wish we could. But to buy even a 2 bedroom victorian terraced house in West Ealing where we have settled in so well will set you back 350k. My earnings ranges from 45k to 50k depending on overtime. And my wife does not work as she cares for our 4 children.

So really the chances of buying is Zilch!!

You earn all that and still cant buy , and you reckon Londons good

Rent money is money down the loo you know that dont you ? Surely you would be better buying a place just outside and commute in ?

Just an idea

[peacefuljourney]

Greetings. I was glad to see that someone else can live in/near London with children! I have one (age 12; will be 13 by the time we move) and I am looking forward to moving to Surrey (Cobham). I can't afford West London (too bad!) but I am sure that I will be able to find something in Cobham. I too am "put off" as you said politely by the neg hype, but I am sure that people would and do say the same thing about Philadelphia (my home city) and Washington DC (my capital - once the "murder capital of the US" ooh) and let's not even mention the great city to the north - New York. How is your oldest getting along? Did s/he make friends easily? I am pleased that I have this opportunity and I think that my boy will love his new school and communty. Thank you, Austin Wong and everyone else who responded to my posts with facts and good energy, even if the post had bad news . Stay positive. PJ

[AustinWong]

My children are ages 12, 10, 5 and 1 week (yes a British born bubba).

The three older ones are school aged and have all made friends. The older two had a slightly rocky start because of their NZ accents and being new, with bullying. But you get that at any school.

We have Colombian friends whos kids have been here about a year as well who suffered the same issues. But has all settled. I encourage that you try and get your kids to sort out problems themselves through with parental coaching. Getting involved nly if need be.

So they are pretty happy now despite original gripes about leaving New Zealand and friends. They all have found best friends.

As for not living in more central.

Not sure the line of business you are in, but moving further out means less job opportunities. Then you have to factor in travel time and travel costs.

I feel for us I much rather pay more to live and spend the extra 1 or 2 hours a day with the kids.

Just my thoughts.

Let me know if there is any information I can provide to help your transition to the UK.

Living costs, setting up accounts etc.


Regards.


L

[AustinWong]

Hi Big Pete,

As for living further out.

We unfortunately have all the kids settled at school now with friends. My wife has her friends in the community also. So this option is not ideal.

I also work about 50hrs a week.

Extra transport time would be dreadful on top of a long week.

At the moment I can get to work in 15 to 20mins and home within 30mins in peak time.

Mind you I have a 50cc scooter.

In addition if I move further out transport costs rises porportonally. Oddly enough making it not worthwhile moving out. Albeit maybe we could at a push buy a place.

As for the earnings of 45 to 50k. Bear in mind earnings over I think 30k gets taxation of 40%, suddenly things look less glamorous.

Any more thoughts?

L

[Stravinsky]

AustinWong, unfortunately in Big Pete you are coming accross someone who sees little good in the UK.

Having lived in the UK all my life I had very mixed feelings about London. Love the architecture and the history, but I'm afraid the people seemed very unfriendly and the whole busy London life thing was not to my liking.

Thats not to mention how expensive the place is!!

I have lived in a city most of my life btw, so its not that I dont like city life.

[jlms]

Originally Posted by Big Pete

You earn all that and still cant buy , and you reckon Londons good

Rent money is money down the loo you know that dont you ? Surely you would be better buying a place just outside and commute in ?

Just an idea

If you go into negative equity then buying may also be money going down the loo. Since nowadays it is unlikely most people will stay in one home all their lives it is really just beyond your control what would be better in the long term. Right now if you need a house what seems fullish is to buy.

Buying far from where you work my probe as expensive (have you seen those train ticket prices from the burbs? Add up the car costs because nothing is walking distance and the apparent savings you made go up in smoke) and it is certainly less environmentally friendly.

Our car costs in the suburbs were around £300 a month (it should be more now with the price of petrol, if anybody don't believe this sit down and do the maths: insurance, petrol, maintenance, it all adds up pretty quickly ), add the cost of 2 season tickets to commute to London (that is where the good jobs actually are) and you are talking about around £10000/year for the privilege to live in a place where there is nothing to do. Thanks but no thanks.


Now I live 10 minutes (walking) from my place of work. I am not stressed unlike when I used to live in the cultural wastelands that are the Surrey suburbs and I am spoiled for choice when it comes to shopping, entertainment and culture. Oh yeas, and we are saving a cool £6000/year since a yearly transport ticket costs £880 and we got rid of the car.

Crime? Please! I have lived in other 3 different countries in 3 different continents and visited many others in numerous occasions (not as a tourist but in medium term stints), London is immensely safer, but tabloid media need to hype up the bad news and many people unthinkingly fall for that.

Yes there are problems, no place is perfect, but the pluses are so overwhelming that is a no brainer for me.