More planning!

[DH59]

OK, we've decided we have to make a start on this plan to come over there. Things are not moving on here as we would like, and we think we will be better off doing this move sooner rather than later. So I have a few issues I need to sort out.

We are currently thinking about what to bring over with us, and a few possibilities spring to mind. Should we, for instance, bring over computers, or are they easily and cheaply available there, or at least computer parts so that I can build my own? I am worried that the journey will damage them in some way - hard drives are very sensitive to movement and knocks.

Regarding furniture - I have read that it is expensive there, but is that preferable to the cost of shipping everything over in a container?

We are thinking we will probably rent a property - are there many that come fully furnished? If so, then we can forget the previous issue.

I think that's all for now. We are in the process of trying to sell our folding camper, and that will give us a few thousand to play with, and we'll probably come over again soon if it sells quickly.

[Fuss]

Hi, we came over November 2011 brought furniture and are renting, most people we speak to say renting is best as problems with buying, our own furniture makes it seem like home, many properties available to rent if you know area you want then go for it.

[RHODES4712]

Originally Posted by DH59

OK, we've decided we have to make a start on this plan to come over there. Things are not moving on here as we would like, and we think we will be better off doing this move sooner rather than later. So I have a few issues I need to sort out.

We are currently thinking about what to bring over with us, and a few possibilities spring to mind. Should we, for instance, bring over computers, or are they easily and cheaply available there, or at least computer parts so that I can build my own? I am worried that the journey will damage them in some way - hard drives are very sensitive to movement and knocks.

Regarding furniture - I have read that it is expensive there, but is that preferable to the cost of shipping everything over in a container?

We are thinking we will probably rent a property - are there many that come fully furnished? If so, then we can forget the previous issue.

I think that's all for now. We are in the process of trying to sell our folding camper, and that will give us a few thousand to play with, and we'll probably come over again soon if it sells quickly.

do it now is my advice as if you don't you probably never will. i was all set up for just handing the keys to our house back to the bank and just starting again in cyprus. luckily i managed to sell it and i exchange contracts and complete on monday 30th april. although i bought it 6 years ago as a repossessed house for 200k spent almost 4 years tearing it apart and rebuilding it for it to be finished in 2009 and valued at 260k i ended up giving it away for 178k so not impressed but still better than handing it back to the bank plus i get a few grand back after everyones been paid. as for what to take. i'm taking everything. my missus has 20 crates of clothes shoes bags etc which for reasons i'll not get into at the moment have never been used and no one wanted to pay anything for them here so she will be doing the car boots market etc when we get there and flog it all which will give us a bit of pin money. then i am taking all my garage equipment as i am a custom bike painter so i have loads of paint spraying gear plus masses of tools compressor etc etc. i am bringing my transit van, 2 newish sofas, the bed, washer, fridge freezer, tvs, laptops ( in hand luggage ) iphones ipads etc, you name it i might as well bring it. so it's all going in a sole use container. i have had 3 quotes. all coming in at 4500 plus vat and that is for almost door to door. one from burke bros/mk removals, one from chudley international/peter morton and another from jo valentine in doncaster. i have all my stuff packed in wooden crates which i made and everything is in a self storage unit. they will be turning up at the storage unit in their van plus there will be an artic there which will drop a 40ft container on the floor, then they will load it and build a bulkhead to separate the household goods from the van. then they will put the van in and secure it and then lift the container back on the artic and off it goes. when it turns up in limassol port i'll have to go down and sort custom clearance of the van and then drive away in it while the container will go to the cypriot companies site where all the rest of the stuff will be moved into transit vans and brought to my rental accom where they'll unpack it all and take away the rubbish. then i get a life and chill out for a few months before i start looking for a deal on a house to buy where i can set up a business and semi retire. well thats the plan anyway. this last week or so has been monsterously stressful and i havent even started yet as i am waiting till monday to make sure the house completes ok then i will need to book a flight for 2 days later to fly out to cyprus to secure a long term let and to secure a p.o box to get my mail transferred to then fly back to u.k asap so i can then arrange a date asap for the container to be filled and then book more flights for me the wife and the dog and get the hell out of this country. then i might just grab myself a pint of keo and have five minutes to myself!!

hope this helps in your quest.
darren

[DH59]

Hi Darren, glad you finally got your house sold. We are hoping to get ourselves sorted before the end of the year, all being well. We have to do something as we are not getting any richer here. And I think my photography business will work better there than here.

Well, I don't think we'll have that much stuff! Hope not anyway, at that price for shipping. The cost of shipping is the main reason I thought we might sell it all and either buy new there, or rent furnished.

Yes, the smaller laptop and iPad can travel with us - I was after infor about our two full-size computers and monitors mainly, and the safety of the hard drive in transportation. If parts or ready-built computers are easily and cheaply available, then we might sell these and start afresh when we get there.

[RHODES4712]

Originally Posted by DH59

Hi Darren, glad you finally got your house sold. We are hoping to get ourselves sorted before the end of the year, all being well. We have to do something as we are not getting any richer here. And I think my photography business will work better there than here.

Well, I don't think we'll have that much stuff! Hope not anyway, at that price for shipping. The cost of shipping is the main reason I thought we might sell it all and either buy new there, or rent furnished.

Yes, the smaller laptop and iPad can travel with us - I was after infor about our two full-size computers and monitors mainly, and the safety of the hard drive in transportation. If parts or ready-built computers are easily and cheaply available, then we might sell these and start afresh when we get there.

You could always remove the hard drives and take them with you in hand luggage and send the rest on??

[DH59]

Originally Posted by RHODES4712

You could always remove the hard drives and take them with you in hand luggage and send the rest on??

That was my other thought. But I wondered if the airline will accept it. They seem to want to check laptops for some reason, not sure why, exactly, but they didn't bother about the iPad when we came over in January. I'll have to check on that one.

[toppers4]

We are in a similar boat really, we want to come across asap, we are waiting for the house to sell, but can't decide whether to ship furniture or buy over there. I've heard that there are plenty of second hand bargains to be had, so depends if you (we) want the hassle of sourcing it. I need a new computer so was wondering a similar thing...is it cheaper to buy here and (safe) to ship or just to buy there...or does that depend on the make? I'd like an apple mac. I've also heard that white goods are expensive in cyprus. I guess you need to weigh up the cost of shipping stuff against the buying it all again when you arrive. So, I too am looking for advice on expense of furniture, safety of shipping computers or buying a new one etc etc

Good luck with your moving plans, good luck too to Darren, I've read your comments with interest on a couple of other threads. It's interesting and helpful to hear other people's experience.

[Pam n Dave]

We had problems waiting for the house to sell so rented it out and rented it over here, our possessions and a car went into a 40ft container and £4500 and 3 weeks later they arrived here. A small table was damaged but all the electrical stuff was fine including the TV, and computers.

I'm also glad that we rented, some people have had bad experiences with buying and we know that we can leave in a month or so if things go wrong with our rental.

[RHODES4712]

Originally Posted by Pam n Dave

We had problems waiting for the house to sell so rented it out and rented it over here, our possessions and a car went into a 40ft container and £4500 and 3 weeks later they arrived here. A small table was damaged but all the electrical stuff was fine including the TV, and computers.

I'm also glad that we rented, some people have had bad experiences with buying and we know that we can leave in a month or so if things go wrong with our rental.

Hi pam n dave, who did you use for the shipping? As I'm getting all sorts of info thrown at me, such as customs charge €7.50 for each electrical item plus if they want to do a full check of all the goods it will be at my expense and now they're saying that all vehicles have to be drained of fuel and batteries disconnected. It seems a bit of a mine field.

[Veronica]

I've never known anyone to have to pay customs charges on electrical items.
Maybe if you were to bring a load of brand new stuff over they might charge you as they would think you were bringing them to sell and make a profit.
We brought all of our electricals with us and weren't charged a single penny.