Can I purchase real estate?
Broadly speaking, if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident you can purchase property for any purpose, as your own residence or for investment purposes.
Temporary resident of Australia must apply for approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) before entering into a contract to purchase real estate. You will need at least 12 months expiry on your visa at the time of application to FIRB. Several other conditions apply, but the good news is that it is possible to but a house while you are resident in Australia.
Can I bring my car to Australia?
Yes. Any person may import a motor vehicle or a motorcycle into Australia as directed in the section Motor Vehicle Standards Act. Basically you can import your car provided:
· It meets the safety and emissions standards applying to vehicles to be used on Australian roads,
· Or arrangements are in place to modify the vehicle to meet these requirements after its arrival in Australia.
Before importing any vehicle it is essential that you ensure it will be able to be delivered in Australia by contacting the Vehicle Safety Standards Branch. They are the only body who can issue permits to import motor vehicles from overseas.
Note: Department of Transport and Regional Services (DOTARS) advises that the only exemption from the Import Approval requirement is for vehicles returning to Australia where the owner of the vehicle at the time of its return was also the owner at the time of its exportation - http://www.dotars.gov.au/transport/safety/road/bulletin/importing.aspx
What about renting accommodation?
There are slightly different guidelines for protecting the rights of tenants and landlords in each state of Australia. Basically, when you move into rental accommodation you will be required to pay a rental bond. Rental bond is money used as a security deposit against any damages to property and unpaid rent. Bond is usually calculated as 4 times the weekly rent, but if the weekly rent is over $500 there is no limit to the amount of bond that can be charged. You will also need to provide 2 week's rent in advance, when you first move into a property.
It is important to remember to budget for other living expenses in addition to rent, including:
· Electricity or gas connection
· Telephone and Internet connection
· Household items (for example furniture, kitchen utensils)
More for ‘Cost of Living’
The ‘cost of living’ in Australia depends on whether you live in metropolitan or regional area. Your individual lifestyle will also have bearing on how much you spend. Generally though, in relation to earnings, it is less expensive to live in Australia than other western and developed countries.
The following link allows you to get an idea what standard of living your current earnings would afford in Australia. There is also a comparison calculator for between different states in Australia
http://www.gomatilda.com/calculator/index.cfm
The cost of a few commonly purchases items are:
Milk (3 litre) $2.99
Bread (white loaf) $2.25
Eggs (Large, dozen) $3.30
Shopping and services
Major Banks are open from 9.30am to 4.00pm Monday to Thursday and 9.30am to 5.00pm on Friday.
Some building societies open Saturday mornings. Most banks have electronic banking facilities operating 24 hours a day.
Australia Post Offices are open from 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday, and with offices open from 9.00am to 12noon on Saturdays. Apart from buying stamps or stationery, you can also pay bills, perform personal banking, purchase a money order, and rent a PO Box at your local Australia Post Office.
Major suburban shopping centres open 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday and until 9.00pm on Thursdays. Most supermarkets offer extended trading hours to 9.00pm from Monday to Friday. Weekend opening hours are usually from 9.00am to 4.00pm.