Giving up stability to emigrate?

LookingForMeaning

Hi all, I'm at a bit of a crossroads in life and looking for some advice.

I'm 31M, I bought a small house almost 2 years ago in the South East. Work has been going well and that since then. However over the last few months I've been feeling a bit fed up having such a quiet life. I don't for one second doubt the enormous privileged position I'm in being able to get my own place but I've been considering the idea of living abroad out of a sense of adventure.

I did live in the UK for a few years and that was fun but I came back to Ireland early on in covid thinking I'd stay for good, but the long term relationship I was in at the time didn't work out so now my plans I'd have envisioned when coming back have changed. Plus, being honest, I don't see myself settling down anytime soon with anyone after getting over that and tbh I have adopted a bit of a 'life is short' mentality after all of it.

Last year I visited a really close family member in Australia and I had a brilliant time, I also had some UK friends there and was great to be able to catchup with them. I've been toying with the idea of going over there as one of my friends who's a former colleague had told me the market for what I do is really healthy right now so there'd be good opportunities workwise too.

I'd likely need to sell the place but might only take a small-ish hit factoring fees etc given the asking prices in the area at the moment - plus I don't think I'd want the hassle of being a landlord after hearing what's involved.

Really I'm looking for an opinion if this is a bit of 'have your cake and eat it' thinking or if it's realistic? Is it mad to give up this stability over taking a chance on something that Irish people do over and over?

cnocbui

Go.

nachouser

Go for it. But be prepared to spend 500k minimum for a 2 bed with a 2 hour each way commute to Sydney.

zoobizoo

Definitely hold onto the house and rent it.

That will pay for itself - let it through an agency and it takes all the hassle away.

If and when you return, you'll have a couple of year's of your mortgage paid for and you won't have that worry hanging over you.

Believe me, as someone who didn't buy a house until my late 40s, and spent my mid 20s/mid 30s travelling, that having that back home will keep your mind at ease.

If you then decide to relocate to your new country of choice, sell then. Or have it as your pension pot.

Australia can be great. Sun. Outdoor lifestyle etc. It can also be quite American and a bit openly racist.

Just save up some cash before you go and have an idea of where you can get the line of work you're after.

Rubberchikken

Go but keep the house. A management company could be able to look after renters for.you and if and when you return you could decide whether to.keep.it or sell them.

Life is short. I've realised that in the.laat couple.of years and they seem to fly past without me, anyway, even realising.

LookingForMeaning

Thanks for the really helpful replies folks, I suppose a management company is something I hadn't really considered.

There's a lot to think about here but really appreciate the outside opinions.

Don’t sell the house, let it, by all means go to Oz but I’ve seen plenty of threads re the grass not being greener the other side. So try it for a year, see how you get on.

Oz has kind of become “fashionable” to emigrate to, but it’s hot, and with climate change getting ever more extreme. I’ve been there briefly, yes I could see its appeal, but not 100% sure if I’d want to be there long term. Also very far away from everywhere else.

Pauliedragon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759644#Comment_121759644

This OP. Australia is good fun but it's not the utopia that can be portrayed in some circles. Renting, buying is more expensive than here in a lot of cases if you want to be near the beach or a decent suburb. Crime/scumbags is just as rampant there if not worse.

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759936#Comment_121759936

As an Australian, I'd just like to point out that the average annual temperature of Sydney is 20° C, whereas in Dubin it's 10. Funnily enough, in Ireland we spend thousands a year on heating trying to get our home interiors to be a comfortable 20°. ;-)

Since the terrible fires a few years ago - climate change of course - Australia has experienced a succession of wet and cool years, the likes of which I never knew when living there. The climate appocalypse everyone was predicting just after the fires, has mysteriously not eventuated.

But, yes, sometimes it gets hot. I think part of the problem with Irish tourists complaining it's unbearably hot, is that they just follow the European habit of holidaying in Summer so go to Oz when it's Summer, when spring or Autumn would be far better.

NSAman

Go! You are a young man! I did the same, but much later in life. I now have the best of both worlds. Home for a few months a year in my own home here and back to my new home for the remainder with a beautiful wife I met abroad.

Life is for living! It’s not a cake walk, it’s hard work and luck and brains (Irish people possess these in spades) but I could not achieved the life I have now by staying in Ireland. If it doesn’t work out, you have your home here.

fplfan12345

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759898#Comment_121759898

I don’t often reply in this forum but I will for this one.

You are in a fantastic situation. Almost a ‘can’t lose’ situation.

You should 100% go. You should 100% do everything in your power to keep the house in Ireland.

You need to find a local agent that you can have a good relationship with and have a strict criteria for who you let to.

Don’t overthink this. Work out the things you need to do, to go, and just get them done.

You have the safety of a house in Ireland. You have the safety of knowing a really close family member in Australia. You also know you can get work there. You’ve already had a taste of what’s there so it’s not an unknown to you.

I can’t see any reason for you to stay.

Best of luck with it. I don’t think you’ll ever regret it.

victorfranco

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058335916/giving-up-stability-to-emigrate

My advice would be to go…..BUT, I would not sell your place either. You are 31. You say you don’t want the hassle of being a landlord. You don’t have to. Hand the place over to a management company. Forget about making a monthly profit on it just have it rented out, the mortgage is being paid and you aren’t getting called because the jacks is blocked. In 10 years you’ll be 41. You could be back in Ireland because your adventure didn’t quit go the way it ought to have. Except at 41 it’s a hell of a lot harder to get a mortgage. Then you are playing catch-up. Keep the gaff. I bought a 2 bed cottage in Cheshire in 2000 for £65k. Sold it 6 years later for double that. Biggest regret of my life. Whatever it would be worth now is irrelevant. It was beautiful and I would never worry about a roof over my head if I just kept such a gem.

LilacNails

What a lucky position to be in!

Def go and give it a shot! Also agree with hanging onto your home and getting a management company to look after the rent.

Think it would be a shame to miss out on an opportunity like that esp when u already have the security of a house.

wildwillow

Go, enjoy the change of scenery, but be careful about renting. You could come home and give proper notice that you require the house for yourself and wait for repossession which could take months if tenants turn nasty.

Definitely use an agency and perhaps have someone local keep an eye on the property.

Ezeoul

What about your job here? Would it be possible to take a career break, rather than give it up completely?

thereiver

I read house prices are very high in Australia you probably end up spending a large amount of your income on rent let's say you go there for 10 ,years if you come back here you probably won't be able to buy a house you could just give your house to an agency they get a tenant and collect the rent. The agents fees any repairs can be used as tax credits eg reduce your tax bills my friend lives in Australia she rents out a 3bed house she has an agent in Ireland

An accountant does your tax return every year it costs 200 euro approx

In the city's it's unlikely you could buy a 1 bed apartment in a city in Australia it's sounds like you are just bored

You could save up and just move to the UK just tell the agent eg I want a nurse doctor professional person as a tenant you ll have no trouble with them

I don't know how it works eg can an Irish person move to the UK eg the UK is not part of the eu .it probably depends on your education what specific work qualifications experience you do have .

House prices are much higher in Australian than Ireland

You are lucky you have a house most Gen z,ers can only get a house if they have help from their parents

Do research if you get a job how much will you be paying in rent in an Australian city think a 10 year span

Will you be happy to pay rent in 10 years ,?if it's like 30 per cent of your wages

https://www.afr.com/property/commercial/housing-targets-at-risk-as-building-stalls-at-decade-low-pace-20231207-p5eprv#:~:text=Australia's%20housing%20shortfall%2C%20expected%20to,the%20post%2Dpandemic%20migration%20surge.&text=%E2%80%9CThere's%20no%20question%20that%20the,developer%20of%20Melbourne's%20Eureka%20Tower.

can you get a good job in Australia versus the jobs available in Ireland

My friend might come back to Ireland when she's ready to retire. She rents a house in Oz. She's there for 12 years

She's probably gonna live in the house she owns when's she's over retirement age

Most young people are leaving eire cos of the high cost of rent and high house prices

Alexus25

Run forest run

thereiver

You could simply rent out your house save up at least 5k then move to Australia for ,six months .if it's too expensive or boring move back here .

I have no idea what the rules are re working on Australia ,eg work visa etc I think it depends on the qualifications you have eg are you a builder ,teacher etc

lmk123

Go, I was also in the UK for a while, went to OZ for a holiday and absolutely loved it, I then really wanted to go there for a few years but OH wouldn’t, we now have 2 kids so the chance is gone, it annoys me and it’s a big regret that I didn’t get to go over, don’t make the same mistake life is short

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759644#Comment_121759644

There's no reason he's need to live 2 hours away from Sydney, or any city.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121760462#Comment_121760462

The house prices are higher. But so are the wages, pensions etc. Which essentially balances it out. An buy a house for a higher prives, means it has higher value if you ever sell to return home. Putting you in an even better spot.

Go mate, you wont live a day of your life until you leave this depressing wet rock of a country.

Working holiday visa very easy get, best option to try.

Definitley don’t sell your house

Furze99

Take a few longer holidays/ trips and get it out of your system.

blackbox

Australia is great for some people but not for everyone.

I suggest trying it for a few years. If you decide you want to settle there, that is the time to sell your Irish house - not before.

You'll need to look into visa options and how to get permanent residency.

zoobizoo

Actually OP, if you need money to go over, why not rent out a room or 2 for the next 6 months or a year?

Use that cash to start you off.

miamee

Unless you are 100% sure that a life abroad is what you want, I would not sell the house and if possible would save up to cover rent and bills on it for a few months before renting it out. Just in case. Some people come back fairly quickly after such a big move because it is not at all what they expected. If and when you rent it out, you definitely should do it via a property agents.

At the moment from what you have posted this seems like a whim based on a fun holiday you had with friends - living there will be vastly different and eventually the holiday vibes will come to an end. At a similar age to yourself, I wanted to travel, my sister was already in Oz so I had money saved up, handed in my notice and headed off for a few months in Oz, NZ, Fiji, USA and then came back. I was renting a room in my place at the time to a friend so he looked after the place while I was gone but I made sure there was enough in the bank to cover all mortgage payments and regular bills. All I'm saying is be sure if you want to travel, have a mega holiday or genuinely live on the other side of the world because you are bored of life at the moment.

nachouser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121760674#Comment_121760674

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1035927/australia-average-residential-house-value-by-city/

Moving to Oz was grand 10 or 20 years ago, you could pick up a house, re-mortgage, pick up another house. Now, the market is fupped.

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121763828#Comment_121763828

The house prices were high 10 years ago too. It’s always been highly urbanised, which means high cost of urban property, and low cost of rural.

But as I said above, the earnings are also higher. People thing of Australia property prices in terms of Irish earnings/savings are missing the whole picture.

HildaOgdenx

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As per the charter

• Personal Issues is an advice forum.
• Posters are required to offer advice or opinion to the OP in their replies.

Thanks

Hilda

heretothere

I'd def go! I went when I was in my early 20s for 2 years and loved it. I was never going to settle full time there, for me it's just too far from Ireland. I enjoyed the Aussie lifestyle though. I think the working holiday visa is open up to 35 now so it's really easy to get.

I'd also agree with not selling the house but using a letting company/ estate agent. Your tenant is supposed to withhold the tax on your behalf but I think an agent would do that. Once it is covering the mortgage you're grand. I agree with others you don't want to come back to start again. A little house will always be there for you.

danslevent

I'm in Sydney right now and the job market is a nightmare, though for your career path is might be different.

I've met a few others who had amazing jobs in Ireland but looking here with no success the past 4 months.

I think definitely come over and give it a go but don't be selling your house and burning bridges.

Jim2007

Here is the thing, 31 is settling down time, it’s when most people meet their significant other, make plans for the future and all that. And it is easier to do it when everyone else your age is in the same boat. Much of your post is about not wanting to be in your current situation rather than wanting to be somewhere else.

So in a way you need to think a bit more long term, if you want to still have all that and go somewhere else to do it. Then you need to consider your long term career prospects in a foreign country - are your qualifications and experience recognized, will you get residency, do foreigners get a fair chance of career advancement and so on. You need to think about the culture, what would it be like for you at 50 or 60, how about bringing up a family and so on.

As you get older there is more to consider especially if you want both travel and have say the typical lifestyle people tend to want.

newbieWriter

I`m 28 and moved to Canada last year. Gave up on my high-paying job and stability, still don`t regret it. Before moving, I was on the verge of depression and it was quite hard to give my all to the work and family at that time. So, I would encourage you to go and make great new memories ;)

CramCycle

Go, rent the house and go. Personally I'd recommend a smaller city like Darwin if there are jobs in your area as it's more affordable but either way, get out, you can always come back, few people have that option.

listermint

Why are people going to all these far flung places when they can travel Europe far more easily it's banana's. You're replacing one group of Irish people for another just on the other side of the globe. That's not escapism at all. You'll do the same stuff but in the sun and outdoors more.

OP you have a golden passport take a number of weeks of and just see Europe, travel by train see interesting things open your mind and talk to people. There's far more value on your doorstep but people are often too closed minded to see it.

Must follow the overly worn path to find a bit of a change...