Argh... our initial short term stay solution in Sydney fell through... any suggestions?

[MrsBigD]

We were meant to stay with friends but they have to move themselves so won't be able to put us up.

Can anybody recommend reasonable short-term family accommodation? We're hoping that we won't need it for more thatn 3-4 weeks but naturally don't want to spend too much money...

Cheers

Eeep! Short term family accommodation is pretty pricey.

Whereabouts in Sydney are you planning on being? Much like London, location is all important price-wise.

IIRC when I arrived I was paying around $850 per week for a teeny, tiny one bed apartment, short term let. That was in the East, quite close to the CBD. That was 3 years ago. It was a HUGE incentive to find a place to live.

hi arfishy, definitely pricey on what I've seen so far!

We're looking at ending up somewhere North Sydney/North Shores, for short term accommodation not too fussy as long as it's safe and affordable as it will only be a base for exploring Sydney and potential living areas...

Remind me when you are coming? There are so many tourists here it does make a difference if you are arriving off season - ie UK summer/Aus Winter.

I do think that short term lets are horrifically expensive. Poss North Shore cheaper than CBD because you're outside of the immediate business traveller (ie expensive) area. I think you either have the choice of budgeting a few thousand dollars for short term accommodation or saving the cash and taking a 6 month let unseen. And with first hand expat experience of the Australian rental market, I'd go with the first option.

(I am assuming you are bringing yourselves over rather than your employers paying - if you have $$$$ for relocation I can help you spend it wisely )

Are you going ahead with the German school btw? IIRC the school was great but changing location out of your preferred area or something [goes vague]

We used to put people up in Milsons Point, so they could walk to our offices in North Sydney but a 2 bedroom looks probably too expensive at $215 per night if you stay 14+ nights. Have you seen this. I found some last year when I was working for Vodafone in Chatswood, which might be cheaper than the City and close by North Sydney, but from there you can catch the train easily. Here is one in Chatswood for $685 per week which is pretty good I would say.

Arfishy, not too worried about being close to CBD as long as there's a trainline or bus service into town. Besides having to look for place to live dh will also have to be able to get into city centre for job interviews etc. He will be buying a Harley eventually but until then... ;)

And yes we are paying for our relocation ourselves, hence not much coming, much to lo's dismay LOL.

Not going ahead with German school... too expensive if I want to put both through it! ah well a state school will have to do ;)

AussieSim, thanks for the links, will have a look shortly. Looking on the map Chatswood could be a good base camp to work from . Funnily enough I used to live in a road called Chatswood Gardens... is this a sign???

I've often used www.gumtree.com for short term accomodation here in London but it's an Aussie website (set up by Australians looking for flatshares when they arrive in London) so i thouhgt I'd check if there's a Sydney branch of the same website and there is!! Go onto the website and down the right hand side is a bunch of cities and countries and you'll see Sydney mentioned. CLick on that then there's a whole host of categories, one of which is "short term rentals" or something like that. There looks to be lots in there. When I've used the UK website looking for short lets it's often people going away for a few months (for example back to Australia or Souh Africe ar whatever) so they sublet their places at usually a much lower than market value rent in order to make a bit of cash whilst away. Good Luck.

thanks for the tip peasoup! Just wondering who'd want us in their place with 2 unruly kids LOL

Every time I've needed somewhere here in the UK off Gumtree I've always been their first choice as we are a couple with a kid all the folks seems to think that means we'll be responsible. LOL!!! They have always chose me and DH and DS over others applying for flats who are single as they seem to think the singletons will be partying the whole time and thereby trashing their place. I've often been told "oh you're just the type of tenants we've been looking for" when I say it's me, my DH and young DS. I'm always amused that I'm assumed to be so thoroughly trustworthy purely by dint of having given birth and wearing spectacles! If only they knew, eh?

exactly ;)
Well I've given birth ... twice!
wear spectacles
and am German LOL

Even better! You'll have landlords falling over themselves to offer you a cheap deal!

Here's hoping
And having a look at gumtree... might be a good route to go

There are some holiday apartments in Hornsby - see the holiday section of domain.com.au - that I have seen people recommend as being reasonable. Not sure exactly what they mean by that though That would be a fairly good base if you're checking out the North Shore (would also be good if you decided to go more the Hills direction). Shopping and train links are good.

I think the move to Terrey Hills is putting a lot of new arrivals off the German school tbh. I've got to say that having committed to putting my kids in school in that area it really limits our choice of housing in the future.

apartmentservice.com.au has a pretty decent range of furnished places in all sorts of suburbs.

Congratulations, you must be stunned that your long-awaited move is finally here!

sunnydelight, the thing that put me of the German school is the fees as I have to pay them x2 . Sorry kids... state school it is!

Ninedragons, thanks for the link will have a look later today.

Stunned is an understatement! I'm at the 'where do I start/what do I do next?' stage and that's with still working... aaaaaaaaaaaargh is being heard on a semi regular basis in this household!

Re the German School - it is moving quite near to me so I am excited - at least about putting DS2 in there from 3-5 to strengthen his German. I have DS1 in private school, but now with DD1 on the way I will seriously need to evaluate the need to go private versus the need to spend that money elsewhere ... The area where I live has plenty of Germans and German speakers in it so I think the move will open up a whole new market for the school. Plus the old one was so cramped and was full of demountables (read tin sheds) so I think the newness of the school will encourage people that and their new marketing ploy to attract non-German speakers from year 7.

BTW Hornsby IMO is a hell of a hike to North Sydney ... Even though you can get the train, and what is the point in making the big move to Australia/Sydney if you live that far from the City and the Beach ?

AussieSim... where's the german 'enclave'? might look into that neighbourhood even if we can't afford the German school

Yes, Hornsby is quite a drive. We were there this weekend. It's pig to get to on the Pacific Highway through Chatswood from the city.

It's nice and close to the delightful Pittwater though - we spend this morning at the Flying Fox Cafe. Gorgeous day, gorgeous boats and lots of kite flying.

Try the German Club for finding out enclaves:

German Club of Sydney

Thanks Arfishy, shall have a snoop re German Club. When I first left Germany I tried to stay clear of my fellow countrymen but now that I've got kids I really would like them to hear more German (or Gernam as dd calls it LOL).

Bookd temporary accommodation in Ryde. It's a bit outside but for temporary it will do seems as good a base as anywhere and it's affordable

Hmmm there's a Loewenbrau Cellar in The Rocks... will have to check that out! LOL