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Old 10-23-2016, 04:22 PM
 
Location: Pacific 🌉 °N, 🌄°W
11,761 posts, read 7,269,003 times
Reputation: 7528

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aussie N Houston View Post
Yea Oz is a dreamland. We lived there in 2014 when we were engaged. My visa was up and it was time to go. Margaret river is perfect
Yes it's a dreamland for sure. It has everything that I love and more! I would love to become an Expat and run off to Oz!
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Old 10-23-2016, 04:29 PM
 
Location: Formerly Pleasanton Ca, now in Marietta Ga
10,356 posts, read 8,583,796 times
Reputation: 16698
Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408 View Post
Spoken like someone who has spent no time there. Livermore has rolling hills and its own wine country. The OP never mentioned hanging out in SF all the time, but it is an easy not too crowded BART ride outside of commuter hours. And from Livermore the OP can skip SF all together and enjoy the nice restaurants in Oakland or Berkeley or Walnut Creek. And there won't be much traffic to get to Oakland/Berkeley. Downtown Pleasanton is a short hop and has pretty good restaurants downtown.

I do concur Brentwood is pretty small and uninteresting. But Livermore has a cute and improving downtown, wineries and rolling hills for scenery. And lots of nice bike rides. It is pretty decent for quiet suburbia.
Actually Livermore has a great downtown. Used to be everyone went to downtown Pleasanton, but it was more upper end. Livermore runs the spectrum for cheap eats to nicer places. Something for everybody. After downtown Livermore was built I started seeing people there who used to frequent downtown Pleasanton.
Lots of wineries plus golf too.
After original OP said his wife would work in Pleasanton or Livermore, I can't see them picking Brentwood although they are leaning that way. IMHO if they pick Brentwood, after all they see in Livermore plus commute times, they will regret their decision.
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Old 10-23-2016, 04:36 PM
 
Location: Pacific 🌉 °N, 🌄°W
11,761 posts, read 7,269,003 times
Reputation: 7528
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aussie N Houston View Post
Yea Oz is a dreamland. We lived there in 2014 when we were engaged. My visa was up and it was time to go. Margaret river is perfect
There are jobs in Oz...can your wife help you get citizenship in Oz? I would stay in Houston and work on a degree that is on the high skilled job list in Oz and go back there if that's your dreamland.

If I had an avenue for me and my partner to get over there and secure good pay jobs, I would jump on it.
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Old 10-23-2016, 04:48 PM
 
59 posts, read 67,214 times
Reputation: 15
Yes my wife can get me back there. We plan to. But the mining and oil industry really hurt there economy. That's where I would work, in those industries.

Same sxenario as SF. Extremely expensive cost of living. But you get a lot for it scenicallly
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Old 10-23-2016, 04:50 PM
 
59 posts, read 67,214 times
Reputation: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by aslowdodge View Post
Actually Livermore has a great downtown. Used to be everyone went to downtown Pleasanton, but it was more upper end. Livermore runs the spectrum for cheap eats to nicer places. Something for everybody. After downtown Livermore was built I started seeing people there who used to frequent downtown Pleasanton.
Lots of wineries plus golf too.
After original OP said his wife would work in Pleasanton or Livermore, I can't see them picking Brentwood although they are leaning that way. IMHO if they pick Brentwood, after all they see in Livermore plus commute times, they will regret their decision.
Yea Livermore would be great. But the extra 200k for a home is hard to change our minds. Mountain house and Brentwood are in our budget. I'm sure this is he same conversation over and over on this site
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Old 10-23-2016, 05:10 PM
 
Location: Pacific 🌉 °N, 🌄°W
11,761 posts, read 7,269,003 times
Reputation: 7528
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aussie N Houston View Post
Yes my wife can get me back there. We plan to. But the mining and oil industry really hurt there economy. That's where I would work, in those industries.

Same scenario as SF. Extremely expensive cost of living. But you get a lot for it scenically
Is there anyway to add onto you current education and tailor it towards a high in demand high skilled job in Oz? Houston has so much to offer with respect to educational and skilled job paths. I'm certain you can find something to study or train in that would put you on the high skilled list.

This is how I came across my opportunity in Oz. My occupation was on the high skilled list and I was hired after the interview and the company began working on my sponsored VISA. It happened so quickly!
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Old 10-23-2016, 06:29 PM
 
59 posts, read 67,214 times
Reputation: 15
I am currently enrolled in online courses for engineering management at Rice University. So I am doing things to stick out. I am at the point in my career where I am stepping into a supervisor role/management. So pay increases are on the horizon, but I am only 31.
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Old 10-23-2016, 06:54 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,906,783 times
Reputation: 28563
Quote:
Originally Posted by aslowdodge View Post
Actually Livermore has a great downtown. Used to be everyone went to downtown Pleasanton, but it was more upper end. Livermore runs the spectrum for cheap eats to nicer places. Something for everybody. After downtown Livermore was built I started seeing people there who used to frequent downtown Pleasanton.
Lots of wineries plus golf too.
After original OP said his wife would work in Pleasanton or Livermore, I can't see them picking Brentwood although they are leaning that way. IMHO if they pick Brentwood, after all they see in Livermore plus commute times, they will regret their decision.
I haven't been for a couple years and found it cute and quaint but I am not the demo.
Not surprised it is great now.
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Old 10-24-2016, 06:25 AM
 
59 posts, read 67,214 times
Reputation: 15
Looks like we are leaning strongly towards Mountain House. We know it is not the most desired area. But it seems safe for the first few years. Our combined income would be about $150k and looks like rent for a home is $2,000 -$2300.


I will (starting in may) be commuting to Livermore where she will commute to Livermore/Pleasanton. We should be able to save some money for a down payment and eventually move. On the weekends we plan to go to the city (by bart) or wineries or parks.
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Old 10-24-2016, 08:25 AM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,906,783 times
Reputation: 28563
Be sure to check out the east bay regional park system. There is everytging from hills, forests, wildflowers, waterfalls and camping in the East Bay.

East Bay Regional Park District | Embrace Life!

Mountain House is right in the thick of some gnarly traffic so definitely avoid the commute times. The PM commute starts at about 3pm heading in that direction and doesn't end till 7ish - quite likely even later.

There can be a slow down heading through Dublin at the 680 / 580 interchange towards oakland most days but it isn't too slow. You'll want to stick with the east Dublin Bart station.
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