mmmmdonuts Posted January 13, 2003 Author Share Posted January 13, 2003 OK, who was the one person that said I should stay? I want to hear your opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Anyone want my car? When you do sell your car don't use your avatar picture. It's a good time to travel with the IT job market the way it is. You'll probably get a better job when you come back. Just think if you turn this down now and keep your job, there is nothing to say that you won't be made redundant in a couple of months time. Also - How much do you love your girlfriend? Do you really want to let your girlfriend travel the world by herself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Albert Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 As an old fart and an IT employer I can tell you with some authority that 2 years ago my contractors cost me £50 per hour for the right skill set, to-day I can employ the same guys for £15 But they all have their lifestyles to maintain so they the're all giving up IT and finding something more lucrative in the short term, which means that by next year there will be a shortage and the price will be back up again Since in the next 12 months we will have at least 1 'major engagement' plus 2 'minor border disputes' plus another oil crisis plus ............... I think you should stay and watch your back Now about your girl friend's name, number and stats, when can we leave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taurus Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Nobody has a job for life anymore, keep the house and go for it. You'll never regret it. Old fart, IT teacher, world traveller etc. Peter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westy Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 dont forget a lot of countries are crying out for IT bods. I am hoping to do a spell in Australia at some point due to this... If you like a place a lot no doubt you could get a temp job for 3/6 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stanton Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 I am hoping to do a spell in Australia at some point Do it ASAP - its bl**** fantastic down there You won't wanna come back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilux Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Blatters and AndyC have hit the nail on the head.... DO NOT SELL YOUR HOUSE Go off and enjoy your time while you can. IT is in a sh*t state and a few can earn but it aint what it was (I know cos I fit out offices in London for blue chip companies) You cannot buy experience and you can always retrain etc etc etc Have a great time but do not burn your bridges. (I know a couple that sold up two years ago to "retire in Spain" and cannot afford to come back unless they are prepared to rent or buy a sh*thole) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steppenwolf Posted January 13, 2003 Share Posted January 13, 2003 Speaking as and old fart who is in IT my simple advice is basically in line with most of the others - keep the house and rent it and do the trip without fail. I envy you the opportunity especialy as I had to wait for my IT business and family to mature before I got my Westfield at the ripe old age of 48. Contact the letting agent tomorrow after you have been to the travel agent next door to them ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike H Posted January 14, 2003 Share Posted January 14, 2003 Stuff all that. As a former IT contractor of 5 years and someone who has worked in many large companies/consultancies, my advice would be: - take redundancy - keep your house but rent it out to pay the mortgage - keep your car at you folks house - get a short term job abroad organised doing what you do (Tandem Cobol or similar). Go to that country for a couple of months to see how things go then decide what to do next. My theory is that not every country in the world is looking for IT staff with the latest skills, I'm sure there are plenty of great destinations where people would take short term Cobol staff. If that's ok with your girlfriend of course. all the best Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmmmdonuts Posted January 14, 2003 Author Share Posted January 14, 2003 still no comments from the four people who think I should stay. Where are you? As for keeping the house. House prices are tailing off. If they do rise in the next year I think it will only be by a small amount (5%?). We can take all the equity out of the house and put it in a high interest account and get nearly that anyway. When we get back I doubt we will want to live where we currently are, so would have to sell the house then anyway. Like I said, it is already on the market as we were in the process of moving anyway. In fact we got a reasonable offer yesterday which we were thinking of taking. Letting market has taken a downturn. I'd have to change the mortgage to a buy to let one. Pay an estate agent to let it, etc etc. I think we are better off selling it. If I sell my car now it will have depreciated more than a pound a mile. A***. Need to do some more miles quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastboy Posted January 14, 2003 Share Posted January 14, 2003 It would appear that I agree with most of the others. Go travelling and KEEP THE HOUSE. With regards house prices, IMO, with Interest rates unchaged at 4% (14 months on the bounce I recall) and unlikely to move in the near future and demand still outstripping supply you will still see a yield of 7-8%+ over 12 months, as long as you don't live in Central London, which is expected to fall, or at least stagnate. You would be better off renting the house as furnised on a longish let. Bear in mind better quality houses reflect the tenants they attract. Put the house on an interest only mortgage for 12 months, the excess either pays the IO mortgage during empty periods or gives you a cash lump sum on your return. Strictly speaking you should tell the mortgage lender you are going to rent out the house but no one does. Bear in mind it'll cost 1% of the house value + £500 legal stuff to sell it. What are you doing with your contents. 12 months storage is damned expensive and if you sell it you'll be crying when your £700 telly fetches £50.00. Sod off round the world. Trust me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bananaman Posted January 14, 2003 Share Posted January 14, 2003 The house thing. I take it you have a morgage? That meens you don't owen all your house? So for arguments sake you owen 1/2 your house & its worth £100,000. If house prices rise by 5% (conservative estimate ) then you will have gained £5,000 If you sell & put the equity (£50,000) in the building Soc. @4% you will get £2,000. & incure all the legal fees I rent my house (as i live with my girl feined ) & still keep my original morgage. if you keep your house not only will you get the increase in equity but you will also have 1 year (or more if you get lucky some where) less to pay on your morgage. This all depends sooooo much on the location & rentabillity of your house that only you can decide but if feasable KEEP IT. Andy (Rigsby ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markg Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 when you get to sydney, make sure you take a walk round the back of the opera house to the botanical gardens!!!! the flying fox bats are as big as carrion crows well worth a look ! stay in the gazebo in kings cross!! and then have a look at adelaide! oh and manly beach is the best in sydney but go in the week its full of old folk at the weekend! singapore is well worth a visit ! tokyo is stinking rancid concrete! and the japs love their cameras! which you will find out yourself! happy travels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmmmdonuts Posted January 15, 2003 Author Share Posted January 15, 2003 obviously the people who think I should stay are not as vocal as those who think I should leave. Upt to 5 now, but still no comments. My girlfriend has told her work she is leaving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAZ Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 At the end of the day you have got to do what YOU want to do you can listen to people all day advising you what to do,i have done everything i have wanted to do.Ok i havn't taken a year out and travelled the world but i havn't wanted to but i have seen the world.My advice is go if you want to and don't worry about money its always there just have to know were to look or work hard for it. DAZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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