Getting up, packing your shit, and Leaving.

[mapleleaf4ever]

^ That's a very interesting link! Thanks!

Time to start talking to my Cousins in Norway...

[SEAN!]

The primary reason i want to move to london asides from the different culture and the life experience is because there are limited opportunities in vancouver for the type of employment im interested in. I do not want to move to toronto to play in the minors when i can live in London where the action is. So I really dont have a choice but to move and maybe come back to vancouver in 5-10 years with experience which will make it easier to make a name for myself and survive.

quannaur, sorry for asking you to do the leg work for me but could you send me a link to a decent real estate information website? i want to get an idea of the prices for rent/real estate within a 30 minute commute of 'the city' or canary wharf and i have no idea what neighbourhoods fit that criteria.

[diva]

Originally Posted by QuanNeur

diva, did you realise that rent on craiglist london is quoted per week rather than per month? vancouver's certainly expensive these days but London is another level altogether.

i did
and they're not all quoted weekly
if you check today's listings a lot of them quote monthly rates

[diva]

Originally Posted by QuanNeur

it's certainly true that average salaries are higher in the UK. The cost of living greatly offsets this, though, and that needs to be taken into account when determining which nation's citizens are better off.

When I was going research on moving overseas, I found out that average salaries for entry level positions within my profession in the UK seem to be a lot lower than they are here. Like almost 10k/year lower. They start to catch up after a few years of experience in a specialty, though. Now I just really want to do my masters at King's College.
=(

[Rayeine]

....maybe sell papayas out of my window or something.

[QuanNeur]

Sean-

The best way to start is to look at a tube map.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/maps/

Think about how far you want to live from work. The time required to travel between any two stations is roughly 2 minutes, more as you get further out or travelling on certain lines like the Jubilee or Victoria. Also think about the several minutes it'll take you to get in and out of the tube and walking time. The ideal neighbourhood for you is probably London Bridge, as it's close to both Canary Wharf and the City. It's one of my favourite neighbourhoods because it's built-up, urban and gritty, but also quite lively with lots of action and great sights to see near by (tower bridge, tate modern, design museum, etc).

If you want to live somewhere off-beat and interesting, look to Shoreditch. It's kind of like the East Village in NYC or the Plateau Montreal-- lots of one-off boutiques, bizarre coffee shops, and great nightlife with bleeding-edge electronic music. It's also right next to the City. (just east of liverpool street tube)

A few good websites for property are
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/
http://www.findaproperty.com/
http://www.loot.com/

The few places I've lived in London I've found through Loot. Pay for it and you'll get the listing before they appear in the print version, which is a definate plus.

You can usually get 5% - 10% off a letting agent's fee, not so if renting direct from the landlord. When you find a place you like, think fast as it'll go quick. I've lost some real "gems" in this city while pondering the rent and seriously regretted it.

30 minutes travel time to work is a luxury for most Londoners and is not cheap. Also, if you want to live in West London then 30 minutes to the City or Canary is probably not an option.

Good luck!