What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Rotterdam

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

Converter plugs. Our situation was different as we were posted here through my husband's company, so our moving, housing, etc were easier. We were lucky to meet many people who helped us out. However, now Rotterdam has it's own website which may be useful to viewers/users of this site. See www.yourrotterdam.com. It is a comprehensive guide on how to settle in here - housing, schooling, leisure, medical, procedures and more. They also have a Rotterdam forum

What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

Collect as much information ahead of time about where you are going. Come over for a scout around prior to the move. Rotterdam is a lesser know city for expatriates but they are here and active on forums.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

We live in a 3 story terraced house in quiet neighbourhood. This seems to be quite typical for the expats I know.

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

My husband was lucky enough to bump into another colleague who was relocating to Australia at the time we needed a house. Hey presto, we had a house. We shipped all our furnitre and possessions over and lived at IKEA for the first 6 monts. He had a look around at the suburbs when he came ahead of our move and decided on this one as it was quiet with lots of trees.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

Housing costs seem much higher. I would say our living costs have doubled.