Moving to Jozie?

cerebus

cerebus

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I got contacted about a possible role in Jozie, Fourways area. Obviously the opportunity is a very good one or I wouldn't consider it. However I'm still in complete turmoil about it. It seems like lunacy to move from where we are in WC up to where people are moving out of in droves. So since I'm not all that familiar with it can you all please provide some input to what we could expect there?

- How is the Northriding area? It seems affordable and a good distance from Fourways. Otherwise what reasonably priced areas should I look at in that proximity?

- Obviously, big question, what is safety really like? I currently bike to work and love it; could I still manage that safely in Jozie? We haven't had to deal with crime much at all in my time here.

- Cost of living, comparable, higher? Housing seems about the same where I'm looking, and schooling is actually a bit cheaper. What about other factors?

-Quality of schooling?

-Anything else to consider?

Thanks!
 
If by bike, you mean cycle.... there is ZERO chance you'll get away with that in the Northern areas (Fourways and Sourrounds) in Johannesburg. Absolutely no chance. I used to work and live in the area before relocating. Cost of living in JHB is lower than here in CT. House rental pricing (area dependant) is usually lower than in CT. Crime is absolutely mad - hard to even quantify that on a level. Can't comment on schooling - no kids. Though, I did all my schooling in JHB and to be honest it wasn't bad at all,though once again, I have nothing to compare it to. If its a better career you're chasing, then JHB is way better for those opportunities. If its a better life overall, JHB isn't. Just my 2c from experience.

Something else to consider - brace yourself for traffic congestion on a scale you only have nightmares about. Something else that's hard to quantify. Lets just say Capetonians on the worst traffic days have it easy in comparison :)
 
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cerebus said:
I got contacted about a possible role in Jozie, Fourways area.
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Traffic in Fourways, Lonehill and Northriding is a joke, forget about cycling as the taxi's will run you over. People are regularly driving into oncoming traffic and on the side walk in these areas these days. If you travel against the flow of traffic in the mornings, then its a slightly different story regarding travel time, but its still atrocious.

Fourways gardens seems to have a lot of vacant properties, about 4 or 5 can be seen from Camdeboo road alone, in Phase 2, its a very safe estate, there are good schools in the area, Heronbridge College, Dainfern, Fourways High (one of the better Public Schools)

Its a very high density area, so if you know any friends who live in the area try spend a month or so giving the lifestyle a test run, its very different to most places I've seen in the WC

EDIT: If you're happy with your job, and don't really want to change, stay where you are in Somerset West, your stress levels will thank you for it!
 
I just started working in Sandton this month and traffic is horrendous. I would it wish it on any body. It can take you up to an hour just to travel 10KM.
 
Fuma said:
I just started working in Sandton this month and traffic is horrendous. I would it wish it on any body. It can take you up to an hour just to travel 10KM.
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And that's on a good day
 
Well unless you are like me and leave home at 5:30am then its not so bad. But from 6am onwards youre just wasting your time. Even 8-9am isn't great anymore.
 
I would look to the north of fourways there are many new residential areas going up that side and the traffic is a bit better as long as you dont have to get over the highway.
But I would suggest renting until you know whats what.

5km of traffic can be horrendous if you are going the wrong way.
 
I cycle most days in JHB. It can be hair raising, but I still think I'm far less likely to die in a bike accident than I am of a heart attack in the traffic.
 
Avoid Cedar Road unless you live and work in Cedar Road.

I'm in Douglasdale renting in a complex. Never experienced crime myself. Traffic is a nightmare unless you work flexi hours (a lot of employers allow that for this very reason).

Traffic very much depends on where you work in relation to where you live. If you can give us a better idea of where in Fourways the offices are (street name maybe) we can give you a better idea of what you will face. General rule of thumb here in the north (Witkoppen/N1 which are your main roads) - if you have to drive East in the morning you are pretty much ****ed.

Cost of living amongst the best in RSA, maybe not Fourways specifically but Johannesburg as a whole definitely.

Personally I'm like Joburg. Don't get me wrong, I'm not in love with this place but because of the rent vs. salary ratio it is a very good place to make a lot of money before you retire somewhere else
 
Beachless said:
I would look to the north of fourways there are many new residential areas going up that side and the traffic is a bit better as long as you dont have to get over the highway.
But I would suggest renting until you know whats what.

5km of traffic can be horrendous if you are going the wrong way.
Click to expand...
Only problem with living north of Fourways is that you'll pretty much stay north of Fourways.

There are some very nice "homestead" style estates to the north.
 
Hamster said:
Traffic very much depends on where you work in relation to where you live. If you can give us a better idea of where in Fourways the offices are (street name maybe) we can give you a better idea of what you will face. General rule of thumb here in the north (Witkoppen/N1 which are your main roads) - if you have to drive East in the morning you are pretty much ****ed.
Click to expand...

It's in Roos st so...yea just off Cedar :(
 
But not far/deep into cedar like Fourways Gardens. If I was to work there I'd stay right where I was in Douglasdale (or the "rectangle" I'm in between N1/Witkoppen/Malibongwe/William Nicole) or maybe Lonehill (they have awesome internet I hear).

Bicycling is possible and you see people do it in the morning. We have wide sidewalks etc. in some of these areas. You'll just need to be very careful at the bigger intersections of course. If I lived within 5km from my work I'd actually consider it.

Believe it or not, I'm pretty much "central" to everything and can go almost anywhere from here with relative ease, provided I'm not on the N1 north between 7:00 and 8:30 and N1 south between 16:00 and 18:00).

But one thing is sure - in JHB you drive a lot.
 
Hamster said:
But one thing is sure - in JHB you drive a lot.
Click to expand...

Lived in JHB/Pretoria area for about a decade. Not easily going back. My folks keep trying to bribe me but that traffic is a killer. JHB is literally a rat race. I know the jobs don't pay as well, but think I'll stay in Durbs ta.
 
adinfinitum said:
Lived in JHB/Pretoria area for about a decade. Not easily going back. My folks keep trying to bribe me but that traffic is a killer. JHB is literally a rat race. I know the jobs don't pay as well, but think I'll stay in Durbs ta.
Click to expand...
The odds are against you, but if you live in the right area it's not that bad. Currently I work in Roodepoort. Takes me 20min to drive the 20km there because im against traffic.
 
cerebus said:
I got contacted about a possible role in Jozie, Fourways area. Obviously the opportunity is a very good one or I wouldn't consider it. However I'm still in complete turmoil about it. It seems like lunacy to move from where we are in WC up to where people are moving out of in droves. So since I'm not all that familiar with it can you all please provide some input to what we could expect there?

- How is the Northriding area? It seems affordable and a good distance from Fourways. Otherwise what reasonably priced areas should I look at in that proximity?

- Obviously, big question, what is safety really like? I currently bike to work and love it; could I still manage that safely in Jozie? We haven't had to deal with crime much at all in my time here.

- Cost of living, comparable, higher? Housing seems about the same where I'm looking, and schooling is actually a bit cheaper. What about other factors?

-Quality of schooling?

-Anything else to consider?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I live in northriding and have lived in the surrounding area's for some time. Nice area, not too expensive.
Traffic is not too bad depending on your working hours. (I work in Midrand, leave home 8:15, get to work 8:50)

I would say cycling to work would be challenging unless you left fairly early (im talking 5:30am or so)
Safety I cannot answer really. I honestly wouldnt live anywhere but in a complex with proper security access / camera's etc. But thats just me. I havent had any incidents recently but that doesnt mean crime isnt rampant.
When I cycled I got mugged twice, the second time i got hit with a brick as i went past someone and they took everything. So I would say get a car and use that

Schooling is excellent. Depending on the childrens age.
There is a plathora of nursery schools in the area, and some really decent private schools.
Public / semi public i am not 100% sure on unfortunately.

I would consider quality of life and hobbies.
I always get the feeling that people from coastal area's revolve around beach activities, walking around outside etc etc
You can do the outdoorsy thing here, but I dont think its the norm.

Im not really making it sound great here to be honest, but I really do like jhb but I havent met many people from the coast who come up here and enjoy it
 
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