According to latest figures, an estimated 340,000 people left the UK last year in search of a fresh start abroad. With many others now thinking of uprooting to another country, Crown Relocations is urging people to seek expert advice before embarking.

Crown Relocations is a global company

Barry Koolen, managing director – UK & Ireland, Crown Relocations explains: “Fears around job losses have certainly made the British workforce look to other options and the lure of moving abroad is very appealing, Australasia in particular is crying out for new recruits.

“However, we would strongly urge those thinking of relocating to contact experts in this field – there are numerous considerations to factor into a move that are often overlooked. The ‘devil is in the detail’ when you’re relocating to the other side of the world!”

Relocate Worldwide

A recent survey reveals that more than one in three people would consider moving to work abroad or elsewhere in the UK¹. In fact, the UK continues to be the largest source country for people moving to Australia, equating to 18.6% of its migration last year.

Family pets aren't forgotten either

Yet, with the current housing market in disarray, the ability to get a house sale could become the decision factor in any move. For those in that position, Crown offers a fitting suggestion.

“Many people wanting to emigrate are not confident about how much they’ll get for the sale of their property to commit to such a big move. As an alternative, some migrants are choosing to rent their unfurnished properties to enable them to leave the UK rather sooner,” adds Barry.

Crown Relocations operate in over 200 cities across six continents and helped more than 100,000 families relocate worldwide in 2007.

¹ YouGov Recession Tracker Research

Singing duo find harmony in New Zealand

The jet-set lifestyle is nothing new to international opera singers, Amanda Winfield and Ravil Atlas, whose careers have led them to perform for audiences around the globe.

Their profession has placed them on the stages of world renowned venues including Broadway, London’s Holland Park and Ravil’s home city, San Francisco. The couple have starred in a variety of famous, critically acclaimed productions including the theatrical sensation, Les Misérables.

However, Amanda and Ravil are now preparing for their most demanding role yet – parenthood. When they discovered that Amanda was expecting they decided that it was time to put down more permanent roots. In order to be ready for the baby’s arrival in a few months’ time, the couple are relocating from Newcastle to Amanda’s native country, New Zealand.

“We’re really excited about the baby and we thought it would be the ideal opportunity to settle down permanently. Amanda’s parents live in Christchurch so it made sense to move there in time for the birth,” Ravil explained. “It’s important for us to have them nearby when the baby arrives and it will be great to have their support. We’re very much looking forward to making a home in New Zealand rather than travelling the world!”

Opera singers Amanda and Revil are moving to New Zealand

Fortunately they don’t need to worry about their careers as there will still be plenty of opportunity for Amanda to continue as a part-time performer and Ravil will turn his focus to full-time teaching.

He commented: “My career as a performer has been excellent but I think it’s time to wind down. I currently teach singing and acting so I am planning to make this more permanent when we move and it’s great to be able to train others.”

Stress-free move

Relocating internationally can be a daunting prospect for most and with Amanda pregnant, it was important for the couple to keep the move as stress-free as possible. “We’re not new to relocating internationally but unfortunately we’ve had a bit of a nightmare with some companies in the past,” Amanda said. “When we moved to Italy from the US, for example, it took months for many of our items to be released by Italian customs and it cost us nearly as much as the items were worth in order to get them back.”

“I knew from the first phone call with Crown Relocations that they were the ones for us! They were very interested in us as a couple and our needs for the move. The team has been so pro-active with everything from the beginning,” she continued.

Ravil agreed: “Crown was spot-on from day one. It was really important for them to understand our needs, especially because Amanda is pregnant, and they have surpassed our expectations.”

So how would the couple advise others who are looking to relocate?

“Research, research, research, because it isn’t always easy to relocate,” Amanda advised. “It’s the best way of finding out all of the information you’ll need to be able to make informed decisions. Plus, you’ll avoid the situation we had with Italian customs!”

Ravil added: “As Crown also has an office in Christchurch, we knew we wouldn’t have to deal with any third parties which has made it far less complicated. It means that one company has handled our entire move from the packing to the insurance and the shipping.”

For more information on Crown Relocations call: (44) 20 8839 8000
 or go on-line at www.crownrelo.com