Could do what we had to do. I came over first with one son and my wife has the other son and is trying to sell the house. Not an ideal situation but was the only option open to us. It's certainly hard for many people that's for sure.

I hope you get some good luck soon. And the same for every one.

we droped our house by £100 4 sales fell through! we have re mortgaged to cover the mortgage for a year and will attempt to rent it. Our dream of being mortgage free has gone BUT life IS about more than cash. I have worked most of my nursing with dying patients with HIV and cancer and the bottom line is that health and happiness is worth more and you only have one life. I am saying this with our house not currently rented or sold and flying in 4 weeks and not sleeping though!!
Have you read Affluenza? very interesting book on wealth and happiness

We have thought about splitting up our family with one foot in Aus and one in South Africa but the problem is trying to work with what amounts to a single parent family.Having our own businesses which together are worth about 1 million pounds is not something we are likely to leave behind for staff to rob us blind..........they rob us blind before our very eyes let alone from accross the water.
Each family leaving here has their own agenda and what works for one does not neccessarily work for another.I will trust in fate for the time being and endevour to get thru xmas and New year with as little effort as possible

I hope it all works out for you all. Best of luck for the new year.

In same situ - cant sell x 3 properties!
Spoke to my financial adviser last week, he reckons interest rates will be low for next 1-2 years, the lowered rates has now saved us hundreds a month on our mortgages, making the move more doable.
Did read somewhere tho about numerous companies who will buy your house from you, of course it will be below valuation, but so many of your have massively dropped your prices anyway.
As a landlady myself, renting properties is no easy thing being in this country, let alone from other side of world, alot of shark agencys out there, one quoted us £250 for cleaning our new spotless flat prior to letting?! wouldnt mind being a cleaner for them! they usually overquote works and pocket the difference, at present i manage my own flats.
On plus side my adviser said that borrowing problems that buyers are experiencing, which is knackering house sales, should get easier in next few months? not sure what he meant tho......, but he seemed confident on that one.
Also had a surveyor round other day, and was picking his brains, he reckoned to 2010 before it all recovers, and certainly all the predictions ive read on line points to then to.

Just looked up, (companies that will buy your house) was right, they are offering up to 80% valuation price.

Well we have had three viewings this Christmas (still not heard any thing as yet) and none this time last year. Maybe things are about to change. Hopefully for the better. Loosing 20% of your equity for a quick sale is sure a big bite. We have thought about doing this too but decided not to as just too much money.

but remember, you could make up some of the loss, putting the sales money in a high interest account (tho you will have to perhaps tie it up a while, not sure what savers rates are like at the mom) and also remember the value of your pounds when you exchange to the Oz dollar, plus things are slowing over there too, so you could perhaps pick up a bargain in next couple of years, when you take all this into consideration its not such a hard hit.