stepnek

We had to sell our house before moving here and I'm pretty sure that if we'd been able to keep it we'd have been very tempted to move back to the UK by now. Whether that would have been a good thing or not is difficult to say because I personally don't feel settled yet and I wish that I did have that lifeline to fall back on. I'm not sure about this aspect of selling to make sure you don't move back. Canada is a wonderful move for some (probably for most I guess) but not for everyone.

Bleech

You could always keep your UK house for a couple of years (if you can afford it) and rent it out. That way it will give you some time to work out if the move is right for you.

Almost Canadian

Fair enough

Just make sure you get very good tax advice - you would not want to be paying UK tax on 40% on capital gains. :scared: :scared:

Don't forget, for tax purposes, you can have up to 3 primary residences (in Alberta anyway)

dingbat

I sold up nearly ten years ago. I have two brilliant jobs waiting for me in the Uk - cannot take either as the mortgage lenders won't touch me without a significant downpayment that I cannot realise when I sell up here. Tough position, but I am moving East instead. I think.

Butch Cassidy

I'd better stop buying then!!!

ClareBC

oh I regret selling up - we sold for GBP60k 4½ years ago, the following year it sold for GBP90k, it was recently on the market for GBP120k (but I believe they accepted GBP 108k)

what I regret is our timing! Another year and we would have been much better off financially!

zigspider

Personally, we sold our house in Hampshire almost 3 years ago to finance our move to France. Have now sold our French house to finance our move to Canada (NS)

Would not return to the UK ( other than for Funerals ) for any money ( offers accepted!)

Case of burning bridges I suppose. My parents have already moved to Spain, and my brother is planning to follow them.

Jerry

Atlantic Xpat

If I could have kept the UK house I would have simply for long term investment. But without selling it I wouldnt have been able to afford to buy a house here (or leastways not such a nice house.) So it was a no brainer decision for us. If we ever have to go back, well it'll be tough and we will not be able to afford a house big enough for all our furniture now (!) but we'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it. Life is too short to worry now!

Calgal

That's an interesting statement - can you tell me more, please?

Calgal

HA! BUSTED! Will the REAL millionaire please stand up....

Butch Cassidy

Excuse me Mrs, but I bet if i dont have fewer properties than you they are certainly not worth as much as yours ( ).

Anyway I think we should go and squat at Biiinks (She would never know)

tallperson

Well we didn't sell our house in the UK and haven't regretted it yet! We have kept it as an investment and it has worked out well so far. It has been continuously let for the last 3 years but every time it comes to finding new tenants we wonder if we shouldn't sell. But new tenants appear and so we keep it!

We've bought a house here we're very happy with so are not looking for the money to buy a bigger house so while we don't need the money it seems better to keep the UK house until the day it doesn't let and no longer gives us an income and then we can always sell.

Good luck with your decision, as someone said only you can decide.

Calgal

You know the old saying "It's only worth as much as someone is prepared to pay"? Well, where my property is concerned at the moment - that wouldn't be much at all.

In my book that still makes YOU the Millionaire, (specially seeing as I wrote off the limo as well )

Good idea re Biiiiiinks place, though. We could throw wild parties and eat rice krispie squares (from her mini-bar fridge ) and not have to clean up after

Rich_007

Agreed - we didn't want the thing acting as a noose round our necks - we edged between full on mania and restrained conservatism with the whole immigration/relocation thing but at some point you have to throw the chips on the table and count up where it's all at. I think it helps focus things more if you have your goals fully defined and a plan and few concerns about the move and have identified no real risks to your future happiness. But if your decision is borderline about moving, or there is some reluctance or hesitation underlying things then it may be different - and if that's the case, then:

<whatthehellyadoingmovinghalfwayroundtheworldforan ywayyanutter>

Unless, of course, one has money to burn and/or can afford two homes in two parts of the world and will accept the hassles/potential hassles of rentors and all the hair-pulling, lack of control and nastiness which may ensue.

Rich.

Gray C

[
<whatthehellyadoingmovinghalfwayroundtheworldforan ywayyanutter>

Rich.[/QUOTE]

Contrary to what you might think I am not a nutter

But thanks for your views anyway.