phr1

No really. If I am changing again its only for the UK. Too tired to move and start all over again. I don't see the point, Canada may be big but pretty much the same culture, just a different landscape.
Also from all the big cities in Canada, Toronto seems the most attractive to us, also because of proximity to Europe. Living in the countryside is not an option here.

I appreciate the comment on the costs. This is my main fear. We have a property in London that had done pretty well in value in 5 yrs but we will have to sell and buy a bigger place for the 4 of us. It is also not in a good school area..
Yes, I am terrified of the costs. To be honest, that may be the only reason we will end up staying, unless someone can share a good experiance moving back.

We don't have a job to go back too, but we will find one. It should not be too difficult I hope. We are both professionals with pretty solid CVs.
We might have to rent for a bit, then a job.. then buy.. So tiring just to think about it.. with two kids..yes I am very scared.

rae

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...tudy-says.html

This is not a bad article on education for interest, though I appreciate it is in The Mail it appears to quote respected sources. I hear you on the whole Canadian education thing focusing on Canada, but we have to respect the fact that they teach their History first then expand to World History. My daughter is 14 and just starting to take in other concepts after years of North American History and Geography, which I think would be pretty close to years in the UK of the bloody Tudors and Romans.

As for the National Anthem I support it. It's not jingoistic I don't thinK, simply a way to integrate which I think Canada is especially good at. My Mother-in-law hates Canada and is narrow minded personified, but even she in her latest visit could not account for how people seemed to get along here, against what was happening in the UK, although I accept there are huge and varied differences in the countries that effect this.

We have 7yrs here now, we still talk about the UK, I don't think you ever stop, but after a recent visit home for 7 days, when it rained, every, single, day, was ridiculously expensive and generally miserable, I have no rush to return other than friends and family. Unfortunately if you move your family just for those reasons you know what will happen? you will fall out with friends and older family members will die. Sad, harsh, but true.

MarkG

Every time I go back, London feels more like a dump. I honestly have no idea why anyone would pay so much to live there, unless they're a Russian billionaire who can afford to live in any part they choose.

Even if someone offered me a million pounds a year, I don't think I'd go.

Siouxie

The other thing to consider is your tax liabilities regarding the sale of your house in Canada and the sale of your house in the UK. I believe Canada may want a piece of both.

I know there was a thread on this subject recently but can't for the life of me find it.

Is it Toronto that you dislike specifically or Canada generally? Are you sure that moving 'elsewhere' in Canada couldn't fix the problem? Nobody is suggesting moving to the countryside, but a change of City could fix what ails you. When my son visited Montreal he said it was like being back in Europe - very different from Toronto.

phr1

We don't have a house here. Just renting for now. We have been looking to buy for the last year quite intensivly but so far nothing. Lost couple of bidding wars and I am already pretty sick of the whole thing. Its not that attractive to me anyway consider the quality of the stock and the aggressiveness of the market. Having said that, I know London is no different right now.

I have been to Montreal, Ottowa, Nova Scotia... really nice places. I agree about Montreal, there is a hint of Europe there but I don't think you can get very far without French. Maybe you are right and I will like living in a different City but to move here is almost like to move back. If I am going to reshuffle all the cards again I will bet on London.

FlyingDutchman6666

If you are concerned with "the quality of the stock and the aggressiveness of the market" in Canada, then you are in for one hell of a shock in London.

phr1

I know, this is exactly what I said, London is no different. My only hope is that I have a place to sell in London.

Novocastrian

I agree. Someone upthread (Ned?) said that after 5 years in Toronto the OP knows that she's not going to settle for the long term. And fair enough. Others have suggested a relocation within Canada, but I, like the OP, can't see the point of that.

So it's back to the UK. But why London? In an ideal world perhaps that'd be the OP's first choice, but her main worry appears to be financial and this could be substantially mitigated by choosing another UK city.

I make no specific recommendation.

Edit after crosspost: You can sell in London and buy twice the house elsewhere in the UK.

phr1

Thank you. You really understand the issue here, and yes, the biggest con is the cost of living. But there are friends and family to consider and they all live in London. If we were to live in a different city in the UK we will probably see them as much as we see them now. Very difficult to hang out. I think having a network of people you know can help a lot, especially in London.
Just curious to see if you have a specific place in mind... where do you think is a decent city, town, bit of country in the UK to bring up two kids, one is soon to be a teenager? (Sorry, I only ever lived in London)

Novocastrian

I don't have a specific recommendation to make. But if you can't afford to hang out near your family & friends then so be it. You can't have everything at once in this life.

FlyingDutchman6666

You have a point, Novocastrian.

pr1, what kind of UK 'lifestyle' are you looking for? I lived in Cambridge, UK and absolutely loved every minute of it. Fun, quirky, friendly, pretty, a bit posh, safe, loads of professional opportunities, relatively affordable. Of course, London it is not. But does it need to be? Definitely not for me, I would have hated London.

Sally Redux

Really? I think it's actually improved a lot over the years.

Depending which side your family/friends live in, Essex?

phr1

Interesting you say that. I love Cambridge.

Siouxie

Which part of London are most of the family/friends? Would it be possible to buy within easy commuting distance, for instance, if you really wish to move back and that is the only thing really stopping you?

My sister, for instance, lives near the North Kent coast - about an hour by train from Victoria - and regularly goes to Bromley to meet up with family. House prices in 'her' area are considerably cheaper than London.

Novocastrian

I used to live in Cambridge too. Infinitely preferable to London (which nonetheless is easily accessible from there). Same (in both respects) goes for Oxford.