Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Just needed to write.......

Spent exactly a year now, trying to plan our retreat back to the homeland. The obstacles just keep coming. It was probably around January/February of this year that my husband and I made the decision to go home because we were unhappy, was a tough pill to swallow that our life here in Canada hadn't worked out quite how we would of liked but no big deal, no regrets, onwards and upwards etc. So we started planning.

First thing was getting the dogs microchipped, vaccinated and blood tested, even then we knew that it would be 6 months until we could leave so we were thinking August. Plenty of time to organize and recoup the near $1,800 vet costs and save some money, get the house sold etc etc.

Second thing confirm that my husband can work in the Uk in his chosen profession - uh big fat no. Either he can sign up for an apprentiship for 4.5 years or he can take the exams in the States (which he can do now) and then his qualifications will be recognized. So signed up for the exams - there are 6 and he took and passed 2 so on the way.... then he broke his hand and there are no more exams until next March, so big delay there.

Well lets look at alternatives, live elsewhere in Canada etc, so we figured we could sell the house, then either move back to the UK and then he could fly out to the states next year to take the remaining exams or live somewhere else in Canada closer to the exam centres (None within 3 days drive of where we are right now). So tried to put the house on the market - spent a good deal of money doing the house up only to have it appraised for not much more than we originally bought it for. Stupid Brits that we are, we apparantly over paid for the property in the first place. So, second thought, rent out house in Nova Scotia, move elsewhere try and sell in the spring time when the market is better and get what we can.

So, in September flew back to England for a job interview at my cost (using up what little liquidity we had), had a number of interviews lined up and the job I really wanted had moved the interview date back supposedly to allow time for me to get there, but to my horror there was an internal applicant for the job who had been 'acting' in that position for the previous 4 months so funnily enough they gave the job to her - she was less qualified than me, and the two other candidates were MORE qualified than me. So a complete waist of time and money. Can't go back to the UK without jobs sorted and still make mortgage payments over here (just in case rental arrangement fell through) and I stupidly thought that they would not drag me all the way over if I was a serious candidate - obvioulsy that was not the case. Was offered a job in Ontario, could have worked out really well however......

In October, a guy rocks up, apparantly owns the land behind us ( a 10acre woodlot) asking if we realized that the garage we had built (over a year ago) was on his land? uh, NO. So results of land survey back today, and an 8ft wide strip of our garage is on his land, oh and a 1ft strip of our house! Just brilliant we were seriously misled by our realtor. Only in Nova Scotia - well it certainly feels that way. Buyer Beware, I know - we should have investigated it, it was our responsibility to that. But it seems to be people here are very good at screwing the stupid British immigrants, but in the same breath tho who can blame them? we made ourselves such easy targets, 'Wow, you can get so much for your money?", "The people are so friendly" - we were so naive..........so now we are officially stuck here with that fould white stuff on the way, no mates, jobs we dislike and a serious boundary dispute which is most likely going to be exceptionally costly, thats hopeing the guy will sell us some land, which he could decide not to of course.

At the end of the day we both have our health and both have jobs so its not the end of the world, its just that this damn country just won't let us leave!!!! And I am so ready. We will suck it up, before anyone tells us too, just had to vent - its not like I have any friends here to talk this out with.

So the saga continues . . . . . . . . . . . . :cry_smile:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

:blink: OMG

That sound absolutely awful!

Where abouts are you in NS?
How come you have no friends?

PM me if you like I would be happy to meet up with you for a chat and probably a big stiff drink :lol:.

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Hmm. Can't offer advice on most of this. But read with sympathy.

Just one thing to offer. Getting animals into the UK became a whole lot easier this year. No six month quarantine, no titer test. Just vaccinate and go (21 days after vaccination I believe). There will undoubtably be some restrictions on which vaccines can utilized etc. (this is the UK after all). If you speak to Defra they'll give the low down, they're a pretty helpful bunch in my experience.

Best of luck with your repatriation :)

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Wow. That is a story and a half. Definitely sending sympathies your way. No particular advice (sorry!), but did want to say how obviously resourceful you are. You've navigated all the twists and turns with a great attitude in terms of trying to find other ways when a dead end appears. I'm sure you WILL get back home in the end because of this. This is the place to vent in the meantime!

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Sorry to read your plight-vent away though, thats what we are all here for, to bounce things off each other. Keep yer pecker up!:fingerscrossed:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Never rains but it pours, heh? Poor you.

One thing, don't beat yourself up over the real estate thing, it happens everywhere. We bought in Australia, the Real Estate Agent's eyes lit up as we flew in to view a house she'd had on the market for nearly a year. Told us all sorts of crap that we just lapped up. She even produced another contract suddenly, just as we were ready to submit an offer, so we increased our offer. We fell for it hook, line and sinker, because we wanted to believe her and we had not done our research. (we also found out later that the contract had been signed by her cousin, and yes we could have taken legal action but the agent had done her homework and all paperwork was legal). We overpaid, and when we sold 7 years later, we were lucky to break even. Wow we learned some lessons during our move to Australia. I still feel sick about it, but I realise we left ourselves open to be ripped off. Now I am a real estate agent's nightmare!

Really hope you have a reasonable guy to negotiate with about the land issue.

As for the employer who dragged you across the world knowing they had someone for the job, again, hard lesson, but it seems there is not much concern for individuals any more when it comes to corporations.

No advice really, but lots of empathy coming your way, hoping things start to look brighter for you very soon : )









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Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Thanks for your support everyone, I know we will get there eventually!

On a more positive note, went over to meet with the neighbouring landowner last night and he was very sympathetic about the whole thing (he is 86!) and he too did not anticipate that our house was partly built on his land. He seems willing to sell us some land to resolve the issue and will get back to us regarding how much he will sell and for what price? I know the surveying and legal costs alone will be nearly $3,000 (which we don't have right now)! But we can always re-mortgage depending what sort of figure he comes back with, we really are at his mercy.

I also discovered that we do have a 'Title Insurance' policy which potentially covers any costs incurred relating to boundary issues which would have shown up, had a location certificate been carried out at the time of purchase. Not really sure how it all works but it could well help us out so submitting the information to the company today. :fingerscrossed:

The joys of home ownership! Could never afford to own a home in England, always rented - we soooo wanted the opportunity to actually buy our own house, and as it turns out we don't even own it all anyway! Ah well, the trials and tribulations!!

We will persevere :unsure:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Thanks for the PM. I just want to add a good luck and I will keep fingers crossed for you regarding the land. :fingerscrossed:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Don't you have any comeback against the lawyer who did the conveyancing for not doing thorough searches? Is that not a compulsory part of buying a property in Canada?

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

I wish! Given that it is a rural property with a 400ft long rear boundary line backing on to a vast area of woodland there was no way of knowing exactly how far from the boundary the property was located without a 'location certificate' which is not compulsory on purchase. We did check the property had a 'building permit', which it did, the regs are that for a building permit the house had to be 8ft from the boundary so we went by that.

Clearly in rural nova scotia 15yrs ago, those at the planning office did not check or maybe they had their palms greased? Either way it seems we have no come back on anyone- except maybe the title insurance?

Regulations here are a far cry from England.

When we first came here we bought a truck from a second hand dealer, it had a new MVI (similar to an MOT) the engine was great, no issues. Came to sell it 6months later, turned out that the chassis was twisted, was never roadworthy and the MVI would have been done fraudulently. Absolutely nothing we could do, investigated the legalitities and unless we wanted to pay an obscene amount of money was better to sell it on declaring the issues. We lost around $7,000. Protection for buyers of anything is very limited. Plus it transpires you can buy the MVI stickers from people in the know for around $100, as my neighbour said he could get us one???

And one reason we left the uk was to get away from the rules, regulations and red tape!!! I always thought there must be a reason for it! ;)

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Have you done the maths, will you actually walk away with any money when all is said and done. Or will this and selling the house end up costing you money?

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

As for where we stand financially it really depends on how much money our 'friendly' neighbour is going to want for the land? If it is based on Market Value we would be fine, however he has us over a barrel, so to speak so if the price is high we could be in a tricky spot.

We do have some equity in the property - not a great deal, but some, so we shall see!!!

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Would it be cheaper to just go and knock the garage down?

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

If it was just the garage - yes it would.

But 3.5 ft of the house is also over line!! So we have no choice but to purchase the land really :(

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

I'm not sure what the correct term for it is, but I know in the state I'm from, if you build something (i.e. a fence) that encompasses land you do not actually own, and after a certain number of years that actual landowner does not dispute it, the land can becomes yours.

If that type of law exists in NS or Canada, perhaps its worth looking into.

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Its good that you had Canadian Title Insurance-it will cover any issues re boundaries.

http://www.nsrec.ns.ca/extension.php?docex=13

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Hey Sammypeeps if you're anywhere near Yarmouth and need a shoulder to cry on let me know. If you're miles away I'm atill a good e-listener!
Good luck with it all :regular_smile:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Thanks Bluegrass lass - I did investigate 'Adverse Possession', as it is called in the UK - it seems be referred to here in canada as 'squatters rights' but in order for it to be effective it is necessary to show 20 years of continuous use and occupation - unfortunately the house has only been built for 15 years so would not qualify :(

I think the 'Title Insurance' is going to be our best way of getting some sort of compensation, maybe all costs covered - who knows! Thanks for the link Shelley748!

DandNHill - I am in Windsor so a bit of a far off treck from you! I will PM you!

Just sittin around playin the waiting game now to find out how much land they are prepared to sell and for how much!

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Hurrah Hurrah Hurrah!!!

Had confirmation today that the title insurance company will pay for the purchase of 0.25acres and pay all the associated costs including lawyers fees and surveying costs!!

Closing date is set for January 14th - hopefully will be all plain sailing now!!

What a nightmare, but there does appear to be light at the end of the tunnel - roll on 2012 and getting on that flight back to the UK, never to return!!!!!:thumbup:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

:thumbsup: That is fantastic news and such a big relief for you!
Start planning :thumbsup:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Wonderful news, a huge weight off your shoulders there :thumbsup:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Really really pleased for you!!! Good luck with it all :)

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Great to hear - but when you think of it, that's what title insurance should be for (and it costs enough!) Even so, in these situations it is always worrying whether they will find some loophole to let them wriggle out of their responsibilities.

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

I have no advice for you but I just wanted to wish you all the best and I hope you are able to move back to the UK soon.

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

All the very best for your homecoming plans Sammy Peeps, it has to get better from now on right??!! :fingerscrossed:

Onwards and upwards!! :thumbsup:

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Oh it is nice to know that title insurance works:blink: We have just bought a acreage in the Red Deer area, that didn't have a real property report so we got title insurance instead, because it's so much cheaper, seems to be really common as it's the second place we have bought with title insurance.

I hope everything else falls into place too.

Re: Just Venting - Will we ever make it home?
 

Sometimes things work out right! Congratulations.

Bev