baldyfrank

After 5 years in Norway, my wife and I will return to uk in 2011. The reason being that it is to expensive to live here indefinitely.And I am coming up to retirement age.
As we are both British citizens born and bred in UK, are there anything we need to do before moving back,besides informing customs.
We will probably buy somewhere-in Brosgrove Worcs, probably a flat.Are there any suggestions where we should live initially, not too expensive,while we look for somewhere permanent?

LottieLou

As for finding somewhere to live - you could try looking on rightmove.co.uk, which I think is the main one, but i think there are other websites available...

I'm sure others will chime in about what to do before moving back (i'll be back in March and can't wait!!)

HTH

lilybilly101

Rightmove is great and seems to cover all areas and the estate agents use it extensively. There's also primelocation.com which is quite good. I'm not sure if I would be nervous to buy having not lived there for a long time though. We're going to move back to where we think we want to be and rent before we commit to a house buy. It can take anything up to a year or more to sell if it isn't what you want. You may be more sure of where you want to be though and I guess you don't need a mortgage....or not a big one at least??? Mortgages are tricky to come by these days I think unless you have a big deposit and secure jobs......

Anyway, good luck.

baldyfrank

Thanks lottie and lille. You may be right about buying.
Yes we can afford to buy a smaller property or flat. But I am 63 and will only have my pension coming in in 2012 my wife not till 2016 I am thinking whether we would be better of renting anyway at our age,and protecting our capital. Is it really so important to own your own home when your our age? Who knows whats round the corner.
yes we would be paying out rent continually, but then we have our capital to live on instead of buying property outright,as certainly would not be able to get mortgage.
Interesting!! Anyway thamks for responding, and yes I will keep Right move in mind.
Godt nytt år begge to(happy new year both):

lilybilly101

I guess you can watch how the market plays out for the next year or so. They're anticipating prices to fall again but who knows. I think renting is a good bet until you are really sure especially when you're coming up to retirement. You might just want to use your money to just have a good time, go traveling, all that lovely retirement stuff!

robin1234

Good luck in your planning and the move!

I would agree with others who have posted, that it is prudent to rent for a year.. then you can really take your time looking at properties, and making quite sure that the place you buy is really in the right location, doesn't have terrible hidden deficits, (ASBO next door, toxic waste dump right underneath etc.) I know you can never eliminate this type of risk completely, but you will be safer if you take your time, see the property several times, and so on. Much easier to do this if you have a rental in the UK. As to whether, long term, folks would be better off renting or occupying a home which they own, remember that property ownership can protect you from hyperinflation, loss of value of invested assets that you depend on etc.

baldyfrank

Thanks Lillybilly and Robin. Very sensible viewpoints.
Makes sense to rent initially anyway,as we cant really buy from here;and we will need somewhere to move into quickly. Buying of course can be a long process.
At our age owning a property is not such an advantage, since who knows how long we have left.Morbid, but reality. But food for thought, and your comments are appreciated.
Ha en hyggelig helg,vær så god,
(enjoy your weekend)

lilybilly101

Spend, spend, spend I say. When you've had a life time of work and raising a family (maybe) and all the other trappings of life, I think retirement should be an opportunity to put your feet up and smoke a cigar with a wee dram of god brandy, and plan your next trip, dinner party.........who cares about money investment!

baldyfrank

So true. Before I came to Norway I had worked solidly for 44 years from age 16. Not same job I might add.
I have a daughter who lives here. She is married to Stefan who i Norwegian. They met in London.
Now we have two grandsons aged 6 and 3, who incidentally both ski like experts already. Amazing, as I can barely stand up. We have many feet of snow just now and currently minus 7, bit last week daytime temps were -18 and -24 in Oslo daytime. Yet no school ever closes. Unlike England where little snow causes chaos!!

My daughter loves it here. And the schools are wonderful. But they both young in their early 30s, have good jobs, and will have a wonderful life here.
There are only 4 and half million people in whole of Norway!
And it is a very beautiful country.
However for us, its too expensive .I am 63 and have a frozen shoulder(ironic in this weather). I have worked here, but not at moment, and will never get a Norwegian pension, which incidentally is one of the best in the world. Think we came at wrong time in 2007 just before recession hit;and i was laid of to.
The English pension which I shall get in two years, as you know is very poor and wont go far here, where a pint of beer costs £7, meat very expensive with very little choice, and cars twice the price of England.
Also we have to pay every time we go to doctors or hospital, all of which is free in England!
England has its faults, but many good things too, like the NHS, and fish and chips---mmmm.
But its easy to travel here ,only 1 and half hours flight by Ryanair. So we can return often and vice versa to see grandsons.
Anyway sorry to go on, but nice to exchange views with other expats who understand.
Have a nice weekend
Med hilsen
Frank

Nu-Shooz

What made you move to Norway?
My BIL is living there at the moment and he said it is sooooooo expensive too. He can't get a job either as he can't speak a word of Norwegian.
Are the winters bad in Norway?

janeyk

just a note if you have capital,and need to have care this will be taken into account if you have the money in propoerty they can not sell if your spouse is still living their just a thought. BTW Bromsgrove was a nice place I grew up there but it has grown considerably in the last 15+ years last time I visited I was shocked at how run down it was and the state of Saunders Park, if you need somewhere initally while your stuff comes over a holiday cottage etc might be worth a look owners tend to give a discount for longer bookings!

Jerseygirl

Really? I've just been reading this.

janeyk

it does seem strange as what I quoted was certainly the rule up until recently it depends upon the case I suppose certainly my OH grandparents did not have to sell their home when grandfather went into home it was only after both were that it was then the house was sold to pay for care from then onwards once the capital runs out care is then funded from the state again.

Jerseygirl

I was surprised when I read the article. I like you thought a home couldn't be sold to pay for care if a spouse was still living there.

janeyk

it isd in the daily mail I would suggest there is more to it than that!