Originally Posted by SomersetGirl

We had also considered renting a caravan, while househunting, as it could be quite a bit cheaper and you wouldn't need furniture. Not if we move in the winter though as they're too cold for English winters

Originally Posted by dunroving

I know what you mean about monopoly money - I mean, how is it possible to go from having almost complete ownership of a nice 3 BR 1.5 BA detached in the States to barely having enough for a deposit for a former council house in the UK? (answer: exchange rates, low property prices in the US, high deposits and tough mortgage lending in the UK, etc.). Knowing the logical explanation doesn't help, though, I know.

I love your expression "just under 10 quid more than bugger all!" - says it all. At least you still have a sense of humour about it.

You know, Wales isn't all that bad. There are definitely some rough parts but I met some lovely people when I lived there in 2006 ...

Originally Posted by SomersetGirl

The property prices in the UK do seem to be dropping quite a bit though and the exchange rate is forecast to stay pretty stable for a while.

Originally Posted by SomersetGirl

If you're looking for property by the way there is a neat little tool you can download free. Its an add-on for the Firefox web browser.

When you view a property listing on a site like rightmove.co.uk, the toolbar will show the changes to the price and details since the property was listed.

www.property-bee.com

Originally Posted by Mummy in the foothills

Theres also http://www.propertysnake.co.uk/ you can look by post code

Originally Posted by sallysimmons

There's news today that the harsh government cuts seem to be spurring a double dip recession. If that's true, then house prices still have some way to fall in the UK.

Originally Posted by dunroving

I think that program would benefit from having the family talk with a former expat (or someone from BE!) I don't think these presenters have a clue about the realities of emigrating, and in some ways it's quite cruel and exploitative that they (deliberately or indirectly) push people towards these huge life-changing decisions.

I know, we are all responsible for our own decisions, but there is an element of putting temptation (and maybe a certain degree of implicit expectation) in the path of people who are often in a vulnerable state of mind.

Originally Posted by dunroving

I know what you mean about monopoly money - I mean, how is it possible to go from having almost complete ownership of a nice 3 BR 1.5 BA detached in the States to barely having enough for a deposit for a former council house in the UK? (answer: exchange rates, low property prices in the US, high deposits and tough mortgage lending in the UK, etc.). Knowing the logical explanation doesn't help, though, I know.

I love your expression "just under 10 quid more than bugger all!" - says it all. At least you still have a sense of humour about it.

You know, Wales isn't all that bad. There are definitely some rough parts but I met some lovely people when I lived there in 2006 ...

Originally Posted by Beedubya

I don't have a house anymore but I do think houses in the USA are much cheaper than the UK and Australia on the whole, though not everywhere of course.

Originally Posted by Mummy in the foothills

Thats where we will find ourselves only worse seeing the market in Cali has crashed. We almost own here, yet going by what stuff is selling for (when it sells) We'd be lucky to get an ex local authority house (which I'm fine with living in there are some nice ones in the village and we grew up in them)
It's just depressing to think, had we stayed there 17 years back when we were there a year, we'd own a nice house there now, and it'd be paid off nearly. But we'd have only one child, as that was what I'd said, we'd have no more kids and I'm kinda partial to the younger two.

Originally Posted by beachgal21

I don't really have any solid plans about returning yet, other than I know I want to. If both me and my OH go back then we can stay at my mum's for a while and would probably look to buy a fixer-upper. We've gutted and re-built homes before so it's no biggy.

If on the other hand my OH doesn't want to go back, then I shall be in the proverbial poopy. I came out here with nothing and have managed to save most of that I will of course be able to stay with my mum while I get myself sorted out, but after that I'm not so sure .... anyone know if they sell tents in Asda?

Originally Posted by dunroving

It's not even worth thinking in those terms - that way lies madness.

Many of the people I know who stayed back in the UK now own a very nice house, or often own more than one house, and were able to pay the deposit on their kids' houses. Ironically, it's often the ones who bleat the loudest about the Thatcher years who managed to get a leg up by buying their parents' council house ... of course, these are the quasi-socialists who spent most of their lives living a very upper-middle class life as university lecturers and are now retired on final salary pensions and a tax-free lump sum, thank you very much.

Originally Posted by Beedubya

Anyone you know personally?