OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Jul 17th 2010, 5:23 pm
#4576
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Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Finally back home in Scotland
Posts: 1,031
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Easterndawn....Sounds like good deals at the charity shops and the auctions, you deserved a little splash after all you have gone through. How is your hubby and babies doing. Hows the job.
Charleygirl...Hope that you got home safe.... Lets see how long it takes for you to get an appointment.
Aries....Glad you came back, so sorry about your Mum... Do you have family in Australia. We talk quite a bit about that and the uncertainty on leaving them behind but most of us think its now our time and we need to move on it.
We are going to rent when we first move back and look round to see where we want to live, yes things have changed but you can still find the old life if you look hard enough.
Do what most of us have done and start cleaning up and getting things sorted out. How is the housing market in Australia. I would do just the things that need to be done to pass inspection and freshen everywhere up. People here want your home for nothing so why put more money into it. We did do jobs that needed to be done but are now sitting back and waiting. Just keeping it up and everything working well. Have all the jobs done and keep the receipts. We had septic system pumped and chimneys cleaned and all oil boilers checked out. And I have a book sat on the table so people can see what we have done. I now have bills for the electric and oil in the folder.
When you do put your place up for sale keep the pictures current. Sometimes you find places for sale with winter or spring pictures. I also have pictures in my folder of different times of the year. Goodluck its a great adventure, we are all a long time dead...
Charleygirl...Hope that you got home safe.... Lets see how long it takes for you to get an appointment.
Aries....Glad you came back, so sorry about your Mum... Do you have family in Australia. We talk quite a bit about that and the uncertainty on leaving them behind but most of us think its now our time and we need to move on it.
We are going to rent when we first move back and look round to see where we want to live, yes things have changed but you can still find the old life if you look hard enough.
Do what most of us have done and start cleaning up and getting things sorted out. How is the housing market in Australia. I would do just the things that need to be done to pass inspection and freshen everywhere up. People here want your home for nothing so why put more money into it. We did do jobs that needed to be done but are now sitting back and waiting. Just keeping it up and everything working well. Have all the jobs done and keep the receipts. We had septic system pumped and chimneys cleaned and all oil boilers checked out. And I have a book sat on the table so people can see what we have done. I now have bills for the electric and oil in the folder.
When you do put your place up for sale keep the pictures current. Sometimes you find places for sale with winter or spring pictures. I also have pictures in my folder of different times of the year. Goodluck its a great adventure, we are all a long time dead...
Jul 17th 2010, 7:36 pm
#4577
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,610
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Hello Charleygirl.... This is the help telephone number for any queries you might have it would be worth giving them a call and explaining what happened. 1-800-375-5283.
Jul 17th 2010, 9:01 pm
#4578
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Posts: 1,477
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
aries, I am not too sure what sheltered housing is but did you look at the thread. it's housing for folks of a "certain age" I believe
May not meet your needs but you might to have a gander..
May not meet your needs but you might to have a gander..
Jul 17th 2010, 10:31 pm
#4579
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Location: Back home now in my home town in England U.K. after 36 years in U.S. now retired and loving it,
Posts: 3,208
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
I've bolded the key part of that statement 
Seriously though, peoples' attitudes is the only thing I think I will have a very hard time adjusting to. I've been in America a long time and got used to a level of optimism that never was there in England and now seems even worse.
Having said that, my friends actually are not negative that way, and haven't given me the 'why would you want to come back here?' speech. My mum is the negative one and I can't for the life of me understand why. She lives in a lovely house in a gorgeous town in a wonderful part of the country. She's never been the victim of any sort of crime, nor has anyone she knows. I blame the Daily Mail, which she reads every day.
Seriously though, peoples' attitudes is the only thing I think I will have a very hard time adjusting to. I've been in America a long time and got used to a level of optimism that never was there in England and now seems even worse.
Having said that, my friends actually are not negative that way, and haven't given me the 'why would you want to come back here?' speech. My mum is the negative one and I can't for the life of me understand why. She lives in a lovely house in a gorgeous town in a wonderful part of the country. She's never been the victim of any sort of crime, nor has anyone she knows. I blame the Daily Mail, which she reads every day.
Thats interesting about your Mum being a a little negative about things, My Mum is 91 and has always been very positive in everything she says or does, and loves her country, and whenever she talks about the UK it is always good things, and whenever she talks about the weather in the winter and all the rain & cold --- she just shrugs it off and says oh well thats British weather for you, but when the sun is shining and they have had good weather for a few days she says oh the weather is so nice and loves to get out in the garden and tend to the plants on those days,
She also lives in a lovely house in Portsmouth she bought the house in the sixties,
She never has a bad thing to say about the government and all in all she has always given me the impression that she would not like to live in any other country but Britain, she has all her friends and family there, and her friends of the same age group are all very close and see each other every week,
She lives on her state pension plus half of my dads pension from his work, --- he died over 20 years ago,
But she has never complained about not having enough money to live on, throughout the years that I have gone home for my usual 3 week holiday every 4 or 5 years she always seem to be living very comfortably, and I have always been envious of the worry free outlook everyone in Britain always seem to have, I guess if you own your house mortgage free, and you have enough money to live on with your pension/pensions enough to have plenty of food and a little left over for a little enjoyment in your old age then what else do you need really, and to add to that the all time important difference is they never ever have to worry about not being able to go to the doctor or hospital because you cant afford the high price of health care like a lot of us do in the US,
Everyone I know over there takes regular holidays to places in UK and Europe, My Mum takes around 3 or 4 holidays a year with her friends,
I have never had this comfy feeling in the USA and I have lived here for 36 years, Ive never had the feeling that well this is home, I love America and its people --- but you all know what I mean I think, its always for me been a year to year struggle to survive over here,
Well thats my input for the day, take care Sally and everyone,
Rodney.
Jul 17th 2010, 10:59 pm
#4580
Home Sweet Home
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Surrey, England
Posts: 5,128
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
High Sally,
Thats interesting about your Mum being a a little negative about things, My Mum is 91 and has always been very positive in everything she says or does, and loves her country, and whenever she talks about the UK it is always good things, and whenever she talks about the weather in the winter and all the rain & cold --- she just shrugs it off and says oh well thats British weather for you, but when the sun is shining and they have had good weather for a few days she says oh the weather is so nice and loves to get out in the garden and tend to the plants on those days,
She also lives in a lovely house in Portsmouth she bought the house in the sixties,
She never has a bad thing to say about the government and all in all she has always given me the impression that she would not like to live in any other country but Britain, she has all her friends and family there, and her friends of the same age group are all very close and see each other every week,
She lives on her state pension plus half of my dads pension from his work, --- he died over 20 years ago,
But she has never complained about not having enough money to live on, throughout the years that I have gone home for my usual 3 week holiday every 4 or 5 years she always seem to be living very comfortably, and I have always been envious of the worry free outlook everyone in Britain always seem to have, I guess if you own your house mortgage free, and you have enough money to live on with your pension/pensions enough to have plenty of food and a little left over for a little enjoyment in your old age then what else do you need really, and to add to that the all time important difference is they never ever have to worry about not being able to go to the doctor or hospital because you cant afford the high price of health care like a lot of us do in the US,
Everyone I know over there takes regular holidays to places in UK and Europe, My Mum takes around 3 or 4 holidays a year with her friends,
I have never had this comfy feeling in the USA and I have lived here for 36 years, Ive never had the feeling that well this is home, I love America and its people --- but you all know what I mean I think, its always for me been a year to year struggle to survive over here,
Well thats my input for the day, take care Sally and everyone,
Rodney.
Thats interesting about your Mum being a a little negative about things, My Mum is 91 and has always been very positive in everything she says or does, and loves her country, and whenever she talks about the UK it is always good things, and whenever she talks about the weather in the winter and all the rain & cold --- she just shrugs it off and says oh well thats British weather for you, but when the sun is shining and they have had good weather for a few days she says oh the weather is so nice and loves to get out in the garden and tend to the plants on those days,
She also lives in a lovely house in Portsmouth she bought the house in the sixties,
She never has a bad thing to say about the government and all in all she has always given me the impression that she would not like to live in any other country but Britain, she has all her friends and family there, and her friends of the same age group are all very close and see each other every week,
She lives on her state pension plus half of my dads pension from his work, --- he died over 20 years ago,
But she has never complained about not having enough money to live on, throughout the years that I have gone home for my usual 3 week holiday every 4 or 5 years she always seem to be living very comfortably, and I have always been envious of the worry free outlook everyone in Britain always seem to have, I guess if you own your house mortgage free, and you have enough money to live on with your pension/pensions enough to have plenty of food and a little left over for a little enjoyment in your old age then what else do you need really, and to add to that the all time important difference is they never ever have to worry about not being able to go to the doctor or hospital because you cant afford the high price of health care like a lot of us do in the US,
Everyone I know over there takes regular holidays to places in UK and Europe, My Mum takes around 3 or 4 holidays a year with her friends,
I have never had this comfy feeling in the USA and I have lived here for 36 years, Ive never had the feeling that well this is home, I love America and its people --- but you all know what I mean I think, its always for me been a year to year struggle to survive over here,
Well thats my input for the day, take care Sally and everyone,
Rodney.
Jul 17th 2010, 11:06 pm
#4581
Home Sweet Home
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Surrey, England
Posts: 5,128
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
) you can buy properties specifically built for "over 55's" or in some cases "over 60's".Pevererel Management manage over 2000 of these properties, they are in every part of the country. Check this webpage out for properties to buy, this is not an advert LOL!!
http://www.retirementhomesearch.co.uk/
Loved the update from HKG Sue, TT good luck with more people coming to the house, ED good to hear from you, you seem to be doing well now, where is Anna? Good luck to all of you on your journeys, how long before Denise and hubby leave on their cruise ship? What a way to travel......sigh......
I move to my own little flat tomorrow and be will without the Internet for about a week
hope I don't go crazy LOL!! I wonder how many pages I will have to read when I get back online?? 
So the very best of luck to all of you and I hope your hopes, wishes and dreams keep getting nearer and nearer.................
Barb
Jul 18th 2010, 2:00 pm
#4582
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Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Now Devon
Posts: 951
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
trottytrue, yes I still have family in Australia, but I rarely see them, and we don't have much in common except being family. I've started to clear things out, beautiful books and so forth, but there is so much to do. My sister in England is now encouraging me to return, and has said that leaving things behind is all part of making a new life.
fulwood, I've already checked out sheltered housing but it isn't quite me. I'm too active and independent, though perhaps the time will come.
Beedubya, I've also checked out retirement properties, they certainly vary in their facilities. I'm surprised that many offer a shower over the bath and not separate, hardly wise for older people. If I had been in England in March I would have considered this retirement apartment in my hometown. http://tinyurl.com/yc48ycl
Unfortunately I have so much to do by myself, my head is spinning. I'm in no doubt that it will be the biggest move of my life.
fulwood, I've already checked out sheltered housing but it isn't quite me. I'm too active and independent, though perhaps the time will come.
Beedubya, I've also checked out retirement properties, they certainly vary in their facilities. I'm surprised that many offer a shower over the bath and not separate, hardly wise for older people. If I had been in England in March I would have considered this retirement apartment in my hometown. http://tinyurl.com/yc48ycl
Unfortunately I have so much to do by myself, my head is spinning. I'm in no doubt that it will be the biggest move of my life.
Jul 18th 2010, 8:00 pm
#4583
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Back home now in my home town in England U.K. after 36 years in U.S. now retired and loving it,
Posts: 3,208
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
And Rodney just on another point for people who rent and I am not sure how this works, but my mum lives in a lovely little 1 bedroom bungalow, it is owned by the local council, she has lived there and rented for about 20 years, when she turned 80 it became rent free!!!!!!
Barb the flat that you are moving into its in Sydney right? do you have any friends or family in Sydney? and would it be easier to find work there?
Anyway good luck on everything, and enjoy your new flat, as a lot of people have been saying theres nothing better having your own place and privacy,
Rodney.
Jul 19th 2010, 6:02 am
#4584
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Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Charleston SC, USA, North Yorkshire, now Malta
Posts: 632
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Also Aries (welcome BTW ) you can buy properties specifically built for "over 55's" or in some cases "over 60's".
Pevererel Management manage over 2000 of these properties, they are in every part of the country. Check this webpage out for properties to buy, this is not an advert LOL!!
http://www.retirementhomesearch.co.uk/
Loved the update from HKG Sue, TT good luck with more people coming to the house, ED good to hear from you, you seem to be doing well now, where is Anna? Good luck to all of you on your journeys, how long before Denise and hubby leave on their cruise ship? What a way to travel......sigh......
I move to my own little flat tomorrow and be will without the Internet for about a week hope I don't go crazy LOL!! I wonder how many pages I will have to read when I get back online??
So the very best of luck to all of you and I hope your hopes, wishes and dreams keep getting nearer and nearer.................
Barb
) you can buy properties specifically built for "over 55's" or in some cases "over 60's".Pevererel Management manage over 2000 of these properties, they are in every part of the country. Check this webpage out for properties to buy, this is not an advert LOL!!
http://www.retirementhomesearch.co.uk/
Loved the update from HKG Sue, TT good luck with more people coming to the house, ED good to hear from you, you seem to be doing well now, where is Anna? Good luck to all of you on your journeys, how long before Denise and hubby leave on their cruise ship? What a way to travel......sigh......
I move to my own little flat tomorrow and be will without the Internet for about a week
hope I don't go crazy LOL!! I wonder how many pages I will have to read when I get back online?? So the very best of luck to all of you and I hope your hopes, wishes and dreams keep getting nearer and nearer.................
Barb
Toooooooooooo busy Taking on tooooooooooooooo much Work (hotel) in mornings, back home for lunch, study, off to school (TEFL), exam on Friday Then written assignment, 3000 words, due by beginning August. Also, volunteering training - will be helping in library of Catholic girl's school run by nuns teaching 7-8 and 10-11 year old girls spoken English - not till October. Fitting in fun and exploring???????? No free time at all, and all activities slowed down by heat - though still not quite as bad as Charleston, less humidity here!!All those worrying about finding jobs......instead of that, worry about how to survive without a job!!! You will be much happier NOT working, so much more time for FUN and enjoying life!!!!!!!!!!!!
ciao4now
Jul 19th 2010, 12:21 pm
#4585
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Joined: Dec 2009
Location: Leicester UK
Posts: 793
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Lovely to catch up with you anna...great to hear all is going well.
Trotty I checked my delivery confirmation and it looks as if it was forwarded for me phew, for those who dont know I mailed of my citizenship ap. but sent it to an old address....... thankfully it was forwarded...... and just in case anyone else it sending of aps. make sure you dont use old instructions with an old address
Trotty I checked my delivery confirmation and it looks as if it was forwarded for me phew, for those who dont know I mailed of my citizenship ap. but sent it to an old address....... thankfully it was forwarded...... and just in case anyone else it sending of aps. make sure you dont use old instructions with an old address
Jul 19th 2010, 3:40 pm
#4586
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,197
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Lovely to hear everyone's news, I especially like the discussion on why living in England (or other parts of Britain) strikes so many of us as preferable....
In the end, it's because it is home, no-one else except others for whom it is home can ever understand.
It's very interesting that even EasternDawn, after not going back once in 45 years away, still felt she was coming home, despite the changes and the culture shock.
Readers of this thread, given our age group, might be interested to know that a survey done by the Economist says UK has been rated
THE BEST PLACE TO DIE!!!!!! sorry, not trying to be morbid! but it's important and not really funny at all, of course.
I read this in today's issue online of the expat telegraph, here's the link:
http://my.telegraph.co.uk/expat/chel...-place-to-die/
If i didn't do it right, just google telegraph expat.
Of course we know the NHS makes mistakes, there is neglect, sometimes dirty hospitals, and what will happen if they disband the health care trusts is not clear. But the survey is comforting, and I found it surprising--thought Sweden or another Scandinavian country would come out top.
For trottytrue and others trying to sell houses:
Do not despair! We have just sold ours, it was on the market since March. In our town there is so much inventory at the moment, and prices so cheap (of course we had to accept a less-than-ideal price), it's a buyer's market and we were wondering if we would ever sell.
Yet the right buyer came along, liked the house with all its quirks, and liked our style of decorating/color choices etc too.
The problem was, we had got to where we were accepting we might not sell this year--and the drawback of that attitude is that we did not start the sorting/getting rid of stuff/ process, and now we have to be OUT IN ONE MONTH!!!!!!!!!
Should have asked for more time but we wanted to be accommodating....
we have been here 22 years and have basement, attic and two floors in between!!!! HELP!!!
So learn from my example--keep the faith, believe it will happen, and START SORTING THE STUFF!
Tina,
originally from Glos, 53 years old, in Northeast PA since 1983, US husband, 3 grown children, moving to small place with no maintenance so we can spend large chunks of time in UK when husband--soon!!!--retires/cuts back work.
In the end, it's because it is home, no-one else except others for whom it is home can ever understand.
It's very interesting that even EasternDawn, after not going back once in 45 years away, still felt she was coming home, despite the changes and the culture shock.
Readers of this thread, given our age group, might be interested to know that a survey done by the Economist says UK has been rated
THE BEST PLACE TO DIE!!!!!!
sorry, not trying to be morbid! but it's important and not really funny at all, of course.I read this in today's issue online of the expat telegraph, here's the link:
http://my.telegraph.co.uk/expat/chel...-place-to-die/
If i didn't do it right, just google telegraph expat.
Of course we know the NHS makes mistakes, there is neglect, sometimes dirty hospitals, and what will happen if they disband the health care trusts is not clear. But the survey is comforting, and I found it surprising--thought Sweden or another Scandinavian country would come out top.
For trottytrue and others trying to sell houses:
Do not despair! We have just sold ours, it was on the market since March. In our town there is so much inventory at the moment, and prices so cheap (of course we had to accept a less-than-ideal price), it's a buyer's market and we were wondering if we would ever sell.
Yet the right buyer came along, liked the house with all its quirks, and liked our style of decorating/color choices etc too.
The problem was, we had got to where we were accepting we might not sell this year--and the drawback of that attitude is that we did not start the sorting/getting rid of stuff/ process, and now we have to be OUT IN ONE MONTH!!!!!!!!!
Should have asked for more time but we wanted to be accommodating....
we have been here 22 years and have basement, attic and two floors in between!!!! HELP!!!
So learn from my example--keep the faith, believe it will happen, and START SORTING THE STUFF!
Tina,
originally from Glos, 53 years old, in Northeast PA since 1983, US husband, 3 grown children, moving to small place with no maintenance so we can spend large chunks of time in UK when husband--soon!!!--retires/cuts back work.
Jul 19th 2010, 6:15 pm
#4587
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,198
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Every scheme is different and has different requirements.
For us, we looked for somewhere with the most privacy - somewhere we could "disappear in" and just get on with our lives. Our top choice was a place in Winchester and
that our name will come up soon.
Jul 19th 2010, 6:17 pm
#4588
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,198
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Jul 19th 2010, 7:58 pm
#4589
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,197
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
Re the sorting process, I forgot to say that what someone wrote earlier, repeating the advice of a sister in England, is very helpful to me, and I will try and bear it in mind:
Leaving things behind is part of beginning a new life.
(Or words to that effect; sorry, I forget who repeated these words of their sister's, and am too busy/lazy to look back and find out!)
Tina
Leaving things behind is part of beginning a new life.
(Or words to that effect; sorry, I forget who repeated these words of their sister's, and am too busy/lazy to look back and find out!)
Tina
Jul 19th 2010, 9:45 pm
#4590
Finally Home!
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Used to be New York, now North Yorkshire
Posts: 3,610
Re: OVER 50's & 60's MOVING BACK TO THE UK.
I'm finding the sorting a bit depressing just because we keep taking carloads of stuff to the Salvation Army and other stuff to the dump and no matter how many times we go, we barely seem to make a dent!
How on earth do we all accumulate so much stuff???
How on earth do we all accumulate so much stuff???