Dunroving hit the nail on the head for me, Im the same age and wished my house was paid for too, Man I hate all the good luck stories people tell me, everybody seems to do well, what about us?
I suppose we realise we have to put up with less, can't worry about whats done.
Enjoy Your Weekend.

Well I too pondered it forever.... I am 32 and moved to South Florida when I was 12 So I grew up in the U.S for the most part. with trips to England however over the past few years I have been back every year and each time it was really hard for me to leave. i went back again this past August and all the day to day anxiety I suffer here in the states was gone. i felt "at peace, and at home" I finally felt like i belonged somewhere after feeling lost for years. i have been on anti-anxiety medication since i was 14 xanex, valium, anti-depressants but when i was in the UK i was able to not have piece of medication until the day before I had to fly back to florida where my life was just in a shambles... so i packed up all I had left of 1 broken engagment, and once a marriage and moved to my mom in South Carolina (which is hell on earth) 2 weeks ago because the 2 of us are selling it all and finally going home to the rest of our large family... i finally got that feeling of home and it was back in the UK ... so thats the leap i am making, just getting the dog prepped now... It is very scary and I will miss the beach and friends, but i have so many friends that are constantly in touch with me in the UK and In Florida life is grand if u can afford to sit on the beach all day, but when u are wearing a suit and driving in a car with crappy Air -con.. in 95 degrees and missing your family and the people in general.. its all a bit different... just my thoughts... good luck and follow your gut, there is a reason to feel like you need to go home so go with it..
Wish all of you the best , time to get excited and go home!

WOW ,good luck

So glad you have found your place ...

Gabriella

That's where we are. I don't think we can go back now.

For that reason, I'd say best to go sooner rather than later.

Awww thanks luv...

It's only stuff, it just takes a lot more planning and time to rid yourself of it all. I know we'll end up with about a dozen boxes and three tool chests and that will be paring it to the bare bones.

Good for you, I came here in my late teens, its not a place I wanted to be, but the whole family came, what was I supposed to do.
I can relate to that feeling of peace, I feel the same way when I go back, it just feels safer and something feels so right, some Brits will say its got worse of over there but thats nothing new, Ive hard that for years and still I feel safer, other than war zones nothing compares to the amount of guns and murders in this country.

A life of anti-depressant drugs and beaches has no appeal when compared to real peace and feeling good.

Life can only get better. I wish you well.

Well, my experience was that I knew in 2 weeks I wanted to come home. Hubby and I agreed to give it 6 months - which I found extremely testing!

Then at 6 months we both decided to return to the UK. We were both scared - we were worried we might get back home and regret our choice we also worried our family and friends would think we were crazy.

BUT the second we got of the plane at heathrow we knew our decision was right and now 2 years later we are both still really happy with our UK life!

We love the seasons, the green countryside, the history, the people, the TV need I go on... and are off to cornwall next week for a winter break by the beach!

Follow your heart!

I love happy endings Good for you, you are lucky that you were on the same page, Ive read so many stories where only one wants to go back and they stay here for many years unhappy.

The people are most important, you have something in common that cant be duplicated, everything else is a bonus.

Thanks Fish 'n ' Chips... All countries are messed up in some way the economy and jobs here are no better, in the 90's and early 2000's i was doing alright here but as i get older i want home back the best way I can describe it is like "slipping on a pair of old cozy slippers"... i tried it here for 20 years and i now know i am happier jumping on the no# 50 bus into birmigham city center with a bunch of mates thats have still stayed in touch and met up with me on all my visits over the years and pub hopping till its time for a curry (: Just gotta find some kid of job here in the middle of South Carolina to get me on the boat in August ... thanks for the kind words mate

Good question by OP,

No cold feet for me, slightly chilly maybe.
I had been looking forward to this move back for 18 yrs, back home
(although there was one particularly trip back and a wet weekend in London that showed me the benefits of a mild winter in North Carolina).

I had been happy to live in USA with DH, we had a nice life there and used the opportunity to visit about 40 states.
We were just average working folks, we didn't become financially rich (but that wasn't the plan) but our lives were enriched by the experience. When things were good they were good, but the summer heat became daunting, prospect of high cost of retirement (particularly healthcare) was intimidating but mainly the feeling that home and belonging was here in UK was what brought us back, me absolutely ready, DH more reserved because of the negative aspects of UK (he had got used to the negatives of USA)

When we first got back to England we saw warts and all, but since then have found the nicer side of life here and are quite happy.

Would I move back to USA ? possibly for a limited time, I bear no grudge or resentment, i enjoyed the experience, but no, I do not dream or have ambition to move back there in the way I always felt I wanted, needed, to move back to UK.

Isn't that so odd, so many of us just having this 'feeling' that UK is home and that's where we need to be, even Hayley and Fish and others that left at fairly early ages when one would have thought they would have grown into it, or acclimated, as presumably their parents expected. This forum is such a fascinating insight into human nature, thanks to all those who open the door to peek inside your hearts and minds. I feel privileged to share with you.

Best Wishes to all on your journey's.

That's WonderfulJ.J , I am glad things are going well i cant wait to back there and its always nice to read the positives.. thanks for sharing and keep enjoying home xoxo

Yes I find that interesting too. I am doing it in reverse. I am a kiwi, left and moved to the UK at 23, now at 48 'going home'. I have had a good life in the UK, but always had in the back of my mind the idea of going home. I am a bit nervous in case I get there and decide I hate it! LOL. I am renting out my house so if I change my mind I can come back. In my mind I will be giving it a year's trial to see how I feel. Feel's good at this early stage to be going home. I hope it works out but I can come back if it doesn't. Don't want to become a ping ponger though.

I sometimes worry that we are making the wrong decision.

I look at my eldest son's room ,all his belongings and his gadgets he has worked hard saving up for ...all in his cozy 12 year olds nest lol !

I know at 39 that this is not the place for him ,but he has sticky feet

My younger son is 7 and excited to leave this small town , our little girl is just turning 2 so no problem there .

The biggest reason we are leaving though (as so many have said before me ) is family and the feeling that we do not want to grow old here .

Life for the kids is lovely in some respects ...but not for us
I am hoping that by re-locating to Dorset (this time )we will find a happy place for ALL of us .

Good luck to all of us here

I am pleased to see that the banks/building societies are considering lending to us òlder folk`for a 25 year period, is this the norm now?