I think UK house prices must be a big mental and cultural barrier to almost anyone thinking about coming here from the US. The only exceptions I can think of, expat-wise, are those who owned a house before they left or are wealthy enough that it doesn't matter.

I was quite stressed financially when I first came back because (a) the size of house and yard, and the "crowded" feel of British streets was so different from the US, and (b) my monthly mortgage payment was just silly, for a bog standard ex-council house.

I think you do eventually get used to the "smaller inside and out" issue (except when I see programs on TV that show typical US houses and I pine for my nice back yard in a spacious neighborhood). In some ways you even appreciate it (easier to take care of, warmer in winter, more manageable garden - and more interesting things to grow, with NO WATERING NECESSARY (yeehaw!).

But I also realised that my salary was a bit higher and through nearly 7 years of brutal saving (no toys, no holidays, no splashing out on anything), I now have enough to pay off a substantial portion of my outstanding mortgage.

Additionally, the welfare state in all its shapes and sizes means of course that you are financially much more secure - what good is a nice US house if you bankrupt yourself by getting a serious illness, for example? And no time off work to enjoy your home?

I'm sure with the right information you can persuade your S-I-L's to move here!

"Scots - we arra people - and we'll stick the heid on you if you disagree"

Hit the nail on the head, again... I do find your posts to be very thoughtful and with good logic.

Haha, you have reminded me of another advantage in returning...no big lawn to water OR mow! We do grow veggies now, but they have to be in earth boxes as the soil is too sandy here, and inside our pool screen so we don't have to spray for bugs!

"Watering the Garden" Here in Scotland we have made arrangements with the Big Man Upstairs. He waters our place every day !

I posted

"Americans - strange people - but very polite!"

The corollary must be :

"English - strange people - and very rude !"

What I was trying to get over is that if English think Americans are polite, then the logic is that the English must seem rude in comparison.

Any whiff of criticism and I am accused of Anglophobia. I do not discriminate. I hate EVERYONE !

No kidding, last night a thought just popped into my head "well at least I never have a problem with my lawn or flowers here" and it brought back memories of the retic and all the water granules we had to buy etc and no matter what potting mix we used most of our plants either kicked the bucket or just withered on for months in the heat lol..our next door neighbours had really green lawns (same grass as ours) then during the night I heard their retics come on (and not on their designated day) and for quite a while...hence their green lawns etc lol..

Is a "retic" a garden sprinkler?

I never could afford a sprinkler system and any time I left on a trip for more than a few days I'd be worried all those plants I had spent good money on would be all shrivelled up when I got back. In the height of the summer it wouldn't take long without manual watering for them to kick the bucket.

We have found people to be extremely friendly, polite and very helpful generally speaking. There are of course always exceptions but 99 out of 100 seem to fit that description. Its really odd because I have read elsewhere on this forum that the British are unfriendly, wont look you in the eye on the street and are miserable.

Depends where you go !! Incredibly varied country ! (Or countries, depending on your perspective !)

Same here !! we visit each year and have found people friendly,you will always get the exceptions.

I marvel at it every time I go back; the difference I find between home and Brisbane is that if they bother to talk to you and appear friendly at home then its almost always genuine. Here there is a false veneer thats very hard to get through. At home, whether they actually care or not most people appear to care and have an interest. Here its more "äh well, your life, tough luck, who cares - next...."

Yes it is a sprinkler system and I would say most homes have them in Perth (hose pipes just dont cut it lol) we never use to leave our retic on when we went away as for the same fear, (we had installed both automated and manual retic)we once asked our neighbour if they could turn the manual retic on once a week (you were allowed your retic on twice a week for a certain time on a certain day when we lived in Perth) for us as we were overseas for a number of weeks on this one occasion, (I use to help them out with lifts etc) we really did not want to "put on them" but we had just laid a new..ish..lawn and did not want it to die,well when we got back home our lawn,plants etc had shrivelled and given up the fight, our neighbours said they had forgot and then asked if I could drop his partner off at an appointment near the City..lol...I DID..

Of course it depends where you go, same with anything and goes without saying I would have thought.

For a small country UK is in fact much more varied than many larger ones. Travel a few miles here and you will see huge differences, in culture, language, cookery and all tghe other vaspects of "Culture". Class is another variant that outsiders often do not fully grasp !

The UK really is quite an odd place !