bigalintheusa

Hi,

Useful website this and one we've used to help inform our decision to move. Thanks for the great insights.

We (me and my wife) relocate to Pittsburgh in 10 days (both mid 30's) from the UK.

We get a company paid apartment and car for 2 months, to allow us to sort ourselves out, as it is an inter-company transfer on an L1 for me, L2 for her.

We've sorted a lease car through IAS.

What's left to worry about, sort out whilst we are in the UK? Packing is all taken care of, visas are approved...

Few things on my mind that I'm going to search for on here later are below. Let me know if you have any good links to them already or anything else to add to my list if you can? It would be a big help:

1) Car Insurance - how, who with, methods to get the premium down if at all
2) Credit rating - seeing what HSBC can do, looking at transferring cash over as an emergency fund etc
3) Applying for a SSN, EAD for my wife, Driver licence
4) Best use of a "location consultant" who we get for a couple of days once we land
5) Renting our own place for 6-12 months - what do we need, where would we like to live, what are our options and googling condos etc
6) UK Tax accounting - should be ok with this
7) Health cover all sorted through the company - just need to know how to use it before we land just in case
8) Cultural insights - will google for advice on this

I'm sure I had more but nothing else comes to mind.

If anyone wants advice on moving to India - let me know - we've just come back from 2 years there!

Thanks in advance,
Al

Pulaski

Driving license. I don't know for sure what time is allowed in PA, but I'll guarantee you only have a few weeks, or less, after you arrive to get a PA license.

IME HSBC sucks, and are almost entirely confined to New York. I was with them when I first came over, but wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

Sally Redux

You might need to use the international club thingy (it used to be AIG) to get the car insurance started. I think you get the info on it through International Autosource.

Google your local DMV re licence.

US tax accounting will be needed I think, or maybe it's different on L1.

Health cover comes in a lot of different flavours, so depends which kind you've got as to how it's used.

Bob

The wiki, up top...there's a good list of stuff to consider doing before the move and when you first arrive...

As for the Q's

1) Time, state minimum, older car with off street and covered parking...as for who, ask co-workers.
2) Wiki...it's been covered a lot
3) Do it in 10 days. Company should have sorted that. Check state DMV and do it as soon as practical.
4) Questions about school, utilities and drive around areas
5) 6 month lease won't be likely or will be pricey, you're in a cold winter place and they usually want 12 month lease to see out the winter. padmapper.com and a large wedge of cash
7) Ask HR, depends on your coverage
8) There isn't any

Hawkini

+1 - we were with HSBC when we moved over, thought it was great having a bank in both countries - but yes, quick realization was very much NY based, deposits had to be posted (yuk), probably mobile deposits now but still - no branches = phone calls and endless hours speaking with first line support.

Open a Wells Fargo account - can't really go wrong unless you have a strong recommendation from someone you know for another bank.

Pulaski

I have a strong recommendation for a bank account: Wells Fargo. .... You just need an xe.com account for the most economical transfers between the US and UK.

Hawkini

Well OK - my strong recommendation would be Wells Fargo as well - but they don't know me so was leaving it open

kodokan

HSBC is fine if you only want it for the initial credit history 'transfer'; they gave us a credit card with a whacking limit from Day One which enabled us to build an excellent US credit history in a very short time.

But yeah, as a day to day bank, they're entirely pointless - we opened a Chase account based on their branch being nearest our house, and they've been great. Pick any major banking chain, based on branch location and whose phone banking app you like best; they're all much of a muchness.

Pulaski

Not true, Bank of America does not have a good reputation for customer service.

Bob

And their customer service is one of their better aspects

lansbury

nor does Wells Fargo in this household. I'd go with BoA before I went back to the Wells Fargo.

Find a local credit union and bank with them. Most now do free ATM withdrawals from other credit union machines, so a huge network when traveling.

Awesome Welles

Cultural insights and Pittsburg? I see no connection.

steveq

Symphony Orchestra ?
World ranked University ?
Close to two of the best Frank LLoyd Wright building in the world ?

bigalintheusa

Thanks for all the replies.

DL - yep, will do ASAP once we can. I hear we'll have to wait 10 days before we can apply for the SSN, so that starts the ball rolling I guess

HSBC and banks - already written off HSBC as premier account is too costly and doesn't offer any extra benefits useful to me. Concerned also that they are not easily accessible. Chase have been recommened by a few friends, but will see how it looks when we land

Culture and Pittsburgh - I must admit I've had plenty of sneaky comments regarding it being dull, worn down, uninteresting, "where is it", etc. But it seems that when you investigate it, those opinions are decades old. But then I would be feeling positive about the place, I'm relocating there in 10 days.

Any good suggestions of meetup groups etc? Ones to steer clear of? Bangalore, India had a good selection, but some were definitely only for the single and available types!

Any thoughts on realtors vs private landlords? Our relocation assistant is pushing us towards commercially owned rental accommodation rather than private landlords, but the prices are seriously high...

Good that no one has suggested anything significant we have missed. Reassuring.

al

steveq

We're happy to arrange a western Pa. meetup when we settle in too. Moving mid-July.

Steve (and Lizzyq)