Giantaxe

You have to pick your places and type of property, imo. For example, I would only consider a unit in an apartment building in the UK, preferably one with some kind of security separate from the unit itself. I live in a condo at this end so upkeep of a garden/swimming pool isn't an issue. I'd also pick a location on one side or other where the public transport meant a car wasn't essential. Insurance is tricky as is NHS eligibility. I wouldn't split time until I was Medicare-eligible, but of course that doesn't cover me in the UK. I have US citizenship so the time split isn't an issue in that regard.

robin1234

OK, I see what you mean. This is probably not something you'd want to attempt unless both of you (as a married couple) were dual citizens.

Englishmum

Well you don't necessarily have to return to the UK; if you are both British Citizens then you are able to live and work in any of the EU countries. It sounds as if you enjoy living in a warm/mild climate, so perhaps a nice little place in Provence, France or perhaps Italy, Spain or Cyprus might suit?

Mandana

Thanks everyone.

You've made it more than obvious this is a lovely idea, but totally impractical. Only the very rich and famous are able to own and live in more than one country, and we're not in that league at all.

Apart from the property complexities (not forgetting tax implications, empty houses/apartments etc etc), there are two things I temporarily overlooked. Our cats!

I couldn't live without them for any length of time. Even a week away is too long sometimes, so months at a time is out of thr question.

Englishmum, I did put Europe to my OH. We'll have to work on that!

lucelib

I'm currently living in St Andrews and there's no sign of Donald Trump...yet! A few more major hotels moving into the area, however, so who knows what will happen in the next few years!

Bomjeito

Donald Trump's Golf World is up in North Aberdeenshire, not in Fyfe.

Yeah, the Donald said he's going to build in the "Home of Golf" but he's taken that expression as to be 'somewhere in Scotland'.

WEBlue

So . . . is there NO ONE here in this forum who lives half-time in the US & half in the UK? It just won't work?

DH & I always had that dream, & some other expat couples I know have said they'd love to try it. Has anyone here *really* tried to do it?

cheers

May I ask why?

Orangepants

A friend's parents live 5 months in Malta and 7 months in the Cayman Islands but they are ridiculously wealthy, even so they just keep a small place in Malta due to costs - I tried to wangle a visit a couple of years ago but they said the only available space was in the barn with the horses!

Englishmum

Well...I live here in the US and also in Switzerland as my spouse is on an expat posting there. He was in Singapore before that.

robin1234

Of course it will work. But, there are certain things you have to put in place, plan ahead for, as several people have mentioned. In practical terms, important ones are that your homes need to be either flats in a development where you pay a monthly fee for common services (condominium or similar) and no garden, no pets, not even any house plants..! Or, you have family members or trusted friends nearby who can check on the property and water the house plants etc.

Then, you need to have a realistic financial plan in place that takes account of the extra cost of living in two countries, including the travel between etc.

There are other hurdles.. not least the tax consequences.. but those are surmountable, if you have the practicalities in place already.

cheers

Would you say its incredibly beautiful in Switzerland?

Englishmum

Yes. Well it is where we are.....the flat is across the street from Lake Zug and we see the most incredible sunsets. There is a little park and beach just a 30 second walk from our condo - last Summer I was swimming in the lake and could sense something next to me.....it was one of the swans swimming beside me! There is also a bar/restaurant and the locals sail up in their yachts for a beer and a meal.

If I look out of the bedrooms we are facing a farm, cherry/apple orchards and the Zugerberg...we often see hang-gliders coming in to land on the field. However, if we have the patio doors or windows open in the Summer we can hear the constant sound of bells, either from the cows, goats, sheep or nearby church....I don't know why the farm animals have the desire to go wandering around at 3am but they do!

If we lean out of the bedroom windows and look to the right we can see Mount Rigi (southern Alps, about 30 mins drive away) .....and a few thousand yards away there is the largest psychiatric clinic in Switzerland, which looks like a palace lol!

You can see the local webcams during daylight hours:

http://www.zug-tourismus.ch/en/page.cfm/WebcamsZT

http://www.zug-tourismus.ch/en/welco...h#/welcome.cfm

The only downsides are that it is sooo expensive there, and personally I just can't understand Swiss German.

Jerseygirl

Your situation is a diferent as I presume your husband's company pick up the tab in Switzerland.

coastieexpat

My long term plan is to try and live part time in both countries. I have a 5 acre parcel in the redwoods which I intend to put a small cabin on , that should keep my expenses to a minimum in the U.S. I also plan to get a narrowboat in the UK , I've found a fairly cheap berth up in Manchester where I can keep it over the winter.

I estimate that my expenses should be under $1,000 dollars a month for both countries.

If I can get it together I would eventually like to get a small flat in the UK, but that takes more $$.

For now I will just keep working and saving.

So although I have yet to do it, I do believe it is possible.