Virginia Dreams??
Apr 7th 2013, 10:22 pm
#46
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,448
Re: Virginia Dreams??
That was the point though, that if the OP moved somewhere rural she'd get a lot more for her money, rather than 'British suburbia'. I'm sure she'd get a bigger house in the US, but we were just pointing out that there *is* space in the UK if she moves away from the crowded suburbs. ...
My parents' house is a average small city, I'd say (over 100 miles from London), and all the houses I know of, belonging to friends, neighbors and colleagues of my parents had three or four bedrooms, and never more than two would fit a British king bed. I remember visiting a new-build house in the early 90's, and the "master" bedroom was big enough for a king bed and either a chest or a wardrobe (there were no closets); the other bedrooms were significantly smaller. So far as I can tell, those houses were typical, and there certainly looked no different from houses other towns around the country. If there are places in the UK with well paid jobs nearby and houses comparable in size to a typical American home, then that's news to me.
Last edited by Pulaski; Apr 7th 2013 at 11:16 pm.
Apr 7th 2013, 10:23 pm
#47
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
I thought this thread was about an actress I saw in an adult fi...just forget about it. But what an actress old Virginia Dreams was!
Apr 7th 2013, 11:42 pm
#48
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
We appear to be talking at cross purposes, because many people can't just up sticks and move to Shropshire. I for one, and many more like me had a job tied to London, or at least one of the other largest cities in the UK. Moving to the US gave me access to a house that in the area where I worked, i.e. London, would have run at least £1.5 - 2 million. The notion of quality being higher in the UK is moot. My home is modern weatherproof and well maintained, and if I continue to live in it, should last my lifetime. Agreed, if it was my choice it would be built of masonry and steel, with a concrete tile roof, but that doesn't necessarily make it "poor quality".
My parents' house is a average small city, I'd say (over 100 miles from London), and all the houses I know of, belonging to friends, neighbors and colleagues of my parents had three or four bedrooms, and never more than two would fit a British king bed. I remember visiting a new-build house in the early 90's, and the "master" bedroom was big enough for a king bed and either a chest or a wardrobe (there were no closets); the other bedrooms were significantly smaller. So far as I can tell, those houses were typical, and there certainly looked no different from houses other towns around the country. If there are places in the UK with well paid jobs nearby and houses comparable in size to a typical American home, then that's news to me.
My parents' house is a average small city, I'd say (over 100 miles from London), and all the houses I know of, belonging to friends, neighbors and colleagues of my parents had three or four bedrooms, and never more than two would fit a British king bed. I remember visiting a new-build house in the early 90's, and the "master" bedroom was big enough for a king bed and either a chest or a wardrobe (there were no closets); the other bedrooms were significantly smaller. So far as I can tell, those houses were typical, and there certainly looked no different from houses other towns around the country. If there are places in the UK with well paid jobs nearby and houses comparable in size to a typical American home, then that's news to me.
Apr 8th 2013, 12:58 am
#50
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Location: MA, USA
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
We appear to be talking at cross purposes, because many people can't just up sticks and move to Shropshire. I for one, and many more like me had a job tied to London, or at least one of the other largest cities in the UK. Moving to the US gave me access to a house that in the area where I worked, i.e. London, would have run at least £1.5 - 2 million. The notion of quality being higher in the UK is moot. My home is modern weatherproof and well maintained, and if I continue to live in it, should last my lifetime. Agreed, if it was my choice it would be built of masonry and steel, with a concrete tile roof, but that doesn't necessarily make it "poor quality".
My parents' house is a average small city, I'd say (over 100 miles from London), and all the houses I know of, belonging to friends, neighbors and colleagues of my parents had three or four bedrooms, and never more than two would fit a British king bed. I remember visiting a new-build house in the early 90's, and the "master" bedroom was big enough for a king bed and either a chest or a wardrobe (there were no closets); the other bedrooms were significantly smaller. So far as I can tell, those houses were typical, and there certainly looked no different from houses other towns around the country. If there are places in the UK with well paid jobs nearby and houses comparable in size to a typical American home, then that's news to me.
My parents' house is a average small city, I'd say (over 100 miles from London), and all the houses I know of, belonging to friends, neighbors and colleagues of my parents had three or four bedrooms, and never more than two would fit a British king bed. I remember visiting a new-build house in the early 90's, and the "master" bedroom was big enough for a king bed and either a chest or a wardrobe (there were no closets); the other bedrooms were significantly smaller. So far as I can tell, those houses were typical, and there certainly looked no different from houses other towns around the country. If there are places in the UK with well paid jobs nearby and houses comparable in size to a typical American home, then that's news to me.
Apr 8th 2013, 6:42 am
#51
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
We appear to be talking at cross purposes, because many people can't just up sticks and move to Shropshire. I for one, and many more like me had a job tied to London, or at least one of the other largest cities in the UK. Moving to the US gave me access to a house that in the area where I worked, i.e. London, would have run at least £1.5 - 2 million. The notion of quality being higher in the UK is moot. My home is modern weatherproof and well maintained, and if I continue to live in it, should last my lifetime. Agreed, if it was my choice it would be built of masonry and steel, with a concrete tile roof, but that doesn't necessarily make it "poor quality".
My parents' house is a average small city, I'd say (over 100 miles from London), and all the houses I know of, belonging to friends, neighbors and colleagues of my parents had three or four bedrooms, and never more than two would fit a British king bed. I remember visiting a new-build house in the early 90's, and the "master" bedroom was big enough for a king bed and either a chest or a wardrobe (there were no closets); the other bedrooms were significantly smaller. So far as I can tell, those houses were typical, and there certainly looked no different from houses other towns around the country. If there are places in the UK with well paid jobs nearby and houses comparable in size to a typical American home, then that's news to me.
My parents' house is a average small city, I'd say (over 100 miles from London), and all the houses I know of, belonging to friends, neighbors and colleagues of my parents had three or four bedrooms, and never more than two would fit a British king bed. I remember visiting a new-build house in the early 90's, and the "master" bedroom was big enough for a king bed and either a chest or a wardrobe (there were no closets); the other bedrooms were significantly smaller. So far as I can tell, those houses were typical, and there certainly looked no different from houses other towns around the country. If there are places in the UK with well paid jobs nearby and houses comparable in size to a typical American home, then that's news to me.
My husband commutes in to London every day, and we live in a house with plenty of space and with a 1.5 acre garden in a very rural farming area. I know what you're saying about a house where you worked having cost millions, but why do people have to live where they work? Our house in London would be several million pounds and that's why we don't live there.
We moved here from the suburbs, and for the same price as our tiny 4 bed house on an estate, got a much larger house (with room for several king-size beds!). We're nowhere near millionaires, but by moving to a more rural area, we've got more space.
That was what I was suggesting to the OP, not necessarily that it had to be Shropshire!
Last edited by christmasoompa; Apr 8th 2013 at 6:48 am.
Apr 8th 2013, 6:51 am
#52
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
I could take issue with several of your observations/ assertions, but, for now at least I merely point out that the reason there are houses and land in "the shires" is that there are few well paid jobs, and if there are well paid jobs it costs an arm and a leg to commute.
It may be (I know that it is) a bit different from northern Virginia all the way to Boston, but in many other parts of the US there are reasonably paid jobs and affordable houses that are much bigger than most in British suburbia. Unless you're a British millionaire, you'd be lucky if your semi has one of its 3-4 bedrooms with enough room for a British king bed. Three of my four bedrooms would easily take an American king bed.
Don't get me wrong, I don't live in a palace, or even a McMansion, I live in fairly unremarkable subdivision, it just to have all it's houses on 1 or more acres, which is about 1/6-1/8 the density of the area in the UK where my parents bought their house, and about 1/30-1/40 the density where I owned my house in London. Oh, and I took a sizeable pay cut when I immigrated.
It may be (I know that it is) a bit different from northern Virginia all the way to Boston, but in many other parts of the US there are reasonably paid jobs and affordable houses that are much bigger than most in British suburbia. Unless you're a British millionaire, you'd be lucky if your semi has one of its 3-4 bedrooms with enough room for a British king bed. Three of my four bedrooms would easily take an American king bed.
Don't get me wrong, I don't live in a palace, or even a McMansion, I live in fairly unremarkable subdivision, it just to have all it's houses on 1 or more acres, which is about 1/6-1/8 the density of the area in the UK where my parents bought their house, and about 1/30-1/40 the density where I owned my house in London. Oh, and I took a sizeable pay cut when I immigrated.
We have been looking last night at buying a small business which seems to be on offer for around 190K and according to the visas this would entitle my husband to come over and work as well if it was me that bought the business??!! We could also buy and rent a couple of houses in the UK and have an extra income from the rental....all ideas of course I need to sit down and write down the figures to see if its remotely realistic. It may be we need to leave it to all the kids are of US school age.
Apr 8th 2013, 6:56 am
#53
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
my husband also doesnt want a massive commute. having very young children he likes to see them as much as possible. he hates being away from them.
Apr 8th 2013, 7:03 am
#54
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
We have been looking last night at buying a small business which seems to be on offer for around 190K and according to the visas this would entitle my husband to come over and work as well if it was me that bought the business??!! We could also buy and rent a couple of houses in the UK and have an extra income from the rental....all ideas of course I need to sit down and write down the figures to see if its remotely realistic. It may be we need to leave it to all the kids are of US school age.
Apr 8th 2013, 7:06 am
#55
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
Out of interest, whereabouts in the Thames Valley do you live? Does your husband work in London too?
Apr 8th 2013, 8:08 am
#56
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
Yes the e2 visa. This might sound mental but we would be happy if that bought us a few years. I think we have to make sure we keep a place here and also have an exit plan. If the business takes off and we can bide our time we could stay in the states but if it doesn't work out we have had an experience and can come back here! I can't think of a better way to give my kids an education into living!! Hahahahahaha!
I live in Berkshire! He works in London most days. He doesn't mind it too much because we are so close but if we moved further out I think it would depress him!
I live in Berkshire! He works in London most days. He doesn't mind it too much because we are so close but if we moved further out I think it would depress him!
Apr 8th 2013, 10:25 am
#57
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
Apr 8th 2013, 12:21 pm
#58
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
I'm still not understanding why you think that somebody with a good job has to live in a small house in the suburbs or a town? All of the examples you mention seem to live in towns, hence my suggestion to the OP that they move to a rural area - but that doesn't have to mean moving away from jobs.
My husband commutes in to London every day, and we live in a house with plenty of space and with a 1.5 acre garden in a very rural farming area. I know what you're saying about a house where you worked having cost millions, but why do people have to live where they work? Our house in London would be several million pounds and that's why we don't live there.
We moved here from the suburbs, and for the same price as our tiny 4 bed house on an estate, got a much larger house (with room for several king-size beds!). We're nowhere near millionaires, but by moving to a more rural area, we've got more space.
That was what I was suggesting to the OP, not necessarily that it had to be Shropshire!
My husband commutes in to London every day, and we live in a house with plenty of space and with a 1.5 acre garden in a very rural farming area. I know what you're saying about a house where you worked having cost millions, but why do people have to live where they work? Our house in London would be several million pounds and that's why we don't live there.
We moved here from the suburbs, and for the same price as our tiny 4 bed house on an estate, got a much larger house (with room for several king-size beds!). We're nowhere near millionaires, but by moving to a more rural area, we've got more space.
That was what I was suggesting to the OP, not necessarily that it had to be Shropshire!
I did look at housing options when I was still in the UK, and I was not in a position to buy a significantly larger house within what I considered was an acceptable commute. The pricing was not even close, and the commutes further out were unviable from both a cost and time perspective.
There are several other possible explanations I wouldn't expect you to go into, including being on the property ladder longer than I was and/or making money on several moves up, marrying earlier than I did and starting out with two incomes, maybe even having a second house to sell after marrying, or inheriting money to put into a house. All of these could, and do, help some people, but they don't make the price of houses any lower for the rest of us.
Nothing I ever saw in the UK came close to the cost-commute-career balance I have found here. FWIW I couldn't find an acceptable balance in New York either despite considering commuting from NJ, Long Island, Westchester or further north, and CT.
Last edited by Pulaski; Apr 8th 2013 at 12:30 pm.
Apr 8th 2013, 12:46 pm
#59
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
England in particular is very densely populated - especially the South East. If you consider just England on its own, it's the most densely populated major country in Europe and 6th in the entire world according to this article:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ion-surge.html
Most immigrants to the UK settle in England and most of those settle in the South East. There's a huge strain on the infrastructure (roads, transportation, sewage treatment, etc) and public services (e.g. education, healthcare, etc).
Apr 8th 2013, 1:03 pm
#60
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Re: Virginia Dreams??
Take a look through some of the threads in the Moving Back To The UK Forums. It will give you some idea of the reasons why people want to move back to the UK...mainly from the US/Canada/Oz. If you can move here do...but research and view it with your eyes wide open. There are loads of differing opinions in threads in the US and UK forums...well worth taking the time to read through them IMO.
Personally I couldn't find (or at least I found it very difficult to find) an affordable house in the UK in an area that I wanted to live in that would also provide a reasonable commute to my job. I found that much more easily in the US. I also much prefer the weather here, the ability to find space more easily, and the much more varied climates and terrains. It's just a personal choice. I could probably live happily in the UK if I had to but I just prefer not to because, like many other people, I'm happier here.