Living the dream

Making the move - for good!

Economic problems, summer floods, little prospect of any hint of summer weather – it is little wonder that more and more Brits are considering life overseas as a permanent move. BuyAssociation.co.uk Property Editor Paul Collins looks at how, where and what to do if you’re leaving these shores for good.

Introduction

Looking back over the past four or five months, it is difficult not to despair at the state of life in the UK. Now, this isn’t going to be a rant about the political and social situation of the country, but when you look at the economy and the ‘summer’ weather, it is almost impossible not to sympathise with those who choose to head overseas permanently.

So if you are gazing at the grey, rain-laden skies, or at the red ink marking the mortgage or bank interest rates, and dreaming of a better, less-stressful life, read on to find out what you need to think about, and how to take the first steps on making the move abroad.

Motives for Moving Abroad

The tough thing about making the decision to move away from what has likely been your home for many years, is trying to keep emotions in check and making sure you are taking your decision for the right reasons. It is almost impossible to tell anyone planning on making this kind of move to leave emotion out of things, and it would be wrong to do so. Moving home is an emotional decision - as it should be – and buying a new home abroad should be equally emotional. The important thing is to make sure some good economic reasoning and practical sense comes into the thinking to make it a balanced and considered choice

This starts with talking to people. Ultimately, it will be your decision to move overseas, and most people find that it is the best decision they have ever taken in their lives, but you have to be aware of the impact it will have on others. Family, friends and neighbours will all miss your company, so the more you are able to talk to them about the move, the better they will feel about it and supporting your decision. You can even involve those close to you in the process, which should put them more at ease about the fact that you will no longer be around all the time.

While you are ultimately moving for lifestyle reasons, unless you are retired you will need to have an income to maintain your new life in the sun. This is possibly the part of the process that will need the most planning, as its success will determine whether you are ultimately able to live overseas and make a new life away form the UK. Some professions are instantly transferable – skilled trades are often in short supply in many of the most popular emigration destinations, and many functions such as sales, marketing, administration and other office-based roles are similar the world over. However, if you can sort out a position ahead of making the move, you will find the process of settling in much easier and quicker.

At the same time, many people use the change in their circumstances to change careers, often to take up something they have always dreamed of doing. This is a great opportunity, but you have to research and prepare just as much as if you were changing career anywhere else. Just because you are moving to rural France and have always wanted to run a B&B does not mean that it will automatically make you money – you have to plan, research, create business growth plans, market and adapt to the change in working life. Taking the same example, many people who have made the change to run some kind of hotel or B&B are shocked at the long hours and lack of time off they get in their new life.

Where I lay my hat

When you come to thinking about where you would like to move to, it is likely you will already have a good idea of where your dream destination will be – often people have a long-held dream or ambition of the place they would like to live. However, it is still important to make sure you know as much as possible about where you are going to move, and that you are going to be comfortable there full-time – more on that later.

The most popular destinations for people who are emigrating overseas are Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Florida and France. Beyond these places, more people than ever are making their homes in places like Portugal, Cyprus, Turkey and Dubai. Possibly the reason behind the popularity of the major emigration destinations is that they all have at least some similarity to life in the UK. Socially and culturally, it is far easier to adjust to life in Australia or Canada than it would be in Egypt or Greece. Not only is the language the same, but the working culture, social structure and even the legal and administrative frameworks governing the country are similar to what migrants will be used to at home in the UK.

While it makes the process of settling in and getting into the stride of life in a new country much easier to have things that are familiar, it is important to remember that all countries have their own little quirks that will try the patience of anyone who lives there. Be prepared for these little differences, they can make quite a difference to your daily life.

Another thing to look out for with your choice of location for you new home, is to make sure you are happy to spend the whole year there. Even if you have been to your chosen destination on holiday for the past 20 years, living there could be a very different prospect. To begin with, how will it feel to be on the other side of the fence when your home town is descended upon by thousands of tourists for the summer months every year? And by the same token, will you feel the same about living in a seaside town during the winter, when there are few other people in permanent residence? By no means are these reasons to change your mind, but it pays to be prepared for everything you can, as well as making sure you have visited at all times of the year before you move for good.

Many people are tempted by moving to the farther-flung corners of the world, to places like Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The pull of a new life in a completely different location can be strong, and for many it is the perfect solution – after all, if you’re going to move overseas, the difference between 1,000 mile and 10,000 miles from the UK isn’t so much, is it? Well, it is true that the availability of flights to all parts of the globe on a regular basis makes travelling there far easier, but as we have seen in recent weeks and months, even normal fluctuations in the market price of oil can make airlines go bust. There is always the possibility of the oil price, and therefore airfares, rising sharply again. Add to this the time and expense it could cost for your family and friends to come and visit on the other side of the world, and it bears thinking about to make sure you are comfortable with being so far away from the UK.

Nuts and bolts

Once you have decided that life away from the UK is your dream, and have considered all of the possible eventualities, then you can begin the process of finding your home and making the move. The property search in many ways is the most fun part of the whole process – not only will you get to check out the different properties and options that are on the market, it is the first concrete step in making this huge step towards a new life overseas.

The same rules apply to going on inspection trips and property viewings in this situation as if you were buying a holiday home. Make sure you are not rushed or pressured into signing anything with respect to buying a property until you are completely ready; have carried out the appropriate background and legal checks; and have had time to think things through, away from the excitement of the viewing trip. If anything, take more time over your decision than you would over a holiday home, as this will be your home for the foreseeable future.

If you are looking to buy on a larger development, consider how the rest of the properties on the site are going to be used. Is it made up mainly of expats like yourselves, who will be in residence all of the time? Or is it likely to be more a case of the owners of the other properties using them as holiday homes, or renting them out to other tourists – which brings the possibility that you will find the development almost empty at some points of the year. Also, check that any development facilities – pools, shops, bars, restaurants, or even golf courses – are open throughout the year for you to use.

If you are looking for a townhouse, or a property in the middle of an established community, make sure you are prepared to integrate into the local community. Make an effort to learn some of the language, which will go a long way to helping the locals adapt to your arrival, and you will be surprised how a little effort pays huge dividends in getting to know people.

A renovation project will bring its own set of issues. Not only will you have to budget for the work to be carried out, you should take care to make sure you plan so that the property is habitable while the renovation work is being carried out. Otherwise, you will need to have the work done before you move, or take on the added expense of renting nearby while the work is done.

Paperwork

After the excitement of buying your new home in the sun comes the boring but important task of making sure you have all of the necessary paperwork in place to allow you to move overseas and be a ‘regular’ citizen from the off.

The first question to sort out is the visa issue. Even though Canada, Australia and New Zealand are formed British colonies, you will still need an approved visa to be able to live there. This can be a process of jumping through some administrative hoops, making sure you fulfil the requirements of the authorities in terms of funds in the bank, employment or retirement status, and that you have all of the necessary documents for your application to be processed.

The most desirable countries are always oversubscribed for permanent residential visas, so it is by no means a foregone conclusion that a visa will always be granted. Make sure you speak to a visa specialist right at the beginning of the process; as soon as you have decided where it is you want to move. Specialised companies can help you with your application, and make sure you have the best chance of being accepted.

In European countries that are members of the EU, UK citizens are free to move and live there; though in some instances it will be necessary to become resident if you are there for more than 183 days (or half the year) in any one year.

Make sure you also consider the implications of your choice of destination on your tax status – some countries will have much higher or lower income tax, property taxes and personal taxes that should be taken into account when you are budgeting for your new life.

If you are keeping property or other assets in the UK, or if you are making regular payments back to this country for any reason, make sure you use the services of one of the specialist currency exchange companies, and not your High Street bank. Not only will you get a much better exchange rate, you will also benefit form their services for regular payments, forward buying and commission-free exchange in some cases. Click here for more details.

Saying goodbye

Once you have everything in order, the property bought, the job arranged, visas stamped and your bags packed, you will be ready to leave! Saying goodbye can be a long process, or a quick ‘adieu’ - a decision which is entirely up to you and how you want to handle things. It may also depend on how long it will be before you have the pleasure of the company of family and friends again, and when they will come to visit.

The trip out to your new home will be a daunting one, but one that should be viewed with excitement rather than fear. If you have made sure of everything you need to beforehand, the process should all work smoothly and be in place by the time you arrive. Removals firms are now much more efficient than used to be the case, and many will at the very least put your boxes in the appropriate rooms to make life easier. Some companies even offer to unpack essentials for you, so you can make a cup of tea and a sandwich as soon as you arrive!

If you are taking your beloved pets to your new life with you, make sure you consider the cost of transporting them overseas as well. Stories have it that it is often as expensive, if not more costly, to get Fido or Tiddles to their new home than it is for the adults!

Related Articles

• Emigration Fact Sheet
• Buying a Property in Australia
• Buying a Property in Canada
• Buying a Property in New Zealand
• Buying a Property in Florida
• Buying a Property in France
• Buying a Property in Spain
• Buying a Property in Portugal
• Buying a Property in Cyprus
• Buying a Property in Turkey
• Buying a Property in Dubai
• Foreign Property Purchase: Currency Issues