Time to buy a car

We got a move date!

I’m coming next week to secure housing and a phone and start communicating at least with the schools and etc.
Might wanna go ahead and buy a car. Any tips would be appreciated.

We got a move date!

I’m coming next week to secure housing and a phone and start communicating at least with the schools and etc.
Might wanna go ahead and buy a car. Any tips would be appreciated.

Are you going alone? Do you have your visa yet? It's just that I don't think you'll be able to rent a property without proof of the right to live in the UK. Typically the UKC will arrange the rental then have the landlord provide a letter of permission for the visa applicant to live there.

For the car, bring evidence of your insurance history. But when is the move planned for? You might find it difficult to insure a car as a non resident.

My husband is a citizen who has lived in the town we are moving to before and who has a job in the UK and a current bank account in the UK. My visa doesn’t matter. But I am not applying for it until I get back because I don’t think it is a good idea to travel while I am in the process.

Are you going alone? Do you have your visa yet? It's just that I don't think you'll be able to rent a property without proof of the right to live in the UK. Typically the UKC will arrange the rental then have the landlord provide a letter of permission for the visa applicant to live there.

For the car, bring evidence of your insurance history. But when is the move planned for? You might find it difficult to insure a car as a non resident.

He will be doing the securing of the house. I am just going to try to find one and to look at them and to talk in person with estate agents etc. He will be the one applying once I figure out what we want.

I guess I can ask if that’s going to be a problem. Could I ensure it in my nieces name for a month? It will be in her driveway.

My husband is a citizen who has lived in the town we are moving to before and who has a job in the UK and a current bank account in the UK. My visa doesn’t matter. But I am not applying for it until I get back because I don’t think it is a good idea to travel while I am in the process.

Correct, you can't travel while it's being processed.

He will be doing the securing of the house. I am just going to try to find one and to look at them and to talk in person with estate agents etc. He will be the one applying once I figure out what we want.

I guess I can ask if that’s going to be a problem. Could I ensure it in my nieces name for a month? It will be in her driveway.

That's great, it just read as if you were going alone. 

If she's going to be looking after it, she should be insured in case she needs to move it for any reason. It might not be a problem depending on how long you're going to be away, it is something that you should check though.

Correct, you can't travel while it's being processed.

That's great, it just read as if you were going alone. 

I am going alone, but he will still be the one applying for the house. He has also spoken to several estate agents on the phone and they are all aware of his status.

Buying a car in the UK isn’t as straight forward in the USA. I remembering being so confused that I couldn’t take the car home the day I paid for it.  I’ve since bought two cars at Car Giant and would recommend. Flat pricing, decent vehicles, and you can usually drive away same day (you sort tax and insurance before leaving with the car). 

Buying a car in the UK isn’t as straight forward in the USA. I remembering being so confused that I couldn’t take the car home the day I paid for it.  I’ve since bought two cars at Car Giant and would recommend. Flat pricing, decent vehicles, and you can usually drive away same day (you sort tax and insurance before leaving with the car).

Thanks! We are going to try and see if we can get financing ahead of time. Unfortunately because we moved our move date up several months we won’t have enough saved to buy one out right. But we should be able to do a good down payment.

@Wren Black

How did the move go?  I know it was in the works for years.  I hope you are all settling in well.

@Wren Black

How did the move go?  I know it was in the works for years.  I hope you are all settling in well.

Thank you for checking! Yes I finally got here. My expedited Visa took 70 WD because they didn't expedite and then I got caught up with the whole Ukraine Humanitarian thingy. My husband came beginning of Jan, kids came 22 Feb to start school after half term and then i finally got here the beginning of May. We are still recovering from all the chaos.

Fantastic!  How has everyone adjusted?  Kids like their school?

They are doing well. We didn't get in catchment schools, but we are renting in a nearby village anyway. There WAS space in the school near the part of town where we wanna buy a house, so the little one is there and the big ones are in the only high school that currently has a special needs coordinator (which we need). So it was all for the best.  There is no such thing as a bad school in Malvern. Great place to raise some kids.

The only thing is driving. I hate that we have to drive, but I'm trying to drive into town and get errands done and walk around twice a week so we only go in once on those days (vs for both drop off and pick up as normal). That just disrupts *home things* so I've gotta figure out a schedule.
Kids love their schools, have made friends, and are excited to be with their UK cousins.

12yo has a 'twin' that's only 9 months younger than them.  7yo has a cousin 18 months younger and they are fast besties!  And there are a buncha teenagers the almost 14 yo is getting to know. Plus a few young adults that dote on them all. Everyone here is so happy to have us 'home'.

And seriously, we could not have gotten out quick enough...

Check out Auto Trader. I bought two cars from there (both used). I paid for my first car in cash, but I took out a loan through my bank for my second one. That was a much better finance option than going through the car dealership.

Also, depending on where you're at, be prepared to travel. When it was time to buy my second one, it was pretty slim pickings for the type of car I wanted. I also needed an automatic, of which there were slightly less options (still no regrets about getting an auto license  ). I ended up going two hours away to Hull for my car. It's been a great car though, so it was well worth it.

Check out Auto Trader. I bought two cars from there (both used). I paid for my first car in cash, but I took out a loan through my bank for my second one. That was a much better finance option than going through the car dealership.

Also, depending on where you're at, be prepared to travel. When it was time to buy my second one, it was pretty slim pickings for the type of car I wanted. I also needed an automatic, of which there were slightly less options (still no regrets about getting an auto license  ). I ended up going two hours away to Hull for my car. It's been a great car though, so it was well worth it.

My husband bought a car before we all arrived. But thank you!  He just bought one with cash because financing was too complicated. Now that we've established residency, we will be shopping for a hybrid, though.  Our old  minivan does NOT get good gas mileage and we live out in a village to we have to drive the. kiddos to school.