The "thinking about it" club for Unrepatriating. :) UK->US->UK?

Since we talked about it a bit over in Welcome Wagon... I know there are at least 4 of us in the seriously thinking about it stage of moving back to the UK after having repatriated back to the US. Anyone wanna chat about it? Honeybee, what stage are you in for a 2010 move?

My wife & I (we've lived in America since 1991) are thinking of retiring in summer 2010, spending extended periods in the UK next fall, and possibly buying a house in England as a second home, with a view to thinking about becoming resident in the UK sometime over the next couple of years.

She's a US citizen, born & bred, I'm a dual US/UK citizen, originally from England.  Our children have been gone for a few years; one lives in London now, the other in Massachusetts.  We lived in the UK 1973-1976, US 1976-1979, UK 1979-1991, and since 1991 in the US.

We've lived for 12 years in a small rural town that makes sense for our current jobs (prison & college respectively) but makes less sense in retirement because we don't really have close friends here.  Britain strikes me as being more "senior-friendly" than the US (walkable towns and cities, good public transport, milder winter/summer weather, National Health Service, interesting places to visit & vacation.)  I realise that a lot of this is subjective...

*raises hand*! I want to join this club! 

Unfortunately, we're stuck here in the US until we can sort out what to do with our properties. It's not as easy as it was when we first moved to the UK - with no children and no mortgages!  *sigh*

Woo-hoo! Sign me up as a charter member. 

I'm hoping our trip back next month will get DH excited about the prospect of a move back. (fingers crossed) 

I'm hoping our trip back next month will get DH excited about the prospect of a move back. (fingers crossed) 

 

So are you the one who instigated the move? I was, and it took some time to convince the British DH!

I too am in the thinking about it stage - but my DH and I are probably just about to commit to the move.  I definitely think a lot of it is subjective, but it is nice to have some of my thoughts spoken by other people in the world.  Sometimes when you talk to someone without the experience in living in both places you end up feeling like you're crazy for suggesting the return.

Also I think there's a bit of a fear factor involved in uprooting your current life so wholly.  Although with technology these days it seems like it's easier - blogs, skype, facebook - etc. - easier than ever to keep in touch and even to see people you love live online!

Anyway - I'm definitely joining the club - It'll be nice to have someplace to update about our plans!
By the way - I'm so impressed by your multiple moves! 

We lived in the UK 1973-1976, US 1976-1979, UK 1979-1991, and since 1991 in the US.

And I agree with your assessment here:

Britain strikes me as being more "senior-friendly" than the US (walkable towns and cities, good public transport, milder winter/summer weather, National Health Service, interesting places to visit & vacation.)  I realise that a lot of this is subjective...

Good luck - it worked for my husband and I - we visited this June and just fell in love with England all over again.  I think part of our desire is based on the amount of time that we have to wait between trips to see the UK - we went walking in the Peak district and were just so impressed again by the availability of nature and history in the UK.

Woo-hoo! Sign me up as a charter member. 

I'm hoping our trip back next month will get DH excited about the prospect of a move back. (fingers crossed) 

We are the other end of the move we are considering moving back to the US, next year, I completely understand the what if's and the selling up everything but we figured it might be easier with family and that is what draws us to the US, a better family life (family over there).

But we need to sell up everything first so it becomes a catch 22 what do you do, the other thing we will be sad to leave behind is the NHS whilst it is not perfect it is a safety net in the most part.

Good luck to anyone moving this way.

Sonya

Good luck - it worked for my husband and I - we visited this June and just fell in love with England all over again.  I think part of our desire is based on the amount of time that we have to wait between trips to see the UK - we went walking in the Peak district and were just so impressed again by the availability of nature and history in the UK.

I'm just hoping we aren't coming at the wrong time of the year! We're going the last week of October. I'm afraid if it's too cold & gloomy DH will be scared off.

Meanwhile I'm addicted to RightMove - I can't stop looking at houses!  Hubby knows I look but I think he believes it's harmless fun. Silly boy. 

But then again, he was the one last week who was saying that despite the income difference we aren't any better off here than we were there.

There really is a lot to think about.

Meanwhile I'm addicted to RightMove - I can't stop looking at houses! 

me too.

Our potential move back has a lot to do with my husband's job. And in the next 6 weeks we shuold be getting a big piece of news about the future of the company here, news that is going to push us off the fence to one side or the other. But really, at this point, one side of the fence is Move ASAP and the other side of the fence is Move in 2 years. Staying put here in America has sort of drifted out of our future view it seems.

Its been a gradual shift, for sure. And the reasons for staying in the US a little longer would be purely financial, so we could move with $ in our pockets instead of owing.

A big shift has happened in the last few weeks that has really made us think we're just deciding on WHEN to do it, not if. And I'm all about wanting to do it in the summer so that my 5 yr olds school schedule isn't disrupted... which means a quick move (9 months!) or a long way away (21 months or 33 etc)

God I've got so much to say about this, but running short on time today. I'm glad I've found a group to sympathize with.

Meanwhile I'm addicted to RightMove - I can't stop looking at houses!  Hubby knows I look but I think he believes it's harmless fun. Silly boy. 

Oh that RightMove is nice.  Thanks for the tip!  I usually use Globrix, similar functions but I imagine you get a slightly different group of properties.
I think elder care issues become important in these decisions as you get older.  Even if you are younger, you have to think of consequences down the road if you relocate to another continent.  My parents were in their 60s/70s when we left the UK in 1991.  I did what I could from my remote location in America, but essentially my sister in England was left holding the baby; and being primary carer for our parents for 15+ years took its toll-- destroyed her marriage, for one thing.  Here in America, we encouraged my mother-in-law to come and live near us in an independent living facility when she realised she could no longer manage in Florida with no family close by.  We're very glad she did, we were able to share a lot with her in her final four or five years of life.  Now she's gone, and we're able to think of retiring, we can make a decision about where to live (possibly the UK) based on our own needs and wants...

I'm gently trying to broach this subject with my husband.

His parents have just recently retired. Though they are in reasonable health, and sensibly bought a home near my brother-in-law, I know my husband would want to be involved in future decisions regarding their care.

My parents are no longer living so I don't feel the need to stay here for anyone. As for him, he tells me that his parents wouldn't want him to make sacrifices just to be near them. But I know if we weren't there and something happened to his parents he would always regret it.

I don't want him to move back out of guilt though. He needs to want this for the right reasons.

Since we talked about it a bit over in Welcome Wagon... I know there are at least 4 of us in the seriously thinking about it stage of moving back to the UK after having repatriated back to the US. Anyone wanna chat about it? Honeybee, what stage are you in for a 2010 move?

eeeek I was just reading some of your posts on DCL filings from years ago.  Once I move back I don't think I will ever move again.  Good luck!

Well a lot has changed since then, that's for sure. We've had a lot of medical emergencies over here and the cost of them has been crippling. My mother died, and my family - while still close - has sort of spread out. With skype and facebook, we're able to keep better in touch anyway. We don't want the same things we wanted 5 years ago, before we were a family with kids. And we've found that even with the better salary over here, our cost of living has been very high over here in the US, compared to what it was in Cambridgeshire. Etc etc etc, a lot has changed in my family, on my mind, and in our marriage... a lot... and we always knew we wanted to live in both countries before we make our choice of where to live during the kids' school years. We have now... and life has been funny, and who knew? I didn't.

Marlespo - we're on that 9 month plan that you discussed.  Actually more like 8 months.  The biggest hurdle we have right now is selling our house, because the market is so unpredictable right now.

We've just begun the process of applying for my Dh's US citizenship- and next we're planning on submitting for my son's British passport.  Then I'll travel to the UK to take the LifeintheUK test.  Then once our house sells we'll use an expediter to do the spouse visa and hopefully be able to apply for the LPR straight away.  I've begun to study for the test this week. Very exciting.

Some of the intimidating bits that we still have ahead of us are:
selling the house
healthcare visits to prepare for UK (specialists etc just to cover us for awhile)
dealing with 401k, 529, State employee pension -
Selling stuff - furniture, cars, etc.
Closing accounts everywhere
Jobs - here (leaving them) there (getting them)

Have you thought of anything else that you need to do to make the move?  I hate that so much of what needs to be done is huge, but can't really be accomplished until right before you're ready to go.  Also I have started going through stuff and thinking of who in my life I can give it to - who would appreciate it - sort of like when you die right? 

Only I'm totally scared that I'll give it all away and then it will somehow all fall through and we'll decide to stay and I'll feel really dumb. LOL  Anyone else have this feeling about their decision - like there's no way to officially make it set in stone?

Can he get his citizenship in as short as 9 months? Last I read it took right around that time to process, 9-10 months or so. What have you found out?

I desperately want something set in stone, but that won't be coming for the next 6 weeks or so. Then, if the job changes and he gets transferred to a new company (buyouts happening etc) then we'd stay put for another year or so to save money... and if you're looking at a 21 month timeline it very much feels NOT set in stone! :/