Where to retire in the UK

[CharlesdeGaulle]

ElectricSoup said:

I'm going to Slovenia. I can because I'm an EU national as well as a UK citizen. Why? Skiing in the winter, cheap property and low cost of living, stunning mountain scenery, not far from the Adriatic coast for the summer months, laid back locals with no chips on shoulders and great, inexpensive local food and wine (and beer), it's absolutely ideal and there aren't hoards of "urbanisation" type Brits there to ruin it either.

I'll keep a small house in the UK as well though and spend some time here to maintain contact with friends and family, probably will go for South Oxfordshire/Wiltshire for a balance of accessibility, resonably priced property and proximity to those friends/family. Much as I'd dearly love it to be in Scotland, it's just logistically more difficult and I've no family or friends up there any more. Also part of the plan is a decent motorhome for long-ish term trips around the continent, particularly France, and in the winter months, Spain/Greece/Malta.

That should keep me busy.

That's the sort of plan that I have, although at the moment I suspect it'll be Portugal rather than Slovenia.

[ElectricSoup]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

That's the sort of plan that I have, although at the moment I suspect it'll be Portugal rather than Slovenia.

That's a good choice too. I prefer to Portugal to Spain. How do you envisage getting round limits on staying in the EU post-Brexit?

I'm going with Slovenia because of skiing and I speaka da lingo.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

ElectricSoup said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

That's the sort of plan that I have, although at the moment I suspect it'll be Portugal rather than Slovenia.

That's a good choice too. I prefer to Portugal to Spain. How do you envisage getting round limits on staying in the EU post-Brexit?

I'm going with Slovenia because of skiing and I speaka da lingo.

Not certain yet. At the moment I have diplomatic status in the EU but that won't last beyond retirement. By then I think things will settle, and visa and residency rules will be clear. I suspect it will be pretty straightforward.

I need to go and visit Slovenia. I've never been but I think it was you that has mentioned moving and buying out there before and it sounds interesting. I don't have the lingo though.

[Ken Figenus]

I almost bought a property in Greece just before COVID struck as that is a retirement dream - PHEW - glad we failed to agree on some minor details as we would have needed the rental income to afford it! Just starting to look again and I think you can still get residency visa if you spend over 250k Euros. So that's the post Brexit thing fixed... The value was excellent in Kefalonia - sea view, detached 4 bed and pool for less than most UK 3 bed semi cost. But this may be because you can't get a mortgage in Greece - banks are still empty and the EU still has its boot on their necks for being naughty boys and taking the credit! But when you can mortgage, the true value will return to the property...

The Greeks are quite clever in how they cater for this as you need no guilty conscience over ruining communities creating winter 'ghost towns' and taking scarce houses from locals or pricing them out. I'm sure it does happen but it's not anything like the scale of Cornwall/Gwynedd/Lake District. So you aren't potentially migrating into a hotbed of local resentment. And if you speak a bit of the lingo, enjoy banter and love their culture as much as their weather be prepared for the Tsipoura to flow at the neighbours' BBQ and lots of man hugs! Love the country and people. One day!

[citizensm1th]

Is it really bad of me that when I am reading all the posts from our Welsh breathren I can only hear the voice of Ness from gavin and Stacy in my head.

And before any of you start my grandmother on my fathers side was from Nelson.

[LetsTryAgain]

I’ve always thought one of the main issues with buying overseas comes when you wish to sell.

It’s all very well saying “look how much property I got in X compared with what it would have cost back home’’, but you’ve then got to find someone else willing to pay whatever price you need to sell it for when you need out.

[Louis Balfour]

LetsTryAgain said:

I’ve always thought one of the main issues with buying overseas comes when you wish to sell.

It’s all very well saying “look how much property I got in X compared with what it would have cost back home’’, but you’ve then got to find someone else willing to pay whatever price you need to sell it for when you need out.

Some elderly folk in our village canvassed me regarding whether I would buy their holiday place in Baume Fuque-Nuehar (France) when they had failed for years to sell. They sold it at a big loss during the GFC I think.

[ElectricSoup]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

ElectricSoup said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

That's the sort of plan that I have, although at the moment I suspect it'll be Portugal rather than Slovenia.

That's a good choice too. I prefer to Portugal to Spain. How do you envisage getting round limits on staying in the EU post-Brexit?

I'm going with Slovenia because of skiing and I speaka da lingo.

Not certain yet. At the moment I have diplomatic status in the EU but that won't last beyond retirement. By then I think things will settle, and visa and residency rules will be clear. I suspect it will be pretty straightforward.

I need to go and visit Slovenia. I've never been but I think it was you that has mentioned moving and buying out there before and it sounds interesting. I don't have the lingo though.

It's not much of a problem, everyone speaks English and don't mind doing it. It's not like they're over run with pissed up stag parties and sunburnt beer bellied Geordies and Scousers, and they enjoy the opportunity to practice. Which annoys me as I want to practice their language - and of course that is a very rare skill in any foreigner so they are usually blown away if you addres them in the local language.

By the way, I wish I shared your optimism about the residency thing. The way UK-EU relations are going at the moment, it doesn't look like it will resolve until this obstinate, destructive UK government is out of the way. And that might not even happen at the next election, given how the performing seals we seem to have for voters are gobbling up their nationalist bullst. Sigh.

Edited by ElectricSoup on Thursday 4th March 16:14

[antdriver]

I moved to Lincolnshire from Devon as you can get some really good value houses. It’s a County that’s seeing a lot of development and there’s some lovely villages especially in the’Wolds’

[cayman-black]

LetsTryAgain said:

I’ve always thought one of the main issues with buying overseas comes when you wish to sell.

It’s all very well saying “look how much property I got in X compared with what it would have cost back home’’, but you’ve then got to find someone else willing to pay whatever price you need to sell it for when you need out.

This is very true , there is no market like the UK housing market.

[theboss]

monkfish1 said:

tokyo_mb said:

monkfish1 said:

All these people on here that have moved, how many were moving to an area they had no connection too?

Yet another vote for the Marches (South Shropshire) in our case. Middle of nowhere, a bit the land that time forgot, but <2 hours to Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff or Liverpool airports. Much better restaurant scene than you might expect - even after Ludlow lost its two Michelin starred venues. Also lots of artists and writers here.

Moved here from Tokyo with no connection (15+ years off retirement). Huge contrast, but wanted to return to some green space (and found nothing we liked, in budget, in the Kent/Sussex commuter-belt). Pre-Covid, I weekly commuted to London (slow, but reasonable to work on the train - GWR via Hereford or Newport-Gwent). Like most, will probably work more from home going forward.

Now have farmhouse, outbuildings and surrounded by our own fields. Will, no doubt need to downsize when we get older (75+?), but for now (5-10 years out from retirement) this works well.

Sounds perfect. Sadly, having dithered, prices have really gone up for the sort of property you have (and i want)

Agree it's all looking very bubbly - there isn't much on the market, quality seems to have gone down with most large scale places looking like renovation projects but no longer priced to reflect that. I might be in a position to buy in 1-2 years but there's very little on the local market at present that would take my fancy.

[parakitaMol.]

cayman-black said:

parakitaMol. said:

Just about to complete on a house Mid-North Devon and we found it really difficult during the 18m we were looking because the places we liked were few and far, then got snapped up instantly.

We thankfully persuaded our vendors to sell despite having withdrawn from market but this was only possible by chain free cash purchase. Depends what you’re looking for I guess but seems to be very little period/large/with land available.

What and where did you buy para? And yes you are absolutely right

It's in-between Torrington and Winkleigh

I hear they have tails up there!

[sociopath]

Mark Benson said:

Escort3500 said:

Blu3R said:

grichard said:

Forget the UK!! You are going to be taxed off the planet after Brexit! Come to sunny Spain where the climate welcomes aching joints and offers very cheap homes, cheap pop, cheap food, what more do you want. And, if you buy on an urbanisation, you do not need to speak Spanish. No brainer!1

All the reasons it's not for me.

Absolutely. The ‘new life in the sun’ type TV programmes always deter me big time.

So - in the last few pages we learn that if you move to Spain you don't have to learn the language, but move to Wales and you do (if you don't want a fight)

I can speak more Welsh that most of my Welsh neighbours but that's probably because were a border town and they can't be arsed.

I havent had any difficulties living here, its the people buying up holiday hones that seem to be resented, people living here are accepted same as everyone else.
You get the occasional nationalist ahole, but you get them in England too


ETA except during the rugby when they all become red blooded racists, but I just ignore facebook for those few days

[JonChalk]

Louis Balfour said:

LetsTryAgain said:

I’ve always thought one of the main issues with buying overseas comes when you wish to sell.

It’s all very well saying “look how much property I got in X compared with what it would have cost back home’’, but you’ve then got to find someone else willing to pay whatever price you need to sell it for when you need out.

Some elderly folk in our village canvassed me regarding whether I would buy their holiday place in Baume Fuque-Nuehar (France) when they had failed for years to sell. They sold it at a big loss during the GFC I think.

Our plan involves keeping and renting out our UK property, otherwise, as commented, you could wait 2 years and lose money, and THEN find out UK house prices have rocketed to such an extant you can only afford a garden shed in Doncaster....

[Ken Figenus]

LetsTryAgain said:

I’ve always thought one of the main issues with buying overseas comes when you wish to sell.

It’s all very well saying “look how much property I got in X compared with what it would have cost back home’’, but you’ve then got to find someone else willing to pay whatever price you need to sell it for when you need out.

Ow! I think there is truth occurring in this - and many Brits do want out of this 'dream' as they get older and want family around. Plus there is no reciprocal healthcare agreement now post Brexit so you need private health insurance as an oldie - not going to be cheap that! Hopefully UK will start cutting direct deals with countries...

The house I was after had been for sale for a year back in August 2019. It is still for sale and he must have taken a 5 fig rental hit (serves him right for thinking second hand Ikea beds are worth thousands )!

[Red9zero]

JonChalk said:

Louis Balfour said:

LetsTryAgain said:

I’ve always thought one of the main issues with buying overseas comes when you wish to sell.

It’s all very well saying “look how much property I got in X compared with what it would have cost back home’’, but you’ve then got to find someone else willing to pay whatever price you need to sell it for when you need out.

Some elderly folk in our village canvassed me regarding whether I would buy their holiday place in Baume Fuque-Nuehar (France) when they had failed for years to sell. They sold it at a big loss during the GFC I think.

Our plan involves keeping and renting out our UK property, otherwise, as commented, you could wait 2 years and lose money, and THEN find out UK house prices have rocketed to such an extant you can only afford a garden shed in Doncaster....

Good plan. My in laws sold up and moved to Spain, bought a house in the middle of a proper Spanish village in the middle of nowhere, Anglicised the interior, didn't learn the language, then decided to move back to the UK 10 years later. This was when the Spanish property market was rock bottom, let alone trying to sell a house that had all the Spanish character taken out if it, mixed in with a bit of pre Brexit panic. They ended up selling at a huge loss, with barely enough left for a deposit on a house here. Luckily we could afford to bail them out, but subsidising their retirement does grate a bit.

[monet208]

Huddersfield believe it or not! Moved up here 38 years ago and stayed
Great countryside- many TV series- close to Leeds,York,Manchester for leisure
Great house prices!

[Shnozz]

Ken Figenus said:

LetsTryAgain said:

I’ve always thought one of the main issues with buying overseas comes when you wish to sell.

It’s all very well saying “look how much property I got in X compared with what it would have cost back home’’, but you’ve then got to find someone else willing to pay whatever price you need to sell it for when you need out.

Ow! I think there is truth occurring in this - and many Brits do want out of this 'dream' as they get older and want family around. Plus there is no reciprocal healthcare agreement now post Brexit so you need private health insurance as an oldie - not going to be cheap that! Hopefully UK will start cutting direct deals with countries...

The house I was after had been for sale for a year back in August 2019. It is still for sale and he must have taken a 5 fig rental hit (serves him right for thinking second hand Ikea beds are worth thousands )!

I think keeping a foot in the door of the UK is always a good idea. By contrast, most of Europe has far more land than our small island and can build a lot of houses very quickly which can mean supply can usually always meet demand and prices can be glacial in the upwards movement, as can the whole process of selling. The house I bought in Spain was on the market 2 years and that isn't vastly unusual. It doesn't help that the Spanish are stubborn sellers and rarely will negotiate downwards on house prices; instead they will simply keep them empty and wait until the market/inflation matches what their asking price is.

That said, there are (occasionally) boom years. My parents enjoyed a tandem set from about 1995 - 2005 when both their UK home was accelerating at pace and their villa in similar %'s. However, whereas the UK boom came back post 2008, the Spanish didn't really. My house was built in 2005 and is now probably worth about 2/3's its original sale price.

I don't think you buy foreign places as an investment really. I certainly didn't expect to see any rise, although would be nice if it kept up with inflation. You also have to factor in exchange rates which can also be the other angle. Yes, Spanish expats might moan they haven't made UK gains on their property when returning to the UK, but when they bought at €1.60 to the £1 and are coming back at €1.10 to the pound there is a chunky little extra to consider there alone.

However, as I say, its not really an investment choice and sometimes there is value in a lifestyle. Yes, your 2 bed bungalow in the Dales might be a far better purchase for investment, but fook spending time in the wet, grey skies of the Dales. Would far rather have a bolthole in the UK that is a lock and leave and a nice place in the sun to spend the rest of the year.

[HRL]

parakitaMol. said:

cayman-black said:

parakitaMol. said:

Just about to complete on a house Mid-North Devon and we found it really difficult during the 18m we were looking because the places we liked were few and far, then got snapped up instantly.

We thankfully persuaded our vendors to sell despite having withdrawn from market but this was only possible by chain free cash purchase. Depends what you’re looking for I guess but seems to be very little period/large/with land available.

What and where did you buy para? And yes you are absolutely right

It's in-between Torrington and Winkleigh

I hear they have tails up there!

Beaford here hopefully in a few months. Pretty sure that’s also between Torrington and Winkleigh, or certainly thereabouts.

[Johner]

[quote=Esceptico]Any suggestions as to go towns/cities to move to if you are retired (so don’t have to worry about the job market)?

Somewhere big enough to have enough to do and facilities without being overwhelming. Preferably with access to decent countryside and importantly, reasonable house prices.
[quote]

Can highly recommend Bury St Edmunds.
Lots of history
Good looking
Lovely town centre
Lots of night life options
Cafes and resaurants in abundance
Long life expectancy

And of course it's in Suffolk