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Archive for the ‘Saturday Moving Tips’ Category

The Fourth of July in London

Saturday July 2nd, 2011

Normally I would devote today’s post to practical advice about preparing for a relocation to London. But since this weekend we find ourselves smack-dab in between Canada Day and the Fourth of July, I thought I’d mention a few ways to ironically celebrate your independence as an American expat moving to London.

Given that July 4th falls on a Monday this year, there will likely be some festivities going on Sunday instead. My husband and I are planning to meet with our friends in Hyde Park, though it won’t substitute for a good ol’ American barbeque in the sweltering temps before the fireworks go off. But it’s about camaraderie, after all, and our unified expat celebration of the nation from which we came prior to our international relocation.

Some local London venues giving a nod to the holiday:

Be Bop and American Hops – real ale festival of American-inspired beers plus music and burlesque, going on all weekend through the 4th.

Ben Franklin House – serving cake and champagne at the museum (which was effectively America’s first embassy in London) on July 4th.

Blues Kitchen – hot-dog eating contest on the 4th.

Bodeans - specials on American beer and meat platters from July 1-4.

Chilango – giving away free burritos on July 4th to Americans with a US passport.

Democrats Abroad UK Annual Picnic – July 3rd in Portman Square Garden, London W1; purchase tickets in advance.

Henry J Beans – DJ and face-painting from July 2-4, with a special price for ribs on July 4th.

Waxy O’Connor’s – an Irish pub hosting an American Independence Day party on the 4th.

So if you haven’t yet made your relocation to the UK, as you pack up and prepare for the changes, don’t fear that you’ll have to leave everything behind. There’s a remarkable amount of American history and culture to be had in London—our Liberty Bell was forged here, for goodness sake, born in the same place as Big Ben at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry! The two bells are cousins! What’s wonderful is that in the 21st century it’s not about us-versus-Britain anymore; we’re allies and can celebrate what unites us. God Bless the USA and UK!

 

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Types of UK Schools for Your Relocation to London (Part 2)

Saturday June 25th, 2011

Hey there, Weekend Warriors – how is everything coming along with your upcoming relocation to London UK? Last week I left you hanging (it was a fingernail-biter, I know…) with the different types of state schools in the UK. Not everyone moving to London with a family sends their kids to an American school or an international school, so last Saturday and today are devoted to breaking down UK state and independent schools (don’t forget to also check out, “Relocating to London with Children: The Quick ABCs of British Education“).

We’ve already covered the mainstream and specialist state school options, so let’s move on to state schools with particular characteristics:

  • city technology colleges – Urban schools specializing in science, technology, and the work-world, offering GCSEs, A-levels, and vocational qualifications for students aged 11-18; independently run, non-fee paying.
  • community and foundation special schools – Same as community and foundation schools mentioned last week, but for students with special needs (physical and/or learning disabilities).
  • faith schools – Similar to other state schools, but their particular faith might be reflected in curriculum, staffing, and admissions.
  • grammar schools – All or most of students are admitted based on academic ability.
  • maintained boarding schools – Free tuition, but charge fees for board and lodging.
  • academies – Independently run for students of all abilities; set up by business/charitable/faith organization sponsors in collaboration with the Department for Education (DfE) and local authority. Academies aim to provide first-class education, so assert freedom from the local authority in the way they are run, the curriculum they provide, the school term, etc. (More information can be found here).

So that covers it for state schools. Next up on the roster are UK independent schools. There are over 2,000 of these in the UK, and they are funded by students’ parents and income from investments (half have charitable status). Though independently run, these schools are still registered with the DfE and are subject to periodic reviews by Ofsted or another inspecting body appointed by the Secretary of State. To learn more about independent schools and conduct a school-search, you can consult the Independent Schools Council website: www.isc.co.uk.

And Direct.gov.uk provides an overview of UK schooling and other UK public services – it’s my go-to source for much information like this!

I hope this helps with your research as you plan your international relocation to London with children of school-age. And remember, London Relocation’s services can help you with finding a school to attend as well as a London apartment to rent, so keep us in mind as you scope out London relocation companies. :)

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Types of UK Schools In London (Part 1)

Saturday June 18th, 2011

Welcome back, Weekend Warriors – hope plans for that international relocation to London are going just swell. As I continue with tips for preparing for a London relocation, I thought I’d round out the topic I covered most of this week – UK schooling if you’re moving to London with kids or perhaps moving here to teach in the UK.

Earlier this week, I discussed international schools and their benefits over American or UK schools in England, but today I thought I’d expand on my previous post, “Relocating to London with Children: The Quick ABCs of British Education.” I’m a school teacher, and even after teaching in the UK a brief time, I still have a hard time understanding the local educational system—I can’t imagine how you must be feeling if you haven’t even made your London move yet!

So, in that earlier post, I’d already addressed public vs. private schools, school uniforms, grade levels, GCSEs, and A-levels. Today, I’ll more specifically discuss the differences between UK state schools.

State schools alone offer a smorgasbord of options, primarily based on who exactly manages them and owns the properties. Among the mainstream state school options are:

  • community schools – Local authority-owned and run; closely tied with community, so may offer its facilities and services (like childcare and adult learning) to such.
  • foundation / trust schools – Owned and run by a self-governing body, or perhaps owned by a charitable institution; a trust school develops a charitable trust with an outside charitable or business partner.
  • voluntary-aided schools – Usually religious/”faith” schools, but admission is open to all; run by its own governing body, though a charitable/religious organization usually owns the facilities.
  • voluntary-controlled schools – Similar to above except local authority-run.

The UK also has about 3,000 specialist state schools. These schools work within the National Curriculum, but also enhance education through their particular specialty: arts, business and enterprise, engineering, humanities, languages, math (or “maths” as they call it in the UK) and computing, music, science, sports, technology, applied learning, and special educational needs. These schools have private-sector sponsors as well as receive government funding.

This is only the half of it, folks. Please join me next Saturday as I continue with a brief primer on the range of UK state schools if you’re relocating to the UK with a family or as a teacher and not going the American school or international school route. London Relocation’s services also include talking you through London neighborhoods and doing a school search, so don’t hesitate to call us toll-free, Skype, or fill out one of our web forms.

 

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Why NOT Get London Relocation Support from Your Employer

Saturday June 11th, 2011

A few months ago, I wrote a post entitled, “Relocating to London: Negotiating an Expat Package with Your Employer.” I recommend you check that one out if you’re in the process of finding out if you can make a London move happen with your existing employer or if that employer is now offering you the option whether you think you’ll like that transfer or not. Basically, it compares the degree of leverage that you’ll likely have depending on the situation (i.e., a requested transfer versus “forced” one) and what items you can reasonably expect to be covered in an expat package—bearing in mind that, of course, every situation is different.

At any rate, I just got back from hanging out with several American expat couples that I’ve been so privileged to become good friends with since first meeting through London Relocation’s social network for expats moving to London. Three of these couples moved here with a job transfer that at least initially provided generous expat packages that covered housing. One of them is now on their own after a couple years here, so have just moved to a new family-friendly London neighborhood that is conducive to raising their new baby (due next month—a new expat is born!), all by their own choice given what they need lifestyle-wise and can afford. Cool. Another couple has been here about a year and told me how they’re still waiting to find out whether they’re moving in seven days or not. Huh?! They, too, are expecting their first child soon, so need to move into a different London apartment that will offer more space and less death-defying stairs. Unfortunately, given their expat arrangement with the employer that transferred them here, they have to work through the third-party business appointed by that employer in securing the new housing. They were given a few options and chose what they liked best, yet they’ve had no communication whatsoever recently whether, in fact, that is where they can live and if they should indeed be packing up all their stuff to move house very, very soon or not. Beyond frustrating!

A third couple, then, has previously related grievances to me about the relocation agency they were forced to work with through the employer that transferred them; they had found London Relocation through their own internet research efforts and really wanted to use us, but their company gave them no choice. Instead, they suffered through viewings of one crap apartment rental after another, and they weren’t thrilled with other aspects of the service, making them especially wish they could’ve worked with London Relocation’s friendly folks instead. Their expat situation is one that must be revisited year by year, so they never know how long they’re staying in London. Sure, they get their rent paid for and probably then some, but year-by-year they’re at the mercy of what the employer dictates, which impacts how they can make plans for what country they’ll be living in, one, and two, where they can live even if they’re staying here. It also impacts the accompanying spouse in this situation a great deal, as she’s just started a London-based business that hinges on her actually living here to carry out its service, so she’s stuck in limbo where promoting that business is concerned as long as she doesn’t know where the next few months will bring them.

This all just made me realize that perhaps I shouldn’t have been as frustrated as I was to be an expat by virtue of a new job, not one that transferred us over here. We lamented that we hadn’t had a sweet expat package deal to take care of finding our flat to rent or covering the cost—but in retrospect now, we’re feeling pretty lucky that we didn’t! Yes, this is an expensive city to live in when you’re paying out of your own pocket, but at least when you do so you’re basically also buying your freedom to dictate for yourself how long you stay, where you live, and whose services you employ to sort that relocation out. You can contract a fabulous destination service provider like London Relocation if you want to have that peace of mind that your ideal apartment awaits you after only one day of viewings.

Just something to ponder as you’re researching a relocation and might be miffed that your employer isn’t offering you an expat package…

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Buying a House for Your Relocation in London (Part 2)

Saturday May 28th, 2011

Hi there, Weekend Warriors getting geared up to move to London! Over the last couple weeks, I’ve discussed the international relocation matter of deciding whether to rent or buy a house in London and, if buying, what that process may entail. Last week, I’d specifically mentioned how the internet can be a good resource for kick-starting your research into home-buying. Remember, you’ll want to undertake the critical viewing steps in person here in London, but until you can get here, your computer can help you know where to begin.

The Times Online offers “A Basic Guide to Mortgages” that you can peruse for better understanding of such, especially if you’re a first-time buyer unfamiliar with the lingo and concepts. The government also offers a HomeBuy equity loan scheme for first-time buyers that earn less than £60,000 annually and can’t otherwise afford to buy a home in their area. This equity loan covers up to the remaining 30% cost of a property when at least 70% of it is already paid for through deposit and mortgage. I am assuming any London resident could be eligible, expats included, but be sure to enquire on this to be certain if you think you’d otherwise be eligible for this option (more information can be found at www.direct.gov.uk).

Another consideration to look into is the Stamp Tax on purchases/transfers of UK property. This is a duty ranging from 1-5% that is payable on properties valued in excess of £125,000. First-time buyers also catch a break here as of March last year through March 24, 2012, during which time they’re exempt from the 1% stamp tax on properties costing between £125,000 and £250,000. Bear in mind, however, that “first-time buyer” applies not only to someone who hasn’t previously owned property in the UK but anywhere in the world. I’m not kidding. I also have no idea how they follow up on this to verify, but that’s what they claim, anyway. At any rate, the stamp tax is what homeowners in the UK find a real kick in the pants (or trousers, as the Brits would say).

Finally, if you’re wanting to feel out what types of housing is available in what neighborhoods and at what prices, a few online resources are www.findaproperty.com, www.rightmove.co.uk, and www.zoopla.co.uk.

Good luck with your research, and, remember, if you’re still considering renting a London apartment as you explore your buying options or would even just like more information on certain London neighborhoods and what to expect in local properties, London Relocation Ltd. (the 2010/11 winner of Re:locate Magazine’s Rising Star Award!) is an invaluable resource that you can consult via phone or online.

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Buying a House for Your Relocation in London (Part 1)

Saturday May 21st, 2011

Greetings, Weekend Warriors researching your London move! Last week I addressed some pros and cons of buying versus renting in London. To follow on that thread, today I’ll share some considerations if you are highly interested in purchasing a house when you relocate to London.

The actual task of househunting is not going to be any easier than the flat-search, I would think, so a London relocation agency that deals in sales as well as lettings would be an efficient way to maximize the property portfolio you view. Otherwise, your process is going to be similar to the flat-search—research the applicable estate agencies, contact them with your criteria, and make sure you’re on their contact  list for when any opportunities arise. And as with looking for London apartments to rent, looking for houses to buy should be done in person; yes, the internet is a useful tool for gauging exteriors, interiors, and their attached price tags, but you want to be in London when you carry out your serious search, which is a reason why last week I recommended that you consider renting first so you can be here a while to realistically evaluate neighborhoods and properties.

In general, mortgage lenders may grant you up to four times your income as an individual (or up to three as a couple), and if you’re a new borrower, you may be entitled to a discount. Where deposits are concerned, you’ll want to at the very least pay down 10% of the property value if you want to take advantage of more competitive mortgage rates. The more you pay down, the better the rate you’ll get, though, so if you can pay 20% or more, you’ll be in better shape. You will also want to pay for a survey that validates the value of your prospective property is worth the asking price to improve chances the lender will agree to the loan. And along with researching mortgage lenders, look into solicitors that can help you handle all the home-buying paperwork.

And then there’s that crucial step of making the offer – Please consult my previous posts “Renting London Apartments: The Current Low-Down on LDN” Part 2, which discuss the sealed bidding and positively rotten “gazumping” practices that could be involved whether buying or renting housing, posing risk to your offer actually being accepted. In either case, you’ll want to enhance your “proceedability”—that is, show yourself as a candidate who will ensure the sale will proceed efficiently and without issue, which involves factors like proof of your financial soundness and ability to transfer funds to the UK.

My husband and I rent our apartment, so I can’t share any personal anecdotes about this process. But between the abundance of internet resources (a few of which I’ll mention next week)  and London estate agencies available to take your enquiries over phone or email, you can educate yourself one step at a time; just be sure you get started early enough to minimize any surprises along the way of your relocation.

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Whether to Rent or Buy for Your Relocation to London

Saturday May 14th, 2011

Welcome back, Weekend Warriors planning to move to London! Several weeks ago I discussed the international relocation issue of deciding whether to rent or sell your house in your city of origination before moving to London. Well, likewise you’ll face the decision of whether to rent or buy a house in your destination city—in this case, London.

I’d venture to say that most expats relocating to London rent first when coming over here. The reasons for renting are numerous. It gives you the opportunity to test out a neighborhood or a few before deciding where to make such a commitment as investing in property and settling there. Many expats that are transferred to London on work assignments have a finite timeframe they’re working within, which may relegate them to corporate housing or make it far more practical to just rent for the shorter term if it’s only a matter of months to a few years. Also, London is expensive (surprise, surprise). A two-bedroom flat could easily cost half a million pounds (and bear in mind the exchange rate with your home currency), so the average expat doesn’t necessarily have the capital to make a down payment and meet mortgage payments, especially if you do still have money tied up in a house you own back home.

It is certainly possible for expats to obtain a mortgage in the UK; however, there could be additional obstacles to this. A disadvantage of first moving to the UK is that you have no credit history here, so will require some time to build one up. Also, lenders might want to see at least a few months’ of UK payslips to guarantee your salary, which could delay your ability to purchase.

If you’re seriously considering buying a home, however, you might do well with initially renting apartment for one year with a six-month break clause. As this would imply, the break clause will give you the ability to get out of your rental lease agreement after only six months, so could buy you some time to research neighborhoods and houses and apply for a mortgage without committing yourself to a full year of paying rent elsewhere. You might also need the time to gauge how you and/or your family are settling in here and whether you’ll indeed be committed to London itself for the longer term. Not an easy decision to make, so make the most of this weekend and research your options thoroughly to make your London move an affordable and smooth one.

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Your Commute From Your Relocation to London

Saturday May 7th, 2011

Hiya, Weekend Warriors preparing for the big London move! I’d departed from my usual Saturday moving tips sheh-jule for a while to indulge the April A-Z Blogging Challenge – that was fun, wasn’t it? But now I’m back to offer another word of advice to you as you research and execute your London relocation.

Today’s topic is inspired by a recent discussion thread in our social network, in which an American moving to London asked for neighborhood suggestions based on where his office is located. I’ve blogged time and again about how lettings agencies in London do not operate with MLS (multiple listing systems), so you’re best off researching in advance where exactly in the city you’d like to target your London apartment search. This is absolutely necessary if you look for London flats to rent on your own, but it will also contribute to an educated discussion with a London relocation agent, who can advise on the merits/feasibility of the options you’re considering as well as offer additional suggestions based on the criteria you’re looking for.

Many expats relocating to London choose their neighborhood based on aesthetic, convenience, safety, affordability, family-friendliness, pet-friendliness, and so forth, but obviously your commute is an important factor as well. There will always be trade-offs, and it’s up to the individual whether you’re willing to take on a longer and perhaps more complex commute for your ideal apartment and neighborhood or if it’s absolutely imperative that you be able to get to work quickly without any train/bus changes or maybe even be able to walk there. What brings people to London varies, and some who are here temporarily for a work assignment or studies are more concerned with keeping that particular, short-term priority their central focus, versus other lifestyle elements that a longer commute could offer.

At any rate, you can’t be moving without knowing what’s bringing you here, right? In order to have a visa, you have to have a job lined up or school to attend, and hopefully you already know where those are on the map, right? So the next obvious step is looking at the surrounding London neighborhoods and gauging their proximity to your work/school. Seeing what they’re near—a major tourist attraction or a large park, for instance—could readily tip you off on what is or is not conducive to live by. Then you need to dive in a little bit further. I highly, highly recommend delving into our blog archives under the “London Neighborhoods” category, where we have been speaking to the characteristics and pros and cons of different areas popular with expats or unfamiliar to/underrated by them. Calling a relocation agent can then supplement this information based on your specific questions.

Next, you can already get a sense of what your commute could be like from any of these neighborhoods in terms of duration, modes of public transport, and number of line changes. As I’ve recently blogged about, TFL (Transport for London) is an awesome online resource for mapping out the best way to get from point A to B: www.tfl.gov.uk is the main website, and journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk is the Journey Planner tool that will customize your routes.

A lot of considerations go into a move, and deciding where to live in relation to where you’ll work is not least among them. Don’t get caught in the stress of the last-minute; do your research now when you can find the time and call on us to offer any additional advice.

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Relocating to London from A to Z: Mattress Matters

Saturday April 2nd, 2011

Welcome back, Weekend Warriors! Relocating to London entails having to search for and rent the London apartment you’ll be moving into. And if you’re renting it furnished, this leads me to the next letter in the alphabet for our A to Z Blog Challenge:

“B” is for BEDDING!

Many American expats moving to the UK wonder whether the bed linens they already have at home will suffice for their apartment. In most cases, I should say they will, even if they’re not a perfect fit—in general, UK bed sizes run smaller than US ones. In our two-bedroom London flat, my husband and I have what is closest to a US queen-sized bed (a UK king) in our master bedroom and a double-sized bed in our guest room. So the multiple sets of queen and double sheets we brought from home do the job just fine.

If you’re out shopping in London for bedding, though, and trying to match UK bedding sizes/terminology to the bed in your flat or are perhaps wondering if your bed from home will fit into an apartment of known dimensions, the following is a guide to standard US sizes and their UK equivalents:

US Twin/Single = 39″ x 75″
UK Single = 36″ x 75″

US Full/Double = 54″ x 75″
UK Double = 54″ x 75″

US Queen = 60″ x 80″
UK King = 60″ x 78″

US King = 76″ x 80″
UK Super King = 72″ x 78″

US California King = 72″ x 84″

As you can see, the “double” sizes are the same country to country, but the rest are slightly shorter and/or narrower (or in the last super-sized-true-to-Home-of-the-Brave-form case, simply non-existent :) ).

Whatever your case may be, just know that there are plenty of local retailers selling such goods (e.g., Homebase, Marks & Spencer, IKEA, Peter Jones/John Lewis, etc.), so you’ll have a lot of options for purchasing a bed and/or bedding even after you make your move. You’ve made the decision to relocate here, so go make your bed and lie in it!

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London Apartment Requirements for Your Relocation to London

Saturday March 26th, 2011

Hey there—how’s packing going for your upcoming move to London, Weekend Warriors? As you’re physically getting stuff sorted, stowed away, and packed up to ship abroad, perhaps you can busy your mind with considering what sort of London apartment you want to unpack this stuff into.

Even those who aren’t pressed for time in searching for London flats to rent will have to make a snappy decision if they want rent one that they, oh say, actually view. As I’ve written about the last three days, London property is a fickle mistress—she’ll love ya then leave ya in a heartbeat. It doesn’t matter if you viewed the flat of your dreams this morning; if you haven’t made an offer yet, don’t expect her to still be sticking around tomorrow to cuddle or eat pancakes with you. ;)

Because renting London property is an expedient affair, go into it as prepared as possible. A few Saturdays ago, we looked at the documentation and funds you should have on-hand to seal the deal, but even before that you should have a clear idea of what you’re looking for. Now don’t take this as free license to draft an exact schematic of the floor plan and fixtures—imagining it is not going to make it manifest magically. I just mean decide how many bedrooms and/or bathrooms you’re looking for, what features like a balcony or garden would be cool, if you want hardwood floors or carpeting, new construction or vintage charm, etc. as well as what sort of neighborhood would suit you best—what’s your aesthetic? Your lifestyle? Do you need family-friendly or young bohemian? Quiet and residential or in the center of the action? And how much can you afford? Are you willing to be flexible with your budget if it means getting a place that ticks almost all the boxes?

Once you’ve thought through all the ideal amenities you’d like to have, then go through the list and prioritize—are there any non-negotiables? What are the need-to-haves versus nice-to-haves? And be honest with this one, because if you’re just preferring to not have to climb too many stairs because you don’t feel like doing it versus you have an actual physical impediment to accomplishing such a task, you’re going to have a heck of a time with this. It’s a difficult city for being high-maintenance!

Adjusting your initial expectations for more realistic ones is best managed by gaining an understanding of what typical rental property is like. See my series on “What to Expect in a London Flat” for a sneak-peek into this weird and wonderful world… And I don’t recommend renting anything over the internet whatsoever, but it wouldn’t hurt to surf around on London lettings agency sites to get an idea of what sorts of properties you can get for what prices.

With your expectations thus shaped for your London relocation, don’t forget to pack your open mind—you’ll want to bring that on the plane in your carry-on for sure. :)

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Finding Jobs in London for Your Relocation to London

Saturday March 19th, 2011

Hi there, Weekend Warriors – hope all is going well with your London move research and preparation so far. I feel like kind of a jerk today because I want to address the hard truth of turning the dream of moving to London into a reality.

This week we’ve been hosting a friend who presently lives in New York and is in London networking for a job that will hopefully bring him over here. I think this guy has excellent chances of making his way here for two very important reasons: 1) though American, he has a UK passport from when his family used to live here years ago, and 2) he is here on UK soil doing the legwork all week to meet with recruiters and employers.

Why the first reason is so critical is obvious: having a UK passport removes the tremendous hurdle that is acquiring a UK visa these days. My heart wants to break for those who had been counting on a Tier 1 visa (previously known as the “highly skilled migrant” visa) to allow them to move to the UK without a job lined up in advance, as this is no longer a viable option as of this year. As a professional, then, your best bet is acquiring the Tier 2 visa through company sponsorship—whether it’s a transfer through your current employer or a new job outright that can prove to the UK government you’re an asset worth sponsoring (if you can prove to the company itself first that you’re an asset worth sponsoring, that is). It’s challenging for a company to prove that it could not obtain the same talent within the UK and entire EU, for that matter, and you need to understand that the government is making rules more rigid for employers in this respect.

Which brings me to why reason #2 above is so important. If you want to live here, you have to be willing to work hard to make that happen. Unless you do have a special circumstance entitling you to a UK visa/job with ease, you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and put a little elbow grease into it. Don’t passively submit your resume/CV to online job sites and pout when you don’t hear anything back. You’re just another digital file among the faceless masses when you attack job searching that way—but if you’re going to do it that way, then at least do so relentlessly. It’s a numbers game; don’t feel satisfied that you applied to five to ten jobs when you should be applying to ten times that!

My best advice to people seeking assistance with finding a job in London is to, first of all, network: contact any and all friends and colleagues who might have contacts in your industry and get involved on LinkedIn! If you don’t have a profile there yet, that’s an easy, tangible first step you can take right there. Secondly, contact companies and headhunters. When contacting companies relevant to your field, go directly to their London office, not the one in your home city/country in the case of a multinational; it’s doubtful that employers will be impressed with you if you express interest in their company sheerly for the purpose of getting placed in one of their offices abroad! And where the headhunters go, again, play the numbers game. Research (or get referrals from friends and colleagues) several different recruiting companies that represent companies in your industry and arrange to meet with them and forward them your credentials to have on file. It can’t guarantee immediate success, but they’ll know who you are when just the right opportunity does come up.

So be patient and proactive! Absolutely schedule a trip to London, England to meet face-to-face with recruiters and potential employers. Become more than just a cyber CV—show them a face, personality, and spirit to go with the name, and show them firsthand why you’re the best fit for their needs. Again, there might not be any openings right away, but when there are, they’ll think of you. And remember your manners: it is both polite and proactive to follow-up with those you meet to thank them for their time and keep yourself fresh in their memories and regard.

It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. So good luck with all your hard work in making your move to London UK happen!

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Preparing for Your London Move

Saturday March 12th, 2011

Hiya, Weekend Warriors, thanks for joining us again for more tips on how you can already prepare for moving to London. Last week I provided an index of our Saturday moving / packing tips to bring you up to date on all the territory we’ve covered so far. Today, I’ll get into a more touch-feely aspect of moving abroad…preparing your friends and family.

Now, I’m not looking to relive the pain of when I first told my family and friends that my husband and I were officially moving to London. It was an emotionally loaded summer as it was, as this announcement came right after we’d returned from our honeymoon! I can still remember standing in my parents’ kitchen and breaking the news to my mother that my husband had accepted his London job offer during our honeymoon (I know, how romantic, right? Pshh…). All I can say is, my only bit of relief was that I was wearing a good ol’ American baseball cap at the time that I could hide my face behind. It was an awkward subject, especially because I had purposefully avoided the topic until after the wedding…I didn’t want to move to London, you see, so I wasn’t perceiving this as a great possibility at the time, therefore didn’t want a looming cloud of sadness to cast its massive shadow across the joyous event of our wedding. Oh, gawd, why did I have to go and bring this topic up?!

In any case, what I learned in retrospect is that the announcement didn’t have to be as bad as it was if I hadn’t been living in such denial of it. Communicating openly with your loved ones all along is a healthy way of bracing all for the reality—it doesn’t mean it won’t make anyone sad, but it provides more time for everyone to process and cope with the emotions. Yes, it’s your life and your move, but let’s not take for granted the people who have always supported us and have contributed so much to our lives to this point and will continue to do so beyond, no matter the geographic distance in this ever-shrinking modern world. Like it or not, you do owe it to them to keep them in the loop from start to finish. Leaving it to the last minute can breed hurt and possibly resentment, as if it’s something you’re doing to them rather constructively with them if you can make them feel more a part of the decision-making.

Now, the people in my life overall took it well and, despite the sadness, saw it as a grand adventure for my new husband and I to start our life together. But it’s not uncommon for our emotions to sometimes get the best of us, and, consequently, you might actually encounter some friends or family members registering your London move as a betrayal of sorts, that you’re leaving them behind. Keep the perspective in this case that it’s simply that they feel hurt; they’re going to miss you and want to continue being as significant to your life as you likely want to remain in theirs. Many people fear the fruition of the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind,” so try to help everyone keep the faith that “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” instead!

So consider how you can keep your loved ones updated on your moving process—what you’ve learned through your research, your time frame, what areas you’re considering living, what points of interests will be there that they can check out when they come visit you, and so forth. Maybe even exploit their love and need to be needed by enlisting them to help pack! ;) And even after you’ve made your London relocation, continue keeping them posted via email, Skype, social networks like Facebook, and, even more fun, maintaining an expat blog of your experiences and travels—that’s a really easy way to update everyone at once with the added benefit of documenting your adventures abroad for yourself.

In short, show ‘em that you love ‘em any way you can and give the reassurance that your relationship will remain the same even after you’ve relocated to London.

 

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Moving and Packing Tips for Your London Move

Saturday March 5th, 2011

Hey there—how’s packing going for your upcoming move to London, Weekend Warriors? At this point, I see we’ve accrued twenty-five Weekend Warrior Saturday posts giving you advice on how to put your weekend to constructive use and start preparing for your London move.

What often concerns me with writing a blog post every day is that really good advice proceeds to get buried deeper and deeper into the archives. Though we offer our blog categories in the right margin of this site to help you sort through (as well as a “search” box in which you can enter key terms you’re looking for), I thought today I’d provide a Table of Contents to date for just this category…just in case you happen to be checking it out this weekend for the first time and don’t realize how much you’ve missed so far and can easily catch up on!

So here it is, our Weekend Warrior Saturday archives, giving you tips for moving overseas:

1. Packing your most sentimental items
2. Packing an “Open Me First” box to help you get settled more comfortably, more quickly
3. Sorting your possessions between what to keep, store, and discard/donate
4. Keeping inventory of what you pack and store
5. Deciding what to pack first once you’ve narrowed down what you’re moving to London
6. Securely packing breakable goods
7. Procuring packing materials
8. Labeling moving boxes
9. Packing fragile, tiny, and otherwise delicate items
10. Packing what to carry on the airplane with you when you officially move to London
11. Researching contents insurance for your London apartment and general safety of London neighborhoods
12. Packing heavy items
13. Additional tips for keeping inventory of what you move
14. Sorting out the “little details” – Part 1
15. Sorting out the “little details” – Part 2
16. Packing for London weather
17. Additional tips for packing fragile items
18. Hiring international movers
19. Preparing children for moving house if you’re relocating with a family
20. Compiling documentation for renting an apartment
21. Knowing your local London embassy and UK Home Office for passport and visa services
22. Researching UK phone services
23. Building your London network of friends and other contacts
24. Deciding whether to sell or rent out your current house
25. Renting out your house in your home country for when you move into your apartment

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Renting Out Your Current House for Your London Move

Saturday February 26th, 2011

Hey there, Weekend Warriors! Last week I addressed how relocating to London means not only having to rent the London apartment you’ll be moving into, but making plans for the home that you’re moving out of. So, in addition to all the previously discussed packing tips in this series, you need to determine whether you’ll sell or rent your house. Piggy-backing off that post, today I’ll share my own homeowner experience as impacted by our London relocation.

Prior to moving to London, my new-at-the-time husband was still renting an apartment in New York City while I lived in our co-owned condominium unit in the suburbs of Chicago. Our London move was concurrent with the infamous economic downturn of 2008, so even if we had wanted to sell the condo, it was disastrous timing with falling real estate prices. Fortunately, we had always intended the unit to be a long-term investment regardless if we occupied it ourselves, so for us the decision to rent it out to a tenant versus sell was a no-brainer.

While our condo association employs a third-party property management company, procuring tenants is our responsibility. For the last three tenants, we have so far had good luck using Craigslist to advertise. Response has been immediate and fielding the enquiries easy enough over email or Skype. As for paperwork, we were able to obtain everything online—our application form came from On-Site.com and our customized lease contract from LawDepot.com. For credit checks, we use e-Renter.com.

One aspect of property management for which we continue to be beyond grateful is the fact that our lovely and loyal family members who live in the area of the property are willing volunteers! I was still living there and able to show the property to prospective tenants myself in 2008, but, for subsequent renters, I’ve had to coordinate viewings with either the existing tenant or my sister/parents if that tenant is unavailable. My family likewise tends to check-in/check-out procedures, and I’ll be damned if those stinkers don’t also insist on doing the house-cleaning, too, before move-in! I fully realize that not everyone has this trusted and ridiculously inexpensive service, so your alternative in that case is to obviously hire a property manager and cleaning service to do your bidding.

The building was brand new when I first moved into it in 2005, so luckily there haven’t been any real maintenance issues until this past year (faucet repair). In that case, we simply entrusted our tenant to find a recommended plumber on her own that quoted reasonable cost estimates and simply deduct the expense from her next rent check. However, if you have specific preferences, you may want to leave your tenant with a list of service repair contacts and/or somehow stipulate how to field such events in the lease agreement. Basically, think of everything you hope your London landlord will do for you (though won’t necessarily, quite sadly!) when you move into your London apartment and aspire to be that kind of landlord yourself :) .

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To Sell or Rent Out Your Current House for Your London Move

Saturday February 19th, 2011

Welcome back, Weekend Warriors!Relocating to London means not only having to rent the London apartment you’ll be moving into, but making plans for the home that you’re moving out of. So while we provide a lot of these Saturday packing tips for moving your belongings out of that house, perhaps we should address the house itself.

A while ago, one of our London Living Londonistas shared a blog post with the forum about the decision to sell her home, the darling house so conveniently situated in Montreal that had been her address for fourteen years prior to moving to London. Such is the dilemma of expats; whether you’re a tenant or a home owner, you might face some hairy logistics settling your property affairs on your originating side of the pond.

If you’re currently renting your apartment or house, perhaps your move will coincide nicely with your lease. If not, you might find that there is a break clause in your lease contract that stipulates your ability to discontinue your lease after a specified amount of time—these are very common features of London apartment tenancy agreements, though may not be in your home city; in which case, it might all depend on how understanding your landlord is about moving out and discontinuing your rent payments prior to the originally agreed-upon term. You may end up having to forgo your deposit, paying the remaining rent installments, etc., but if you’re being transferred overseas by your employer, your company’s coverage of such penalties might be part of your expat package (if not, see if you can negotiate that in!).

Employers may likewise cover any costs related to the sale of your property—again, if you’re being transferred. Moving by your choice diminishes how much leverage you have with an expat package, if you’re granted one at all (see “Relocating to London: Negotiating an Expat Package with Your Employer“). Likewise, you may have costs associated with finding a tenant.

And therein lies the big decision to be made with a property that you own: sell or rent? If your move to London is only temporary (perhaps a year or two), you might deem it makes sense to hold onto the property if you know that’s where you’ll return upon repatriating back from the UK. It is also a desirable option simply as an investment; these days, a lot of folks want to hold onto their properties until real estate values rise up again to render the investment an ultimate gain in capital. Having to sell at a loss could hurt, but, then again, so can having to pay mortgage on a place where you no longer live in the event finding a tenant to cover the cost is unfruitful. Such was the concern of the aforementioned Londonista, who stated in her blog post:

“The decision [to sell] came from a combination of logistical hassles – finding tenants, managing the property from afar, monetary concerns – and also the realisation that we wanted to make a real commitment to our new life in London and fully close our Montreal chapter before heading over. Which just goes to heighten the anxiety, nausea and excitement of the whole endeavour.”

Everyone’s circumstances and priorities are different; I couldn’t possibly provide you the specific solution to your situation in one blog post without knowing the particular factors involved. What I do hope to achieve today, however, is setting your mind to thinking through this if you haven’t already:

- If you’re renting and need to move before the lease term is up, read through that lease agreement and inquire with your landlord to understand your options/consequences.

- If you own an  apartment/condo and are looking to rent it out, consult your building association by-laws to ensure you’re legally allowed to sublet. Not every owner within a multi-unit building has that option!

- And if you have the option to either sell or rent, determine what you’d personally prefer to do either out of sentiment or practicality, weigh that against your finances and your willingness to commit to the money/efforts/time your decision could involve, and determine whether it’s something you might receive assistance for from your employer.

I’m hoping to follow up on this eventually with personal anecdotes of expats living in London (including myself) who all owned (or still own) homes in the States prior to their relocation, how we arrived at our decisions, what circumstances we had to work with, issues faced, success stories, etc. So stay tuned, as hopefully one of them will resonate with you and further help with your move.

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