How did you decide where to live?

[cysne]

So I have been living in Sweden for nearly a year now and lived in England for 21 years. My girlfriend is Swedish and lived with me in England for a year, before deciding she wanted to move back to Sweden.

 

We moved to our current location, because it was near my girlfriends family and it's relatively cheap to live.

 

But we have really used all the opportunities this location has to offer, out grown it if you will and now need to move on again.

 

I don't want to move back to England for a few reasons, but if I had to, I have no idea what I would start with, I cannot move back to my family and don't want to move close to them.

 

So how the hell does one find where to settle down, when you don't have family there or a job? It's also kinda hard to find a job, when you don't have a firm address in that area, especially in Sweden as it is so hard to find places to live!

 

Anyway, so how did you do it?

[BossFox]

My short list was:

 

A place:

 

1. to raise a family safely in a nice area.

2. with enough bedrooms not to move again.

3. not too big so I have to downsize when the children leave home.

4. has a garage

5. has a drive big enough drive for a few cars.

6. isn't too expensive.

 

I moved to where I am now knowing I'd have to commute 40 miles.

Which I do gladly knowing the place meets all the above.  The family comes first.

Getting the whole list closer to work and family (London) was just too expensive and we had other things we wanted to do with money rather that have it all in the house with a huge mortgage.

 

Fortuntely my Mum liked the area and moved into the same road five years later.

Giving us childcare, an extra garage and more car parking oppertunities!

[devonutopia]

Near work, big house (shared) room to stash cars, store tools, detailing gear, bikes, car spares... Nice place to be and costs minimal allowing me sine breathing space to start trying to save for place of my own.

[CFB]

Pick anywhere that's at the top of a hill!

[Auric Goldfinger]

Harrogate born and bred, still here after ** Years

[Martin.S]

Born in the sarf (Bournemouth area) moved north to Scotland then followed work and ended up in Harrogate. Nice place, good schools (they are both in Uni now) and more importantly now dry feet

[Aspman]

Picked the town because of work and commuting.

 

Picked the house because we liked the big rooms a big garage and the location is near a lot of greenery. We overlook a park.

Also because the plot is a reasonable size without any onlooking windows.

 

I have a hatred of modern estates with 500 shrunken houses on tiny plots with garages too small for small cars and 800 windows that surround your garden like a German PoW camp. They also seem to be built on flood risk areas.

 

I checked flood maps and planning maps for every house we looked at to make sure the view wasn't about to get wet or built on. Turned out to be more often than not there was a flood risk or outline planning for large estates very near by.

 

We viewed a few I could have reached out a window and touched the house next door. They weren't cheap either.

Edited 11 February, 2014 by Aspman

[Macdemon]

Can I ask why you don't want to be close to your family??

 

What do you do for employment??

 

What are you trained in??

 

Do you have any specific skills??

 

What areas of the country do you particularly like??

 

How much would it cost to sell the house in Sweden, and relocate back to the UK??

 

Cost of transporting furniture & possessions or would it be cheaper to leave them there and buy new/used over here??

 

All of these are important questions and need to be factored in, in order to make an informed decision.

 

Why not just relocate in Sweden??

 

Good luck.

[cysne]

Can I ask why you don't want to be close to your family??

 

What do you do for employment??

 

What are you trained in??

 

Do you have any specific skills??

 

What areas of the country do you particularly like??

 

How much would it cost to sell the house in Sweden, and relocate back to the UK??

 

Cost of transporting furniture & possessions or would it be cheaper to leave them there and buy new/used over here??

 

All of these are important questions and need to be factored in, in order to make an informed decision.

 

Why not just relocate in Sweden??

 

Good luck.

 

Sure, my family is now small and only 4 are still alive, I like my sister but she is only 8 and my brother is living in San Francisco. My parents cause many problems for me, while I still want to keep in contact with them, if I live too close to them they start muscling back into larger and larger parts of my life and it just makes me unhappy and causes me more problems then it's worth.

 

Now, I am not working, I am studying the Swedish language full time as I wanted a small break from work after my last job.

 

But, I have 4 years experience in buying and purchasing for a steel manufacturing company, for nearly 2 years had complete control of buying for goods worth over 2 million a year. Plus applied knowledge of manufacturing process improvement, blah blah. I was rather successful if I say so myself, I saved the company around 25% of their yearly spend over 3 years.

 

I have a diploma from the Open Uni in Geography and International Development. Nothing special but if helped me with analytical skills etc.

 

Luckily we rent in Sweden as we haven't found somewhere we really wanted. So the cost wouldn't be huge, also we have most furniture we need still in the UK and could sell all we have in Sweden, making that relatively neutral. 

 

We are looking at relocating in Sweden now as our lease is up in May and looking at Stockholm as my girlfriend has a firm job offer near Stockholm and I have the best job opportunities there. However the problem is it's rather scary, she would need to work a month in hand, so it would be nearly 2 months after we moved before she got her first pay. So would mean I would have to spend around 3500 pounds in the first 2 months just to survive out of my savings and then after her pay would not solely cover the bills as it's not full time, I would need to contribute around 500 pounds a month from my savings to living while I find a job. We cannot get financial help from the state, sadly and I can't get any contribution or study loan while finding a job until I have been in Sweden two years. 

 

So if we set a max time frame of 9 months and if I couldn't find a job after 9 months I would have spent another 4500 pounds from my savings. Which would total around 8000 pounds, plus 10% contingency could be looking closer to 9000 pounds. Which would nearly be all my savings! 

 

It's scary because, if I take the risk and can't find a job I will have spent most of my savings by the time we have moved back to England, however if it succeeds I should have a better quality of life...

[Macdemon]

As far as I can see, you have things pretty much sorted.  

 

I know 'dipping into your savings' is not what you really want to do, but I feel if things DO work out in Sweden then with you working as well, you'll more than recoup you investments.

 

Sweden is a beautiful country, and Stockholm is indeed a beautiful city.

 

Learning the language is a bonus, as you can possibly work with local authorities as an interpreter part time, and make sure you add that to your CV!!!

 

You already have a grounding there with your current employment situation, and that can be a stepping stone to additional opportunities for both you and your girlfriend.

 

Life is full of risks, opportunities, possibilities, new experiences and sometimes it's worth taking that leap into new territory.

 

Remember the tortoise??   he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.

 

All the best you you and your girlfriend, it WILL work out for you both.

 

Keep in touch yeah??

 

Macdemon.  

[Jonny5ive]

In short, work.

Born in Cardiff, moved to Portsmouth area aged 3 months, moved to Bristol aged 20, moved to Stroud aged 32, moved to the Midlands 4 years ago. Will likely stay here for a while as eldest has started school.

[cysne]

As far as I can see, you have things pretty much sorted.  

 

I know 'dipping into your savings' is not what you really want to do, but I feel if things DO work out in Sweden then with you working as well, you'll more than recoup you investments.

 

Sweden is a beautiful country, and Stockholm is indeed a beautiful city.

 

Learning the language is a bonus, as you can possibly work with local authorities as an interpreter part time, and make sure you add that to your CV!!!

 

You already have a grounding there with your current employment situation, and that can be a stepping stone to additional opportunities for both you and your girlfriend.

 

Life is full of risks, opportunities, possibilities, new experiences and sometimes it's worth taking that leap into new territory.

 

Remember the tortoise??   he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.

 

All the best you you and your girlfriend, it WILL work out for you both.

 

Keep in touch yeah??

 

Macdemon.  

 

 

Thanks, nice to hear some positive words and that I am taking the right steps! 

 

I'm sure you will see in 6 months time or so if I run out of money and come here asking if anyone knows of any jobs in england! 

[nickguzzi]

I worked in abroad for a few years in the early 70's.  Jobs were easy then and I had no ties, I chucked it in for no good reason on a whim.  I Have always wished I had had more sense and got sorted with a proper place over there.

I'd stick it out and try to find some sort of work to help with the cash flow for now.  That will perhaps help you with acquiring the language and I always found people very willing to help me learn their language.

If you moved to many cities here, the situation would likely be similar - no where is cheap with reason.

Good Luck

[Macdemon]

Thanks, nice to hear some positive words and that I am taking the right steps! 

 

I'm sure you will see in 6 months time or so if I run out of money and come here asking if anyone knows of any jobs in england! 

 

 

You won't run out of money, and I think you'll be just fine.

[Moist Von Lipwig]

When I left the Navy a few years back i was happy to move pretty much wherever the work was with the exception of London or anywhere too remote (done both already). The choice besically came down to the jobs I got offered, one was Cumbria the other Derbyshire. Derbyshire won in the end as the job was a bit more interesting. Then we did the online house search thing and spent a few days going round loads of them till we found one we agreed on and could afford and I didn't have too far to commute!

Interestingly there is a TV show on UK Channel 4 called Scandimania about living in Scandinavia and of all I would probably prefer Sweden.

[tweenster]

I go where my employer sends me. Fortunately we have been to some very nice places; Cyprus; NE Scotland and Norwich to name a few and are currently enjoying living in Lincolnshire. I've also been to the Falklands, Kuwait and Qatar - bet you can't guess what my job is!

[preston334]

I go where my employer sends me. Fortunately we have been to some very nice places; Cyprus; NE Scotland and Norwich to name a few and are currently enjoying living in Lincolnshire. I've also been to the Falklands, Kuwait and Qatar - bet you can't guess what my job is!

RAF?

[preston334]

Born in Strabane,co Tyrone.moved up the road to Castlederg. As I soon as I turned 16 ,joined the army and spent 2 years at the army apprentice college at Chepstow. Did a couple of months at Gibraltar barracks at Camberley. Posted to Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire. One of my mate's from pontypool,came down with him for a weekend and met the missus. Left in 94 and moved to pontypool and settled down here

[tempra007]

Born  in Hampshire, worked in the hotel trade so moved around, 2 ski seasons, moved to London with my job, then to Lincolnshire  (teaching). We wanted a big enough  house to not fall over each other, at least a 18' square kitchen and wanted to make a statement with at least 1 double garage and room on the drive for 3 cars at at least 1 acre of land. Didn't want to be too near people (get enough of them at work ) nice village location.

[tweenster]

RAF?

Correct!  Wasn't really difficult though, was it?

[HoneyMonster65]

Correct!  Wasn't really difficult though, was it?

No not at all

[preston334]

Correct! Wasn't really difficult though, was it?

We used to work a lot with the RAF. Come to think of it,all my tours was at RAF bases. Akrotiri was the best,4 months refurbishing the stand by power station.

[James I]

A good question and some great answers, I will be changing my job in March, this will mean a commute from St Helens to Leeds everyday, motorway all the way as I will be working just near Elland Road stadium and I get on the motorway just near Warrington Gemini.

 

 We have been looking at houses in the West Yorkshire area and will be selling our house this year, I will be making a short list as above to help us choose.

 

So far, I had been looking for a double garage with a house attached and a more rural location, not too sure if I want neighbours again...

[Auric Goldfinger]

I go where my employer sends me. Fortunately we have been to some very nice places; Cyprus; NE Scotland and Norwich to name a few and are currently enjoying living in Lincolnshire. I've also been to the Falklands, Kuwait and Qatar - bet you can't guess what my job is!

 

Air to air refuelling, AWACS or something to do with the Red Arrows

[MartynVRS]

I'll be hopefully buying my first house the end of this year. Current commute is over a hundred miles round trip. Plan to move to Carmarthen so I'm only 40mins from work, 20 mins from my parents and 15 mins from my cousin so I can still fish with him. Don't want a massive house as I'm on my own but a 3 bed should be fine as it's sort of future proof. Also has to have at least a drive.