Step1 - Our UK house is on the market!

[Janice1971]

Blimey, that has made me feel even more worried, the trouble is my husband is so miserable here in the UK, i feel as though i have an impossible decision to make!  The problem is my house here in the UK is so small that i am getting cabin fever, we are both working nights and long days and we still dont have any money, we dont see much of each other and dont get to do much as a family, the weather is so rubbish and doing anything costs a fortune.  My thinking (and i hope its not naive) is that if we didnt have a mortgage we could both work, me part-time as i have a huge family who are happy to help out with the kids.  I am in such turmoil that my views are changing on a daily basis, my main worry is the girls and their schooling, i would love them to have more freedom and have a better social life!

[Old Daffodil]

You sound like a lovely person and a good wife and mother. I hope that you have good luck whatever you decide to do.
I just wonder if you would find Turkey as idyllic as you think. You  have lived in Turkey before and know the winters can be very wet and cold. At least you are on the housing ladder in England which many are not. Everyone is being squeezed by the economy at the moment.

[Janice1971]

Ironically I preferred the winters in Turkey, I think that maybe I will go the renting route, and not cut all ties here, it is a massive decision and i just want to make sure that we are making the right decision for all of us!

[teetee]

Janice, a view from a male member of the forum. I understand the concerns you have for your children and their future. That said the reality is as Kayakebab has said I would rent your house out and as long as the figures add up you will at least have a little income from that, but more importantly a base to return to if things do not go as planned. There are obviously issues like changing the type of mortgage you have and all the other things that need to be done to properly rent your house out but all of this will be worth while to still have that all important home/base back in the UK.

If you all settle down and life is good in Turkey you can sell up in the UK and buy in Turkey. As a middle age male the prospect of not retaining a base in the UK would frighten me to death because in these economic times it's easy to go but almost impossible to come back.

Without being dispassionate deal with the practical and not the emotional because if you do not deal with the practical you are starting out with the wrong attitude and it could all to easily end in tears and this not what you want. In most instances if you cover all of the practical things then you have taken much of the stress away and you cannot afford to start a new life in another country with more stress than you have at the moment and that is with the support of your family hear.

I really wish you all good luck in whatever you decide to do.

[Supacabby]

I have watched your posts from way back with interest, here's an alternative middle aged male view:

Sell up in the UK, buy outright in Turkey, be mortgage free, be happy with less income & no stress about who is "possibly" destroying your property in the UK, kids enjoy growing up with the freedom that Turkey offers you all as a family & live happy ever after. Ok so that's in an ideal world but it could work just as well with thought, planning, love & that little slice of luck we all need from life.

Other option, sell up in the UK & rent for a year in Turkey using the investment income to square the bill then decide whether to continue renting with money in the bank or buying your waterside mansion in Calis! I can't see the housing market in the UK increasing beyond affordable in that time if you decide to return for a 2nd time.

So now you are up to plan F I think, good luck.

[Janice1971]

Hi Supacabby, thank you so much for your input, I think that maybe selling here in the UK and putting the money in the bank for a while is a great idea, that way can can make a informed decision, I am just so worried about how my eldest daughter is going to adjust, the little one is 2 and will be happy where we are as long as she has her mum and daddy with her, I am having so much negatived stuff thrown at me by my family but all that i am really trying to do is try and please everyone!  I actually dont have a problem with living in Turkey but my hubby has a huge problem with living in the UK.  If there was just the two of us i wouldnt hesitate!  We are living in a small terraced house and we have completely grown out of it, the trouble is nobody will give us another mortgage to move to a bigger property as I no longer work in sales due to having a family and we arent on a huge wage, hubby works full time in a low paid job and i work part-time so its a case of if we dont move to Turkey we are going to be stuck in this pokey little house that is driving us all mad!  I really appreciate your input as I havent to date really had any positive support or opinions!

[starman™]

Is your husband Turkish?

[incir]

I wish you all the best in whatever you decide to do - not an easy decision.
I do sometimes think that some Turkish men who make the move to England then have some kind of rose coloured glasses on when they think about living in Fethiye.  I think life as family there is harder than in England and I personally find my daughter has a far better social life and schooling here in England than she ever would have had in Fethiye but that's just my view)))
At least you have various options to try.

[lance]

Don't forget you cant just come over here and get a job you need a work permit ,same as u.k. if you get caught you will have more problems ,they are paying between 9&10% interest in banks at the moment less tax ,good luck all the best .

[LeeGlo]

Janice, I sympathise with your situation, trying to please your husband and provide a good life for your children. We have friends who had to return to the UK in order to work (both English) because they couldn't afford to stay without working, they already have a home here and would love to return permanently.

You really must think your finances through very carefully before making any move. From your previous post it seems you have a mortgage on your UK house, so first, if you sell it will there be enough capital left after settling the mortgage to give you a decent income from bank interest here? And will you be able to keep that capital intact in case you need to return and start buying another house? If not, then I would rent out the UK property and rent in Turkey. I'd rent in Turkey anyway rather than buying.

I don't know what kind of work your husband is qualified to do, so can't comment on his job prospects, but unemployment is also high in Turkey, and as others have said there is no social security to fall back on. As you obviously know, work in the resorts is seasonal, what will you do in the winter months?

I don't want to put a damper on your plans but with 2 young children you really do need to think it all through very carefully. I wish you the very best of luck with whatever you eventually decide.