Coping with those VIPs – your kids!

So…you’ve decided to follow your dreams – or that great job offer – and move abroad! We receive many calls from anxious parents asking us how they think the kids will adjust. The good news is that they generally adjust far quicker than most adults.

The younger the child, the easier it is for them to adapt. It is generally acknowledged that children up to the age of seven are able to absorb and process what goes on around them quickly and effortlessly, and language is usually something that they are able to absorb readily and without much effort.

That is not to say that older children will not be able to cope, merely that it may require more effort on their part.

The essential thing is that you are enthusiastic about the move and that you include them in the preparations. If they think that you as a family are undertaking a huge adventure together, this will go a long way to making the move seem like something to look forward to rather than dread.

Discuss the move with them and talk about what they can expect to find on arrival. Highlight the advantages of the move and point out that family and friends are merely a short flight away and stress that holiday visits will be encouraged. And remember not to tell them this when volcanoes in Iceland are doing their worst!

Leaving friends behind is never easy but today, with the Internet and emails, it can be much easier, both for children and for you. Just make very sure that when you decide to rent or to buy a property that you have access to the Internet.

A few points for younger children:

• Encourage children to learn about your new home country in advance. Perhaps get an atlas and have a look at a map. Or if you can take them to a restaurant that serves food from your new country?
  
  
• If English is not the official language, perhaps a few lessons in the language of the country before you leave the UK will mean that they will have a good idea as to what is going on once they have to attend school
  
  
• Provide children of all ages with a notebook that they can write down all their friend’s email addresses and contact details to take with them. You may find that the computer, with all these vital details, gets damaged in the move
  

• Take photos of their new home and area if they have not yet seen it yet so that it looks familiar on arrival
  
  
• Arrange to visit new schools and meet teachers before the first day of school. When my daughter was young, her new school always appointed a ‘mentor’ for each new child – someone in the class who had been at the school for a while and could show her the ropes. You may suggest this…?
  
  
• There is nothing as comforting as a pet for younger children. Failing that, a favourite toy at hand at all times! My granddaughter had a favourite toy parrot, called ‘Parry’. As long as Parry was along for the ride all was well in her world, and she has made friends and is now thriving in Dubai. She has been transformed from quite a shy child into a well-balanced and confident one, so perhaps the move was actually beneficial
  
  
• My daughter went out of her way to make the acquaintance of other mothers so that her children would have friends over on ‘play dates’, a plan that seems to have been a great success!
  
  
• Each change of school means some adjusting to the school syllabus. There will be aspects your child has not covered and others where they will find themselves ahead of the class. If necessary it is essential that you either assist the child to catch up or seek help to ensure that they do not lag behind for long
  

• For older children the road is perhaps less easy. Apart from just the language, there are the social aspects. Teenagers need validation and approval from their peers and have usually formed a group of friends from whom they get this. Leaving these friends and changing schools will be challenging.
  

If they have excelled in the classroom, a new language will be daunting indeed and if they excel at sports they will feel that they need to start from the beginning to find their place in the sporting hierarchy. You will need to give them support and listen to their concerns to make sure that they are coping with the changes.

I must say that in my childhood we were eternally on the move and I don’t think I suffered overly because of it. Having emigrated myself I can testify to the fact that, with time and a bit of effort, you will soon all fit in and feel at home.

Kim

The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.emigrationguide.com

Buying a home overseas – some tips for you

This week I thought I would give you a few tips on buying a home overseas.

Become an information hog

There are countless sources where you can learn more about your overseas destination – books, magazines, the internet, property shows and so on. Seek out people who have made the move before you and gather as much data as possible on what to do and what not to do. Expat forums are a great place to start. Let the community know that you’re about to embark on a new journey and you could use all the help you can get … soon you’ll get the opinion of every member! Just remember to take some suggestions with a pinch of salt – if anything worries you or seems odd, seek out the opinions of others.

Decide on an area/region

This may or may not be predetermined. If you are relocating for a job, it may make this matter very easy. If you have free rein, keep your list of intentions close to hand while researching various areas.

Fine-tune your objective

By now you’ll have quite a bit of information under your belt. Write down brief details about your preferred area, type of property, number of bedrooms, maximum budget, climate, geography and every possible element you can think of. Do you want a pool, patio, garden or garage? Once you’ve nailed down your ideal home, you can then elicit the help of professionals to find it.

Contact the professionals

Contact the necessary people who can help you achieve your objective. These may include a developer, agent, private vendor, accountant, financial adviser & international payment specialist.

Book a viewing trip

Some people do not have the luxury of viewing properties before they relocate. If this is the case for you, I strongly suggest that you move overseas into rental accommodation to begin with. By doing so, you can get a feel for the various areas, listen out for potential noisy neighbourhoods and ask around as to what area will suit you best. If, however, you can get overseas for a viewing trip, make the most of your time. Prior to arrival, have the agent/developer send you the details of the properties you will be viewing. You can eliminate any properties that don’t tick all your boxes.

Research the agent/developer

The internet is a very good device for detective work. There are quite a few crooks out there, so it’s very important that you work on referrals from previous buyers, who often post their experiences online. Buying a new home in the UK is a massive project, but buying one overseas is even more momentous. Spend time making sure that you’re dealing with good, reliable, trustworthy companies. When meeting the agent/developer, ask them if you can have the details of a few previous clients to call, or wait at their offices and ask any buyers who walk in.

Analyse properties, areas and the financials

The OGC Resource Centre has an excellent worksheet that will allow you to analyse each property, area and the costs involved in purchasing a property. Just call them on 0207 898 0549 for more information.

Read the contract of sale

Don’t ever sign anything in a language you do not understand and take the time to read everything. In some countries, lawyers are not very efficient. You will need to make sure you take responsibility and ask questions. If something doesn’t seem right, find out if you can change it.

Retain an independent solicitor

This is the single most important piece of advice. Please do not fall for the developer/agents attempts to “help” you by introducing you to their lawyer, or their friend who is a lawyer. In fact, find out who your agent/developer recommends for the sole purpose of knowing who not to use. If possible, get a recommendation from someone independent.

Send money through a specialist

I’ve seen people lose huge amounts of money due to fluctuating currency exchange rates. The story is always the same … the buyer decided to buy a property in January, budgeted at a rate of X and then when they went to pay for the property a few months later, they had to find £10,000-£50,000 extra. Don’t let this happen to you!

Kim

The Overseas Guides Company

http://www.emigrationguide.com/

Buying a home overseas

Should you be buying?

Selling a house in the UK is relatively easy and cheap, yet the same is not necessarily true in other countries. In some countries local registration taxes could mean that the house has cost you up to 10% more than a developer is selling the same house for, estate agents charges could be up to 10 % more and banks on a private sale may only be prepared to provide a mortgage of up to 50% of your hoped for selling price. The net result is that if you come to sell you may only be able to realize half what it cost you (assuming a stable market), or not be able to sell for a very long time. So in some countries it is probably unwise to buy if you plan to return to the UK or relocate within your chosen country. Long term rental, which is far more common abroad, may provide a viable alternative. If you do decide to buy try to ensure that it is a house that you plan to live in for a very long time, which means careful selection rather than a rushed buy, or rent first to really assess everything locally.

Decide what you want

Your intention may be to buy a property in your new destination by a certain date. But what do you actually want from your new home? Have you, for instance, decided whether to go for a new build or seek out a character property? Have you worked out how many rooms it should have and whether or not you require outside space? And have you established what functions it needs to perform for you and the rest of your family?

If you don’t know what you want, others will often make assumptions and decide for you – especially in the world of property sales. Take some time to create a wish list and another detailing the things that you definitely don’t want. The more specific you are about your likes and dislikes from the outset, the higher the chance you’ll have of finding your dream home.

Your finances

Before you buy a property you may wish to consider:

° Your maximum budget. Bear in mind that if you’re going to use the proceeds of a property sale, the amount you eventually have at your disposal in your destination currency will change day-to-day, depending on the exchange rate. It’s therefore imperative to talk to a currency specialist to ensure that your proceeds do not decrease.

° All the costs involved in buying a property at your end destination (taxes, maintenance, solicitors, fees).

° When you’ll have access to the funds needed to purchase a property.

° How to finance the property - savings, UK remortgage, proceeds from the sale of your current property, overseas mortgage, off-shore mortgage and so forth.

The overseas property buying process

Every country has a different process for buying and selling property. By understanding the process, you can ensure that things are progressing quickly and legally. Don’t fall into the trap of unscrupulous property agents/developers - there are many out there. While trying to persuade you to buy, they’ll be your best friend and make you feel like a part of the family, yet when problems arise, they’ll quickly disappear.

Note: If you haven’t yet made arrangements to move into a property in your new country of abode, the OGC Resource Centre are in touch with a number of really good property professionals in many countries, thanks to our readers and to members of our team who have themselves invested in property abroad. If you need any help here, run it by them and they may be able to point you in the right direction. Just call 0207 898 0549. There is also plenty of information relating to buying property abroad in specific locations - including France, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Portugal.

Kim

The Overseas Guides Company

http://www.emigrationguide.com/

5 secrets to financial fitness

We are constantly being told to ‘keep fit’ - here are a few secrets to your financial fitness:

Get motivated
Set yourself realistic goals and work out what you need to do to achieve them. Get a financial personal trainer (or Independent Financial Advisor – IFA) to whip you into shape. Use them to help you come up with an effective wealth and fitness program. Have a clear vision of what you are trying to achieve and make sure your game plan is always on track.

Get active
Take an active interest in your finances. Keep yourself informed. Book yourself in for a full financial health check. Regularly review your policies and investments. Make sure you know exactly what plans and policies you have and why you have them. The financial landscape is always changing…make sure your portfolio matches the market and your current plans.

Look after your health
There is nothing more important than your health. In order to earn the income you use to fuel your financial planning you need to be fit and well. Stay healthy and make sure you have planning in place to provide quality healthcare and financial security in the event of ill health.

Cut out bad habits
Just like health and fitness, a bit of discipline is necessary to get your money in tip top condition. Review your bank statements to ensure you aren’t wasting any money. Draw up a budget with an allowance for financial planning. Minimise and manage your debts. Make it a top priority to be debt-free.

Build strength and balance
Now that you’ve got the basics sorted, it’s time to make you financially stronger. Pump that financial iron! Gradually accumulate capital through regular saving. Balance your portfolio with investment in different asset classes and products with different levels and classes of risk.

Get yourself an IFA to help you achieve the maximum financial benefit for your finances, both now and into the future – the key is knowing what to do with your funds, and when. You may like to chat to the OGC Resource team about this – give them a call on 0207 898 0549.

Kim Brown
The Overseas Guides Company
http://www.emigrationguide.com/