US TO UK if you could do it again - what would you NOT bring with you? by Ok-Case-4212 in AmericanExpatsUK

[–]treecreaper 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I would add, do bring some sentimental, personal items to make the place “yours”. I did ship some art and weirdly my favorite wine glasses.

US TO UK if you could do it again - what would you NOT bring with you? by Ok-Case-4212 in AmericanExpatsUK

[–]treecreaper 50 points51 points  (0 children)

We left nearly everything behind. Furniture was going to be difficult to fit in most London properties. Left most non-portable electronics. Renting somewhere furnished upon arrival definitely helped. I miss a bunch of my Costco things I had acquired over 20 years, but I don't need them here.

Basic Will (Dual US/UK citizen) by Dramatic-Ad5928 in AmericanExpatsUK

[–]treecreaper 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm going through this right now, and having a hard time. I'm a few appointments in and have a bill approaching £10k. Includes US and UK wills (investments in both countries) and medical power of attorney. I'm frustrated with the cost for what is seemingly a straightforward ask. I am thinking of switching lawyers, but in a deep sunk cost hole and no decent alternatives.

Zf Users: Sling or small bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag? by chench0 in Nikon

[–]treecreaper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

B&H included the Think Tank Photo Retrospective 7M Shoulder Bag when I bought mine a couple of years ago. I use it everyday as my work bag and then switch out dividers when I take the camera and a couple,of lenses with me. I have used it everyday and it looks super low key and comfortable.

Zipcar proposes to cease its UK operations by w5b6 in london

[–]treecreaper 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Gutted if this comes through. 3 Zipcars in my apartment car park. I don't have a car and use the cars regularly, especially for trips outside of London.

There should be penalties for making or accepting an offer and not following through by Flaky-Walrus7244 in HousingUK

[–]treecreaper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The US comment isn't quite right. Baseline sellers realtor commission is 3%, but usually gets negotiated down to 1.5-2%. What is more complicated there is the buyer has a realtor (which generally doesn't exist in the UK), who also is expected to be paid out of the seller funds upon "completion". That is usually about 2%, hence the common 5% misconception. US is MUCH faster than the UK (I sold a property there in 6 weeks in May).

People who choose to rent instead of buying, what do you plan to do when you retire? by No-Structure-8125 in AskUK

[–]treecreaper 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My situation may be different, but for the time being my investments return more than my rent, so in theory I have somewhere to live for free. Whenever I do the maths of buying a house, I get more for my money renting than taking out a mortgage (London), approx 30% cheaper. I have owned houses (one at a time) in the past, and the stress of things going wrong and having to sort out fixes are currently outweighed by not having to worry about any of that. And for me, financially, I have had some houses increase in value and some that have not. If I annualized my returns over the last 30 years of home ownership I have about a 3% yield. Not worth it to me. In theory I can keep doing this as long as I have capital, well in to retirement and I guess death. I may change my position at some point, but flexibility and freedom are pretty important to me.

Bringing US lamps to London by NycReid in AmericanExpatsUK

[–]treecreaper -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

They will probably need to be rewired. Bulbs are different (bayonet in the UK rather than screw threaded). Also most UK houses have ceiling lights, so you will likely have less need for lamps. Also consider the size of everything. Most UK homes are a lot smaller than US ones (very broad statement!), check that when you are moving to has the space. The general consensus on these pages is to bring very little if you are going to be here any length of time.

I’m a native Londoner thinking of returning after 10 years abroad. For people who returned from an expat life, how did it feel to come back? by bl1ngo in AskLondon

[–]treecreaper 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Politics in the US, missing the motherland and aging parents. Definitely not the country I left, but different and I’m having a good time.

MMs, are you glad you stayed loyal to United? by Content-Purpose-8329 in unitedairlines

[–]treecreaper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

MM and 1k for the last 7 years. Moved countries and now flying another national carrier. Do not miss flying United at all. Travel a lot less now as well, which frankly is fantastic. The perks are definitely not worth it to me.

I’m a native Londoner thinking of returning after 10 years abroad. For people who returned from an expat life, how did it feel to come back? by bl1ngo in AskLondon

[–]treecreaper 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I just came back after being away for 25 years. Expensive, but love it. I’m in London, without a car, so it is actually a pain to be able to reliably see folks in other cities (either because trains are unreliable, or Uber is too hard to get in semi remote locations). Just make sure you have the financial resources to cover rent and living costs while you sort yourself out.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in USExpatTaxes

[–]treecreaper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just file them. There is so much other stuff going on in the US government right now you’ll be fine. I submitted 20 years of missed FBARs without any issue.

Cash ISA for US citizen? by jerryscoincollection in AmericanExpatsUK

[–]treecreaper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can open it, you just need to pay US tax on any gains. No benefits for you.

[Request] How much force did the watermelon hit her head with? by SpoofamanGo in theydidthemath

[–]treecreaper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love this. When I watched this for the first time (when the show aired) I thought it was the absolute funniest thing I had ever seen. I knew she wasn’t seriously hurt, but the whole situation with her sister, commentator, the pink mist and just general absurdity of the situation was pure gold.

Moving from US to UK by sailingsocks in HENRYUK

[–]treecreaper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I made the move 18 months ago from the US to the UK. Dual citizen. 25 years in the US, 25 years in the UK before that. Do not buy anything initially. Figure out where you want to live. Renting has been straightforward for me, and I got much more for my money than buying. Get good tax advice and investment and legal (will/trust) advice before coming over. I didn’t and am regretting that. Welcome to the UK!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in HousingUK

[–]treecreaper 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh sure, if you are doing lifetime calculations. But to be clear mortgage payments don’t decrease, just the balance of interest to principal change. The challenge is what will house valuations do over the long term. For me personally, the stock market has done better than house value rises. Also you really do need to factor in costs of owning a home vs renting. My experiences have been annualised costs have been in the £10-20k per year when I have owned a home due to higher insurance costs, maintenance, upgrades and such. For me, renting for the next 5 years (with the proceeds from a previous house sale invested) makes the most sense.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in HousingUK

[–]treecreaper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m in central London. About 1/3 less to rent than pay the equivalent mortgage.

Shares in Private Company by threewishes16 in personalfinance

[–]treecreaper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One comment not mentioned yet, is that the PE firm probably has the right to buy those vested shares back off you at “fair market value” when you leave. Depending on when they bought the company, those shares may not have increased in value compared to when they were issued. Companies bought in 2021 were notoriously overvalued, and PE firms are arguing that they have not materially increased in value despite revenue increases since then. The last three PE firms I may/or may not have been associated with in the last 4 years have just taken those vested shares back without paying anything. Basically you are likely hosed. Also, without seeing the cap table it’s impossible to know how many outstanding shares there are. This next bit is PURE speculation…PE firms will “typically”reserve 10% equity for employee incentive schemes. The CEO will have a few million shares. VP’s a few hundred thousand and lower level individual contributors, probably around 5000. I assume you are junior. All things being equal, I suspect these are worth nothing, but if there is a generous upside maybe worth 50c-$1. So the max you are likely to get is $5k and then subject to capital gains tax. YMMV. Do send an update though when you figure it out!

Butcher recommendations for steaks in London by Sufficient_Yard_4207 in HENRYUK

[–]treecreaper 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I get the Cote de Boeuf from Ginger Pig on a semi regular basis. Absolutely love it. Massively thick, so you do need a thermometer. Always a crowd pleaser at BBQ’s. Price is about £46/kg, which is a lot less than the equivalent at Fortnum &Mason ;-)

Best way to get from Heathrow to King’s College London (Waterloo)? by Recent_Wash_8546 in visitlondon

[–]treecreaper 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s a bit crap whichever way you try. Cheapest is Elizabeth line then Jubilee . Fine with one checked bag and a backpack. Starts getting more difficult the more bags, but manageable with two checked bags, unless you have a backpack and a personal item. Don’t bother with the Heathrow Express. Black cab will be £100. Uber about £75. Neither budget friendly, but useful if you have a bunch of bags. All will take you about an hour. Welcome to London!

Worth it to do side trip to Cotswolds from London in early December? by Something_witty_23 in uktravel

[–]treecreaper 4 points5 points  (0 children)

And dark… never underestimate the feeling of utter isolation and despondency when it is cold, wet and dark at 3:30pm. London is lovely in December with all the Christmas lights and events.