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I live in Britian - GET ME OUTTA HERE!!!

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Globrix

Writing from the UK...giving an insight into our market :-D

The title is not the name of the latest prime time reality TV show, it is in fact the sad reality that the UK is facing as more and more of the talented workforce up and leave.

The UK has won the disappointing title of having lost the highest number of qualified professionals in the world to other countries, more than one in ten clever Brits have taken their skills elsewhere and now 3.247 million Britons live abroad. The level of people packing up and getting out is at its highest in 50 years. We've even beaten Mexico.

But is it surprising? The weather's rubbish, housing and taxes are extortionate, and we Brits can't even eat Lucky Charms for breakfast (why they were taken off the shelves we will never know). There is a fascinating set of comments on the Telegraph Blog relating to the story, but they should be read with caution - they will make you never want to pay the UK a visit!

The loss of skilled workers has never really been a problem in the UK because we've always had them replaced by people migrating here. But it seems that even the migrants have had enough now, and the Poles at least are seeing better wages and a stronger zloty back home and are heading back fast.

The consequence of a loss of migrant workers won't be a pretty sight for the Brits that do stick around to see the results. They've been successfully holding down wage inflation and their absence could have very real inflationary pressures, at a time when we're petrified of inflation as it is. Buy-to-let investors will certainly not be impressed.

So if you're young and articulate and living in England, perhaps with a medical degree or engineering qualification, what should you do? Well the good news is that first time buyers are managing to take advantage of the falling house prices and have made up the largest share of property purchases last month since October 2006. First time buyers increased their market share from 13% in December to 14.5% in January.

It will probably always be rainy, but at least housing is becoming that little bit more affordable.

Comments (5)

Natalie Langford
Realty Negotiations - Winchester, VA
Winchester, VA Real Estate

Welcome, Poppy!  How thrilling to hear from you on the other end of the pond.  Glad to hear the good news on dropping property prices in England.  Perhaps my brother in law will have the ability to buy something soon!  If not, trust me, he'll be buying here in the US.  Yes, he'll have to trade in QPR for the Winchester Impacts! 

I've flagged this post for a feature because I'm just thrilled with AR's growing international presence.  I read your profile and understand why you chose CA!

 

Feb 21, 2008 11:41 PM
Poppy Dinsey
Globrix - Anaheim, CA
London, UK

Hi Natalie! Thanks for the flag that's very kind :-D

Like your brother in law, I can't afford my own place yet, so I'm one of the few people that relish in dropping house prices! Not that I can make that out when I'm dealing with British agents hehe.  

 

Feb 21, 2008 11:47 PM
Kim Sellers
Lake Arrowhead, CA Coldwell Banker - Lake Arrowhead, CA
Lake Arrowhead Realtor - BRE#01412099 - Lake Arrow
Hi Poppy.  Thanks for sharing this.  I always think it is just a localized thing and low and behold here you are from the UK... Great article, I hope you are hopping soon... Best of luck.
Feb 21, 2008 11:50 PM
Alan Langstone
Mount Pleasant, SC

Hi Poppy,

It's not just the qualified Professionals on the move. I think a lot of the working class are selling up and moving abroad, certainly within the European Union were it is relatively easy to do so.

I think this is for main reasons, what their Euro will buy elsewhere, the weather, a more friendly society.

A close friend of mine is looking to sell up in the UK and move. He has lived in Canada and loved living there. He would have liked to have moved the the USA but it is not easy, not unlike Canada. So he is currently looking at Crete.

Where a lot of the migration of people to the UK from across Europe or via Europe is/was because of the benefit system, health care and the highish minimum wage in the UK. The opposite is now happening for affordability and quality of life.

If life was simplified, I wonder were you would be Poppy?

Feb 22, 2008 02:28 AM
Poppy Dinsey
Globrix - Anaheim, CA
London, UK

Alan - I think you're absolutely right about the opportunities a more integrated Europe has given us, I know some people leaving for Cyprus soon.

I would love to have a home in Southern California, or in the south of France. With all the money in the world I probably would still live in London but in a swanky part of town near one of the parks, but I would always want a home abroad to escape the crap weather!!!! Do you miss the UK?

Feb 22, 2008 02:53 AM