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Retiring/ Holiday Home in Europe

DRD

DRD

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As ever, I find this a great place for wisdom and common sense. 'er indoors and I are concerned about the state of this country and the direction of travel. She has an Irish passport so we could move anywhere in the EU. I'm starting to downsize so my TZ is now on the block, and Fathom will follow soon.

We now have an imbecilic and vindictive Labour Government replacing an imbecilic and complacent Tory one:
  • Thought police are now a reality
  • Criminals being released early
  • Burglary and shoplifting decriminalised
  • Winter fuel allowance cut for pensioners - while sending billions abroad for net zero
  • NHS is truly shocking
  • This week alone - Closure of Port Talbot blast furnaces will devastate that economy. As will the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery.
  • Car industry also about to be ruined in the name of net zero .......
  • Idiotic decision to ban new oil wells whilst we are subsidising windmills with no backup capacity
  • Areas like mine are about to be carpeted with more pylons
  • Billions spent on migrant hotels
Yet France, Germany etc are facing similar issues

I am weighing up going very rural in the UK like Northumberland versus the European equivalent.

Has anyone found a nice spot in Europe that seems a long term bet ??
  • Not mega money, not a fashionable spot. So not Switzerland (where I would go if I had the dough), not Paris, Milan, Nice, Barcelona type place
  • But sleepy/ bit below the radar/ decent value for money/ not tourist/ no need to find employment or schools
  • Not chav fest, union jack shorts, Full English Breakfast type of place
Ta
 
I'm about 10 miles south west of hexham in Northumberland and have lived here for 17 years. Very rural. Very low crime - some never bother locking their back doors even when they go on holiday. And a real community where everybody seems to get along regardless of background. Excellent health care that is not under as much strain as in the south. Hexham is a lovely market town with lots of good restaurants etc. Corbridge is called corbridge on Thames by the locals as it is upmarket. And sparsely populated so nowhere is ever banged out with people like anywhere south of preston/leeds/york.

Downsides are that it is typically 6 degrees cooler than the South, winters are long and summers are short and you need to be prepared to get in the car and travel whenever the need arises. Like a 200 mile 5 hour round trip to attend each of the Northern league pinball meets. And bloody midges in the summer if you live rurally in the hills.

Me and the wife often talk about moving south and have a place we go regularly in Somerset. But for now we are staying put as benefits of North outweigh the South for us.
 
If you move to N Ireland under your British passport and live there for over 6m a year for three years you can get an Eire one
 
@Asiapinball

That's very kind, thank you. My Dad's lot came from up there - he grew up in this remote hamlet called Ingoe which is about 14 miles NE of Hexham. Northumberland reminds me of how this country was [40] years ago, and I like that.

As this country goes down the toilet I think that you have to consider retreating to a rural enclave or move abroad really. A mate has moved to Florida, courtesy of his wife who fortuitously was born there to UK parents that were working at the time. Other folk I know are looking into it, but it's a huge undertaking
 
Fellow Northumberlander here. Morpeth kinda area.

It's quiet. Same day GP appointments, etc
House prices are great, weather gets a bit windy but the rainfall is low.
Some good countryside, beaches, etc.
Newcastle airport has a Greggs.

Edit: we love it here :D
 
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Isle of Man?

Seems like a nice mix of island/rural living, not so much nanny state nonsense. Outside the UK for tax, but in the middle of NI, England and Scotland and Wales for travel.
 
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kev a said:
Isle of Man?

Seems like a nice mix of island/rural living, not so much nanny state nonsense. Outside the UK for tax, but in the middle of NI, England and Scotland and Wales for travel.
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I think that is a fair shout. I have been warned about the rain ? I did have a very rich client that lived there and he was Monaco wealthy, but chose the IoM. The fact that they have an annual motorbike race on the streets at over 130mph alongside dry stone walls etc is a tremendous sign. Letting folk live their lives.
 
Rural Northumberland House prices are probably comparable like for like to Newark so don't expect to save a load on housing costs. And rural heating costs are high because many houses are uninsulated solid stone walls and it is 6 degrees colder than in the south. Or you can do what the locals do. Put another jumper on!
 
DRD said:
I think that is a fair shout. I have been warned about the rain ? I did have a very rich client that lived there and he was Monaco wealthy, but chose the IoM. The fact that they have an annual motorbike race on the streets at over 130mph alongside dry stone walls etc is a tremendous sign. Letting folk live their lives.
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Yeah I think its pretty wet, not the place to chose for sunbathing, they seem to do things slightly differently there, even for regular driver there are no speed limits on the mountain roads :cool:

Haven't ever been unfortunately, but everything I hear about the place from people who have really appeals.
 
I’ve just, well three months ago anyways, moved to Arboleas in SE Spain, peaceful tranquil, plenty of decent places to eat/drink, probably a few too many ex-pats but that’s life and it’s not a “chav fest or Union Jack shorts” type of place. I think it’s pretty much perfect absolutely no regrets at all, mind it does still feel like the longest holiday I’ve ever had!
 
Hungary :

Very peaceful, very calm, very quiet (especially in rural areas) low crime (especially compared to the UK)
Very little government interference in your life
Low cost of housing / all houses outside cities are detached
No council tax (minimal house tax depending on the area you live in - some areas it is zero)
Fairly large pinball scene
National health service (reformed)
Excellent cheap/clean public transport (especially Budapest)
Motorways well maintained
Villages maintained (road sweeping, planting flowers unblocking drains etc)
Lowest business tax rate in the world
Cheap energy (2 new nuclear reactor expansion)
Massively pro-farmer / pro-fresh food policy
Farmland / greenbelt entirely protected, cannot be built on, covered in solar panels, sold to foreigners or companies.
Actively seeking new oil - lowest fuel prices in Europe
Hugely active car industry (Major Mercedes + Audi plants + engine foundries and one of Europe largest manufacturers of car parts)
Tax breaks and interest free loans for families to encourage native population growth.
Zero tolerance of illegal immigration

No net-zero, no ULEZ, no low-traffic neighbourhoods, no cashless-society, no CBDCs, no sugar tax, no travel restrictions, no "climate change" speed limits, no retarded plastic lids on bottles, no "elf and safety", no arrests for saying mean things on Facebook

Basic process of immigration :-

1) Seek permission from local authority to purchase a house
2) Purchase House
3) Apply for permanent residency which requires a) Employment or b) to run a business or c) Investment in property for the purpose of rental (circa £200k) or d) Demonstrable significant funds to sustain yourself
4) Be resident at least 51% of the time for 8 years to apply for citizenship (on passing a civics test in Hungarian)


You can claim UK state pension whilst living in Hungary
 
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Oh forgot to say the 3 bed detached villa in a huge plot with swimming pool, loads of seating areas some covered some open, cost almost exactly the same as our three bed semi in Sunderland
 
Lisbon is good but expensive place to live. Probably the most expensive one Portugal.

We're off to Porto in a couple of weeks. Already been to Portugal 3 times this year.

We'll be living in the Algarve. Ben about 3 times a year for the last 20 years. Can't beat it.
 
I’d personally avoid most of Europe. Global warming is going to make it hotter and hotter in future years. The older you get the harder it becomes to tolerate the heat.

Have relatives who live about 45 mins north of Lisbon. It’s nice there. property prices seem on the up in portugal but like with a lot of Europe, it’s easy to buy a property but not as easy to sell if you get fed up and wanna come home.
 
Funny. Conspiracy theory at it's finest. Mortgages are still given on then most expensive properties in the world, seafront, for a reason. I've heard this nonsense for 50 years.
 
Tucks said:
Funny. Conspiracy theory at it's finest. Mortgages are still given on then most expensive properties in the world, seafront, for a reason. I've heard this nonsense for 50 years.
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I think 50 years ago they were pushing the next ice age tbh.
 
Pembrokeshire is amazing, an ex Londoner who moved here nearly 25 years ago knowing what was going to happen.
Best thing I ever did for my family, I should apply for an Irish passport really as I’m so close😁 ☘️

I never voted, all lying agenda driven toe rags. Actually they are feeble little people!
 
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