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Future restrictions the UK would put on foreigners buying property?

Future restrictions the UK would put on foreigners buying property?

Old Oct 3rd, 2012, 07:07 PM
  #21  
 
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Got it, janisj. It just seems so dumb, and I forget the other thread. If you want to buy property and have the money, there's a way. The Queen has nothing to do with it (which does suggest the OP is utterly clueless, but I know nothing about buying property in England).
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Old Oct 3rd, 2012, 09:37 PM
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Excuse me, but I think this guy IS trying to do research. Maybe in the wrong place, but he is asking questions.

dhs93,

this is somewhat out of date, but it might be interesting to you

http://www.escapefromamerica.com/200...ate-in-the-uk/
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Old Oct 3rd, 2012, 09:44 PM
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Bottom line:

Don't worry about your passport preventing you from buying in the first place.

Do worry about how much it's going to cost.
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Old Oct 3rd, 2012, 09:54 PM
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biztravfod: This isn't the OP's first question about buying property in the UK -- several of us have tried to help him before. Since you only registered tonight, you wouldn't have seen those threads,

"<i>Excuse me, but I think . . .</i>"

You're excused . . .
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Old Oct 3rd, 2012, 10:37 PM
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I know this wasn't his first request. I read this thread. People said about six times it wasn't his first request.

Apparently you think a polite "excuse me" should get a snotty response, or maybe just being snotty is your style. Hard to believe you're interested in helping him in the slightest or ever were. Can't say I've been pleased to make your acquaintance.
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Old Oct 3rd, 2012, 10:41 PM
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I just made the effort to look at the OP's past threads, and saw janisj's attitude. Get a life.
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Old Oct 3rd, 2012, 11:38 PM
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Thanks biztravfod!!
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Old Oct 4th, 2012, 12:01 AM
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I can't see the UK changing the rules re foreigners buying property. As already mentioned it is a good source of revenue in the form of stamp duty etc.

One possible change is that the UK might start charging foreigners capital gains tax if they sell a UK property at a profit. Currently the UK is one of the few countries in Europe that does not tax non-residents on gains from properties (they do however tax any rental profit). So if you are running any numbers I would not assume the CGT exemption will still be there in say 10 years time
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Old Oct 5th, 2012, 03:09 AM
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Hell will have long frozen over before the UK government stops foreigners buying property – it's just about the only part of our economy that is still healthy!
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 07:41 AM
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Hello All,

I too am a US citizen and am interested in buying property in England in the future. My wife may be accepting a job in the near future working at Heathrow. I am considering relocating to the UK upon retirement. We are horse people and would like to have a small plot of land to keep three or four horses and enjoy becoming locals, slowly of course. I have distant roots in the UK from my Welsh ancestry. I understand that all is not peaches and cream living in any country; it certainly isn't here at the moment either. But, I have always loved the idea of returning to the land of my origins. We would want to become a part of the society and not foreigners seeking to impress our own cultural on another culture. Not all Americans are arrogant and rude, and I apologize for my fellow countrymen who think that they are automatically deserving of recognition and respect simply of because of their origins.

Don't misunderstand me, I am extremely proud of my country and being American, but I believe that I am a human being first and a citizen second. Looking forward to discussing the future with you all.
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 07:42 AM
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Oh, by the way my nickname was intended to be FiremanTom for obvious reasons, but I didn't check spelling before submitting!
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 08:27 AM
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The thing that immediately springs to mind is proximity to Heathrow and property prices (unless the retirement bit is completely out of this area). This is not a cheap part of the UK and the cost of somewhere where you can keep 3-4 horses may be prohibitive in those parts
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 09:05 AM
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FiremoanTom: Are you talking millions of $$ (or at least many hundreds of thousands?) That is what it would take to get a horse property most anywhere w/i a reasonable (or unreasonable) commute of LHR.
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 10:04 AM
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Firemoan - not sure where you are from - but property prices in the UK are considerably higher than in most of the US (and hugely higher than in very low property cost areas like Texas).

I have looked at some prices in London and they are shockingly high in better areas - even in comparison to prices in NY (which make people in most other parts of the US faint).

And enough ground to keep several horses - yes, probably millions - unless you are at the end of hell and gone. (Think of prices of a property large enough for horses in Greenwich, CT for example.)
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 10:21 AM
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I'm struggling to think of a mechanism whereby the UK government [I assume we're talking about the UK, not just England for these purposes] could ban private citizens from selling property to other private citizens of whatever nationality unless there were such fundamental changes in the world order that buying property abroad [or at all] wouldn't look like an attractive option.

There has been a relatively recent change in the taxation of 2nd properties in the UK in that local council tax is now payable in full, whereas about 15 years ago, a discount could be applied for.

and in France, there are moves to impose social taxes on the income earned from 2nd properties, even though the owner may be non-resident and therefore unable to benefit from the benefits they are contributing to.

it would be changes in taxation laws rather than an outright ban which would worry me were I considering buying a property abroad.

Firemoan Tom - properties with land are available in Cornwall [and Wales] at a price, but not the sort of prices you'd need to pay in or around London. if you wanted to work at Heathrow and were serious about your dreams, you'd probably need to look to the area southwest of the airport beyond Slough and Amesbury.

good luck!
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 10:29 AM
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oh no not this crazy thread again
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 03:09 PM
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sofarsogood: "<i>oh no not this crazy thread again</i>"

It was topped for a less crazy question We are answering FiremoanTom, not the OP . . .
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Old Jan 24th, 2013, 07:05 PM
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You are correct about property in proximity to London being extremely high. I was looking at advertisements somewhat away from that area and they seemed quite reasonable.

I certainly would not consider living near Heathrow. My wife would be the first to relocate as she works for American Airlines and is being considered for a position at the airport. The position includes a two bedroom flat.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2013, 10:10 AM
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Thanks to all for your comments. My wife has another interview at Heathrow this week, so we will see how that ends up.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2013, 10:17 AM
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Not sure how close you live to an airport now but Heathrow has a huge number of flights - and esp the half of the year when you have windows open the disturbance of being within about 20 to 30 minutes can be truly awful. (I know Windsor is close but imagine those stone walls feet thick probably cut down on the noise.)
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