An Expat Talks about Moving to Abingdon, UK

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Abingdon

What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

I would advise all corporate expatriates to ensure that a sufficient housing allowance is included in their package to provide them with a home similar to the style of living they are living in at home. For other expatriates on their way over who are not on a corporate transfer I would make sure that they do their research and get ready to accept living in at least 1/2 if not 1/4 of the space they are used to having. You can do a lot of research over the internet but you should also give yourself two weeks - one months time to search for your home sweet home.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

2 bedroom flat. Not sure if this is typical but it was what we could afford. Cost of living is very high and the exchange to the Canadian dollar is extremely prohibitive. Our kitchen is modern and different to home which we like. Our least favourite is apartment-living with neighbour noise and the lack of space - we went from a 1500 square foot home to a 600 sq foot apartment.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

Housing costs are much higher here if you take exchange rates into affect. In US dollars a 600 square foot apartment in our home country would cost $500 while our flat here in US dollars is $1300US. To purchase a 1600 Sq foot new home in our home city would cost $125,000US while a home here for the same size would cost $365,000US. Incredibly discouraging.