Gazumping and surveys and chains–oh my! Buying a house in the UK as an American is quite confusing, even if you’ve owned a home before.

Gazumping and surveys and chains–oh my! Buying a house in the UK as an American is quite confusing, even if you’ve owned a home before.

Expats buying property in the UK face a unique set of challenges. From harsher lending rules to stamp duty woes, it feels like an uphill battle until you finally get the keys.

Curious about the differences between British vs American houses? There are more than you’d think!

If you scroll through any forum or Facebook group for US expats in Britain, I guarantee the most discussed topic will be things Americans miss while living in the UK. While you’ll find the usual suspects–like adjusting to driving on the left–there are some American things not in the UK that may surprise you.

From national healthcare to the side of the road you drive on, there are some pretty well-known differences between living in the US vs UK. But what about the things you discover only after moving?

Experiencing a new country’s cuisine is one of the great joys of expat life. I spent months sampling curries, pies, and crisps after moving to England from the US. But once the novelty of eating scones and tikka masala wore off, I found myself wondering where to buy American food in the UK.

Most Americans in the UK don’t expect there to be a language barrier with the locals. It is an English-speaking country, after all. But there are more differences between British vs American words and slang than you might realize.

With global working on the rise, more and more people are packing up and living abroad. But whether you’re a recent grad moving out of the US or someone moving overseas after 30, you’ll soon be faced with an identity crisis: deciding to call yourself an expat vs immigrant vs digital nomad.

Moving to the UK with pets was by far the most stressful part of our relocation to London from the US. It’s also the topic I get asked about most frequently, which isn’t surprising.

Getting visas and overcoming language barriers are well-known challenges of living abroad. But one area that’s often overlooked is the financial cost of moving your stuff from one country to another.
