If you are planning to move abroad and searching for a home in England, here is what you need to know to find the perfect home for your new expat life!
Thinking of moving abroad to England from the US?There are important differences between UK and American homes. The
more informed you are before you start searching for the perfect property in England the more likely it is that you will be happy in your new expat life!
When I was deciding if moving to England was right for our family, one of my first things I did was search for properties. But my initial home search left me with more questions than answers.
Here is everything I wish I knew before I started searching for a home in England.
1. Property Types and Terminology
One of the differences between UK and American homes is the types of properties available and the terminology used in property listings and descriptions. Here are some of the most important you need to know.
Why This is Important: When you are considering settling in a certain area, you will probably want to get an idea of home prices to make sure there are homes that will fit your family’s needs and your budget.
If you don’t fully understand the property descriptions or know what to enter in a property search, you may end up not getting what you need or with something you don’t want.
Let’s go over some of the property types you will find in the UK!
The Flat
A flat is close to what we would call an apartment in the US. As in the US, flats are generally smaller and lower in cost than other types of dwellings (but can still be quite expensive in places like London).
Flats will be much more common in cities. You won’t expect to find them in smaller towns and villages.
The Terraced House
A terraced home is similar to townhomes in America. They are rows of homes that share a wall.
Terraced homes began popping up in England in the 1600’s and became increasingly popular in the mid-19th century. They continue to be popular today due to their charm and affordability.
The Bungalow
A bungalow is what we would call a ranch-style home in the US, with everything on one level.
It’s very common for the bathroom to be upstairs in UK homes so many pensioners (seniors) will transition into a bungalow later in life.
(Another word on bathrooms: Brits only call it a bathroom is there is an actual bathtub in it, otherwise they just say “toilet”).
The Semi-Detached Home
Semi-Detached: A semi-detached home shares one wall with another home on one side, which usually looks quite similar.
This is very common type of home in the UK because while it offers more room than a terraced house it is generally more affordable than a detached home.
The Detached Home
A detached home is what we would refer to as a single-family home in the US. It is a single dwelling on a single lot.
Detached homes are generally the most expensive type of home, especially if there within a city or popular village.
The English Cottage
Cottage: Last but certainly not least, we have everyone’s favorite- the cottage. These are generally small, character (historic) properties and typically in the countryside.
They can be quite expensive or relatively reasonable depending on their location and condition.
2. Size
Another difference between UK and American homes is size. The average home in the UK and the rest of Europe is considerably smaller than in the US.
Why It’s Important: I have seen three-bedroom homes that look roomy online, but the floorplan shows they are under 800sq ft.
The average home size in the UK is around 800sqft, much smaller than the US average of 2400sqft.
If you already know that you are fine with going small, great. But you need to understand what you’re getting into.
We downsized significantly when we moved to England.
We had traveled a lot in Europe and stayed in small very spaces, so my kids had a point of reference.
But I also prepared my teenagers by being honest that the move would mean giving up their big American bedrooms and our finished basement that they loved to hang out in with their friends.
(Above) The average UK home on the right and the average size American home on the left.
You may think that UK homes are smaller because they many were built centuries ago but the reality is that new builds in the UK are actually getting smaller.
There are many reasons for this with the biggest one being space. The US has 300 million people with a lot of room to spare. There are about 60 million people living in the UK on a much smaller land mass.
But another reason that homes are smaller across Europe is because they are not built for consumption. The European lifestyle is not focused on buying more stuff, it’s about living a good life.
Living spaces often reflect those values of putting experiences above stuff. My co-workers are frequently talking about their next family holiday, but they never talk about the new TV they bought.
Bedrooms in the UK are often quite small. During your home search be very careful as there are no restrictions on what can be called a bedroom.
A single bedroom, or sleeper, may only fit a single bed and literally nothing else. These are often used as an office or tiny nursery.
A double bedroom should fit a little more, a dresses and wardrobe for instance, but will likely still be smaller than what you are used to in America.
Do some research on price per square foot in the places you are considering living in the UK. Be honest with yourself about how you and your family might cope with living in tight quarters.
Could your kids share a room for while?
Could you sleep on a pull-out couch if it meant you got to live in London?
How much space do you really need to be happy?
When I think about our house in Colorado, it’s amazing to me to imagine having that much space. It feels downright palatial!
I miss it sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade my life here for a bigger house.
Life is Europe is smaller, slower, more intimate, and absolutely perfect for us.
3. Appliances
Another difference between UK and American homes is the appliances.
Why It’s Important: Don’t assume that home that you look at is going to have a full-size washer, dryer, and fridge. If that’s important to you, keep reading.
Appliances such as washer, dryers, and refrigerators are called “white goods” in the UK and you will often find this mentioned on property listings.
Refrigerators are usually small, often less than half the size of an American fridge in a typical household.
Remember that Europeans shop more often for fresh produce, meats, and breads. Food has less preservatives and so tends to come in smaller packages with a shorter self-life.
When we first moved to England and into a rental with a tiny fridge, I thought it would be an absolute disaster. But we actually cook more now and waste much less food.
Our tiny fridge is plenty big enough for our new life in the UK.
Another difference between UK and American homes is that you will often find the clothes washer in the kitchen.
This really again comes to down to space and is especially common in flats, terraced homes, and some cottages.
The clothes washer and dryer will often come combined in one unit and will be smaller than American size washer and dryers.
4. Closets
Closets here are rare in the UK. I don’t mean walk-in closets with shelves for your shoes, that’s a unicorn. I mean any closet at all.
Why It’s Important: One of the most stressful questions that people ask themselves when moving to a new country is, “What should I bring?”.
When you think about the space you will be living in, you need to assume there will be no closets unless otherwise specified. This might change what you do and don’t decide to bring with you.
Most people in Europe store their clothes on railings or in wardrobes. The temperate climate in many parts of the UK means you need less clothing to accommodate extreme temperatures (until you take that first long weekend to Italy).
Moving to a new country is also a great time to go minimalist. Try to take only the things that you truly need or love. This can be an opportunity to unburden yourself and let go old things and old ways of being.
Be thoughtful about what you bring into your new space. It’s truly a unique opportunity to redesign your home and your life.
6. Gardens
We can’t talk about English homes without including a discussion on English gardens. It’s important to note that Brits call all yards “gardens”.
If you are doing a property search and want a yard, you will want to search for properties that have a “garden”.
Why It’s Important: You may find that buying or renting a home in the UK with a garden is hard to find or out of your price range.
We rented our first home in England, it didn’t have a garden and we were sad that we wouldn’t be able to plant anything.
But then we discovered that you could grow just about anything in a container- flowers, herbs, even large trees! Because of the temperate climate plants over-winter beautifully in pots.
You can easily start your English container garden in a rental and bring it all with you when you move on!
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