# buying a house in america......



## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Hi to all.
How hard is it to buy a house in america?My husband and i are wanting to move from scotland uk to north carolina.My husband has dual nationality and we want to take the move.We are unsure how we would be able to buy a house as we would have no credit history or anything when we get out there.My husband would be looking to work as a editor of a newspaper so pending on him getting a job close to were we want to go.How would we get a house as he would not have had working experience there.THank you very much:confused2:


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

goody69 said:


> Hi to all.
> How hard is it to buy a house in america?My husband and i are wanting to move from scotland uk to north carolina.My husband has dual nationality and we want to take the move.We are unsure how we would be able to buy a house as we would have no credit history or anything when we get out there.My husband would be looking to work as a editor of a newspaper so pending on him getting a job close to were we want to go.How would we get a house as he would not have had working experience there.THank you very much:confused2:


Very difficult to get a mortgage now....
Obviously finding an actual job would be the first thing .... in todays job market that could be very difficult


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi to all.
> How hard is it to buy a house in america?My husband and i are wanting to move from scotland uk to north carolina.My husband has dual nationality and we want to take the move.We are unsure how we would be able to buy a house as we would have no credit history or anything when we get out there.My husband would be looking to work as a editor of a newspaper so pending on him getting a job close to were we want to go.How would we get a house as he would not have had working experience there.THank you very much:confused2:


Some thoughts:

It's going to be a 6 month or longer process to get you out there on an immigrant visa. Ask if you're doing it and we'll guide you through the right visa and get you to sidestep the wrong one. I presume your husband has not lived in the US for a long time or perhaps never? In that case he is going to have to do some work establishing intended domicile before you apply for your visa. And probably file for Uncle Sam's taxes!

Newspapers are going bust left, right and centre -- craigslist has taken all their revenue.

To get a mortgage you'll need either some income and either a credit history or an awfully large percentage down. Probably easier to rent for the first year or two while you build up your credit history.

Getting a job when you're not on the ground is a hundred times more difficult.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> Some thoughts:
> 
> It's going to be a 6 month or longer process to get you out there on an immigrant visa. Ask if you're doing it and we'll guide you through the right visa and get you to sidestep the wrong one. I presume your husband has not lived in the US for a long time or perhaps never? In that case he is going to have to do some work establishing intended domicile before you apply for your visa. And probably file for Uncle Sam's taxes!
> 
> ...


Hi,Thanks for your reply.
My hubby is going out in febuary to solidify his citizenship.
I know he will have to fill out forms at US naturalization dept.
Will this make any difference as of visa's?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi,Thanks for your reply.
> My hubby is going out in febuary to solidify his citizenship.
> I know he will have to fill out forms at US naturalization dept.
> Will this make any difference as of visa's?


I have no idea what you mean by _solidifying citizenship_. Does he have a US passport or not?

Showing intent to establish domicile (in order to apply for your visa) requires things like opening a bank account, looking for a place to live and a job.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> I have no idea what you mean by _solidifying citizenship_. Does he have a US passport or not?
> 
> Showing intent to establish domicile (in order to apply for your visa) requires things like opening a bank account, looking for a place to live and a job.


Hi,Someone said those words to me.I was told that he would need to go over to the states(as he has not obtained a us passport yet)Meet his father who is a us citizen and go to some sort of office with his original birth cert and apply that way.
I was wondering how long it takes for that?
Would it also be best for him to move out to nc and apply for jobs on his own before me and my daughter make the move aswell.
We should be able to put down about $60.000 as a down payment on a home.Would this be enough to obtain a mortgage?
Thank u


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi,Someone said those words to me.I was told that he would need to go over to the states(as he has not obtained a us passport yet)Meet his father who is a us citizen and go to some sort of office with his original birth cert and apply that way.
> I was wondering how long it takes for that?
> Would it also be best for him to move out to nc and apply for jobs on his own before me and my daughter make the move aswell.
> We should be able to put down about $60.000 as a down payment on a home.Would this be enough to obtain a mortgage?
> Thank u


Okay -- so we need to start right at the beginning here! Let's worry about the house, mortgage, etc when we've got the first parts sorted out.

He may or may not be a US citizen. The first job is to determine that and then obtain the proof, usually a US passport. I'll need the following info to get you started:

Which country was he born in?
What year was he born?


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> Okay -- so we need to start right at the beginning here! Let's worry about the house, mortgage, etc when we've got the first parts sorted out.
> 
> He may or may not be a US citizen. The first job is to determine that and then obtain the proof, usually a US passport. I'll need the following info to get you started:
> 
> ...


Hi.
Lol yeah u can tell im wet behind the ears.
He was born in scotland,dunoon to be exact.He was born in 1970.
His dad was in the american navy when it was based in dunoon.
He married my husbands mother and lived here for about 11 yrs.
He went back to america when my husband was 11 and divorced his mother.
My hubby has not seen his father since then.
As far as we have believed he has dual nationality.
Many thanks


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi.
> Lol yeah u can tell im wet behind the ears.
> He was born in scotland,dunoon to be exact.He was born in 1970.
> His dad was in the american navy when it was based in dunoon.
> ...


Okay, so we need to carry on discovering his claim to US citizenship. Sorry for all the questions but the law is convoluted!

Was your husband born in wedlock?
Did your husband's father live at least ten years in the United States before your husband's birth, with a minimum of 5 of these 10 years in the United States after his father's 14th birthday?
Was the birth registered with the American Embassy/Consulate?


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> Okay, so we need to carry on discovering his claim to US citizenship. Sorry for all the questions but the law is convoluted!
> 
> Was your husband born in wedlock?
> Did your husband's father live at least ten years in the United States before your husband's birth, with a minimum of 5 of these 10 years in the United States after his father's 14th birthday?
> Was the birth registered with the American Embassy/Consulate?


Hi.
Yes to all of the above.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi.
> Yes to all of the above.


Okay so if he's got the consular record of birth, life should be easy. He needs to obtain his first US passport.

London instruction here: Embassy of the U.S. London: Consular Affairs: First-Time Applicants
Edinburgh instructions here: Embassy of the U.S. London: Consulate General, Edinburgh
Belfast Instructions here: Embassy of the U.S. London: Consulate General Belfast: First Time Applicants for U.S. Passports

While he's at the Embassy, he should inquire about getting his social security card and back-filing his last three years of US taxes. The London one has a social security and IRS office -- unsure about the other two.

He should read Dual Citizenship FAQ to get a background on his status.

Once he gets his passport he can work on getting you two over. It takes about 6 months provided everything falls into place. How old is your daughter?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

As Fatbrit said - get your husband's citizenship taken care of first. Then your green card. Rent for a year or so and get to know the area you want to buy a house in. Study traffic patterns, school schedules (my sister bought the perfect house right next to a high school sports stadium. Great location for singles:>( ), job market .... then buy.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> Okay so if he's got the consular record of birth, life should be easy. He needs to obtain his first US passport.
> 
> London instruction here: Embassy of the U.S. London: Consular Affairs: First-Time Applicants
> Edinburgh instructions here: Embassy of the U.S. London: Consulate General, Edinburgh
> ...


Wow thanks for all this info,its a gr8 help.
My little girl is 4


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

twostep said:


> As Fatbrit said - get your husband's citizenship taken care of first. Then your green card. Rent for a year or so and get to know the area you want to buy a house in. Study traffic patterns, school schedules (my sister bought the perfect house right next to a high school sports stadium. Great location for singles:>( ), job market .... then buy.


Hi
Thanks for replying.
We have researched the plc were we want to go.North carolina,whispering pines.
Close to wear my hubbies american family is.
I have researched the elimentary schools
Crime reports
Traffic routes
Seem to be jobs in sorrounding areas for editors(hubbies deal)


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Wow thanks for all this info,its a gr8 help.
> My little girl is 4


Okay. Some more thoughts for ya. I know it's a lot to take in!

You and your daughter will need an immigrant visa. It starts here: USCIS: Instructions for Filing an I-130 & I-360

Your husband will need either a US salary of at least $23k OR capital of $69k OR a co-sponsor with an even larger income or capital.

If you answer affirmatively to any of the following questions, you may have issues:
* Have you ever been arrested for anything, anywhere?
* Do you suffer from a serious communicable disease?
* Do you suffer from a mental disorder?
* Have you ever broken the terms of any previous visit to the US?
* Do you any connections whatsoever with countries the US might consider as terrorist in nature? 

Under a strange quirk of the law, your daughter may become an instant US citizen on entry to the US with an immigrant visa. You, however, will have to wait 3 years before you can naturalise.

If your husband is not the father of your daughter, you may need a UK court's permission to remove her.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi
> Thanks for replying.
> We have researched the plc were we want to go.North carolina,whispering pines.
> Close to wear my hubbies american family is.
> ...


It really is hard to know an area without living there. Looking to rent for the first year or two is good advice. One of the strange things about America is a single street often separates the boundary between pleasant living and a no-go area.

Start building a credit history as soon as your can. If you don't have one, you need to get AMEX cards -- one each. I know they're pretty well useless in the UK but the big advantage is that you can transfer them to the US to bump start your credit history when you get here. 
Rules:
* Never have the balance exceed 20% of the limit.
* Pay off in full every month -- paying interest does not increase your credit score.

Without a US credit/work history, you are probably going to have to put down more than 50% of the price of a house to secure a mortgage at a less-than-favourable interest rate.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

goody69 said:


> Hi,Someone said those words to me.I was told that he would need to go over to the states(as he has not obtained a us passport yet)Meet his father who is a us citizen and go to some sort of office with his original birth cert and apply that way.
> I was wondering how long it takes for that?
> Would it also be best for him to move out to nc and apply for jobs on his own before me and my daughter make the move aswell.
> We should be able to put down about $60.000 as a down payment on a home.Would this be enough to obtain a mortgage?
> Thank u


On what basis is your husband a dual national? (There are lots of options...) Was he born in the US? Or was he born elsewhere, with one US parent (I guess, his father)?

It will also depend on just when your husband was born, if outside the US - the laws have changed over time and in at least one age group, it's necessary to enter the US and then get naturalized (though that is an almost-automatic process). 

It sounds like you first need to resolve the issue of your husband's US nationality. You may want to consult the Citizenship page of the ACA (American Citizens Abroad), an expat group that deals with various legal issues like this: ACA American Citizens Abroad - Citizenship Once he is squared away, then he can work on getting the appropriate visas for you and the kids.

But on the mortgage issue, you'd really do better to rent for a couple years to build up a credit rating before you try to go for a mortgage. (Not to mention giving yourselves a bit of time for the current banking, mortgage and financial situation a while to settle out.)
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi
> Thanks for replying.
> We have researched the plc were we want to go.North carolina,whispering pines.
> Close to wear my hubbies american family is.
> ...


Paper is patient and analysts hardly ever work on-site. We moved 16 or 18 times and three continents - unless you have had a chance to actually check out things - be very careful trusting someone elses opinion.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Bevdeforges said:


> On what basis is your husband a dual national? (There are lots of options...) Was he born in the US? Or was he born elsewhere, with one US parent (I guess, his father)?
> 
> It will also depend on just when your husband was born, if outside the US - the laws have changed over time and in at least one age group, it's necessary to enter the US and then get naturalized (though that is an almost-automatic process).
> 
> It sounds like you first need to resolve the issue of your husband's US nationality. You may want to consult the Citizenship page of the ACA (American Citizens Abroad), an expat group that deals with various legal issues like this: ACA American Citizens Abroad - Citizenship Once he is squared away, then he can work on getting the appropriate visas for you and the kids.


I think we've established the citizenship. Their only error was planning to get the US passport directly in the US rather than from a US Consulate abroad.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Fatbrit said:


> I think we've established the citizenship. Their only error was planning to get the US passport directly in the US rather than from a US Consulate abroad.


OK - I must have missed something. The only issue, though, was her mention of "naturalization" - which is necessary for one particular category of potential Americans born overseas to US parents. (I'll admit I don't know all the specifics, but when I was active in AARO, I recall one of the members going through the process to naturalize her granddaughter.) In most other cases, there should be no need of going to the US to get a US passport.
Cheers,
Bev


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> Okay. Some more thoughts for ya. I know it's a lot to take in!
> 
> You and your daughter will need an immigrant visa. It starts here: USCIS: Instructions for Filing an I-130 & I-360
> 
> ...


Hi.
Well yes about 8 yrs ago i was arrested for assult,not proud of it but i was not jailed or anything justg fined.
Then no to everything else.
So does that mean in anytime in the 3 yrs i could be kicked out of the states and i may not be allowed to take my daughter?Oh my little girl is my hubbies


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi.
> Well yes about 8 yrs ago i was arrested for assult,not proud of it but i was not jailed or anything justg fined.
> Then no to everything else.
> So does that mean in anytime in the 3 yrs i could be kicked out of the states and i may not be allowed to take my daughter?Oh my little girl is my hubbies


Well the assault will definitely need to be declared.....but I very much doubt it will be a show stopper. People get into far more trouble trying to cover up minor crimes by making false statements than they would have suffered by simply declaring it.

Your daughter will become a USC instantly on entry to the US with an *immigrant visa*.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

Bevdeforges said:


> OK - I must have missed something. The only issue, though, was her mention of "naturalization" - which is necessary for one particular category of potential Americans born overseas to US parents. (I'll admit I don't know all the specifics, but when I was active in AARO, I recall one of the members going through the process to naturalize her granddaughter.) In most other cases, there should be no need of going to the US to get a US passport.
> Cheers,
> Bev


OP is not very conversant with the terminology or mechanism of US immigration. She has a lot to learn! But I'm pretty sure her husband is a USC who just needs to get his passport from the Consulate first.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> Well the assault will definitely need to be declared.....but I very much doubt it will be a show stopper. People get into far more trouble trying to cover up minor crimes by making false statements than they would have suffered by simply declaring it.
> 
> Your daughter will become a USC instantly on entry to the US with an *immigrant visa*.


Oh thats good.
Now all i have to do is get over my fear off living with snakes lol


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Oh thats good.
> Now all i have to do is get over my fear off living with snakes lol


American drivers are much more worrying.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Hello 2 u again.
Hope u had a lovely crimbo and new yr.
Ok i have another question..........How does the whole tax thing work,say for instance i had a salary of $36,000,wot would i get taxed on that?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hello 2 u again.
> Hope u had a lovely crimbo and new yr.
> Ok i have another question..........How does the whole tax thing work,say for instance i had a salary of $36,000,wot would i get taxed on that?


Duke HR - Take Home Pay Calculator will calculate it nicely for you with the NC state tax included.

Set the number of allowances on both federal and state to two and you'll have a good idea of what will be on his pay check.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> Duke HR - Take Home Pay Calculator will calculate it nicely for you with the NC state tax included.
> 
> Set the number of allowances on both federal and state to two and you'll have a good idea of what will be on his pay check.


Thank u.
Omg it is a fortune on taxes in america


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Thank u.
> Omg it is a fortune on taxes in america


When I ran your figures for 36k/year for a family of 3 with one earner, I came out with around $6k.year for your federal, medicare, social security and state taxes. Sounds about right to me.

But yes, thinking American taxation is lower is a common mistake. Especially when you've got to add your expensive healthcare costs in there, too.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> When I ran your figures for 36k/year for a family of 3 with one earner, I came out with around $6k.year for your federal, medicare, social security and state taxes. Sounds about right to me.
> 
> But yes, thinking American taxation is lower is a common mistake. Especially when you've got to add your expensive healthcare costs in there, too.


Ok i most have been doing something wrong as i was getting figures of $14,000 a yr lol.Is the federal medi-care included mean private health care?Obviously we pay our n.i tax for nhs.Is the medi-care something similar?


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## RSA_expat_usa (Feb 13, 2008)

A good realtor can work with you, and explain the different options. When the economy tanked over in the States for the brief period, waves of Europeans came in and biught up property in California and Florida. 

Long and Foster is a nationally recognized company that has offices of most major states. Remember, in the US, the laws are different for each states. so check with major Realtor companies in the state you planning to live in.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

goody69 said:


> Ok i most have been doing something wrong as i was getting figures of $14,000 a yr lol.Is the federal medi-care included mean private health care?Obviously we pay our n.i tax for nhs.Is the medi-care something similar?


Medicare is the federal health care program for senior citizens. You pay for it while you work, and then you become eligible for the benefits at age 65.

Private health care is (if you're lucky) provided in part or in full by your employer. You're also usually expected to establish a savings account (IRA, 401K or similar program) to save for your retirement, as "social security" was never intended as a full retirement benefit. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Ok i most have been doing something wrong as i was getting figures of $14,000 a yr lol.Is the federal medi-care included mean private health care?Obviously we pay our n.i tax for nhs.Is the medi-care something similar?


They are covered by the FICA question. Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia And, yes, you are subject to it!

Medicare is health insurance you (might!) get when you're 65 or older. 

Your medical insurance isn't included in the bill. Varies widely among employers and can be steep. You could be paying as much for health insurance as your combined federal, state and FICA bill.

Much easier description is what $36k is going to give you in NC with a family of 3. And the answer is that it's going to be a struggle, there won't be much left over, and you won't be buying a house in a posh neighbourhood. But you won't starve, either.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

RSA_expat_usa said:


> A good realtor can work with you, and explain the different options. When the economy tanked over in the States for the brief period, waves of Europeans came in and biught up property in California and Florida.
> 
> Long and Foster is a nationally recognized company that has offices of most major states. Remember, in the US, the laws are different for each states. so check with major Realtor companies in the state you planning to live in.


Thank you so much.This is alot to get my head around.lol,I wish i could say i was blonde he he he


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Thank you so much.This is alot to get my head around.lol,I wish i could say i was blonde he he he


Realtors are free if you're buying. Well, they're not really free because when you come to sell, they'll be looking at a commission of 6% off you! Yep -- you read that right!

They're all a bunch of shysters in my book. But some are certainly shyster than others. Use local recommends to find one and wear gloves would be my recommend.


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> Realtors are free if you're buying. Well, they're not really free because when you come to sell, they'll be looking at a commission of 6% off you! Yep -- you read that right!
> 
> They're all a bunch of shysters in my book. But some are certainly shyster than others. Use local recommends to find one and wear gloves would be my recommend.


O!M!G!!!!!!!6% That is day light robbery.Its 1% here and flat rate charge of £130 to sell.Thats it


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## Suprised and clueless (Nov 30, 2009)

ok lets move on to the house...whats wrong with dreaming..lol... Charlotte NC .....as for jobs check online for the business journal..this is a publication for small business and actualy seems to be doing quite well if comparing to the rest of the national papers...there are also local mags and a great demand for creative advertisment editors....$60K seems to be enough for a downpayment but qualifying for a mortgage is another hurdle..Good Luck..


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> They are covered by the FICA question. Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia And, yes, you are subject to it!
> 
> Medicare is health insurance you (might!) get when you're 65 or older.
> 
> ...


Hi.
OK looking at it again.
He is also an experienced news editor.Looked into what the average pay in Raleigh nc for that and its $52.000.
Will this get us in a decent neighbourhood??


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> Hi.
> OK looking at it again.
> He is also an experienced news editor.Looked into what the average pay in Raleigh nc for that and its $52.000.
> Will this get us in a decent neighbourhood??


Raleigh real estate & Raleigh homes for sale | Single family homes,Condos,Townhomes,Co-ops - REALTOR.com® for the homes.

Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary Forum - The Triangle Area - City-Data Forum for local info on neighbourhoods.


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## Suprised and clueless (Nov 30, 2009)

not really..52K small change..small house.... but keep dreaming...


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Suprised and clueless said:


> not really..52K small change..small house.... but keep dreaming...


At this rate i think i will stay put.
My hubby has a gr8 wage over here in scotland we are very comfortable stay in a beautiful little island over looking lochs.
My mum is dying you see and i want to get as far away as i can when my mum goes.
She has been given months to live and i cant bare the thought of her going.
My hubby has dual nationality so we thought about america as a new start but not sure now.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

goody69 said:


> At this rate i think i will stay put.
> My hubby has a gr8 wage over here in scotland we are very comfortable stay in a beautiful little island over looking lochs.
> My mum is dying you see and i want to get as far away as i can when my mum goes.
> She has been given months to live and i cant bare the thought of her going.
> My hubby has dual nationality so we thought about america as a new start but not sure now.


It'll certainly be an adventure. Money isn't everything!

Any reason husband can't work from the US? Surely all he needs is email access?


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## goody69 (Dec 29, 2009)

Fatbrit said:


> It'll certainly be an adventure. Money isn't everything!
> 
> Any reason husband can't work from the US? Surely all he needs is email access?


u r so right money is not everything at all.Just want to be in a safe neighbourhood.Somewere to bring my daughter up and have my dogs(3 of them bring with me)


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