Stability over tax
Nouran Moustafa (pictured, top left), executive financial and mortgage adviser at Roxton Wealth, said geopolitical uncertainty can quickly shift the priorities of globally mobile clients. According to Moustafa, high-net-worth individuals with families and established wealth rarely wait for situations to deteriorate before reconsidering where they want to live.
“It’s weird how everyone moved to Dubai saying the UK has issues and now with the first noise in Dubai all of them are running back,” she said.
“It’s a good reminder to everyone that no matter how posh some places might look like stability and safety are more important that running away from tax.”
Moustafa said returning expats frequently begin by looking for a secure base in the UK, but the financial reality of re-entering the UK mortgage market can come as a surprise.
Specialist lending reality
Although many returning borrowers are financially strong, their circumstances do not always align neatly with high street lending criteria. Expats often have income spread across multiple sources, including overseas companies, bonuses, allowances or foreign currency earnings, which can complicate standard underwriting.