Purchasing real estate with a tourist visa

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

There is nothing stopping you from buying property in the UK; put very simply, you find the property, make an offer, engage a lawyer to do the paperwork, once the legality is sorted, it's done.  I've heard of examples of US citizens who work for the airlines who have done what you are contemplating.

Glasgow could be expensive, I'd try checking out places along the Central Belt to get a better deal.  The Central belt is an imaginary line between Glasgow and Edinburgh that extends out to the coast at both ends; commuting is pretty common all the way along it.

A UK bank account will be a hurdle; my advice is to try speaking to HSBC who have branches in the USA and UK and see what your options are.  A quick Google check tells me that the Bank of America may have an operation in the UK, best you ask around.

You should be aware that owning UK property does not give you any future rights to residency in the UK.

I hope this helps.

Cynic

Expat Team

We have done exactly that, and the first step is hiring a solicitor. I will say, they don't respond quickly (it took months for someone to reply to me) and I do believe that they are not super fond of selling to people from the states, but we understand they are fiercely protective of their country, so just remember that. Having said that, we purchased a very small and modest flat in Perth and we stay there 3-6 months a year. It is our second home. You will pay a very large second home tax yearly, but that's because we are not contributing to the economy on a full time basis, and that too is understandable. We do not have healthcare there, but I had emergency dental and paid out of pocket. You are already doing this and staying so that is good .. you have learned the Scottish way. They are wonderful people and the country is amazing.