Buying a house in UK with USA Dollars?

After 22 years in the USA I want to go home. However this is proving harder than I thought. I have my cottage up for sale in the USA, but until that sells I wont have the money to buy something in the UK. First hurdle seems to be the impossibility of opening a bank account in the UK unless you already live there! (Can't LIVE there till I buy a house!!). So if I sell here, my question is - can I use a transfer of money from USA bank to pay for purchase of house in the UK? I know I will incur costs doing it this way but..... I have looked into international bank accounts, but they want you to maintain a large balance (Barclay 25,000 pounds/Citibank 150,000 pounds), and I don't have that kind of money (need every penny I have to buy somewhere to live!). Any help on this is much appreciated!