A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Hi all please bare with me on this one...
We are going to be mortgage free within eighteen months on our UK home and have always planned to buy a place in the sun to use as a holiday home for the family and for "snowbirding" over our dreadful long, dark, cold Scottish winters once we retire in approx 10 years.

Although we love the USA and have spent most of our family vacations there over the last twenty years, the expensive property and maintenance taxes, as well as the maximum six months we could spend there as UK citizens, means that we have decided to look elsewhere for a holiday home.

We chose southern Spain for it's warmer year long climate, lower annual taxes and running costs and less than three hour flight with good availability from Scotland direct.

Our present train of thought is to keep a UK home although we may downsize after retirement, as fail-safe security but spend several months in the US in long term lets and the majority of the remainder in Spain.

I would appreciate comments and advice from forum members on this idea, I hope that the financial and property turbulence in Spain will not overly effect this as we have no intention of working there, nor would we be relying on rental income as I will be mortgaging and paying for the property myself.

Many thanks.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Could you not just as easy buy in the canaries and 'snowbird there'. It has a very similar climate to Florida over the winter period.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Winter climate perhaps, but for sugary sand beaches and beautifully warm waters, Florida's gulf coast takes some beating. Plus better fish, meat & restaurants, better customer service. No contest really.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

It's not just the climate, my good lady loves shopping in the US and we would like to tour the states, I also motorcycle a lot and I intend to tour more of Europe from our holiday home.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

I too considered Florida against Spain, but the latter won by a short head. The limited stay in the US put me off as well, and Spain sounded more adventurous, and I looked forward to learning a foreign language.

I kept a base in the UK and I'm pleased I did considering the current state of the Spanish property market and the uncertainty concerning the exchange rate against the Euro, my income now more or less depending on the rate I get for my British pound.

And I've never seen an alligator in Spain, but nearly ran over several in Florida.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Fair enough, perhaps you could holiday in the US during the worst of the winter months and consider a more northerly location in Spain. Southern Spain is great but it is after all a peninsula and you would have to travel a fairly long way to get up into main body of Europe (so to speak)

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Thanks for the replies, good point about wintering in Florida, if we bought further north in Spain we might get more property for our money, I would also like to tackle Spanish, it will still come in handy in the US as there are many Spanish speakers there.

Hopefully the property market will have stabilised prior to our purchase .

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Unless by further north you really meant Valencia and/or Murcia, I don't think you would get more property for your money. Better built and winter resistant, possibly. Property prices I believe are generally higher in the Basque country and in Catalunya, than in the south.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Yes I was meaning that I could also consider the Valencia and Murcia area, I would prefer a town house or country property rather than one of the many beach front condos, if necessary I am prepared to buy earlier if the right property crops up at the right price. Although I think there is still a way to go before Spanish property hits bottom.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Buying property in Florida for the winter months is something we have considered. The downside is...hurricanes and the cost of maintenance whilst you are not there (air con/pool and garden maintence/condo fees etc). Of course for a non US citizen...there is also the chance that US Immigration may not allow you to enter the US if they consider you are trying to make it your home. You could also have a problem with travel insurance once you get into your 60's and/or have any health problems...especially if you wish to stay more than a month or so. You will also need to buy a car and insure it.

Having a home in the UK is a great idea...but having multiple properties is very expensive. You also need someone who can keep an eye on the properties. Buildings/contents insurance could be a problem if the property is left empty for more than a month.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Sconie,
I like your plan as you can invest in Spain for a property and travel the U.S as and when. I appreciate the advice from Jerseygirl re limitations/cost on length of insurance if you were to stay six months a year in the U.S. I have seen retirement places in Florida where the basic property/complex fees are in the region of £600 per month, but you do get golf fees thrown in.
The thing we have noticed about property is that it owns us, we do not own it! The result is that once bought we feel the need to see it often enough to feel we are getting value from it.
Perhaps we have not seen more of the world as we tend to go on repeat visits to our holiday place. OK, so perhaps one will never really be happy!
We wish you the best of luck with your plans

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Jerseygirl...
Yep, after many years in vacations in Florida, we thought many times about buying a place, buteven at todays bargain prices, the taxes and running costs rule it out. I work at the Airport and with my work pattern I could spend one week every month in Spain without touching my holiday leave, so i would be certain to get use of it.

I knew a retired couple that worked for BA who retired to Florida, within the first year the wife developed a heart problem......wham...dreamup in smoke. So the healthcare in Spain makes more sense.

As I see it, we will continue to visit and stay in Florida regardless, so the question is do we do that from the UK or Spain, after a working life in Scotlands miserable weather my wife and I want sun, sun, sun.

Jonboy...
Your also correct, property does own us, but in the long run we have to take a gamble on how and where we retire too, currency fluctuations are a problem, but the biggest problem for me is the price of flights, the taxes on the flight to Florida are now £240 the same as a basic seat price, I can no longer justify paying over £3000 for flights to spend two weeks in Florida, I can only see me returning for long stay in the future.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Over £3000 for flights alone? Unless you normally travel first/business class this seems high.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

I agree about renting in Florida. My wife and I love Florida but she tired of the long flights and I could never relax during the Hurricane season when we were back in the UK for worrying about our investment. With good cause mind, our place sustained 200,000 US dollars worth of damage from Charlie, Frances and the other hurricane whose name I forget. We couldn't sell for two years as it took that long to sort the insurance, find workmen and project managers and get the job done.

We've now got a place in Moraira and all I have to worry about is the Gota Fria and the Spanish economy.

By the way we will always keep our UK base.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Stuboy....
Sorry that's for four of us and flying economy with BA, the eco taxes are turning Florida and other long haul destinations into the old "once in a lifetime" holidays they used to be.

Nigeljay.....
Yep that sounds a familiar Florida story. I gave up on my Florida dream home years ago for all the reasons above, Like I say we will travel there until health reasons stop us, but for now we'll start looking harder at Spain to narrow down where and what we want.

Thanks to all again for your contributions, the only real negative so far seems to be the additional cost of running two properties and still having to pay for monthly rental whilst in Florida, but if we stayed in the UK permanently we would still be renting in Florida anyway, so the extra cost is really the Spanish home, and we benifit from year long sunshine and affordable flights that we can still readily use pre retirement.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

no i agree, we considered floriday many moons ago but the stay restriction etc but now the flight costs are ridiculous I was costing up a trip for next year and the fares were roughly 650pp:o

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

There is no way you can get into the USA permanently. 6 month per year is the max and then you need a B-2 with interview. We bought a place on Floridas gulf coast after living in Spain a few years. Winter weather is perfect there. We took 2 dogs and a cat with us. Costly and logistical nightmare:eek: One of the dogs had a bad reaction flying back so we never did the 6 months anymore. We just did a couple of 3 week stints after that. Taxes are high but you get a lot of house for your money. We rent it out long term now and the rental return is good.

If they ever get around to bringing out a retirement visa we would be there as quick as saying Virgin Atlantic:rofl:

BTW. we just booked flights to Miami..£980 for two people in December, not bad!

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Were you able to get travel/healthcare insurance for 6 months when travelling to the US?

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Yes, the often rumored "Retirement Visa" we have all grown old waiting for this....LOL, I last heard two republican senators were trying to push this last year, but as with all other attempt it died quietly. It seems they have had enough of us Brits and would rather immigrants that are illegal and make good cheap gardeners and pool men....LOL.

Like yourself though, spending the classic snow-bird months there is definitely on the horizon.

Cheers :drinkwine:

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Yes from a specialist ex-pat insurance place, wasn't too costly either.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

I have biked all over spain and most of europe. You will enjoy it a lot more than a wet weekend on Skye :thumbsup:.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Ever researched Cuenca, Ecuador?
Cheapest place in the world to live well, by some accounts.

Spanish speaking, culture (museum, opera etc), cook or housekeeper easily affordable. Galapagos. Food. Ex-pat community. US dollar. Climate.
Rent downtown apartment of course, never buy in South America. So if it doesn't work out you just pull up stakes.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

We went to do a recce of Panama as they were saying similar things but we hated it.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Isn't the Panama climate wretched though?!

However, the Spanish language could be a deal breaker in Cuenca, you won't get along without some.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

It's taken me twenty years to convince my wife to try somewhere other than the USA, as she likes her creature comforts, customer service, shopping, cleanliness and a large cup of real coffee in the morning. Spain won't tick all those boxes, and but it offers a better year round climate that Scotland can't offer.

Far flung countries sound nice, but it comes down to ease of access to regular flights as well as health care provision. I am open to suggestions to locations in Spain we should have a look at though, and we will probably end up looking for a turnkey property such as a townhouse, that can be left secure whilst we travel, twenty minutes to the coast, and nice views, and a sun terrace..... Ahhh... Sounds nice.... Lol.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Looking at the economics it makes no sense buying a property in Spain and renting one in the USA.
Property prices are going to go nowhere except down in Spain - there's a huge glut of unsold,often unlived-in apartments and the Spanish economy faces years in the doldrums.It's unlikely you'll ever see any return on your investment in your lifetime and could probably lose a lot of money.
In Florida, however, the property crash has been and gone and prices are beginning to climb once again.
Plus, let's be frank, much of Spain is like Southend-on-Sea whereas the States is vast,diverse and,particularly in Florida,only a short flight from the Caribbean.
I invested in a place just south of Tampa on the Gulf Coast and picked up a property that was 60% down on its previous sale price.Its value is already on the way up.
It only needs to be rented two months a year to cover all costs
My plan when I retire is Spring and Autumn in Florida, rent in the Canaries over the winter and alternate between Ireland/UK where I have places the rest of the time.
I really think anyone thinking of purchasing anywhere in Spain is,frankly,bonkers.
Hope this helps.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

:rofl: I think we have an outstanding winner for most nonsensical statement of the year

http://spainparador.com/JPEGS/Cuenca...uses-night.jpg

http://www.apartmentbarcelona.com/bl...rips-Spain.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Salamanca.JPG

http://www.turismosantillanadelmar.c...sanvicente.jpg

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Cuthburt. Want to borrow my tin hat;):lol:

You can put glorious tourist photos of anywhere in the world...people live in places and never see them, means nothing!

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

So speaks the voice of ignorance

You have more diversity in Spain than you have in the whole of the US. Certainly in terms of culture, politics, food, languages and architecture. Spain actually has a similar amount of weather systems and geographical diversity as the whole of the US as well, acting like a "mini-continental system". Although nothing as spectacular as the Grand Canyon and Niagara falls

Still not bad for a country that is only as big as some US states

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

says someone from a country smaller than the state of Texas

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Yes, that was my point! :blink:

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Perhaps I should have phrased my comments differently - the Spain where many British expatriates choose to live resembles Southend-on-Sea.
Vast ghettoes of Daily Mail-reading Costa Cockneys.

Certainly if the OP only wants to spend a few months of the year living in Spain that is likely to be where he will buy.The opportunities for holiday rentals up some dusty goat track are fairly limited.

Fact is property in Florida is much easier to rent out - you've got the whole of North America as well as Europe as prospective clients whereas Spain is really limited to Brits and Irish in the school summer holidays.

Didn't mean to offend the expats on here who live in Spain full-time. Away from the coastal madness it is, of course, a wonderful country.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

except there are many available here inland, complete with the dusty goats.
and those from the Nordic countries enjoy a little bit of dust and sun.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

One might make similar disparaging comments about where most of the Brits choose to live in Florida. :eek:

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

And the majority of those people are likely to want to be within walking distance of a beach.

Which is why so many apartments were built and remain unsold on the coast.

Which is why it would be madness to even contemplate entering the Spanish property market for a very long time.

Don't get me wrong. I like Spain. Just not the parts of it that most people in the UK and Ireland like.And I'm trying to answer the OP from an economic point of view seeing as he is thinking of buying and renting out a property in Spain.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

You'd be hard-pressed to find a British community anywhere in Florida, even around Orlando.
Certainly none where they still watch Coronation Street in an English-themed bar with English beer.
Here's my local when I'm home.

http://wharfrestaurant.org/

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

I appreciate all the points above, we would prefer to buy our own little place in the sun, so we can feel at home, as one of the downside to rentals is having to take everything with you when you travel.

We did consider renting out a Florida property if we bought one, but we don't want the worry and hassle that comes with doing so, and especially at 4000 miles away.

I will not be racing into buying anywhere though and will keep an eye on the ever changing financial and political issues in Spain and elsewhere.

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

That is the best you can offer? It sounds just like the bars I avoid in Spain. :confused:

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

Each to their own,of course.
But sipping a margarita watching the sun go down over my boat moored outside after a day fishing in the Gulf of Mexico does it for me.;)

Re: A place in the UK + Spain + Let in Florida ?
 

I forgot, Spain doesnt have fish, or water, or boats, or coctails :D

It's nice that you like living where you do, but a bit silly to diss everywhere else on that basis