Florida fact-finding tour
Nov 2nd 2011, 4:06 am
#31
Too young for BE
Joined: Aug 2011
Location: Sunnyvale CA USA
Posts: 295
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
And? Immigration wise and getting into the US, the US couldn't give a flying boob that the UK might be one of the closest allies, or that they share so much. Unless you're a USC, you're just "one of them", an outsider. Simple as that.
So getting ones eggs sorted before dropping a wedge of cash is just something sensible, or at least understanding the potential pitfalls that one might face.
Something that the OP was asking about...especially most of the posters here don't have any invested reasons to give out duff or misleading information, whether by choice or ignorance.
And yes, my previous 2 posts were directed at you, hence being replies to your post. Nothing wrong with them, you were giving poor advice, I was countering them with why they were poor advice.
I've yet to be corrected by anyone else, unlike some others...so I'll let the OP draw own conclusions from that.
So getting ones eggs sorted before dropping a wedge of cash is just something sensible, or at least understanding the potential pitfalls that one might face.
Something that the OP was asking about...especially most of the posters here don't have any invested reasons to give out duff or misleading information, whether by choice or ignorance.
And yes, my previous 2 posts were directed at you, hence being replies to your post. Nothing wrong with them, you were giving poor advice, I was countering them with why they were poor advice.
I've yet to be corrected by anyone else, unlike some others...so I'll let the OP draw own conclusions from that.
Last edited by KetteringEnglandRocks2005; Nov 2nd 2011 at 4:22 am.
Nov 2nd 2011, 6:23 am
#32
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Oz -> UK -> San Diego
Posts: 9,912
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
Ozzidoc : what is her visa status ! read the post she has been to America so obviously would have a 90 day visa minimum, she is in her early 50's give her some credit, a ninety day VWP is ample to give a total of 6 months in the US over a year. There is no need for a B2 unless you want to stay 6 month's solid, so why have you all got a hang up on it.
Why buy when you can rent!! Why rent if you can buy...DOH.. so you don't throw your money away,,HUH.
A fully planned exit strategy..it's only the US, she's not planning " DESERT STORM".LMFAO.
Why buy when you can rent!! Why rent if you can buy...DOH.. so you don't throw your money away,,HUH.
A fully planned exit strategy..it's only the US, she's not planning " DESERT STORM".LMFAO.
I asked the OP what HER exit strategy is, as this is something that I would expect her to know or to have considered, and to realise that she may need to sell the property but cant find a buyer, is unable to rent it and still has outgoings. While it may not be Desert Storm to you, losing a couple of hundred thousand dollars may well be to the OP. ie in your words "throwing her money away".
Regarding buy v rent. This is NOT about my view nor what I do (buy and hold). This is for the OP to decide, for her situation. However if she is prepared to spend 250,000 USD on a holiday home that she intends to use for the next 20 years (this figure mine plucked out of the air and covers purchase and running costs for 20 yrs), then it may be that buying IS better than renting for her. And the exit strategy part of it becomes less important if she is a position to simply lose all of her money at any time over the next few decades. Of course the alternative is to simply rent each time she visits or do home-swaps or whatever the term is.
OP - we'd all love to read your responses and thoughts to what we've suggested
BW
Nov 3rd 2011, 10:20 am
#33
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
Hello all,
I'm planning to spend 3 months in Florida from March 2012 on what will be a combination of fact-finding tour/property search/vacation. Like most people, I know Orlando and environs from past holidays but I would also like to explore northern and southern Florida. Are there areas I should avoid, for example?
I'm doing online research and wondered if people on here could recommend any useful websites or realtors or, indeed, offer any useful hints/tips....
For example, is there an organisation which advises British people on how to best go about such an undertaking? Please PM me if you can help. Thanks.
This is my original post. I thought I had worded it simplistically enough so that anyone in this forum who had the time or kindness would be able to respond with useful and helpful advice as was the case when I asked for similar help from the people in the France forum. Their help was much appreciated and it helped me immensely with my move to France.
However, this time around, I am inundated with non-advice from a particular group of abrasive, rude people who obviously have too much spare time on their hands. That one of them is a so-called moderator on these boards just sums it all up for me! BTW, nowhere in my post did I request advice on visas/immigration - I have already sought that information from the people who know about that - US Immigration.
Thank you, Stevebar, for your lone voice of commonsense and politeness amidst the barracking. I have PM'd you. Thanks again for your support.
I'm planning to spend 3 months in Florida from March 2012 on what will be a combination of fact-finding tour/property search/vacation. Like most people, I know Orlando and environs from past holidays but I would also like to explore northern and southern Florida. Are there areas I should avoid, for example?
I'm doing online research and wondered if people on here could recommend any useful websites or realtors or, indeed, offer any useful hints/tips....
For example, is there an organisation which advises British people on how to best go about such an undertaking? Please PM me if you can help. Thanks.
This is my original post. I thought I had worded it simplistically enough so that anyone in this forum who had the time or kindness would be able to respond with useful and helpful advice as was the case when I asked for similar help from the people in the France forum. Their help was much appreciated and it helped me immensely with my move to France.
However, this time around, I am inundated with non-advice from a particular group of abrasive, rude people who obviously have too much spare time on their hands. That one of them is a so-called moderator on these boards just sums it all up for me! BTW, nowhere in my post did I request advice on visas/immigration - I have already sought that information from the people who know about that - US Immigration.
Thank you, Stevebar, for your lone voice of commonsense and politeness amidst the barracking. I have PM'd you. Thanks again for your support.
Nov 3rd 2011, 11:18 am
#34
Septic Sprout
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 7,993
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
And so the circle of life continues... 
Nov 3rd 2011, 12:44 pm
#35
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2008
Location: Rural Virginia
Posts: 1,076
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
Is there any reason for choosing Florida ?. There are other states in the South with mild climates like South Carolina for example, Charleston in my opinion would be worth considering. As schools and employment are not factored in your calculations you do have much more choice.
Nov 3rd 2011, 3:35 pm
#36
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 8,106
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
BTW, nowhere in my post did I request advice on visas/immigration - I have already sought that information from the people who know about that - US Immigration.
Thank you, Stevebar, for your lone voice of commonsense and politeness amidst the barracking. I have PM'd you. Thanks again for your support.
Thank you, Stevebar, for your lone voice of commonsense and politeness amidst the barracking. I have PM'd you. Thanks again for your support.
Good luck.
Nov 3rd 2011, 5:39 pm
#38
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
But hey... good luck to you.
Ian
Nov 3rd 2011, 5:50 pm
#39
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
Hello all,
I'm planning to spend 3 months in Florida from March 2012 on what will be a combination of fact-finding tour/property search/vacation. Like most people, I know Orlando and environs from past holidays but I would also like to explore northern and southern Florida. Are there areas I should avoid, for example?
I'm doing online research and wondered if people on here could recommend any useful websites or realtors or, indeed, offer any useful hints/tips....
For example, is there an organisation which advises British people on how to best go about such an undertaking? Please PM me if you can help. Thanks.
This is my original post. I thought I had worded it simplistically enough so that anyone in this forum who had the time or kindness would be able to respond with useful and helpful advice as was the case when I asked for similar help from the people in the France forum. Their help was much appreciated and it helped me immensely with my move to France.
However, this time around, I am inundated with non-advice from a particular group of abrasive, rude people who obviously have too much spare time on their hands. That one of them is a so-called moderator on these boards just sums it all up for me! BTW, nowhere in my post did I request advice on visas/immigration - I have already sought that information from the people who know about that - US Immigration.
Thank you, Stevebar, for your lone voice of commonsense and politeness amidst the barracking. I have PM'd you. Thanks again for your support.
I'm planning to spend 3 months in Florida from March 2012 on what will be a combination of fact-finding tour/property search/vacation. Like most people, I know Orlando and environs from past holidays but I would also like to explore northern and southern Florida. Are there areas I should avoid, for example?
I'm doing online research and wondered if people on here could recommend any useful websites or realtors or, indeed, offer any useful hints/tips....
For example, is there an organisation which advises British people on how to best go about such an undertaking? Please PM me if you can help. Thanks.
This is my original post. I thought I had worded it simplistically enough so that anyone in this forum who had the time or kindness would be able to respond with useful and helpful advice as was the case when I asked for similar help from the people in the France forum. Their help was much appreciated and it helped me immensely with my move to France.
However, this time around, I am inundated with non-advice from a particular group of abrasive, rude people who obviously have too much spare time on their hands. That one of them is a so-called moderator on these boards just sums it all up for me! BTW, nowhere in my post did I request advice on visas/immigration - I have already sought that information from the people who know about that - US Immigration.
Thank you, Stevebar, for your lone voice of commonsense and politeness amidst the barracking. I have PM'd you. Thanks again for your support.
You had no mention that you had researched the visa, nor got anything on that side sorted.
It's common that a lot of people don't have a clue.
Also, from US immigration? What does that mean?
Some jockey on the USCIS phone line? Who's contracted and has no legal training, nor any responsibility for giving wrong advice, or did you speak to an experiences US immigration lawyer who deals with people getting investments?
In no way did your OP suggest what kind of investment you're looking for, a temporary rental you could rent out for x number of months, or long term rental...makes a huge difference to cost, viability and location. No mention of this being a short term or long term investment, which again makes a huge difference.
Still, I stand by that you got plenty of good advice from people. You might not have liked it all, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good advice.
Nov 3rd 2011, 6:00 pm
#40
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 142
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
Is this not all rather similar to the 'Keys' debacle a few weeks ago? Someone asks a question without giving the full background information and then gets ticked off when they don't get the answers they wanted. Will there be another poll?..........
Nov 3rd 2011, 6:27 pm
#41
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
If you're buying with a large percentage mortgage, you're essentially renting money instead of renting a property. And sure, when you buy you have the opportunity for capital gains, but equally you may end up with capital losses. Rent vs buy most certainly isn't as simple an equation as the "throwing money away on rent" meme that realtors so love.
Last edited by Giantaxe; Nov 3rd 2011 at 6:31 pm.
Nov 3rd 2011, 6:53 pm
#42
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Oz -> UK -> San Diego
Posts: 9,912
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
This is my original post. I thought I had worded it simplistically enough so that anyone in this forum who had the time or kindness would be able to respond with useful and helpful advice as was the case when I asked for similar help from the people in the France forum. Their help was much appreciated and it helped me immensely with my move to France.
However, this time around, I am inundated with non-advice from a particular group of abrasive, rude people who obviously have too much spare time on their hands. That one of them is a so-called moderator on these boards just sums it all up for me! BTW, nowhere in my post did I request advice on visas/immigration - I have already sought that information from the people who know about that - US Immigration.
Thank you, Stevebar, for your lone voice of commonsense and politeness amidst the barracking. I have PM'd you. Thanks again for your support.
However, this time around, I am inundated with non-advice from a particular group of abrasive, rude people who obviously have too much spare time on their hands. That one of them is a so-called moderator on these boards just sums it all up for me! BTW, nowhere in my post did I request advice on visas/immigration - I have already sought that information from the people who know about that - US Immigration.
Thank you, Stevebar, for your lone voice of commonsense and politeness amidst the barracking. I have PM'd you. Thanks again for your support.
Thank you for returning to the thread. I am sorry that you are only prepared to listen or contact the poster who states you can do what you wish without problem.
To put it in a different light, please think of this:
"I have several million bucks sitting in recently-deceased great-grandfather's bank account in Nigeria that I need to get at. Nobody seems to want to help me get it out. Please will you be the one voice of reason amongst all those who are saying no?"
Everyone is saying no, but one person says yes...that makes it all real, right?
OK. Poor analogy. Hopefully you see through the fog of my thoughts and words.
Best wishes
Nov 3rd 2011, 6:54 pm
#43
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Oz -> UK -> San Diego
Posts: 9,912
Re: Florida fact-finding tour
Right, because buying has worked out so well for so many people in the US in the last ten years...
If you're buying with a large percentage mortgage, you're essentially renting money instead of renting a property. And sure, when you buy you have the opportunity for capital gains, but equally you may end up with capital losses. Rent vs buy most certainly isn't as simple an equation as the "throwing money away on rent" meme that realtors so love.
If you're buying with a large percentage mortgage, you're essentially renting money instead of renting a property. And sure, when you buy you have the opportunity for capital gains, but equally you may end up with capital losses. Rent vs buy most certainly isn't as simple an equation as the "throwing money away on rent" meme that realtors so love.
Nov 3rd 2011, 7:56 pm
#45
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,022
Re: Florida fact-finding tour