Wheelie1

Hi there,

My wife and I are nearing the end of our I 140 process (Nursing) just waiting for our embassy interview date.
We've got a couple of questions that you guys may be able to help us with.
We've sold our house here in the UK and will be transferring the proceeds, around 150k, over to the States. I know this will probably be flagged in the US being a relatively large amount but what we need to know, is once it gets into a US bank account will It be subject to any kind of Tax. We suspect not from what we've found out so far.
The second question relates to location. We're almost certainly going to be settling in Phoenix Arizona initially because of work, It would be great to hear from anyone living in that area and to have their thoughts good and bad . We know It's going to be hot... but apart from that don't know too much about the place, which is a bit scary/exciting depending on how you look at It! Thanks

MightBe

Try a private message to member Rockgurl she started out as a nurse in Arizona ... or look back at her previous postings

Maz

For the money coming over, I've never had any problems receiving money wired from the UK. Only time the government takes any notice is if it goes into an account where you accrue interest as you have to declare that on your taxes (TurboTax is brilliant for doing your own taxes ).

I went to Phoenix and the Grand Canyon in the 2nd week of April 2001. Loved it! Beware house prices, it's one of the fastest growing areas of the country. Lots of construction, but prices are going up a lot, too. When we went, the temperatures peaked at around 70-73 in the day, but it's so dry, being in a desert and all, that it almost felt cool. It's incredibly easy to get sunburnt here as there's no humidity and it feels cooler than it is. Which is good in Summer as it can reach easily over 100 F for several weeks in a row.

In that same week in April, up at 7,000 feet altitude at the Grand Canyon, it snowed!

In Phoenix, which we loved so much we went around a few real estate agents, many houses have pools, most have a lot of tile flooring, and I didn't see any that had basements. If you hate mowing grass, Phoenix is the place for you! Potted palms abound in back gardens.

It's normally known as the Phoenix/Scottsdale metro area (metro meaning metropolitan). The four main cities are Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa and Tempe. They all merge into each other. Scottsdale is the yuppie, immensely expensive one, and it's either Mesa or Tempe, the two in the south of the merged cities, that houses the University of Arizona. I *think*... anyway.

Gorgeous area, you'll love it, take lots of SPF 45 sunscreen and let air conditioning be your friend.

(edited: "many" houses, not "nany")

fatbrit

Hi Wheelie1,

Lots of Brits in metropolitan Phoenix, quite a few on this board.

If you've never been before, Arizona's a bit like landing on the surface of the moon. Ask away if you've got local questions.

Re. the money, it isn't taxable. Don't worry about the reporting requirements if you do a bank to bank transfer -- the bank takes care of it. If you bring it through customs (e.g. cheque, cash, etc.) you need to declare it. No problems, but make sure you do it.

Pimpbot

Happy to help if needed. I live in Scottsdale.

Just add to what Maz said about the weather, we average 89 days above 100 degrees.

Wheelie1

thanks for all the feedback. You've pretty much confirmed what we had been led to believe regards tax, so thats good news!
We plan to transfer the money using either xe.com or our bank,depending on who will give us the best rate when the time comes.

Mightbe, thanks we'll definitely do that.

Thanks for the turbo Tax tip Maz, added that to our growing list of things to sort out .

Fatbrit and Pimpbot, It's going to be a good few weeks yet before we find out exactly where we're going to be located , as soon as we know we'll be picking your brains!
Just one general question, It seems the population is expanding in the phoenix area, is that good or bad, generally for jobs? I'm an aircraft technician by trade but would like to try something completely different, no clue as to what yet but prepaired to take pretty much anything initially.

fatbrit

I sometimes wonder where the jobs come for all the houses being built here. The rate of expansion is incredible in the 5 years we've been here.

The aircraft business is pretty big in Phoenix so if you want to carry on there, I'd think you'd be in with a good chance if you didn't choose to change careers.

The main difference is the way you apply for jobs. Don't be afraid to knock the door down before you eventually decide they ain't going to hire you. You really can't go too far with being forward (and I know this is very unEnglish!) and irritating. Your biggest plus will be your accent -- it attracts American women so use it to your best advantage.

With the capital you're bringing, a nurse's salary should be sufficient to allow you time to retrain for something else if you want.

Pimpbot

I agree with FB, that staying in your chosen career may be of help to you here, as we have Sky Harbor in Phoenix, Scottsdale airport which is getting very busy(I work just across the street from where all the news choppers take off and land) and I believe there is another airport out Mesa/Chandler way.

Cost of housing is pushing many people further out of the Phoenix metro area and places like north Scottsdale are completely running out of affordable land or just no space in general to expand any further. My wife works for a custom home builder and it's getting very difficult to buy an acre of land for less than $1 million dollars in Scottsdale.

Wheelie1

Thanks guys,
although aircraft work is something I want to get away from, realistically It's got to be an option If all else fails, although I did run the 'kept man' option past the better half, with predictable results!

Maz

Doesn't Honeywell have some huge place in the Phoenix metro area?... Just thinking out loud. I believe they're in that kind of business, or am I thinking of a different company (very possible with sieve-brain here! ).

fatbrit

Honeywell's here.

Motorola, Intel, and host of semiconductor offshoots.

If OP's into engineering-type stuff, there's General Dynamics.

Biotechs are the big growth area at the mo.

The Valley really does have a very varied base.

Pimpbot

I have one brother in law who works for Intel and one who works for General Dynamics.