Business & Schools

[Super Ted]

Thanks for all the great advice so far,
here are some more questions.

I have a Sign and Embroidery business in the UK.
Would it be better to transfer this business to Florida to gain
our E2 Visas, or to buy an existing business, again with a view to gain our visas, + which brokers would you recommend, as so far
I am having great trouble in trusting anyone.

Also would it be possible to start from scratch out there doing
the same thing I do in the UK, how is this looked on to get visas.

How do the schools in Florida compare to Schools in England, is there
one particular county you would advise us to go to.
I have been told the schools in Seminole County are good is this the case.

[flyrr100]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Super Ted

How do the schools in Florida compare to Schools in England, is there
one particular county you would advise us to go to.
I have been told the schools in Seminole County are good is this the case.
[/quote]

Avoid Orange and Oceola County Schools.
You are right, Seminole County schools are better. Look at magnet schools if you have high school age kids. They are a little harder to get accepted into but they are still public and the kids'll get a good education, with better college chances. Also understand that to be eligible for most college scholarships you have to be US citizens.
I prefer living in Seminole County. We are 45 minutes from the parks, but far enough enough away to avoid all the tourist traffic.
If you serious, look at Winter Springs, Oviedo, Cassleberry, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, Sanford (but be careful, Sanford has some bad areas), Heathrow.
Prices have gone crazy here in the past two years. Right now expect to pay upwards of $300k for a four bed house with a pool.

Can't help with the business questions.
If you want any advise about insurance (you need alot of insurance in Florida) PM me.

[Rocco]

Check out the older areas in Winter Springs, Oviedo etc. Also check out DeBary and the surrounds. You don't have to have a house with a pool, most people here actually don't because of the costs in maintaining one. The idea is to get the best house you can without breaking your back (don't try and immediately get the same standard house you'd probably stay in on your Disney holiday, it's not important). Remember that you will be a new immigrant and the most important thing to do actually is to have a healthy cash flow, because your money will get eaten up so quickly it will blow you away trust me! You can always upgrade on the house once you get on your feet.

Patsy

[Super Ted]

Thanks for the advice, on houses, however I think after reading
so many reports on Immigration, What visa? Expensive Health Insurance, Dodgy Business Brokers,

Trying to buy and run a business, with employees,(workers comp) etc.

Trying to stay in America without getting chucked out

That getting a House sounds easy.

"Please Has anyone got anything nice to say."

[esprit]

If your UK business is reasonably sized and can carry on trading without you, try for an L1 visa, that leads to green card, much better than E2. Otherwise you could try a business plan for a sign and embroidery biz, something there is a need for. Or buy a small one and expand it. I would say stick with something you know, makes life much easier.

Anything nice to say?? The whole process of getting over here and to some extent managing to stay is a nightmare. But it does get better, and easier. Though worker comp never goes away!

And the sunshine is nice.

[Rocco]

The sunshine is gorgeous. The people on the whole are nice. American kids spend way too much time on computers though. Even my stepchildren-to-be spend way too much time on IMs on the computer. I don't remember kids back home being so internet addicted.

[chrizzy100]

Kids are nice here....thats a good point....and a very important one....if you have a lot of money on the sell of your Brit home......it'll give you a good start....and make life easier.....buy a house you can afford.....try to own it outright as soon as you can....I can't say that enough.....owning your home here..or having a small loan takes a lot of the worry out of life .......
Whatever you think it'll cost for everyday living.....double it......always keep enough money in the bank to keep you going 4 or 5 months.....

You don't need a pool.......make friends with your neighbours and use theirs.....I was given that advice by a realtor friend.......[msnsmile2]

The people of the USA are great..that is a very big plus.......after a while you forget you live in the USA..life here becomes normal very quickly...which is a good thing I think.....always book friends and family into hotels when they visit......and drum into them that you are not on holiday.....so you can't go to Disney 4 times in one week....[msnwink]

[Rocco]

Chrizzy is right. Don't necessarily aim immediately for the same kind of house you stayed in during your Disney holidays and over extend yourself on a mortgage. The most important thing is to get a suitable roof over your head, and aim for a goal. It's easier to buy bigger and better in time than it is to downgrade and try to recoup your costs and losses. Never lose sight of your actual goal which is to try and maintain a stability and reasonable standard of living in a new country. There is no credit rating for new people here, it's like starting back to zero again. It IS very expensive here and the downfall I've heard several times is that most English people really don't know Florida at all. They simply know a very very small area and base all their knowledge and decisions based on the Disney location where they went on holiday. Most people who come from Florida hate this area...it literally is mainly tourists and it gets irritating for a number of reasons. They don't think about the fact that the actual cost of living in that particular area is excruiatingly high and that schools in Kissimmee aren't really good at all, also that their neighbours will be leaving every couple of weeks and they won't be able to make proper friends here or their children either. If you're going to move permanently to Florida or anywhere in the US for that matter, move into a neighbourhood where you will be able to live a normal life with you and your family and have some roots and stability.

If I was going to start a business here or take over an existing one, I'd try and look and see what that particular area is lacking in. If we are talking around the 27 area or even 192, I'd say what is definitely lacking there is nightlife. After dining out what is there for anyone to do? There is a definite need for something to attract holidaymakers to for the late evening or night-time, whether that be a really nice wine bar or even a nightclub. Downtown Orlando is probably the nearest place the people would flock to for that and I find it strange that really after going to Disney and going out for a bite to eat there really isn't anywhere to go. Even an activity evening club for children would be a great idea so parents could drop them off safe in the knowledge they were ok and having fun while they went out for the evening.

[Super Ted]

Thanks Everyone, I think its better to know that this move was never
going to be easy, and that there would be many pitfalls before gettong
settled.

[Liam_Sandie]

Hi Superted

Have DM's you a link which you might find has useful information.

Cheers

[flyrr100]

Rocco and Chrizzy are so right. Orlando is definately diverse. Most Brits, after spending two weeks in a nice house near the parks, decide 'this is the life for me'. After a while living in South Orlando the tourist traffic gets old. You aren't on vacation, you live here. The last thing you want is holidaymakers everywhere all the time.

This is from personal experience. Your first five years or so you'll want to do all things British. You'll have GB on your car. You'll hunt out stores that stock Brit foods. But after a while you will be assimulated &lt;sp&gt; into the USA. (Think 'The Borg'). You'll realise that being American is in fact a good thing. You'll even think about becomming a citizen. After twenty years here I still have a few things British. I collect Corgi cars. My 3 year old is mad on Thunderbirds! I follow Chelsea. But I'm an American, and proud of it. My neighbors from Lincolnshire are the same. They are being sworn into the USA later on this year. We're buying them a flag to hang from their house.
And seriously, think about the other 49 states. Florida isn't the best part of the USA by a long way. I only live here because of my job. By choice I'd move to another state. And you can get a far better standard of living, without giving up the sun, in many other cities. As Chrizzy said, you won't be visiting WDW every week.

Ted. Living here is great. The USA has given me more that I ever imagined it would. Work at it. Good luck. I'd love to buy you a beer and talk it over next time you are here.

[Rocco]

If it wasn't for my stepchildren-to-be, I wouldn't be living in Florida at all. We've discussed this so many times, but we don't want to be far away from the children, on the other hand when they are finally grown in a few years, definitely we are leaving Florida. I think the US has a lot of benefits but I don't like living in this area much I admit.

[esprit]

See the other thread. I just posted a reply on this which could be on either thread.

[chrizzy100]

We are the only Brits for miles where I live in MA......I have Brit things on my car......[msnembarrased]

I have homes in two holiday areas......its easier in FL being near Disney......you can still find a place to park in high summer.......you can still eat out......the road are not at grid lock all weekend.....
I moan about being a prisoner on the Cape MA.......it takes me 6 hours to get over the bridges in the summer......I've learnt to live with it now......and I look at all the good things......no crime.....its very clean.....we have some great weather like we've had this last few weeks.....the beaches go on for miles and most of the year no-ones on them......you don't need much money to do something interesting....$12 gets you to one of the Islands and back.....on a steamboat.....we have our own town beaches.....no holidays makers.....[msncool]

I like the 27 in FL.....to me its more life.....the days feel longer.....the year feels longer......I love watching the renters look around their holiday homes.....its nice to have new people about every few weeks......I'm OK with living in STR because a lot of the homes around me in MA are just summer homes......or rentals....so I'm used to it by now.....
I'm OK about moving to FL because I have no kids to school.....its just me and hubby.....
I like both the places I live....its going to be hard to give one up if the time comes......

We got our little Cape home because it was cheap.....it was empty.......and we were going to sell up and move to the bay at a later date......over 5 years later....we are still here.....proving you don't need all the things you thought you did....we live in a great neighbourhood.......the houses now cost an arm and a leg to buy here.....we have cheap taxes.....and not that many summer visiters come to our little small town USA....you can do very well in the USA if you know all the pit falls.....if you do everything slow but sure.....and give yourself very few money worries....