View Full Version : My 2 cents
chrizzy100
06-02-2004, 19:33
Over the last few days....I've seem a few people post who seem to think this is a small club of people trying their best to keep others from buying a Villa or moving to the USA........
I can only say.....that if you want yes men....who'll tell you that it easy to do both.....then its best you ask a lawyer...realtor....builder or someone after your money......because here you'll get the truth in black and white from people who have lived the dream......
Ask any woman who's just had a baby what its like and she'll tell you all the bad bits....how she nearly died....or how her hair got messed up.......hehehehe...we do that so new mums-to-be will see signs that something is wrong coming......we learn from others that way...
There is no point in asking a question if you don't want to hear the honest answer.....answers from people who have been through what you're just thinking about doing........
You can remove this John if you feel that you should.....but I've found the people here to be very kind and helpful.......and wanted them to know that most of us value the info they give......:D
I'll get off the old soap box now.......LOL!
"Over the last few days....I've seem a few people post who seem to think this is a small club of people trying their best to keep others from buying a Villa or moving to the USA........"
Is this your perception or does this seem to be the case really?
chrizzy100
06-02-2004, 22:07
quote:Originally posted by Amirah
"Over the last few days....I've seem a few people post who seem to think this is a small club of people trying their best to keep others from buying a Villa or moving to the USA........"
Is this your perception or does this seem to be the case really?
Well I've seen around two ...which makes a few....so that would make it in my books the case and not my perception......:D
I can't see the point of asking a question...when all you want to hear is that what you are planning to do will work and that its going to be the best thing ever......its a waste of everyones time if all you're looking for is someone to back up your idea..right or wrong.....if we all said......hey mate thats a great idea.....we could be sending someone on a rocky road to heartbreak....people need hard cold facts.....no matter how upsetting to their plans....
I think that we all see eye to eye but we all look at things differently. Most of the responses do come out sort of negative if I should say so myself. I think that since you own a villa and you have experience to also give the good points right after a not so good point to balance it out.
For example...finding the right realtor can be tough and you may run into the wrong one often (bad points) but when you do find the right one then these are the benefits (good points), right? Using this angle can make others feel better in the heart (LOL)when describing "the buying a villa" speech.
Those two people plus myself (not speaking for others) feel like it's a "raining on your parade" session everytime a question is asked. You are happy with your villa right? Express that too.
bellaepovera
06-02-2004, 22:57
We have all pointed out the good point,,,WE LOVE OUR VILLA!
chrizzy100
06-02-2004, 23:03
quote:Originally posted by Amirah
I think that we all see eye to eye but we all look at things differently. Most of the responses do come out sort of negative if I should say so myself. I think that since you own a villa and you have experience to also give the good points right after a not so good point to balance it out.
For example...finding the right realtor can be tough and you may run into the wrong one often (bad points) but when you do find the right one then these are the benefits (good points), right? Using this angle can make others feel better in the heart (LOL)when describing "the buying a villa" speech.
Those two people plus myself (not speaking for others) feel like it's a "raining on your parade" session everytime a question is asked. You are happy with your villa right? Express that too.
Maybe we talk more about cons...because there are so many of them.....:)
The pros speak for themselves.....
I would give any amount of time to help someone with their move here......but I'll not give hope if I can't see there being any......
I'm very happy with my Villa...I paid a good price for a nice home...I had a good realtor.....and I'm lucky enough to be able to keep my home just mine without the need to rent it out......:D
And I got all that because apart from a few hellish months.....Uncle Sams been good to us.....
But I think we had good luck.....and are doing well because we knew most of the cons.....and had back up plans for when things did start falling apart.....forewarned is forarmed.......:D
Do you find it easier because you live in the US and the villa is in the US?
florida4sun
06-02-2004, 23:13
No its not the case at all. What the owners on here are trying so say is that it is not easy making these homes pay for themselves. If you are not willing to devote 2 - 3 hours a day in promoting the home then forget it. Do not listen to sales people simply intent on getting acommision and then pasing you onto another comapny for management and rentals.
I am licensed sales person and I would say that I put off 99% of people that come to me for info on buying (we have a captive audience for this). Simply because I tell it how it is. It has happened more than once that they have have bought elsewhere on the promise of a 'rental garantee'.
May be its more fool me and I should take the money. I could earn at least $150K a year more buy being more positive. However I do not want the problems that arise later on.
I say to anyone that if you are not confident in promoting your home, then do not buy one.
You will find that pretty much every owner on here giving advice has started off under a rental garantee and then had to work hard to make the house work.
quote:Originally posted by Amirah
"Over the last few days....I've seem a few people post who seem to think this is a small club of people trying their best to keep others from buying a Villa or moving to the USA........"
Is this your perception or does this seem to be the case really?
There are times when you are in the UK that is is very hard to remember the positives. When you have been doing this 2-3 years, it is still taking up an awful lot of your time and affecting your life with your family, it is very tempting to try and sell, but realistically you know you will make a loss and so you must hang in there. The positives are being able to spend time in Florida, which we all love, in our own home:)Even then a lot of our holiday is spent doing DIY and our children just hate the words "we are going to Home Depot today". The best thing about the villa owning experience for me is all the friends I have made, mostly from this forum, and it is that spirit, and the fantastic feedback that we get from our guests, that keeps me going:)
chrizzy100
06-02-2004, 23:23
quote:Originally posted by Amirah
Do you find it easier because you live in the US and the villa is in the US?
Do you know I'm not sure.....I had to do most things the same as if I'd been in the UK....I know I can retire there.....so it gives me an extra point for owning....I can travel there around every 6 weeks for a long weekend......and I have the place to fall back on if ever my husband loses his job again up here.....which seems very unlikely now....but I feel safer.....:D
If I were buying to rent....I would buy a resale next time......it nice to buy new if it for you and your family only.....but resale can be bigger and a lot cheaper and just as nice after a lick of paint......:D
chrizzy100
06-02-2004, 23:27
quote:Originally posted by Ruth
There are times when you are in the UK that is is very hard to remember the positives. When you have been doing this 2-3 years, it is still taking up an awful lot of your time and affecting your life with your family, it is very tempting to try and sell, but realistically you know you will make a loss and so you must hang in there. The positives are being able to spend time in Florida, which we all love, in our own home:)Even then a lot of our holiday is spent doing DIY and our children just hate the words "we are going to Home Depot today". The best thing about the villa owning experience for me is all the friends I have made, mostly from this forum, and it is that spirit, and the fantastic feedback that we get from our guests, that keeps me going:)
'Going to Home depot' is a banned saying in my house now.......:(
Everyone but me groans....I love the place...I'd spend all day there........:D
I would echo what Chrizzy says totally. However I do realise what it can be like when you dont want to hear what people say. There is someone on another forum who is harbinger of doom, constantly knocking E visas and saying dont touch them. I wouldnt/ didnt listen because I didnt want to. I wanted to live here and was blinkered. The E visa is in fact frought with problems of never getting a green card, never being abe to retire, being deported if you sell your business. The effects on kids are worse. E visa dependants are not entitled to do many courses here as they are classed as international students. Many degrees in healthcare subjects are not open to them at all, even if they pay the international students fees. Valencia wont let my son do either radiography or nursing and we are going to have to pay for a course in a private hospital school. These are things you just dont know about before. I wish someone had told me, no I wish I had listened as people did.
Stick out for a L, even if you have to set up a business in the UK specifically in order to attain it. That and the H visa is worth having as they lead to green cards. Green card holders are permanent residents, we are non residents aliens, that means apart from US society, never entitled to anything.
As Chrizzy says it is irresponsible to encourage people to come without telling them the cons. Sure there are pros, lovely weather for starters. Nicer houses. Cheaper cars. It is like the villa owning threads, People dont want to be told it isnt a good investment. I have no axe to grind. Anyone is free to move here and I am no way trying to keep others from moving. But if someone asks the question, what are we to say? Turn into a pile of yes men?
PS I agree totally with what Martin says about listening to people with no monetery gain to be made from the advice. Business brokers, attorneys, realtors, they dont make any money from discouraging people so--------