If
one reads literature, one gets the impression that in the 1920's Greece,
Italy & France were the most common destination of expats - - After
the 2nd World War we are told that it remained much the same, but began
to encompass the Balearic Islands, then Spain, then Tangiers. With
the end of the cold war, the half of Europe that had been behind the so-called
Iron Curtain opened up, and the race was on. Which spot provides
the most ambiance at the least expense, which spots appealed to 'super
stars' and rock stars, which were best suited as retirement havens?
Europe has a lot to offer. More culture, with a greater degree of disparity
than any other region of the world. What you pay for what you get requires
much consideration, but what you get is unbeatable.
...you
may come to escape taxation, but you’ll stay to enjoy the dramatically
beautiful landscapes and remarkably hospitable people. "High on most foreigners’
lists of reasons for living in Andorra is the total absence of serious
taxes. No income, no capital gains, no inheritance taxes. Not even a sales
or value-added tax.".
"Although
Armenia probably does not cross the mind of the average American very often,
those considering retirement or life abroad would do well to consider all
this first Christian nation has to offer. With an incredibly low cost of
living, a variety of climates, choice of city or country life, many sites
to visit, virtually zero crime and one of the world's most hospitable people,
it has much to offer anyone. As part of the Soviet Union, Armenia was one
of the most prosperous and advanced parts of the entire communist world.
Now, with independence and a depressed economy, it offers a chance to live
in a Western city for very little money."
I
had never seen a real guillotine before, but here, in the Museum of Torture
in the too aptly named Castle of the Counts, was a real, live, working
model. And, ghoul that I am, I was fascinated. Circling the beast, I checked
out the weight of the heavy, rust-pitted blade, noting how ingeniously
it had been cut on a bias to better perform its grisly work..
There
is something about the Balkans that stirs up feelings and emotions you
didn’t know you had. The first time I visited Mostar, I saw a city
that inspired me. Of course Mostar has inspired writers, painters and artists
from the former Yugoslavia for generations. Now the secret is out
and foreign artists are increasingly visiting Mostar to renew their creativity
and passion for their art.
Where
is it possible to buy a property on your credit card? Bulgaria, of course!
With thousands of potential property buyers seduced by Bulgaria’s bargain
property prices, the temptation is to think that making a solid return
is a no-brainer! Searching the Internet, dozens of articles and property
websites boast about the 100% capital growth that can be achieved on Bulgarian
property investments in the space of 12 months.
"A man who has not been in Italy,
is always conscious of an inferiority, from his not having seen what it
is expected a man should see." --Samuel Johnson
When
I decided to move to Croatia early in 2005, my friends and business associates
were shocked. "Where is it?" "Isn't there a war going on there?"
"Why would you start a business there?" At the time, my short answer
was that the war had been over for ten years and the Croatian coast where
I was going was a beautiful place with a mild, Mediterranean climate that
was located in the heart of Europe.
Cyprus
finally joined the European Union in May 2004, thus achieving a long sought
after prize. Despite a last ditch effort to unify the the Turkish
occupied north and the Cypriot Greek south, with a plan put forward by
Koffi Annan, Cyprus entered Europe as a divided island..
Ronald
Winkles spent 25 years in the U.S. Army. Now retired, he runs a BB
in the Czech Republic six months out of the year. It's what he's
always wanted to do. Moreover, Winkles says, "The Czech real estate
market is poised for another explosion with their entry into the European
Union. Thereafter, all EU member nations will be allowed to buy real
estate without restriction. Czech has never had fewer than 18 million
tourists a year since its borders first opened in 1990. This is one
and half times the number of people who live in Czech. Buy now.".
From
2001 to 2003 I lived in a small rural village in Somerset, England. You
are probably picturing me strolling around meandering cobbled alleyways
and pruning the roses in my cottage garden now. Bored to death, most likely.
But you’d be wrong. Because the tiny historic market town (population:
8800) that I called home was not your average rural English idyll. Not
by a long shot. Legend tells us that when King Uther died, England was
left without a king. How to find one? A cunning plan was devised.
According
to Knight Frank’s latest ‘Global House Price Index’ Estonia once again
tops the list of worldwide property markets in terms of annualised growth;
the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn recorded growth of 17% in the first
quarter of 2006 on top of record annual growth last year of around 50%.
So what’s fuelling demand for property for sale in Estonia? What’s
sustaining the property price increases and is Estonia’s property market
booming healthily or about to explode and cause causalities?.
There
is an abundant demand for farmhouses, either ruins or recently abandoned,
for renovation. One must know what to look for, how to estimate its value
and how to negotiate a price that will not bankrupt them. For example,
that rustic farmhouse at the end of the long, winding gravel road nears
a copse of woods within an idyllic setting. Is it really worth what they
are asking? Well, if you don't see any electricity lines strung down to
the house, you might ask. Bringing in electricity can seriously increase
renovation costs.
They
say that the Finns, equally comfortable in both Finnish and Swedish idioms,
tend to employ neither if they can help it. “Silent in two languages” is
how the playwright, Bertold Brecht, described them. He should know,
having spent some time here, but my brief sortie into the Arctic Circle
of Finnish Lapland revealed a rather more garrulous side to the Finnish
nature. Take Hannun Ajokhaat, for example.
There
are, however, incentives to restore such castles and manor houses. The
states have funds which pay subsidies toward renovation. This can be as
much as 30% to 40% of the cost of renovation. Grants are allowed and agreed
to before renovation begins, but are paid after renovation is finished.
Thus, an investor will have to invest his own capital before receiving
the subsidies. An investor is also entitled to receive the 16% VAT
tax (value-added tax) back he has paid for building supplies. This too
has to be applied for, and is paid after renovation is finished.
When
most people think of Britain, the exciting and ever changing city of London
immediately comes to mind. Don’t get me wrong, I love London and all it
has to offer. But everyone knows what’s there. Even if you’ve never been
to the island’s most popular city, you’re likely familiar with the history,
sights and activities that make London one of the world’s most popular
destinations. Even though Britain is a small island, it has plenty to offer
if you ever tire of the big city.
A
word about this nonuser friendly oven. Most kitchens on Spetses don't have
the generous sized ovens we're used to in America. You know, the kind with
the big old burners on top, which are great for heating soup and making
Jiffy Pop. Then they have a cavernous area which I think you use for baking
cookies and roasting things. All I know is, they're hell to clean. And
I only know that because every time I moved to a new apartment, I had to
clean one. Of course one cleaning was all they usually needed during my
tenure, because those frozen pizzas don¹t make much of a mess.
Budapest,
where the living is increasingly pleasant...and still very cheap - "The
best arrangement I ever had in this city of 2 million was living a block
from the river off Szabadság Bridge, just west of the Hotel Gellért
on Bartók Bela. It was an elaborate, dusty three-bedroom apartment
with 18-foot-tall ceilings and a living room the size of a fine restaurant,
and I got the luxury of walking across the Danube each morning on my way
to work. I shared the place with two colleagues, for a total of $160 a
month.
Lying
on the edge of Europe facing out to the Atlantic Ocean sits Ireland, one
of Europe’s smallest countries and often described as ‘The Emerald Isle”.
A beautiful country characterised by vibrant, colourful cities set amidst
endless unspoilt green fields, Ireland is now officially the best place
in the world to live.
Italy
has never ceased to captivate people from other countries, especially speakers
of English. They begin to see their former homes as sunless and dull, their
former lives as restricted and puritanical. They see themselves changing
in expected ways, becoming perhaps more alive, even hedonistic or, in other
instances, more scholarly or more deeply religious. For a few the changes
are intimidating, but often the newcomer begins to see Italy as a new kind
of home and looks for ways to stay longer or permanently.
