You may have read my articles in the past about castles for sale in the eastern states of Germany which have been run down during the Communist era of East Germany.  Well, it's some time since my last article appeared and since things change over time, an up-date is in order. Yes, these castles and manor houses are for the most part still a good buy if you compare them to prices charged for similar properties in other parts of Europe. Even if prices have gone up, and the low dollar too contributes further to a price increase, they still represent a good investment. If you always wanted to own a castle, then by all means you will be paying less if you buy a castle in this region of Germany. Such castles are not as abundant anymore as they once were, but there are still hundreds awaiting a buyer and renovation, including some which have been renovated in part where the owner has run out of funds and now has to sell at a reasonable cost to get rid of them. These are often a good buy because of the amount of money that has been already invested, but to resell quickly, the owner has to sell at less than the current market price. Such properties are particularly good for those investors who want to take their time renovating. It is always the outside of a castle or manor house which has to be renovated within a certain amount of time, a requirement that is usually stipulated in the purchase contract. What happens on the inside is usually up to the buyer, thus he/she can take as long as they want, or even do the work themselves. Castles For Sale In Eastern Germany - By Helga van Horn

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Real Estate In Germany EscapeArtist Real Estate Marketplace Properties In Germany - Current Listings - Prices are up, but what you get for what you pay is still pretty fine. There are plenty of bargains outside of Berlin and in any case, the quality of life in Germany makes up asthetically for much of the increase in real estate price that have occurred. - Real Estate In Germany - Advertise Your Property - Also see Real Estate in in Europe - Castles for Sale Worldwide - See Real Estate By Type - Islands, B&B's, Plantations - Offshore Real Estate Library - Vineyards For Sale Worldwide - Offshore Yacht Broker - International Real Estate Index

Articles On Living In Germany “FOR SALE”: Old Castles in Europe - Fixing-up is in most cases unavoidable. But problems with municipal services, historical building authorities, and countless other unforeseeable issues can create headaches, hence the need for a good and reliable consultant who can handle the job for the buyer. Financing should be in place beforehand so that you can plop down a deposit if you find your dream castle. The purchase process takes about a month and is handled by a notary who in Europe is the equivalent of an attorney. The writer of this article, together with three partners, bought a castle near Leipzig in Saxony and has first hand experience of what is involved in buying and running it. The author of this article, together with associate Manfred Pawlik (specialist in castle restoration) and Englishman Stephen Ferrada, both of whom have valuable experience related to buying and restoring historic property, have all bought their own dream properties in East Germany. The highs and lows of castle ownership, the tears and laughter, have all been experienced. What’s Motivating You to Move Abroad and How Far Will You Leave America Behind? - According to data from the IRS relating to the number of Americans who renounce their citizenship annually, the numbers are dramatically on the increase. More than 200 Americans turned their back on the United States in 2008, 731 made the exceptionally difficult decision to renounce their citizenship in 2009, and in 2010 1,485 individuals gave up their right to an American passport, according to ‘corrected totals’ from renunciationguide.com. When you consider that an estimated 5.2 million Americans currently live abroad, you would be forgiven for thinking that these figures are an insignificant fraction barely worthy of comment – however, according to the New York Times: “waiting periods to meet with consular officers to formalize renunciations have grown.”  What’s more, where once even just the thought of turning your back on your nation was regarded as treasonous, nowadays the possibility is openly discussed amongst American expatriate groups both online and offline. With this thought in mind, we decided to interview a number of our readers who are currently actively planning their move overseas or who have recently relocated.  We wanted to know what the motivating factors are for each soon-to-be expatriate for their proposed relocation – and whether any Americans now living abroad were considering taking their move to the next level and renouncing their US citizenship altogether…after all, what is it that pushes people to take such drastic action? How To Buy A Castle In The Former East German States - To buy a castle or manor house is not as impossible or expensive a dream as it may appear if you are interested in such a property in the former East German states of Thueringia, Saxony, Saxon-Anhalt and Brandenburg. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, these states found themselves in the possession of hundreds of castles and country estates who had been confiscated from its owners by the Communist government of East Germany. To own a castle or manor house was then considered vanity, and was totally against the ideals of the state. Other such historic properties had been left behind by their owners who had fled to the west.  An effort was made to return these properties to their former owners, but many could no longer be found, or they declined to take them back because of the condition these properties were in. These castles then became the property of the state and were offered for sale to private investors.  As an incentive to buyers to rebuilt and renovate these historic castles and manor houses in their original form the governments of the various states are offering grants which are available to investors, not as loans, but as incentives which never have to be paid back. The average amount of such a grant is about $250,000. Real Estate in Germany - Not For the Risk Averse - There is much speculation in the property press at the moment about whether or not Germany property represents an excellent medium to long term investment commodity for those seeking capital appreciation and/or rental income. Those who are analyzing the market but have no direct experience of it seem to think that all the economic and political signals point to profitable times ahead for those who commit to investing in Germany property. However we at Shelteroffshore have learned a great deal from investors with personal experience of buying property in Germany and this is our report on whether or not investing in Germany property makes sound financial sense. There are companies out there like Property Secrets.net who firmly believe that there is room for growth in the German property market.  For example Property Secrets’ current ‘Germany property investment summary verdict’ is: “Excellent cash flow market. Potential for capital growth. Market has bottomed. Don’t buy less than 6% net yield.” Castle in Germany - From Ruin to a Modern Gem  - Just 45 miles east of the vivid city of Hamburg and a short hours drive from the German capital Berlin, you can find this wonderful Castle. Built in 1822 by the famous Danish architect Joseph Christian Lillie for the wealthy Von Laffert family, Lehsen Castle was originally surrounded by more than a hundred hectares (about 250acres) of park like garden complete with orangerie, mausoleum, forest and farmland. It was then bought by a businessman from the principality of Liechtenstein who quickly discovered he could not afford the upkeep and once again the unlucky castle was passed to a new owner, an agricultural development company which settled 34 farmers on the grand estate. Five years later, the company went into liquidation and the poor farmers ended up shouldering the massive debt. In 1935 the castle stood empty for the first time in its long history. During World War II the castle served as a convalescent home for mothers and later on as a maternity hospital, before being handed to the state of the German Democratic Republic to house a children’s home.  Sadly, lack of investment led to the castle’s demise and a plan to tear it down. A last minute reprieve came in the form of the local municipal council which used the grand old mansion as offices and from 1970/90 the local people of the village of Lehsen Black Forest Magic In Germany - A couple of hours south of Frankfurt is the Black Forest - the Schwarzwald. Source of countless scare - the - wits - out - of - the - kids fairytales, the Black Forest isn’t as ominous as it sounds. Although place names include Hexental (Witches’ Valley) and Höllental (Hell Valley), it’s not all dense pine forest. Rather it’s a patchwork of mixed woodlands, green valleys, and highlands decorated with waterfalls...and some exceptionally pretty villages and spa towns. If you enjoy walking or cycling you’ll be in your element...and you often spy deer grazing at the forest edge. The forest’s well-maintained paths are traffic-free and better surfaced than a lot of the continent’s “proper” roads. Plus they’re so clearly sign-posted that there’s no danger of going astray. For outdoor types, it’s an all-year-round destination. During winter - invariably cold and snowy - it’s a major center for cross-country skiing. Life In The Wild East - Adventures And Opportunities In The Former East Germany - The Berlin Wall fell fifteen years ago this year, taking with it the “death strip” of barbed wire, land mines and watchtowers separating East and West Germany. Today, the former East Germany’s five “new states” are fully integrated into the West and preparing for European Union expansion to the east. Like the rest of Germany, these areas offer quaint villages, Renaissance market squares, great (and inexpensive) beer, enticing bakeries and a healthy lifestyle full of opportunities for walking, biking and hiking. Yet unlike the former West Germany, the East is still relatively undiscovered by Americans. It’s a place where Germans really speak German (and don’t constantly try to “practice their English”), there are no American military bases, and busloads of English-speaking tourists are refreshingly rare. This small but fascinating segment of Central Europe has witnessed some of the highest and lowest points of human history and culture: Johann Sebastian Bach composed some of his greatest masterpieces in Leipzig. Tax Savings with Offshore Companies: An Advantage for German Enterprises By Dr. Ulrich Eder  - The abolition of the corporation tax imputation system by the Steuersenkungsgesetz (Tax Reduction Act) diminishes the degree of discrimination against foreign dividends. This means that internationalization could also become significant to small and medium-size enterprises. The author discusses the establishment and utilization of an offshore company (domiciliary company) in a tax haven. The basic principle in the establishment of an offshore company is simple: it is a question of transferring highly profitable business activities to more favorable tax jurisdictions ("tax havens"). Frequent advantages are the confidentiality of business relations and anonymity of shareholders. Apart from familiar tax havens, foreign companies may also prove useful in individual cases by allowing exploitation of the advantages of specific double taxation treaties and reducing the overall tax burden in international business relations through the intermediary of a foreign company. Drive-Cycle-Hiking Through The Alps - When your days at work or on weekends are very scheduled, you may either tend to plan your vacation, too, or spend these days without any detailed arrangements. Last summer, we preferred the latter method and just took a map of the Alps and marked some places, valleys and mountains which seemed to be of interest. Then I joined up the marks and ready was our route through the German-speaking regions of the Alps. To be independent of any bookings, places, times - and of course, not to overdraw our vacation budget - we put our mountain bikes, rucksacks, and some camping equipment into our van and drove to Füssen at the edge of Allgäu, Bavaria. For a fee of ten Euro, we stayed the night on the caravan campsite outside of town. The following morning, we started our first trip and cycled through the narrow streets of Füssen. Archaeological excavations in 1955 revealed that the place originated from a Roman fortress that had been built there to protect the trade route to the north of the Roman Empire. Over the centuries the fortress had become a castle and in the late 13th century, the first town wall surrounded the small settlement as well as the castle that stood - still unfinished - on a hill near the banks of the river Lech. Dresden, Germany The Capital Of Saxony - If you are interested in German history, architecture, and art, you should decide for a journey to Dresden, Saxony - a gem among the big towns in former East Germany. The advantage of Dresden’s historic center is that all the well-known and famous buildings and squares are in walking distance, thus giving you plenty of time to visit the places of your personal interest. The town of Dresden goes back to the Slavic settlement Drezdany and was first mentioned in a document in 1206. It became the residence of the Albertiner dukes and kings in the 15th century and the capital of Saxony in 1547. Under the reign of King August the Strong (1670 to 1733), Dresden developed to a European metropolis. Want to Live in Europe? – Consider Corsica -  When most people think of France, they probably imagine the hexagonal country mashed in the middle of continental Europe and its stunning capital city Paris.  Although this does make up the most populous bulk of the country, France also consists of many overseas territories (Guadeloupe, Tahiti, etc.) as well as one of the largest, most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean Sea:  Corsica (”La Corse”). The French call Corsica  ”l’Ile de Beauté” (the island of beauty) and it truly is a place of inspiring landscapes and stunning geography.  Unlike the French Riviera which has basically turned into one gigantic strip of unbridled concrete sprawl, the Corsican coastline is still virtually unspoiled, with limited construction allowed only in major cities or very small fishing towns that have been there for centuries.  In fact, if you try to build a vacation house too close to the coastline in Corsica, it is actually not an uncommon occurrence for the local Corsican populace to blow it up during the off season.  A few suggestions before embarking on a building project in Corsica would include: having a Corsican or Italian sounding name - acquiring a good standing with the local population by helping to “finance” a project of public interest (something more consequential than a public bench). UNESCO As My Guide - More Travels In The Czech Republic - The longer I’m in Europe, the pickier I’ve become as a traveler. In a sense, I’m still like a little child on the way to the candy store because I feel as though as I’ll be satisfied by ANYTHING I see, treasuring every moment of my life abroad. Then there’s another part of me that critiques the town while comparing and contrasting with other places I’ve seen. As you can imagine, my appreciation and amazement by new surroundings have declined over time, much as one would feel eating their favorite meal 5 times in a week. Because of this, I’m finding it harder and harder to rely on people’s recommendations. A new traveler will tell you anything is great, as long as they weren’t the victims of a rip-off. Travelers with too much knowledge don’t help either because the average back-packer or English teacher isn’t going to have a doctorate in Eastern European studies. One thing that I’ve found to be 100% effective thus far is UNESCO sites.  More Articles On Germany More Articles On Living & Investing In Germany Unique Lifestyles - You can live on a barge in Europe - Many people do, including a number of expats.  We have a section called Unique Lifestyles that has articles and resources on living on barges, in treehouses, nomadic housing, abandoned rail stations, in the Antarctic, on a freighter; and more -

EscapeArtist Expat Taxes Newsletter Individuals have been leaving their own land to seek opportunities elsewhere since the dawn of mankind -  But it has only been since the development of the modern nation-state, and its taxation of the worldwide income of its citizen-residents, that expatriation has taken on significant tax consequences. One of the first tax advisors to appreciate the potential tax savings of expatriation was my friend and colleague, Marshall Langer J.D., a valued member of The Sovereign Society Council of Experts. Langer is an international tax attorney and the respected author of several major international tax treatises. He is also the daring creator of a now out-of-print book, The Tax Exile Report. This title gained international notoriety when the late U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.), red-faced and angry, waived a copy of the book at a televised Senate hearing, denouncing it as “a legal income tax avoidance plan.” - Escapeartist has hatched a new partnership with Global Wealth Protection that will set the standard for authoritative information on Asset Protection, International Banking and Wealth Management and with a number of accountants, lawyers and bookkeepers that know the laws regarding expat taxes, how to do your income tax, which form to use, and which services understand the complexity of expat concerns. Simply put, the EscapeArtist Expat Taxes Newsletter portal will provide a wealth of information that will show you ways to save on taxes . . .  and then some.

Privacy Is A Psychological Necessity - If we do not have the right to privacy, we do not own the rights to our own lives - An excellent selection of important articles about Privacy, how we're losing it, how to regain it, how to protect it. We believe these articles are very important.  If you want to continue to live free, these articles are crucial. Articles About Protecting Your Privacy Appear Monthly In Our Overseas Lifestyles Magazine - EFAM - Escape From America Magazine, the Expat Magazine for those who want to move overseas, and those who have. - It's the international lifestyle magazine that provides real information on what it takes to live abroad, including articles on International Relocation, Overseas Retirement, Residency, Privacy, 2nd Passports, Jobs Overseas, International Real Estate ...

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