 One
of South America’s seaside resorts, Punta del Este, Uruguay
has beautiful beaches, dazzling casinos, world-class restaurants, and upscale
shops. And, perhaps best of all, it’s located in Uruguay, one of Latin
America’s First World countries; a country with one of the continent’s
highest standards of living, lowest levels of corruption, and best infrastructures.
When scouting for real estate in Punta del Este, you can save a lot of
time finding your way around by just knowing a few basics about the area.
The southern coast of Uruguay runs east and west rather than north and
south, with Punta del Este lying about two hours east of Montevideo (the
capital). At the peninsula of Punta del Este, the coast turns and heads
north to Brazil. Punta del Este is actually part of the city of Maldonado,
which sits about 10 minutes inland. For many residents, Maldonado is where
one goes for everyday items—it’s a large city and it offers a wide selection
of goods and services at non-tourist prices. The Punta del Este region
is centered on the peninsula and extends along the coast in both directions
for seven miles. |
|
|
|
|
 Real
Estate In Uruguay - Current Listings
- Uruguay has long been a favorite destination of adventure travelers,
yet few mainstream American and European tourists make it to this secretive
outpost. Why? Well, perhaps it's because Uruguay isn't a destination you
stumble across by accident. There are a lot of reasons people are attracted
to Uruguay real estate, which include a sunny place to spend winter, experiencing
a different culture, taking advantage of real estate opportunities that
are not available in the domestic market, investment diversification, protection
against inflation or domestic threats, and establishing a base for citizenship
and/or retirement. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Nomadic
Retirement, Part 3: Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil
- Uruguay, in stark contrast to more tropical eastern Paraguay, has a much
more moderate climate, with warm summers and the other three seasons varying
between cool and cold, with windy rainy days being the norm over much of
the country. Uruguay currently has a highly respected socialist president,
one interested in helping all his fellow citizens get a good education.
Every schoolchild in the country has one of those $100 laptops championed
by Nicholas Negroponte’s laptop.org . Uruguay is by no means as inexpensive
as Paraguay, but well worth the trip. Many visitors arrive by Buquebus
from Buenos Aires to either Colonia del Sacramento or Montevideo. The author’s
favorite place in all of Uruguay is the charming historical Old Quarter
of Colonia del Sacramento, or just Colonia, designated a UNESCO World Heritage
site in 1995. (I recently seriously considered moving there, but ended
up across the Río de la Plata and way down the road in Patagonia
instead.) Colonia is the oldest town in all of Uruguay, having been founded
by the Portuguese in 1680. It was a hotly disputed area between 1680 and
1828, when the current Eastern Republic of Uruguay was formed. It changed
back and forth between Portuguese and Spanish dominion no less 8 times
and 3 more times between Brazil, Argentina, and finally the freed Eastern
Republic of Uruguay. |
 Why
Uruguay is a Favorite with both Investors and Those Seeking a New Residency
- Uruguay has a dozen free trade zones (FTZ), in different parts of the
country. Some FTZs are simply warehouses, others have office parks,
and some offer a mix of both. Hundreds of global and regional companies
are established in Uruguay´s FTZs (including the likes of Merrill
Lynch, Royal Bank of Scotland, Tata, RCI, Sabre and Epson). Companies established
in a FTZ may engage in logistics and warehousing; provide services to clients
worldwide (including financial and insurance services); operate in the
handling; classification and selection of merchandise, and even manufacturing.
The main advantage that FTZs offer is total tax exemption of Uruguayan
taxes (current or future ones). The only tax that must be paid is social
security tax on local labor. Thus, a user of a FTZ will neither face import
taxes or duties (since a FTZ is considered non-Uruguayan territory from
a customs-duty perspective), Income Tax, Capital Tax, or VAT. The
law guarantees the FTZ user that all tax breaks, as well as any other rights
and benefits shall remain unchanged during the term of the user agreement. |
 Carnival
Season in Uruguay - The other uniquely
Uruguayan Carnival events are the musical theater contests. Outdoor stages
are set up in cities around the country as well as in locations around
Montevideo. There are five categories of performance groups, the most famous
of which are the Murgas. A Uruguayan murga is a very specific kind of short
play that is performed by group of 13 to 17 performers. Each group consists
of a chorus, who recite their lines and sing a cappella multi-harmony in
a very melodramatic style, accompanied by a bass drum, a snare drum, and
cymbals. They are all dressed in flamboyant jester costumes, their faces
either masked or painted, and the themes are satirical socio-political
commentary about current events. Often, the songs that they compose become
very popular with Uruguayans, as the use of murgas as a form of subversive,
popular resistance during the dictatorship has given them a special status.
The porteños of Buenos Aires also perform a version of the murga,
but it focuses more on the dance than on the vocals. Comparsas de negros
y lubolos are another manifestation of Afro-Uruguayan culture, where blacks
are joined by whites who have painted their faces black, and they perform
music and dances that are linked to el candombe drumming.These groups include
a dance corps, a drum line, and characters derived from African traditions,
such as the Old Mother, the Medicine Man, and the Magician. Larger comparsas
participate in parades, while smaller groups that perform on stage emphasize
the singing component over the drumming and the dancing. |
 In
Search of the Uruguayan Ñandú: first impressions in Punta
del Este - It is my fourth day in Uruguay.
I’m having a new experience, in that I am ascending and descending at the
same time. I am ascending up Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”. I have
shelter, safety, food, can drive, and have figured out how to make phone
calls. However, I’m descending further and further down this dreamlike
rabbit hole called Uruguay, where my expectations of the world as I know
it can unexpectedly change at any moment. It’s just after noon on a fall
day in Punta del Este. My basic needs are met, my current work obligations
are up-to-date, and I have spent a little time addressing future security.
I close my laptop computer and decide it’s time to have some fun. I walk
from my rent-by-the-week apartment to the Brava Beach to see if there is
any surf. There is set after set of overhead waves with just two guys out.
(It is fun to watch, but the waves are too big for me.) Then I look to
my right and there on the beach just 20 feet away is something that looks
like a penguin. I look back at the surfers and try to figure out what it
was I just saw. I look again – it is a penguin. |
 Update
on changes in Income Tax Law and Bank Secrecy provisions in Uruguay
- After more than 6 months of debate, on 29 December 2010, the Uruguayan
parliament approved Law No 18.718, which makes changes in the Income Tax
law. In a previous report this year we set out the details of the changes
that the government was proposing. At that stage the bill had caused widespread
controversy due to a lack of prior consultation and it was uncertain how
many of the changes would actually be implemented. In the end and as a
result of agreement with some of the other political parties in Uruguay,
most of the bill has been passed unchanged with only minor changes in the
provisions regarding bank secrecy. The new law was published in the Official
Gazette of 3 Jan 2011 and the law is already in effect. Income Tax: The
principal change is that income arising from foreign monetary instruments
is now taxable income. This is a very major change for Uruguayan law as
it is the first time that the territorial basis for liability to tax has
been varied. The idea of the government is that residents who have an income
from, for example, bank accounts in Uruguay should not be penalised vis-a-vis
others who have their savings in a non-Uruguayan account. In fact as the
law is now it will be the other way around – those with a Uruguayan bank
account will actually pay a lower rate of interest than those with a foreign
account. The rate of interest on foreign generated income is 12%, whilst
for local income the rate of interest is 3-7%. |
 How
To Get A Residency & A 2nd Passport Visa In Uruguay
- Uruguay is an open country to foreign citizens. Not only to those
doing business or buying property, but also to those seeking legal residency.
Any foreign citizen that meets certain basic requirements may apply for
residency. And, if one wishes to, one can subsequently apply for
citizenship, and a second passport. The most important thing you should
bear in mind is that Uruguay does not have an immigration quota, nor does
it discretionally reject applications. As long as you meet the simple
requirements that are listed below (birth certificate, clean police record,
proof that you can support yourself, an address, and time spent in the
country), the residency is granted. It is the manifest policy of
the government to invite people to move to Uruguay. Once you become a permanent
resident, there is no longer a stay requirement. You will lose your
resident status only if you stay out of the country for more than three
years. |
 The
Secret Society of Punta del Diablo
- The first time I visited Punta del Diablo was in June of 2006 (which
is late fall in Uruguay). I didn’t know anything about Punta del Diablo
at the time. It was just a name on a sign and a dirt road leading from
the main highway toward the coast. I was driving from Punta del Este to
the Brazilian border, just exploring. So, I took the turnoff to see what
a rural beach town in this area looked like. On the five kilometers of
dirt road between the highway and the beach I passed a man in a horse drawn
cart with three dogs following behind. I went by two men putting a thatch
roof on a small cottage. I then went by a small store with an elderly woman
and a young woman sitting on plastic chairs in front of a small store with
two small children close by. |
 How
Do You 'Lose Track' Of $9 Billion Dollars? Fact:
The U.S. Goverment lost track of $9 billion tax-payer dollars that was
supposed to be spent on Iraqi reconstruction to correct the bomb damage
caused by G.W. Bush [which was also done with tax-payer dollars]. The
explanation as to why the $9 billion is unaccounted for was explained as
being due to 'inefficiencies and bad management' [?] This according to
a watchdog report published recently. An inspector general's report said
the U.S.- led administration that ran Iraq until June 2004 is unable to
account for the funds. "Severe inefficiencies and poor management" by the
Coalition Provisional Authority has left auditors with no guarantee the
money was properly used," the report said. "The CPA did not establish or
implement sufficient managerial, financial and contractual controls to
ensure that [Development Fund for Iraq] funds were used in a transparent
manner," said Stuart W. Bowen Jr., director of the Office of the Special
Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. The $8.8 billion was reported
to have been spent on salaries, operating and capital expenditures, and
reconstruction projects between October 2003 and June 2004, Bowen's report
concluded. The U.S. Government would like you to pay more tax to make up
for this shortfall. Please send your money to the IRS. |
| Exiting
the Eye of the Storm By Doug Casey |
 Living
In Uruguay: Dairy of an Ex-Pat
- Two weeks ago today I landed in Montevideo. Since that time Copperhead,
my business partner, and I have leased a house, installed phone lines,
acquired cell phones and had broadband internet installed. Business
bank accounts are in the works as well. An interesting observation occurred
to me yesterday: in sharp contradistinction to Costa Rica, this has all
been done without an attorney or notary or the expense connected thereto.
Nothing took more than a passport and money. Copperhead went into
the phone company and came out with a working cell phone. I cheered him
on over a beer at the cafe across the street. Another difference is the
attitude towards time. After living in the West Indies for a while
I learned the system there: whatever time frame was promised would
really happen in the next higher time unit: 1 minute is really 1
hour, 1 hour is really 1 day, 1 day is really one week, etc. |
 Living
In Uruguay - What is it like to live in Uruguay? Uruguay: Ex-Pat Diary
Part 3 - I would
say, it’s a mix of Barcelona and North Carolina. Okay, it could be a bit
difficult to imagine what such a mix could be like. But if you have an
idea of what Argentina is like, then you have a near picture of Uruguay.
People and culture are European Mediterranean, with a little dash of Gaucho
in the countryside. Spanish is the official language. The living standard
is similiar to Mexico, however, wealth is more evenly distributed amongst
the population in Uruguay. I am not an expert on Winter. In fact,
compared to people from New England, or Moscow, or Tierra del Fuego, I
am a rank amateur. My encounters with Winter have been mostly half-hearted
and fleeting. True, I spent 8 of them in Washington, DC, but as winters
go, they hardly count (except of course for the year to Potomac River froze).
Even then, when faced with Winter, I brushed aside its acquaintance and
rudely avoided it as much as possible. When I was young and foolish (perhaps
more foolish), I remember driving into North Florida because I heard it
had snowed and I wanted to see it - I didn't - it had melted before I could
get there. That being said, I do have a good deal of experience with
winter-time months in which winter never deigns to appear. Living
in Florida for so many years, I had become accustomed to having Summer
and not-Winter. |
|
 Uruguay
Real Estate – 10 Reasons to make it Your Offshore Investment Choice
- There are a lot of reasons people are attracted to Uruguay real estate,
which include a sunny place to spend winter, experiencing a different culture,
taking advantage of real estate opportunities that are not available in
the domestic market, investment diversification, protection against inflation
or domestic threats, and establishing a base for citizenship and/or retirement.
As you compare Uruguay real estate to other offshore opportunities, you
will learn that in addition to attractive settings and properties, Uruguay
offers an attractive investment climate. Following are 10 factors that
contribute to the safety, effectiveness, and comfort of your real estate
investment in Uruguay. |
|
 Renting
a Car in Uruguay’s Heartland - As they realize
the point I am making, both of the men in the rental car office and my
friend look at me with expressions that border on disgust. But, let me
go back to this morning…. My friend and I arrive by bus to a small city
in Uruguay’s interior. From here I want to go and explore San Gregorio
de Polanco, the small town on the north shore of the Río Negro (Black
River) in the very center of Uruguay. San Gregorio de Polanco is remote
and it seems that the best way to get there is to rent a car. We ask a
business owner, who is stepping out in front of his printing shop to have
a cigarette, if he knows where we can rent a car. He does, and tells us.
However, the instructions are complicated – too complicated for my limited
Spanish and my friend’s lack of familiarity with the town’s streets and
landmarks. He tries one more time, speaking more slowly – but we are not
getting it. He tosses down his cigarette and puts his head inside the front
door of his shop and tells one of the workers he is going to be gone a
little while – taking some people over to so-and-so’s car rental shop.
He takes us to his mini-van parked on the street, and we are on our way. |
|
 Life
in Uruguay - the Unbearable Slowness of Being
- Uruguay culture has key attributes that make it attractive to English
speakers considering a move abroad. It is one of the safest, most stable,
and least corrupt countries in South America. On top of that, Uruguay’s
high culture has produced a proud legacy of art, literature, music, and
theater production. But for many of us who have taken the leap and moved
our lives to Uruguay, the cultural deal maker or deal breaker often boils
down to the same thing: In Uruguay relationships and spontaneity are more
important than schedules. Not long after I moved to Uruguay, I was waiting
in the checkout line of my neighborhood grocery store. I was the third
person in line when the woman being helped by the checker discovered that
she did not have enough money. I do not know this woman’s story but, for
whatever reason, not having enough money for her purchase was the straw
that broke the camel’s back. She burst out in tears, sobbing right there
at the checkout counter. |
|
 Five
reasons to visit Punta del Este in the winter
- There used to be a saying that the only people who come to Punta del
Este in the winter are people recovering from plastic surgery. However,
things have changed. Punta del Este has evolved from a summer beach resort
that booms in the summer and closes down in the winter into a multidimensional
city with more year-round travel and visitor activity. So why do people
visit Punta del Este in the winter? Here are five reasons: Punta del Este
in winter can provide a tranquil environment to gather your thoughts, break
old habits, and focus on peace of mind and better health. There are good
gyms, lots of beautiful places to walk or run, clean air, and the availability
of whole nutritious foods. (If your goal is to lose 10 or 20 pounds there
is a weight loss clinic near Punta del Este, that many people I know have
experienced very good results.) Punta del Este in the winter provides a
place for you to retreat and create the new you. |
|
 Designing
A Shipping Container As Nomadic Housing
- Global Nomadic Housing for expats? Why not? Design
your living space & workshop and take it with you... Maverick
designer Colin Reedy tells us how. In this the second part of this innovative
concept Colin provides drawings of what a shipping container can be turned
into. The finished product is amazing! You can use this concept
to turn a shipping container into a portable dwelling that you can cheaply
ship anywhere in the world. It's sort of like global backpacking
with your own house. Colin provides details on how to build one yourself.
This series originally appeared almost two years ago in Escape From America
Magazine. It engendered thousands of letters to the editor, a couple
of spin-off articles by others who were living in Container Housing, and
some like articles in other magazines. It's one of our favorite articles. |
 Unique
Housing for Global Nomads - Tiny Tumbleweed House -Conventional
housing, the kind with four plain walls and a mortgage, doesn’t appeal
to everyone, especially the inveterate global nomad. If we wanted safe
and normal, we’d stay at home in the first place. But once we hit the road,
we need an escape plan. Whether it’s for a month or for the rest of our
lives, we need somewhere to sleep, hide from the weather and generally
nest. These days, downsizing is more than a trend; it’s a necessary part
of survival whereby smaller is better. The era of 2000 square foot McMansions
is over and many will not lament its passing. Smaller, specialized housing
leads to big savings on energy and building materials. With efficient housing,
size does matter – it costs much less to maintain 200 square feet than
2000 square feet. |
 Links
To Permaculture Articles - Yes, we
have Permaculture Articles on our website, also articles about those who've
remodled house overseas. Search our database. 4-Escape is a search engine
that searches our network of websites each of which shares a common theme:
International relocation, living & investing overseas, overseas jobs,
embassies, maps, international real estate, asset protection, articles
about how to live & invest overseas, Caribbean properties and lifestyles,
overseas retirement, offshore investments, our yacht broker portal, our
house swap portal, articles on overseas employment, international vacation
rentals, international vacation packages, travel resources, every
embassy in the world, maps of the world, our three very popular eZines
. . . and, as they are fond to say, a great deal more. |
 Forest
Farming - A Farm for the Future Video Series
- Farming is an excellent thing to do in Uruguay. This BBC documentary
on the precient global farming and food crisis, was filmed in the UK, but
the basic principals apply almost anywhere (with some variation.)
Featuring Martin Crawford (Agroforestry Research Trust), Fordhall Farm,
Richard Heinberg and others. Topics covered are the influence of oil on
the food production, peak-oil, food security, carbon emissions, sustainability
and permaculture. |
|
|
|
| Subscribing
Is A Good Idea |
|
 Relocate
to Uruguay - Obtain Residency
- Obtain residency in Latin America´s safest and most stable country.
Easy residency, second passport, and very good investment opportunities
in real estate, farms, tourism and offshore industries. Fischer & Scickendantz
is a full service law firm in Uruguay, with a specialized department dedicated
to relocation. |
|
|
 Place
Your Resource On This Page -
Do you have a resource for this page? Place a video on our expat
video site, place the word "Uruguay"
in the tags for the Video. People watch the videos and the videos for Uruguay
are linked from this page. If you don't have a video you can place
a classified in our Offshore
Classified Section for $1, or place your
URL on one of our links pages listed
below. We want to hear about your resource and we want to share it
with others. |
|
|
|
Invest
In Farmland In Uruguay - One of the world´s
most suitable countries to invest in agricultural land, to meet the increasing
global demand for food. Transparent market, without government intervention.
Turnkey purchase, with possibility to lease land or have a farm management
company run it for you.
|
|
 Art
in the Andes - Expat Haven San Rafael - If
you are looking for an unusual holiday and are interested in painting then
you might be interested to hear about my experience in San Rafael, Mendoza.
This beautiful place is a green oasis of vineyards and orchards set in
a spectacular desert landscape. An excellent way to decide if you want
to live in San Rafael, or other parts of Argentina. La Susana is where
many expats hang out. |
 Yachts
For Sale In South America Yes, Boats, Barges
and Yachts for sale in Ecuador and other parts of South America. the online
Yacht Broker. - If it floats on water it's in the Yacht Broker - Buy or
sell a yacht, sportsfishing vessel or sailboat - List your boat for free!
- ALSO: Yachts
For Sale Worldwide |
|
 Self
Service Shipping For South America
- Ubox we ship - Save over 40%! on international shipping. Door to
door , Door to port , Port to port. Professional services with discount
prices. Call today for a free shipping quote 866.566.9350 |
 Live
On A Lake - Lakeside Living Worldwide - Real Estate & Lifestyle
- Nine Lakes worldwide. From New Zealand to Lake Como in Italy. Lake Como?
If it’s the Hollywood A-list lifestyle you’re lusting after, then look
no further than waterfront property on Lake Como in Lombardy, Italy.
Palatial mansions grace the shorelines of this glacier lake, while aristocratic
castles cut into the steep country hills that descend into Europe’s third
largest lake. |
|
|
 Guess
what makes Escape Dates different ?-
Single,
Married, interested in growing your international network of friends, now
you can travel the world, and make money searching for the perfect mates
with EscapeDates international singles and social networking community.
EscapeDates has fused an online dating and social networking community,
with a unique income opportunity that pays members to build their friend
and social networks. Escapeartist.com, the largest website in the world
for international living and overseas jobs recently launched EscapeDates
and is well position to becoming a leader in the international dating industry.
- |
|
 Introducing
Spiritual Journeys - Enlightened Experiences for the Soul! By Mahira Amir
Khan -
I am honored to announce the launch of our new magazine SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS.
The birth of this online publication arrives perfectly timed for the advent
of the year 2012. The year that has been prophesied and spoken of as a
turning point in humankind's evolution. The ancient cultures of the Hopis
and the Mayans, speak of the window of divinity that opens for us now,
a shift of the ages that will activate our deepest potential. Life as we
know it today, will never be the same again. |
|
 EscapeArtist
Asset Protection Newsletter -
Live & Invest Offshore - Get the real facts from the best; including
Doug Casey, Bobby Casey, Bob Matthews, Global Asset Advisors, Inc., Jeff
Schneider CPA, PassportIRA and more of the best international investment
advisors. |
|
|
