whiterabbit

Sounds like the Nazis you need to join mate as they blamed the jews for everthing.

Good place to live but make sure you can still work remotely and keep you earnings seperate in the UK.

Not sure about land. Have houses declined in Sarasota.

You can for sure get a 90% loan in GA. I know a couple of Brits who made good money off plan at Atlantic Station in the last year. http://www.atlanticstation.com/live.php This is now fully priced but gives you an idea of whats being developed. As far as the southern US is concerned the only slight drops I have actually witnessed are inland FL. Long term lots of jobs are still being created in FL and there is only so much land........................

Hi well various reasons, number 1 being it is still very cheap for average incomes. My company has got over 10 vacancies all paying over 100k right now in IT and we can't get staff so are having to relocate people (NYC and London). Within 5 miles of our office you can still buy a very nice older 4 bed for 350-400k on a half acre lot. Some of these are now being torn down and builders are offering the same money for just the land. A mcmansion on the same size lot sells for 1.5 million plus. A decent 3 bed 2 bath is still 250k. Decent 1 bed flat for 160k. There are lots of very high paid jobs available and lots of Amercians are finally realizing there can move to Atlanta earn the same money and have a much better lifestyle. My company pays exactly the same in Atlanta as DC, NYC and London! The house I am buying I can straight away rent out to co-workers and cover the mortgage on however I am really in it for the captial apprication of the land. Downtown Atlanta itself is undergoing a rennasiance with lots of very nice new flats and office buildings. All three major colleges are expanding and people are again beginning to move back into the city. Tons of inward investment going on. Delta are adding lots of non stop international flights to Russia, Korea and soon China. When I was just there I noticed a lot more foreign accents and companies such as Maderin Hotels are moving their HQ from Singapore. From 2006 state income tax is being phased out for people over 65. This will increase the desirablity of the GA mountains as a retirement area. Believe it or not there are also some very nice vinyards being opened (7 so far another 11 currently being planned). I have visited the first ones and it feels like you are in Sonama! As we have discussed on other thread lots of retiress are moving from FL to GA, TN, SC and NC due to very high FL property tax and insurance. As a whole I think GA is a good bet and also agree Savannah is worth a look as are St Simons Island, Brunswick etc although since the G8 summit these areas have gone up quite a bit. There is talk about creating an IT corridor between Savannah and Jacksonville alongside the i95. Just got back from the pub so I can explain in more detail next time if you have any questions?

Where have you bought in the US? I am buying a place in downtown Atlanta GA right now.

I wondered when we would have a retard equate wanting to stop immigration and the BNP with Nazis etc. If you opened your eyes you would see its Blair and Brown acting like dictators.

I just keep on thinking how crowded the SE will become. I mean the tubes, roads, schools etc are already overflowing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jh...3/11/do1108.xml

OK for whats its worth I think long term there are still some good investments in Florida but I would look towards maybe the Clearwater, Tampa area and south once it drops and stabalizes (say 6 months out maybe). Places such as Tarpon Springs are extremely nice and you can still pick up a nice historic house in a nice area for $230-$250. Jacksonville, St Augustine area also still seems to be good and lots of businesses are locating there bring wealth and jobs. The university is also expanding in St Augustine. Again I would go for a historic house in these areas, Orlando doesn't seem so nice to me either to live in or as any kind of investment. As a holiday home I think you are better buying a smaller place in a nicer location. At the end of the day in FL you really need to be on or very near the beach. If it were me I would be looking a little further north to the GA or SC coasts. Although places are already going up there and I believe GA are about to remove state tax on over 65s. For full disclosure I will tell you I have a house in Atlanta and am considering something in Charlston. Again an old house on a cobblestone street or similar in Charleston or Savanah is always going to be desirable.

Very intesting reading this. I spend a lot of time in FL and GA. I actually have a house in Atlanta (Buckhead) which has been a good investment over the last 4 years and the market is still rising slowly in Atlanta like it always has 3-5% a year. No bubble here in my mind. I do thing however think there is an oversupply in the less desirable outlying areas although stuff still seems to sell quick right now. Maybe becasue there is such a terrific job market something FL doesn't really have. What I have noticed is lots of people now leaving FL and moving to GA, SC and TN becuase of lower recurring costs and also many just got fed up of not seeing the seasons. A couple of realtor friends are predicting Atlanta (intown) will still increase this year even though other areas are declining. I also thought it was normal for a 6-7 comission cost with a 50 split between buyer and sellers agents. Even on new sub divisions builders have to pay sellers agents and normally buyers agents. I have never seen someone save even by having no buyers agent. Is this possible? Also lets not underestimate the appeal of FL to many people. In my companies Atlanta office lots of people are still looking to buy second homes within a days drive by the coast and there is still a tremendous amount of new business moving to GA, TN and the Carolinas. Same also applies to GA, NC and TN mountain property.

This is labours way of dumbing down everyone while quitely sending their own children to private schools to avoid the mess they have created. For the last few years house prices have been going up a lot in good school areas, this may begin to alter this.

Be VERY careful with that. I an NOT a lawyer but I know my company has served summons on people for civil cases and the onus is on the defendant to respond within a certain amount of time (normally 2-3 weeks) otherwise is some cases a judgement is made automatically in favour off the plaintiff! The serving party does not have to show prove of the summons, just that they make reasonable attempts to serve it. I have actaully seen it happen where someone was on holiday for 3 weeks and by the time they got back there was already a court judgement against them! You may want to check with a lawyer or citizens advice quickly about this. If however there is no offical record of you being at the house, you have a common name and you never had anything in that name such as credit cards, doctors etc billed to that address then I wouldn't worry about it. I am pretty sure councils don't have your NI number.

I agree if your expectations are reasonable (which yours are) BTL is still as good as anything else. Its the people trying to make a quick buck in capital appreciation that are going to get hurt.

Just came back from working at three of my companies offices in the US. General feeling is only a few areas have dropped (FL, DC, MA, possibly CA) most of the country never experienced large upward movements and is still rising slowly. As another poster said in most areas its still easy to buy a 4 bed house at 2.5 earnings.

I go for 5.75-6.25 by eoy 07.

Go to one of the large agenices that change money for expats and overseas house buyers for the best rate.

Ever wondered how many foreign consultants come in for a few years and disappear before anyone catches up with them. I was working on a project a couple of years back and there were plenty of contractors who had just come over for the project and then went back to India. Some were independent and not through agencies.

Once you take into account all the other costs with owning a house your savings at 5,25% are already above real world HPI. I don't think the markets will be too concerned until the base rate is above 6% at least.

Funny that you picked Atlanta as I am working there right now for a few weeks. What is really interesting is wages in Atlanta are way higher in Atlanta than Dublin and London (in my business IT). All the people in the company I work for in the Atlanta office buy 3 bed houses as first homes in the suburbs or similar, the equivilent people in our London office can barely find a down payment on a grotty flat. Makes me think outside a few hotspots most of the US is still a bargain/better value than the UK or Dublin.

Am I the only one here who actually thinks the dollar will strengthen against the pound and euro in 2007?

Really, benefits good in Dubai then? Seriously there are tons of professionals at my company trying to get relocated to the US and Aus right now and we must have 60 plus on a waiting list. Pretty much all are looking to relo for cheaper houses and better schools etc.

Am working in Atlanta right now for a couple of weeks and the GA and TN market is still going up (slowly)and undervalued especially in the cities. Property in these areas generally has increased at about 3-5% a year so has not risen to unrealistic levels. Its realistic to expect this to contiue at maybe a slightly higher rate. Lots of retirees are also moving to these states after being burn't in FL due to insurance rates going crazy.

We just came back and to be honest I couldn't see anythig decent for under 350k or so that had room for a double bed and parking. I will check out the site you mentioned. We may now by inland a few miles................

A point I feel a lot of our culturally enriching asylum seekers are well aware of......................