International Living Community

Thank you for your report. I'm still reading it, but wanted to let you know that I'm enjoying it. I visited Costa Rica (solo) in 2011, but didn't see much in my opinion. I plan to go back next April.

Hi Raymond, Are you looking for the north/central/south Pacific coast? Have you tried any FB pages? Does anyone here have a rental in Costa Rica they went to share on this thread here in CR?

Hi Brian, For info on brokers who manage luxury rentals you can get in touch with Pangea, the IL preferred real estate advertising partner, email: info@pangearesearchgroup.com. You can also find a wide range of rentals in the different regions of Panama on sites like www.tripadvisor.com, www.vrbo.com, www.viviun.com, www.encuentra24.com, www.compreoalquile.com or www.airbnb.com (many of the better-priced listings will be in Spanish). Many expats also list great options on expat Facebook pages. If you find a long-term rental that you like, don’t be afraid to ask if the owner will rent to you for a shorter term, and vice-versa. If you're planning on renting in a specific town for 1-2 months, I highly recommend booking something with great reviews for your first few days and then going to see places in person before committing to a month or more in one apartment or house. Have a great stay. Best, IL Panama Editor Jess Ramesch

Thank you Glenda for your thoughts and great insights. We are taking trips around Portugal and so far we agree with a lot of what you are saying.

Weve been working on the same issue for my husband for several years The place to start is rhe Greek consulate in your area- theyll have a checklost for you. First thing will be to get all your papetwork in order- certified copies of all birth, marriage, and death certificates. Get them apostilled at the Sec of State in the state of their issuance, get them translated by a translator approved by the consulate. Get an FBI background check. Get your passport apostilled and translated. Concerning the previous comment regarding getting you family "registered" in Greece according to where your grandparents are from... we are just learning anout this step ourselves (the LAST task for us) so cant comment about that yet. And if your husband doesnt speak Greek its time to start studying... weve heard they will require some sort of evidence of his "Greekness"- language, culture, knowledge of history/current affairs etc. This part is not spelled out in our consulate communications but weve heatd this from other sources. They are raising the bar on citizenship so its not as easy as it used to be. Good luck!

Hi! That's great. As you probably know no visa is required to stay in Spain for 1-3 months, however if you wish to stay longer you will need a visa. Be sure to verify that there is a visa you qualify for. As for taxes you are generally considered a tax resident of Spain if you reside in the country for 183 days or more. If you are planning to be in Spain for less than 183 you are will likely not be considered a tax resident. Given that, I'm not a tax expert so it's best to speak to a Spanish tax advisor for personal assitance. ProSpain Consulting can answer questoins about taxes: https://shehitrefresh.com/prospainconsulting I hope this helps! Best, Cepee, IL Correspondent - Spain

Thank you so much for your assitance and apologies for late reply. We met at the Conference, not sure if you remember me. Colonel David Callaway.

We lived at the foot of Mt. Ste. Victoire (a year) years ago and loved it. My favorite city/town is mentioned above: Villefranche Sur Mer half way between Nice and Monacco and just a train trip over the border to Italy. The climb to Eze and the walks to St Jean Cap Ferrat are lovely and the hilly town, great. We are spending a month, however, this time in Beziers on the west towards Spain and loving it. Places seem to be larger for less but a new up and coming town that has loads of beautifully restored, and being restored, Haussmann buildings. It was the 4th largest city in France in 1900, in the Languedoc wine region, but went downhill for decades now being renewed. The Allee Paul Riquet is beautiful, the markets great, the vibe good, people helpful and it has loads of events. The Canal du Midi runs through it with small pleasure boats and lovely walk and bike paths. It almost sounds like a sales pitch lol but we are loving it and I think it has more to go. Sharon

Hi Trisha, that is a great question. First i would say yu need to go there and see the possible apartments. Second, go to: www.immobiliare.it, or to www.gate-away.com, or to www.idealista.com. Switch to English and look in that area. Each platform will have a place for you to put in Rent or Buy and to use English. You will still need to go there as to rent you will need a Codice Fiscale unless you are doing a short stay rental. If you want something longer than three months you will need a visa. If I can help further, please email me at info@thelaughingretirement.com. Remember RE agents here don't represent you or the seller the represent themselves and thier agency. Let me know how you progress and I will giveyou what help I can. But again, I would say the best thing to do is to travel there and see for yourself. Chip Stites, IL Italy Correnspondent.