Everything I Know About Real Estate (Retirement Journals)
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Workplace size for real estate brokers and sales agents ranges from a one-person business to a large firm with numerous branch offices. Many brokers have franchise agreements with national or regional real estate companies. Under this arrangement, the broker pays a fee to be affiliated with a widely known real estate organization.
Because of the sales environment and the complexity of real estate deals, new agents may observe and work closely with more senior agents. Larger real estate companies may provide formal classroom training for new agents as a way to gain knowledge and experience, while others provide training to employees studying for their real estate licensing exam.
As my suspicions grew, I started to look into what others had written about International Living. Sure enough, posts emerged describing the exaggerations and, according to some, the lies that International Living propagated including glossing over difficulties in some countries, overstating the cheapness of real estate, and an overall lack of balance in their content.
I totally agree.Had I known of their wild interest in promotion of real estate I would never have signed on. I am older .and perhaps wiser, but this is definitely not what I need. Well it does not look as though I am wiser: more like a sucker.How do I get my money back?
I agree. I don't understand all the negativity either! I have been to a conference in Atlanta and Las Vegas, both of which were well presented with good accommodations. The people presenting most of the talks are people that actually live in the country they are talking about, and they certainly don't only tell you good things, but obviously they live there because they like the place and find more good about it than bad. I also enjoy the magazines and find them quite informative.It's not that difficult to look at real estate sites in other countries and you can find homes in many price ranges.I have found international living to be a welcome addition to my life, but for those people that don't good luck cancelling your subscription.
Step 1. Buy the magazine and figure out somewhere you think you'd like.Step 2. Get their Country manual that talks about visa, real estate, tax and where to live.Step 3. Go to one of their conferences. Talk to their guys living in the country you're interested in.Step 4. Travel there. Test it out and rent for a bit. Don't buy.Step 5. Get on their Real Estate Trend Alert product by Pathfinder International.Step 6. Move and enjoy the adventure.
About 3 years ago I subscribed to IL Magazine on the special $17 introductory offer. I renewed one time for $49, so ended up receiving 18 months of IL Mag. At first, I found the articles very captivating as I didn't know anything about the countries the expats were living in and writing about. After a few months, I felt the articles became very repetitive and painted unrealistic pictures of the recommended countries. At the same time I subscribed, I began to receive the email postcards, which I still receive and sometimes actually read (depending on if I'm interested in the country). When it came time to renew the IL Mag, I just called the number I found (I think online) and spoke to a very nice young woman who immediately cancelled my subscription without questions. I think IL Mag is great if you're just starting to become interested in living and/or traveling abroad and you want to put your toe in the water.
The part of IL that feels "scammy" to me is when they offer specials on programs for real estate or finances or earning a living or the latest one is "dream your retirement project" (only 1 in 400 will qualify, give me a break). First you watch a long video where they are trying to sell their "product" and then they tell you the price, which is significantly reduced if you buy in TODAY! And there is no refund because the price is so low. I have watched several of these and they are no different from the thousands of other scams you see on the internet. Perhaps you will feel like you have received what you paid for. I wouldn't know because I have never bought into any of these programs.
Well to each his own, I have been traveling for over 35 years all over the world but only to four continents! I lived in Equador on two different periods because it was lovely, the locals are the best part of the experience along with the cost of living. I have not decided where I want to live yet. The USA is not where I plan to retire. I love the European way of life, much culture, history and architecture and awesome food, much better quality of life! So I am looking at France, Italy or Spain. So do your research....while I have read International magazine for over five years, it is what it is ....a business for profit, in that respect they will make everything seem better, you have to be realistic about anything you read in a magazine. Let the adventures begin.
I used the info from the magazine to go to Ecuador I stayed for several months I loved it everything they wrote about was true, the people are lovely and friendly, food is delicious and cheap as were veggies and fruits! The realtors a lot of them are crooked and are not governed by law and there was no regard for the dogs that were everywhere but in a poor country I do understand why, they cannot afford to feed pets! So we should not judge!
Just from the standpoint of the publication - it is a horrible magazine. After reading it for just a few months, it is obvious that the articles are all written by just a handful of people - probably all sitting in a shabby office in suburbia, USA. Every article has the same tone, everything is rosy and cheap. The magazine is just a front to sell their expensive retirement seminars and other publications. And apparently those are just a steppingstone to their real-estate connections. Save your money and your time - there is plenty of information on the internet but take all information with a grain of salt.
They're not just about real estate, they do have a publication for real estate buyers though. International Living have been really great to us on their insider forums. We want to know a question, they've gone out and found it for us. Even their free 'Ask the Experts' area was an unbelievable resource for me and my husband.
In the 90's I bought into IL's puffery about Roatan, Honduras. Came to found out the island was overhyped and a couple of crooked developers were very busy there. The people scowled at you for the most part, the dogs and cats were mistreated, it was full of realtors from Texas, there were machete robberies on the beach, and the natural environment was getting pretty trashed. I'm sure it was a good investment, and it was an interesting place (rather "third world" back then, and that was just fine) but it was not the paradise described by IL. The Bay Islands must have the worst sand flies on the planet. A friend was hauled off to jail (because a local didn't like him) and there were several murders and lots of robberies. However, good coconut bread and banana pancakes; shrimp & rice, Salva Vida beer, snorkeling and diving...but I digress. I think the key is, if you have money, the world's your oyster and you may select the best parts of it; if you don't, the statements about how great everything always is and how cheap--well--they're not true. Nothing's inexpensive anymore and poor people are toast. Fearing for the planet--don't believe the hype about Paradise.
I am interested to invest in a Panama real estate (via a RETA members deal) but decided against it after reading your response. Is the money laundering still happening, I don't know which year your comment was posted - its 2021 now.
What I think IL is is a small group of people spread among about 10 to 20 countries. As Marios suggests, they write similar boilerplate articles about each country, touting the cheap housing and food, friendly natives, great weather, etc. Every place gets a glowing review, with few if any downsides. IL have ties to a few major real estate developers, which they will gladly steer you toward if you care to take one of their field trips. They have enough useful information to hook some suckers like me, but eventually you realize they are scam artists.
I think you're right that most people bail. I think an extended vacation (say 3 months) is needed to get any sort of idea about how things are really going to be. A quick 2 week visit and you'll still be in the "honeymoon" phase where everything seems great.
You are so right on this. At first I was really excited. Looking at lots of places to retire but they all seemed the same. Cheap real estate, cheap or no taxes, cheap food and friendly. I went to Ambergris Caye in Belize where all of the numbers they gave me were wrong. Taxi 3 times the amount quoted, food expensive (just like the states), real estate just like the states but the people were friendly. For a snorkeler I would need to own a boat to even really snorkel. On to Honduras. Expensive also. Forgot to tell you it rains a lot and everything in your house molds. People not friend, real estate high and lots of loops to jump thru etc. etc. If you have any real genuine articles, please let me know.
Otey v. Commissioner USTC, 70 TC 312, CCH Dec. 35, 167 (1978) was an interesting case with a variation on this theme. Otey contributed appreciated land to a partnership he had formed with a real estate developer. The plan was to get FHA-insured financing and build a moderate-income apartment complex on the land. However, as soon as the financing was obtained, the partnership distributed to Otey an amount just about equal to the fair value of the contributed land. The government maintained the distribution was a sale of the land to the partnership subject to IRC Sec. 707 as a transaction between a partnership and a partner not acting in the capacity of a partner. Otey, of course, maintained that IRC Secs. 721 and 731 came into play and there should be no recognized taxable event. After a very careful analysis and probing for the substance of the matter, the court agreed with Otey that no taxable event had occurred. 2b1af7f3a8