We’re back! Nine months ago we were here in northern Florida, looking out at this view you see above when we decided it was time to move. You can read about that decision on our first-ever post that kicked off this blog by reading our blog post This is where it all started. So, what’s changed? Not very much with this view except now the marsh … Continue reading Return to the scene of the crime
Whenever we go on vacation, instead of staying in a hotel we usually try to rent a house or an apartment since you get more room, a kitchen where you can prepare a few meals, and it’s easier to pretend that you live in the community to see if you might want to make it your home. Since we’re house sitting this week along the … Continue reading The advantages of living in Florida
Actually this is just going to be about taxes since that alone is fun enough for one blog post. Before we start, just a reminder that we aren’t tax attorneys, so as with everything else on this blog this is just what we’ve experienced and not advice to you. So what kind of taxes can we expect to pay? If you rent a property and are living there on January 1, you have to pay a habitation tax that covers things like police and fire protection, street lights, road maintenance, and other services that anyone who lives in a community might use. Although it varies around the country, a rule of thumb is that it equals about one month’s rent. The owner of the property that you are renting is also paying a higher amount in property taxes. The third tax on that same piece of property is a daily resort fee of about $1 if it is rented out as a holiday home. Continue reading “Taxes and other fun topics”
France has 10 consulates in the US and when applying for a visa you must use the office that has jurisdiction over the state in which you live.To get a long-stay (1-year) visa to live in France you have to prove essentially three things: that you have enough money to live on your own, that you have your own private health insurance, and that you have a place to live. All of the consulates agree on those points but then they begin to differ. The Atlanta office wants both an English and a French translation of every document. Chicago wants a letter explaining why you want to move, as does the NY office along with your FBI record. Some want two photos with your application while others want only one. Some want it stapled or glued and others don’t want it attached. Continue reading “All the same but different”
For Thanksgiving 2014 we were invited to visit some of Bill’s family in northern Florida. They had just moved to a new house and the view below greeted us from every window in the back. That elevated walkway is half a mile long and it terminates at a dock big enough for a dozen boats of various sizes. It was the perfect spot for Bill to … Continue reading This is where it all started.
Let's Live In France 