Real Estate Miriam answers all.

Real Estate Miriam answers all.

Home exchange

Owning a second home in Aruba means you can enjoy your vacation time in the sunshine whenever you wish.

Also you can travel the world and use your second house (in Aruba) for home exchange. Home exchange is to swap a house/ apartment with like-minded travelers all over the world without paying for it. Other than getting to the location of your choice, a home swap doesn't have to cost you more than staying at home.

How home exchange works;

Browse on-line listings for homes, apartments and locations you love, and use a messaging system to get in touch with those property owners. Check out inquiries sent to you from members of such an on-line home exchange site, and when you are ready, simply arrange your exchange. You will find the home exchange websites via google.com or bing.com

Rather than staying in hotels and being treated like a tourist, you can enjoy staying in comfortable homes, and living the life of a local. 

Non residents can buy a house in Aruba!!

All non-residents can buy land or a house in Aruba going through the same process as the Aruban residents. They can buy a home on property land as well as on lease land.
Lease land
Besides property land you can buy a house which is built on lease land. This land is owned by the Land of Aruba and the lease is for 60 years.

A yearly fee is paid for these lease rights. After the 60 years, the lease period will automatically be extended with another 60 years. The only thing that might happen when the lease period is extended is an increase in the yearly fee.

Most of the houses situated in Arashi, Malmok, Tierra del Sol, Topaz, Safir, Esmeralda, Ruby, Opal, Salinja Serca and Palm Beach are built on lease land. Many non-residents have bought there and will keep buying in those areas although the homes are built on lease land!
The reason they keep buying houses in those areas is because of their locations. These areas are close to the spas, golf course, tennis courts and shopping malls. Another huge advantage is the distance to the ocean.

Building a new home begins long before the foundation is poured. To avoid costly mistakes during the construction process, start with these five important steps.

1. Plan Your Budget

Begin now to think about how much you can afford to spend and how much building your new home is likely to cost. Chances are you will need a construction loan and a mortgage. It's not too early to find out what size loan you qualify for. Also, knowing the approximate costs will help you modify your building plans to meet your budget.

2. Choose Your Lot

Whether you are building your home in a suburban development or a site with sweeping ocean views, you will almost always need to choose the land before you select floor plans or other details. You (and any pros you hire) will need to investigate factors such as soil condition, drainage, zoning and building codes in the region.

3. Line up Your Team

Unless you are a homesteader, you'll need a team of experts to design and construct your house. Key players will include a builder, an excavator, a surveyor and a home designer or an architect. Many homeowners begin by selecting the builder or contractor. That pro then selects other members of the team. However, you may also opt to hire an architect or designer first.

4. Pick a Plan

Many new homes are built using stock plans from a catalog. The builder or a home designer may make minor modifications in room size, window style or other details. A custom-designed home, on the other hand, is created specifically for the family which will live there. In most cases, custom-designed homes require the services of a licensed architect. Whether you opt for a stock or a custom design, you will be wise to choose a plan that will meet your needs for many years to come.

5. Negotiate a Contract

Be sure to get a written contract which has been signed and dated by both the builder or contractor and the architect or designer. A contract for new home construction will describe the project in detail and include a listing of all the parts to be included in the house. Remember to amend the contract if you or your team make any changes to the project later on

9 things before moving abroad

With the joy of the internet allowing us to explore the world from the comfort of our own home and dreaming about visiting far tropical sunny places; it seems that more and more of us are actually planning on moving abroad at least for a few years in a bid to broaden our horizons and experience different cultures and ways of life.

If you're currently considering relocation overseas to for example ARUBA, and thinking about whether you could survive a move abroad and personally benefit from expatriation, then this 9 things article could help you get some planning in place to make your decision that much easier.

1) Location, Location, Location

Where in the world would you most like to go? What is it about moving abroad that appeals to you? Where in the world are you allowed to live and work and which countries can fulfill the dreams and aspirations that you have for a new life abroad? By asking yourself questions such as these you can do your location research accordingly and ensure that wherever in the world you decide to move to you will get access to the facilities and amenities you want and live the kind of lifestyle that you're dreaming of.

2) Learn the Language

You will get far more out of stay overseas if you make the effort to speak the local lingo. Consider taking language lessons before you go and then continue your training among native speakers once you relocate. You'll find it seriously rewarding and by having a second language under your belt, chances are even more countries will begin to appeal to you where you can go and live and practice your new foreign language skills.

3) Finding a Home

Getting accommodation sorted out will be a priority when you move abroad. Even if you're expatriating for good, consider renting real estate before committing to purchasing could be a wise idea. That being said; rental rates in Aruba are high and it is currently still a buyer’s market, so there are great deals to be found buying a property now. See www.arubahouses.com for some great listings.

4) Keeping a Home

If you already own real estate in your original home country what are your plans for it while you're away? Will you leave it empty, rent it out or even sell it. Your decisions may depend on whether your plans for a move abroad are temporary or permanent of course - but remember real estate is usually a great asset to hold on to but that your decision relating to what to do with your home will have a certain taxation implication, from income tax due on rent earned to capital gains tax due on a house sold.

5) Jobs Abroad

Are you planning on moving abroad to work - if so are you allowed to work in the country you're planning to move to? Will you need permission to take employment, will your skills and experience be valued or even recognized abroad. How realistic is it that you will find a well paid job abroad? You have to look into the realities of all these questions and ensure that you can work abroad and afford to live the lifestyle you want to live. Before moving to Aruba you’ll contact Dimas for Residency and Work permit requests. Website: http://www.dimasaruba.aw

6) Taxes

All countries have different tax systems and some countries like America seem to own their citizens in taxation terms no matter where in the world they live. Check out what rates of tax you will be paying overseas, make sure you won't have to pay tax back home as well and ensure you're not about to move to a country where tax is even higher than you pay currently - because where would the fun be in that!

7) Visas and Permissions

Will you require a visa to move to your chosen country before you even arrive or can you sort out residency and employment visas once on the ground? Ensure you know your legal obligations in terms of getting permission to enter and reside in a given country before you even set out, because if you fall foul of the rules and regulations you could be fined, imprisoned or sent back home.

8) Stay Healthy

Getting healthcare treatment abroad isn't always as easy as you might think. Some countries have a poorly funded healthcare system and other nations don't even treat those without insurance in place. Consider having a good international health insurance policy in place to cover you in all eventualities and which will ensure you receive the best standard of care available. Don't mess with your health.

9) Financial Planning

And finally - before you even consider packing up and shipping out make sure you have some money behind you to tide you over once you arrive and also a financial lifeline in case you ever need to get back home in a hurry! Financial planning might be the most boring but most essential part of planning a move abroad. Get it right and you'll have nothing to worry about and you can enjoy your new life - get it wrong and your new life abroad will be over before its begun as you're forced to take a dead end job or even return back home and take up where you left off having left your dreams for a brand new life far behind you.