Americans moving to Europe
May 27th, 2020, 09:11 PM
#21
Such an interesting thread. I'm always amazed that the people on House Hunters Int. are so fussy about things that really don't matter much, like kitchen bench tops, when they are only renting. Their long list of desires - a view, large rooms, in the city centre, a big garden, etc are surely for the viewers benefit, so we can sit at home and say 'as if'.
My question for the Americans - what is a disposal? Something to do with rubbish (trash) I guess?
My question for the Americans - what is a disposal? Something to do with rubbish (trash) I guess?
May 27th, 2020, 10:51 PM
#22
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Something to talk about that isn't COVID-19 related!
I too don't know what a disposal is - guessing same as you.
I too don't know what a disposal is - guessing same as you.
May 27th, 2020, 11:30 PM
#23
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Maybe a disposal is the waste-disposal thing in the sink? That's actually not allowed in Belgium, and I believe in other European countries because it's not good for the sewer system.
I used to work in relocation in London in the early 90s. American expats all wanted something with character, quaint, old. But were then shocked by the lack of a power shower, sometimes only a bath with a handheld shower. And no huge American fridge in the tiny kitchen either. French families often had lots of children, needed to be close to the Lycee, wanted a separate bedroom for each kid, but their company budget would allow for a 2-bed flat in Fulham. This was before the days when you could look up house prices online, and had to work through agents. Their London budget would have gotten them a very comfortable flat in Paris, so some thought we were somehow conning them by showing them these tiny flats in South Kensington - close to the Lycee as requested...
I used to work in relocation in London in the early 90s. American expats all wanted something with character, quaint, old. But were then shocked by the lack of a power shower, sometimes only a bath with a handheld shower. And no huge American fridge in the tiny kitchen either. French families often had lots of children, needed to be close to the Lycee, wanted a separate bedroom for each kid, but their company budget would allow for a 2-bed flat in Fulham. This was before the days when you could look up house prices online, and had to work through agents. Their London budget would have gotten them a very comfortable flat in Paris, so some thought we were somehow conning them by showing them these tiny flats in South Kensington - close to the Lycee as requested...
May 27th, 2020, 11:41 PM
#24
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A garbage disposal - the thing in your sink drain that makes a lot of noise and grinds up all the crap you put into it. It's pretty standard in any American sink. Probably responsible for a lot of plumbers' incomes. It can chew your hand right off your wrist if you're stupid enough to put it down there.
Here, we compost instead. We use a lot of kitchen scraps to make soup stocks. We use all our coffee grounds in the garden. What's left goes in the compost bin. What's in the compost bin goes in the garden.
Here, we compost instead. We use a lot of kitchen scraps to make soup stocks. We use all our coffee grounds in the garden. What's left goes in the compost bin. What's in the compost bin goes in the garden.
May 28th, 2020, 12:47 AM
#25
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Yes, garbage disposal in the sink. We had one in our house when I lived in the US 40 years ago. I don’t miss it.
May 28th, 2020, 12:59 AM
#26
Sink grinders, I've visited houses with them, since I run a compost and rarely eat meat there is no use for one in my household.
I did a movement for an American family to a village outside Hamburg. The biggest problem was to get the documents for home-schooling that he thought was a good idea. Poor kid ended up not learning much German, not making friends etc etc but at least she didn't learn any socialist ideals ;-)
I did a movement for an American family to a village outside Hamburg. The biggest problem was to get the documents for home-schooling that he thought was a good idea. Poor kid ended up not learning much German, not making friends etc etc but at least she didn't learn any socialist ideals ;-)
May 28th, 2020, 01:13 AM
#28
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I did a movement for an American family to a village outside Hamburg. The biggest problem was to get the documents for home-schooling that he thought was a good idea. Poor kid ended up not learning much German, not making friends etc etc but at least she didn't learn any socialist ideals ;-)
May 28th, 2020, 01:39 AM
#29
Thanks, we call them insinkerators in Australia which I suspect is a trade name. We have one and never use it. I'd get rid of it if we ever remodelled the kitchen. I hate the noise and they seem like a waste of space.
StCirq's description of the hand being chewed off had me wincing. Maybe part of the reason I dislike them - the thought of dropping something down there accidentally and reaching for it...
StCirq's description of the hand being chewed off had me wincing. Maybe part of the reason I dislike them - the thought of dropping something down there accidentally and reaching for it...
May 28th, 2020, 05:02 AM
#30
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Garbage disposals are common, but there are many homes without them here in the US. We have had two homes in the last 23 years that did not have them. One home was on a well and the other was military base housing. When we moved from there and found a rental home at our next duty station, we noticed the house had a disposal and my husband was all excited. The property manager person just kind of looked at him like what rock did you just crawl out of, lol.
As for the tv shows, its tv. I don't expect any of it to be entirely accurate.
As for the tv shows, its tv. I don't expect any of it to be entirely accurate.
May 28th, 2020, 02:45 PM
#31
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Below is a link to a blog that is no longer active--a U.S. couple moved to Italy and discussed the ins and outs of the process of over the years.
Nine years ago they were featured on House Hunters International. About a year later another featured person broke the silence about how the show really works, so at this point the blogger felt she could speak openly. Her major point: the house hunters have already gone to contract on their homes. The show "re-creates" their home search.
2 Baci in a Pinon Tree: Staged...Or On Stage?
Nine years ago they were featured on House Hunters International. About a year later another featured person broke the silence about how the show really works, so at this point the blogger felt she could speak openly. Her major point: the house hunters have already gone to contract on their homes. The show "re-creates" their home search.
2 Baci in a Pinon Tree: Staged...Or On Stage?
May 28th, 2020, 10:11 PM
#32
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Very interesting, ellenem. I knew it was staged and that explains (at least partly) why the format is so fixed.
May 29th, 2020, 04:31 AM
#33
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Below is a link to a blog that is no longer active--a U.S. couple moved to Italy and discussed the ins and outs of the process of over the years.
........
2 Baci in a Pinon Tree: Staged...Or On Stage?
........
2 Baci in a Pinon Tree: Staged...Or On Stage?
May 29th, 2020, 04:45 AM
#34
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Oh yes, I know that composting is the best option for the environment, and in Germany everyone does it. The Biomüll (organic waste) has its special brown trash bin, and it's picked up every 2 weeks with the rest of the garbage (blue bin for paper, yellow sack for plastic & tin, and black bin for regular garbage). So it's easy and convenient to "compost," or throw out the compostable garbage.
But I do still miss the disposal! I don't like coralling and cleaning up the waste after dealing with fruits or vegetables... especially the endless tiny bits of spinach leaves and stems. Grrrrrrr. While doing that, I do let my mind drift to the bygone days when I'd just stuff everything down the drain and swish water after it. Oh *sigh*.
But I do still miss the disposal! I don't like coralling and cleaning up the waste after dealing with fruits or vegetables... especially the endless tiny bits of spinach leaves and stems. Grrrrrrr. While doing that, I do let my mind drift to the bygone days when I'd just stuff everything down the drain and swish water after it. Oh *sigh*.
May 29th, 2020, 09:54 AM
#35
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Yes, easy to do but not very good for the environment; this organic waste has to be filtered out. These things are illegal in Belgium and other European countries.
We collect any organic waste in a green bin for composting by the local authority.
We collect any organic waste in a green bin for composting by the local authority.
May 30th, 2020, 04:15 PM
#36
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Saw this article recently, about ways to get the "golden visa" for people willing to purchase property in the EU:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/21/r...nvestment.html
I think in the case of the HHI episodes, a lot of people are sponsored by employers or they work for a multinational corporation which gives them a post in Europe, either temporarily or for longer term. Or some people live in their "new home" for a few months and move on. They feature their HHI appearances on their blogs.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/21/r...nvestment.html
Critics say that while countries like Cyprus and Malta are reaping the benefits of handing out passports, what they are really offering is the right to live anywhere in the European Union. And they say such programs can attract shady characters.
Image
SottoMayor Premium, a 43-apartment project in central Lisbon, was structured to take maximum advantage of Portugal’s visa-for-investment program.But others say that getting visas through real estate transactions involves vetting for criminal records, for instance, which is a far more restrictive process than the scrutiny faced by the million people a year who are given European Union passports through marriage or the reuniting of family.
“Anyone who is a real security threat or a major criminal would not put themselves through that scrutiny — they have other ways to get a passport or go where they want,” said Mr. Kälin, of Henley & Partners.
There are tax advantages in having residence rights in countries like Antigua, Cyprus and Malta, which charge little income tax on offshore assets and do not require the investor to live in the country for any significant period.
Mr. Kälin was a key figure in turning the trade in passports and residency visas into an industry.
Image
SottoMayor Premium, a 43-apartment project in central Lisbon, was structured to take maximum advantage of Portugal’s visa-for-investment program.But others say that getting visas through real estate transactions involves vetting for criminal records, for instance, which is a far more restrictive process than the scrutiny faced by the million people a year who are given European Union passports through marriage or the reuniting of family.“Anyone who is a real security threat or a major criminal would not put themselves through that scrutiny — they have other ways to get a passport or go where they want,” said Mr. Kälin, of Henley & Partners.
There are tax advantages in having residence rights in countries like Antigua, Cyprus and Malta, which charge little income tax on offshore assets and do not require the investor to live in the country for any significant period.
Mr. Kälin was a key figure in turning the trade in passports and residency visas into an industry.
Jun 1st, 2020, 12:33 PM
#37
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Originally Posted by StCirq;17110192=
....
We had no problem opening a bank account in France. ... Unlike bvlenci, we now keep very little money in the US, just enough for the occasional expense. We pay taxes foncières and taxes d'habitation here in France and US taxes if we have any income derived from the USA. We cannot invest in the US stock market, but that hasn't proven to be much of a drawback, and we aren't wealthy or have gobs of money stashed away in investments anyway - European and Asian and Canadian markets do well enough for us, although of course all investments are hurting at the moment.
Originally Posted by StCirq;17110192=
I've had Irish citizenship through the Foreign Births Registry since 1987, and an Irish passport since 1988; consequently, the right to live in the EU. When I bought the house here in 1993 it was, among other things, with the express intention of coming here to live here permanently....
Jun 1st, 2020, 12:41 PM
#38
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Saw this article recently, about ways to get the "golden visa" for people willing to purchase property in the EU:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/21/r...nvestment.html
<quoted from article>
But others say that getting visas through real estate transactions involves vetting for criminal records, for instance, which is a far more restrictive process than the scrutiny faced by the million people a year who are given European Union passports through marriage or the reuniting of family.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/21/r...nvestment.html
<quoted from article>
But others say that getting visas through real estate transactions involves vetting for criminal records, for instance, which is a far more restrictive process than the scrutiny faced by the million people a year who are given European Union passports through marriage or the reuniting of family.
Jun 1st, 2020, 03:35 PM
#39
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And for things like utilities, Internet access and the like?
Jun 1st, 2020, 08:24 PM
#40
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You can always pay things like that at the post office.
The golden passport schemes are/were Malta and I think Bulgaria. There are other options for the very wealthy. The UK has non doms. Italy brought in something similar. I think. But people in that rarefied air usually have multiple homes around the world and private jets to connect them.
The golden passport schemes are/were Malta and I think Bulgaria. There are other options for the very wealthy. The UK has non doms. Italy brought in something similar. I think. But people in that rarefied air usually have multiple homes around the world and private jets to connect them.
