Dec. 11, 2009
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
PLUS:
- Own In The South Of France For 28,000 Euro...
- The Pluses And Minuses Of Expat Life In Honduras...
----------
Early Bird Discount Expires In 5 Days!
Discover This Land of Opportunity Firsthand
In one place in the Americas, there exists a natural wonderland...
Where you can find everything from posh new seaside condos to peaceful and affordable beach homes fit for hammock retirement...from big city high-rise apartments to getaway mountain villages where life centers around the daily market...
Where the long list of incentives, benefits, and advantages for the would-be retiree, investor, and adventurer is unparalleled:
- First World health care at Third World prices...
- A full range of 14 resident visa programs, so if you don't want to retire, you have other options for staying...
- The world's Gold Standard program of special benefits for retirees...easy to qualify for and offering generous discounts on everything from medicine to movies, plus much, much more...
- One of the world's few remaining offshore tax havens (meaning you can live here tax-free)...
- A U.S. dollar-based economy (since 1904), meaning zero currency risk for dollar-holders...
- Safety and security...for you and your money...
- The best place in the world right now to start a business...and much, much more...
Come...discover the upsides and advantages of
Living and Investing in Panama...
Go Here Now And Learn How To Save Up To US$650 When You Register Now
----------
Dear Live and Invest Overseas Reader,
"
Malaysia has only a minority population of Christians," writes Asia Correspondent Wendy Justice, "so it came as a surprise to us our first year here to discover that Christmas has as much of a presence in this country as it does. Kuala Lumpur is especially festive. Streets are decorated with banners with holly leaves and the greeting,
'Selamat Hari Krismas' ('Wishing You A Happy Christmas'). Santa Claus is in the shopping malls, attracting large and diverse crowds, and we've seen women from the Middle East, wearing full-face veils, posing for pictures with their children alongside him and Mrs. Claus. The malls all have elaborate Christmas displays with gingerbread houses and massive Christmas trees with all the trimmings. Some of the decorations are a bit odd--giant mushrooms, for example, or suggestive, scantily clad angels--giving the impression that they aren't quite sure just what Christmas should be.
"What is absent in all the displays is any suggestion of the religious significance of the day. To the Malaysians, Christmas is just another holiday to celebrate after a long season of holidays: Ramadan and Hari Raya (both Islamic), the Islamic New Year, the (Chinese) Mooncake Festival, Deepavali (Hindu), school holidays...and Christmas. Shops use it as an excuse for giant end-of-year sales, and the malls are busy.
"Christmas is a legal holiday in Malaysia, although most stores and restaurants stay open. Many of the Christian Chinese and Indian families hold open houses to celebrate the day with friends and family and go to church.
"Perhaps the strangest thing about Christmas in Kuala Lumpur is the big Christmas Eve buffets offered at hotels around the city. These are elaborate feasts, with turkey, roast beef and all the trimmings, local specialties, and a fantastic selection of desserts. That's not the strange
part.
"What is unexpected are the party favors and the New Year's Eve-style countdown to midnight and the official start of Christmas Day. There are dances, visits by Santa, and Christmas skits (again, secular). At midnight, fireworks erupt. Malaysians love their fireworks, and almost every holiday is celebrated by a display of them, but we had never before considered Christmas a fireworks kind of day!"
Kathleen Peddicord
----------
They Pay You To Do What?
December 1988: I've got no job, no money, and seemingly no prospects.
July 2009: I've got the most glamorous job in the world, enough money to give me a very comfortable lifestyle, and the prospect (no, the certainty) of all-expenses-paid trips to China, Estonia, Barcelona, Malaysia, the Cape Verde Islands...
How did I become a globetrotter who stays in luxury hotels, dines out on gourmet meals, and knows how to order beer in at least 15 languages?
Easy. And you can do it, too.
----------
"Kathleen, your budgets are typically based on two people with a fairly active lifestyle. I am single, and I want to find a small apartment. I am not much into nightlife or expensive meals. I am on a tight Social Security budget of US$930 per month, but I am not very demanding and can live a simple lifestyle.
"Paris is too busy for me. I could probably afford to buy something small (for less than US$50,000), but I don't mind renting. Is there any place in
France (preferably in the southwest) or maybe
Croatia where I could afford to live?
"Twenty-four years ago, I spent some time working out of Pau, France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees. It was beautiful."
-- Doug H., United States
France Correspondent Lucy Culpepper replies:
"Yes, the countryside around Pau is stunning. With the snow glistening on the Pyrenees right now, the view from the rue de Pyrenees is of a row of gleaming jewels.
"As you ask about both France and Croatia, it seems you like both the mountains and the sea. With that in mind, I suggest you focus on the southwest of France, particularly
Languedoc-Roussillon (where I have lived and currently have family). The climate is kind (though it can be cold inland in winter), there's plenty to do and see even for no cost, and fresh produce markets abound. Life is low-key, and there is a large (though not over-powering) English-speaking expat community if you want to connect with them. Budget flights are available in and out of Carcassonne, Bezier, Nimes, and Montpellier. I would settle as close to the coast as possible for the simple reason that your heating bills will be lower.
"Renting can be hard in France (at least if you want to rent legally and not off the books), because a French owner will require lots of proof and guarantees that you are able to pay. If you can show proof of your income and that you have a French bank account, you should be ok. If not, you will have to turn to expat owners and find a place under the table. In general expat properties tend to be more expensive (and nicer!).
"Expect to spend US$350 to US$500 per month for a one-bedroom studio apartment.
"I found a studio in the center of Pezanas in the Hérault region of the Languedoc for 250 euro per month. It's a sunny 22-square-meter apartment on a quiet road. Pezanas is a lively town with a large expat community. Try this Announces Jaunes website for more options (it's part of the Yellow Pages/Pages Jaunes group of France):
www.annoncesjaunes.fr.
"If you are prepared to go really small or to buy something in a less desirable area, then your purchase budget of US$50,000 could, in fact, be enough to own here--though remember that you will have sizeable fees to pay on top of the purchase price. Some real estate agents in France are willing to negotiate their fees right now, particularly in regions where the British market has gone flat (for example, the Languedoc, Dordogne).
"Taking a quick look, I found a one-bedroom duplex/apartment in Bezier on the market for 28,000 euro. Parts of Bezier are attractive, but there are also rough parts, which could be where this apartment is located. Again, check out the Announces Jaunes site to get a better idea:
www.annoncesjaunes.fr."
Editor's Note: Lucy's full report on life in the Languedoc is featured in our Country Retirement Report, available here.
"I am wondering about your opinion on
Honduras. There seem to be several areas in that country for nice living. Why don't you ever mention it? My research leads me to believe that it is better than Costa Rica and other areas in Central America."
-- R. Mathis, United States
Honduras offers two primary options for foreign retirement--the Bay Islands (especially the island of Roatan) and the mainland Caribbean coast.
Roatan is an English-speaking destination with cruise ships, diving, and an active expat community. Prices here, like everywhere, have settled in the past year, and you can buy a decent home right now for a reasonable price. However, if you aren't into water sports, fishing, and diving, then you'll likely find yourself sitting around gossiping and drinking much of the time, as there's little else to do (this can be said of many expat havens around the world).
The mainland coast isn't as developed as Roatan from a retirement/expat living point of view. Land prices are lower, therefore, and you'll likely have to build your own house.
Crime is more of an issue on the mainland, but probably not as much of a concern as it is in parts of Costa Rica.
Foreign ownership of real estate is restricted in Honduras, though you can work with a good local attorney to use a corporation to get around the restrictions.
The big downside to Honduras is the infrastructure, which is limited, especially with regards to telecommunications. Last I knew, you couldn't get a new land line on Roatan and getting a cell phone was difficult, too. This could have changed since I’ve spent time on this island, though.
