07 Feb 2013 11:25 AM:

Thailand - its going to get much more expensive with the pound falling. My brother lives there and he feels it isn't the paradise it seems on first visit. Pattaya, no chance, corrupt police and foreigners are targeted for violence. Northern Thailand and islands better but driving anywhere is a 50/50 life or death exercise, and good luck with the monsoon season (often overlooked) and fitting ANY electrical appliance. Hospitals 'are terrifying' apparently.

Spain - if you like being around expats and a basic lifestyle, great place but if you seek culture, you'll need to speak Spanish and live near Alicante or another city with some kind of multiculturalism. A bleak place when the sun goes in I find. Economy at least has hit bottom and will improving in next few years. Bureaucracy will reduce as Spain wakes up to on-line/electronic payment systems, the siestas will be removed. Its easy now to set up a business, and taxes etc vis a vis rest of Europe will continue to be low. Canaries are popular but many there talk of 'island fever' which means if you cant afford visits back home, you go a little crazy..

Australia is falling into recession, and about 3 years behind Europe in this regard so beware if youre of working age. The currency has fallen badly in the last 5 years so if youre selling up, prepared to be shocked at how expensive houses are in Melb/Syd/Perth. Adelaide your best bet or Gold Coast. And youre unable to buy property for the first few years anyway. Same with Thailand. Long term? Terrific though if you have the cash and better than NZ.

Greece/Cyprus - living costs are astronomical, and your property wont rise in value for a generation. Too much economic turmoil to retire to, and you have the Turks seeking land grabs across the islands, so beware re Rhodes etc.

Southern France - you'll need to speak French, and indicators are that France is heading for an almighty crash - it's pension time bomb has yet to go off and the system is creaking at the seams. Expect demos and riots in Paris but also in immigration-heavy southern towns and cities (Marseilles, Montpellier). Winters aren't warm..

Don't know about Portugal

Thread: Is Spain still the best option for retirement abroad?

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05 Feb 2013 11:40 PM:

UK leaving EU:

It's a referendum designed to appease all those in Middle England and in poorer areas who don't want a foreigner living next door to them (no comment but the Spanish don't seem too pleased to live near us). So, socially, opting out would see a reduction in immigrants. But the entire world is going the other way on this issue, with passports becoming meaningless, and fewer foreigners would inflate wage costs and leave a huge hole in the employment market (at the menial job level).

But, in every other way, leaving completely with no concessions would be an economic disaster and this is why the outcome will be to 'stay in'. The media will try to offer a balanced view weeks before the vote, but they'll fail because they know a negative result would set us back decades. The news channels will have huge influence on people's votes lets be frank. The US will give stern warnings to stay in and if we pull out our leverage power (manufactrg/exports etc) will weaken greatly, especially with China and India set to rise as power houses.

In short, it's a Cameron charm offensive/gesture which will return a 'stay in' vote anyway, costing us all millions in the process.

I agree with the speedy trains project though..:)

Thread: If Britain leaves the EU , how will it effect you?

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29 Jan 2013 8:48 AM:

the pound will fall this year against the main currencies because the eurozone will recover this year (and next) faster than the uk will (Spain excepted).  The City doesnt have a say.

The US dollar is pushing the pound down because it has a better recovery system than we do - ie, its a private sector driven recovery, not a state owned one (which makes someone on this thread's point absolute nonsense about it being better to turn our banks into public-owned).

And the City has taken a battering, (to make you feel better) - everyone i know has lost a job/taken a no salary/commission only role/small bonuses taken away. Its brutal. Come on baby boomers, you cant take take take for 40 years and still groan, when your retirement will be far better than anyone under 50 today's will. It's us lot who are doomed due to what the 70s/80s and 90s inflicted on us! :)

Thread: euros

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28 Jan 2013 8:03 PM:

Btw, the pound will fall further this year against euro so if sending euros to uk, best to wait, and conversely convert pounds to euros asap. I work in City and they reckon 1.05 euros to pound might well return this year.. good for our property values, not so good if you have euro mortgages..

Thread: euros

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