Author Topic: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility  (Read 3998 times)

rob in cal

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 333
Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« on: August 23, 2016, 02:17:41 PM »
  I get a periodic email from international living magazine in which writers talk about their overseas lives.  Today someone from Oliva Spain chimed in.  What I was most intrigued by was the low cost of housing in a Mediterranean coastal area, like 500 euros a month for a nice apartment.  Oliva is a little south of Valencia.  Seems like a nice affordable area for those who want to be near the water in Europe but not spend an arm and a leg to be there.  And Spain is relatively easy to get a "non-lucrative" residence visa I believe.

Thinkum

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 725
  • Location: SoCal
  • Life is Good
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2016, 05:22:06 PM »
I've read up on that website and it really opened my eyes to some really affordable areas in Europe. Spain and Italy of note. I think one of the greatest aspects of FIRE is living wherever you want. Thank you for the reminder about that site.

Stachey

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1020
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2016, 09:04:52 AM »
I saw that post on International Living. It sounds wonderful there.  She said she lives in a five bed, two bath place for $450/month!  (I think they usually put prices in US dollars because they largely have an American audience but I'm not positive about it...either way euros or dollars that's a hell of a deal!)

Are there any expats living in Europe on here anywhere?

Playing with Fire UK

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3449
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2016, 09:25:37 AM »
http://www.retirementinvestingtoday.com/ has a number of articles looking at European places to retire to (but from an EU citizen's point of view).

Exflyboy

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8398
  • Age: 62
  • Location: Corvallis, Oregon
  • Expat Brit living in the New World..:)
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2016, 09:56:27 AM »
I don't know a lot about this but there is a "wealth tax" that prsumably would be payable if you are above the threashold.

Rubic

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1130
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2016, 01:24:33 PM »
One thing I'd caution is that a lot of these magazines are sponsored
by real estate ads, and the articles seem to convey all of the pleasures
and none of the downsides.  At least one expat refers to a specific
magazine as "International Lying".

rob in cal

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 333
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2016, 04:29:26 PM »
   Yeah, everything looks wonderful from International Living perspectives so you have to be a little skeptical.  However, in this case I did check overall rental prices on idealista, and rents in the area are pretty low.  I believe idealista is a good source.  A huge amount of rental info for Spain and Italy.
Spartana, the Costa Brava looks to be my favorite part of the Spanish Med coast from photos I've seen at any rate.

Bicycle_B

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1809
  • Mustachian-ish in Live Music Capital of the World
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2016, 08:40:48 PM »
From financial news over the last few years, Spain in general and Spanish coastal real estate in particular are still recovering from the financial crisis.  Therefore real estate costs there are still cheap.  Worth investigating.  Maybe you can visit, then rent, then buy if it looks right.


Playing with Fire UK

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3449
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2016, 12:27:52 AM »
For the EU folk, there is currently a Non-Habitual Resident programme in Portugal which allows you to take money out of your pension tax free (I checked that this worked out for a UK person but would expect it to be similar for other EU citizens).

It involves living in Portugal for a minimum of six months and a maximum of 10 (you can stay longer, but are no longer a non-habitual resident). No idea if this will still be possible when I get to 55/57/58? but it's forming one of my plans.

Anyone else up for an extended Portugal holiday in 2040ish?

Cyanne

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 123
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2016, 07:45:56 AM »
What are the insurance costs? I'm assuming the need for private insurance as a non-citizen? Would this offset the cheaper real estate costs?

Exhale

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 822
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2016, 07:47:43 PM »
Oliva is a little south of Valencia.  Seems like a nice affordable area for those who want to be near the water in Europe but not spend an arm and a leg to be there.

Be sure to visit before deciding because for every Altea there's a Benidorm (or, as many call it, "Benidoom").

arebelspy

  • Administrator
  • Senior Mustachian
  • *****
  • Posts: 28444
  • Age: -997
  • Location: Seattle, WA
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2016, 12:22:46 AM »
Spain is definitely one of our eventual settling possibilities!

I don't know a lot about this but there is a "wealth tax" that prsumably would be payable if you are above the threashold.

Can you explain more?  Because on its face, this sounds like FUD.  Wealth tax from who?  US?  Spain?  How would they know how much you have?  What are you talking about?  :)
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

Playing with Fire UK

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3449
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2016, 12:41:14 AM »
A number of European countries have a wealth tax. Offhand France (Solidarity tax), Norway, Switzerland and Italy have a form of wealth tax.

Spain's has been introduced as a temporary measure a couple of times (once for 30 years). There is a 700k Euro threshold, and 300k Euro exemption for a primary residence. If you are not a residence then you need to appoint a registered person to do the calculation (so I assume he or she would ask about assets and then you would sign to say it is the right information and if you lied then they'd fine you).

It starts at 0.2% and goes up to 2.5% above ~11M Euro. Different regions apply the tax in different ways (some have a lower threashold and some offer rebates for tax paid so there is no net tax).

This is totally a real thing.

Fresh Bread

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3370
  • Location: Australia
  • Insert dough/bread/crust joke
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2016, 02:07:25 AM »
A number of European countries have a wealth tax. Offhand France (Solidarity tax), Norway, Switzerland and Italy have a form of wealth tax.

Spain's has been introduced as a temporary measure a couple of times (once for 30 years). There is a 700k Euro threshold, and 300k Euro exemption for a primary residence. If you are not a residence then you need to appoint a registered person to do the calculation (so I assume he or she would ask about assets and then you would sign to say it is the right information and if you lied then they'd fine you).

It starts at 0.2% and goes up to 2.5% above ~11M Euro. Different regions apply the tax in different ways (some have a lower threashold and some offer rebates for tax paid so there is no net tax).

This is totally a real thing.

Agree, it's definitely a real thing. I imagine the very rich find a way of off-shoring much wealth so as to avoid paying tho. Or spending less than X days in the country so as to be a tax resident of Monaco, that sort of thing. Worth getting advice on it if you are over the threshold!

Shane

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1665
  • Location: Midtown
Re: Spanish coast as FIRE possibility
« Reply #14 on: August 27, 2016, 02:59:36 AM »
Some members of this board are living in Spain and have blogs. Here's a link to one. I'm pretty sure there are more:

http://bucking-the-trend.com/

Here are a couple of other family travel blogs I follow that are currently based in Spain:

http://wagonersabroad.com/

http://www.anepiceducation.com/

Especially the Wagonersabroad website has tons of practical info on getting a non-lucrative visa, i.e., retirement visa.






 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!