Snowbirds on Florida TV

Not all of us are "wealthy." Many of us are blue collar and have to budget so we can escape the cold of where we live. It's the bright spot of our entire year to get away from it all....

It is like I told a "natïve" Floridian
who was moaning about the snowbirds.

"If it was not for us, you would still be sitting around
a smoky fire, swatting mosquitos!"

If Americans don't have the money to buy homes , whats wrong with some foreigner spending his money here and paying taxes on that property? I personally would rather have a legal purchase by anyone who can pay the taxes, rather than an illegal that pays no taxes.

John&Joey wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

John&Joey wrote:
....Now if I was Florida, I would be going after the affluent non-USA citizens that own property in the US but outside of their native homestead land.

Was talking to my Florida real estate agent the other day about the foreclosures and how I was missing out getting my offers in on time and being beat out, and he said that was because the majority of them are being bought up by buyers from another country. Often buying them in large lot numbers. I started looking them up on the county recorders site and he IS correct. Hmmmm.

To add to this, when these lots are sold for a profit where do you think the capital gains money will then go. Stay in the USA where it can make a difference in our economy? or go to the homeland of the non-USA citizen taking very much needed dollars out of the works?

This is why affluent non-USA citizens should be tax'ed highly in Florida. The state in many ways is cutting it's own throat. Also the the state is hurting their own citizens by allowing strong currency to drive up the market in our current weak currency condition. So an actual Florida resident who is working and living in the state now will be forced into buying a lesser property because their dollars don't go as far.

Government has a right to protect their citizens, I hope Florida(and other states) starts doing this versus going after easy tourist dollars.

Just read this article and it brought back the thought of this thread.

Foreign investors in US real estate.

With the decline in foreign real estate investing I guess it really was mostly about getting a "good" deal. Now that the market is turning around, I guess the profit from the eventual sale of those US sunbelt homes will leave the US for other countries. Maybe next time Florida will get it right by going after the affluent non-USA citizens and protect their own instead.

John&Joey wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

John&Joey wrote:
....Now if I was Florida, I would be going after the affluent non-USA citizens that own property in the US but outside of their native homestead land.

Was talking to my Florida real estate agent the other day about the foreclosures and how I was missing out getting my offers in on time and being beat out, and he said that was because the majority of them are being bought up by buyers from another country. Often buying them in large lot numbers. I started looking them up on the county recorders site and he IS correct. Hmmmm.

To add to this, when these lots are sold for a profit where do you think the capital gains money will then go. Stay in the USA where it can make a difference in our economy? or go to the homeland of the non-USA citizen taking very much needed dollars out of the works?

This is why affluent non-USA citizens should be tax'ed highly in Florida. The state in many ways is cutting it's own throat. Also the the state is hurting their own citizens by allowing strong currency to drive up the market in our current weak currency condition. So an actual Florida resident who is working and living in the state now will be forced into buying a lesser property because their dollars don't go as far.

Government has a right to protect their citizens, I hope Florida(and other states) starts doing this versus going after easy tourist dollars.

We coulda had a chicken in every pot if they would have taxed the drug runners and money launderers in the 70's and 80's. But the banks own Fl just like the rest of the world, so they didnt, and they wont.

rockhillmanor wrote:

John&Joey wrote:
....Now if I was Florida, I would be going after the affluent non-USA citizens that own property in the US but outside of their native homestead land.

Was talking to my Florida real estate agent the other day about the foreclosures and how I was missing out getting my offers in on time and being beat out, and he said that was because the majority of them are being bought up by buyers from another country. Often buying them in large lot numbers. I started looking them up on the county recorders site and he IS correct. Hmmmm.

To add to this, when these lots are sold for a profit where do you think the capital gains money will then go. Stay in the USA where it can make a difference in our economy? or go to the homeland of the non-USA citizen taking very much needed dollars out of the works?

This is why affluent non-USA citizens should be tax'ed highly in Florida. The state in many ways is cutting it's own throat. Also the the state is hurting their own citizens by allowing strong currency to drive up the market in our current weak currency condition. So an actual Florida resident who is working and living in the state now will be forced into buying a lesser property because their dollars don't go as far.

Government has a right to protect their citizens, I hope Florida(and other states) starts doing this versus going after easy tourist dollars.

We just got here Sunday,and have not yet seen this ad on TV. It seems that anything that would help sell homes,would be good for all. We have several friends,that are trying to find homes here in Florida,right now.

John&Joey wrote:
....Now if I was Florida, I would be going after the affluent non-USA citizens that own property in the US but outside of their native homestead land.

Was talking to my Florida real estate agent the other day about the foreclosures and how I was missing out getting my offers in on time and being beat out, and he said that was because the majority of them are being bought up by buyers from another country. Often buying them in large lot numbers. I started looking them up on the county recorders site and he IS correct. Hmmmm.

County has a fixed budget they have to meet. Without cutting back on services and staff, the county can always adjust their mill rate to cover the deficit regardless how property is assessed.

Bottom line is the budget has to be met, someone will have to pay for it and no-one wants it to be them. As far as affluent snowbirds are concern, if you can even find a native Floridian now-a-days ask them the difference between a "Yankee" and a "Damn Yankee". That is the precursor to the TV ad that you're now seeing and in many ways more politically correct then before.

Now if I was Florida, I would be going after the affluent non-USA citizens that own property in the US but outside of their native homestead land.

............to certain circumstances the law regulates the assesed value of homesteads and specified nonhomstead property in increases when the just value at the property decreases....."

This where Florida is bleeding from. They want to be able to tax ALL property owners for more than what the homes are worth/sold for today.

Homes that sold in 2007 for $320,000 and TAXED accordingly are being sold on the market today for many times under $100,000. That is a huge loss of property tax income for the local counties.

The millions of homes in foreclosure that are now being sold for 1/4 of their original price AND that would 'now' be taxed based on this low sales price, means each County will lose billions of dollars in tax revenue every year as these foreclosures are being sold for less than what they were tax appraised at prior to foreclosure. It's shear numbers, Florida has the most foreclosures in the states.

The Snowbirds are not going to raise Florida real estate taxes, their LOCAL COUNTY is, by being allowed to raise property taxes above what their homes are worth to make up for the deficit of foreclosed homes being sold so cheap.

If this passes, Yes the second home buyer would be afforded the homestead deduction but he will 'also' be confronted with paying real estate taxes based on whatever accelerated millage rate they decide on, not the actual value of the property just like every single resident will have to.

If this passes even the lure of low priced foreclosed homes will not be enough for someone to buy a second home here. Not if the Counties are going to be allowed to create real estate taxes based on what dollars they 'need' and no longer based on what the value of the home is.