Saint Lucia Forum

roanin
Joined 2014
Posts: 11

9 years ago

Expat lifestyles and ambitions.

9 years ago

As some of you know, I am new to the forum, and have spent the last few days contemplating this post. Here, I am simply going to state my views and concerns, with regard to why the Expat "movement" is growing, and the ramifications of the direction we all seem to be moving in.......
I see three Expat mainstream groups emerging worldwide. Firts, I see the "moneyed" types, who are simply enjoying all of the good things in life associated with the finer places on earth.
Secondly, I see a group of what I would describe as "dreamers". They come, they see, and they instantly want the "perceived" lifestyle. This is the group who try it for a while, realize that it's not really what they need in life, and move on. Thirdly, I think there are those who are simply tired of the old world ways, commerce, politics, careers etc, and they just want to settle somewhere warm, quiet and hopefully affordable. It is the second group that mainly concern me, and their impact on the third group of people.
Having spent the last five or six years trying to decide where I want to spend my retirement years, I have formed a "must have" list, and in pursuit of the ideal place to really settle into, I have learned that there are many, many barriers that stand in the way. What I am trying to achieve is not so much the "best" place to retire but, the "optimium" place. This will be based on my willingness to adapt to another culture instead of insisting on more of what I am used to here. I see an irony in those Expat groups throughout the world, where in their numbers and proliferation, they have taken it upon themselves to "organize" in order to effect change, to suit their needs etc. Many of you will have noticed the simple facts that are emerging due to Expat activities in different places. There is no doubt in my mind that we Expats have contributed to huge changes in local economies, due to our requirements and spending habits. Unfortunately, these cash infusions do nothing to very little for those in the local poverty groove. In fact, when it comes to real estate acquisitions and developments (by Expats), indeed the economy usually becomes distorted. The effects of this are that many of the group two players have bolted back from whence they came. Their over-priced properties are on the market for eons, until some new group two mug comes along and pays the distorted price for the property. Many of the places I have looked at are suffering the same problems, a glut of homes that are not selling, and usually not renting either. Simply put, I would not buy a property for say $200,000 in any third world country, knowing that it could be decades before it sits at a "realistically" sell-able price.
Having floated my thoughts on other forums, and received a fair amount of feedback, I am of the opinion that there are going to be some real "corrections" happening in the world of Expat activities. As I said at the beginning of this post, these are some of my concerns with regard to our future as Expats. I would be very interested in your views and concerns before I post again on this subject. I trust that now that this particular forum is "on the map" (right Bobby?), it will begin to flourish and provide all of the insights that many of us can contribute to. This is what make a good forum worth it's weight in gold.

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