Did I miss an accounting of property taxes?

I love Saugatuck and Douglas. For 10 years I had a farmette in nearby Fennville MI. All that being said, this area is a tiny blue dot surrounded by very deep red. Hold hands or be obvious in the nearest Walmart (which isn’t very close) and you may well get unwelcome comments. Even in super gay friendly Saugatuck itself, there are times when it is infiltrated by less than friendly heteros who don’t fully realize the culture of where they are, and you may hear comments. Saugatuck is actually gayer than Galena for example. Yet, I found far fewer things that made me and my bf uncomfortable in Galena. Having those years of experience owning in the area, I can say that the vibe in Saugatuck will definitely vary depending on the weekend and the type of tourists in town. So it is not that consistent. Of course, if you stick to the gay beach and resort/bar (the Dunes), there are fewer concerns although those can be very cruisy-good if you like that sort of thing but less so if you don’t. Long and short is that Saugatuck is very fun for a weekend but it is surrounded by Redneckland and, depending on the day, might be more predictably comfortable for those who are less obviously gay. As you can tell, I have mixed feelings about it, especially now that my bf is nonbinary and dresses however the hell he wants without worry. This attracts more attention in this area than when I was hanging around more “standard” gays. Oh and the weather. Some lake effect snow? Some? I am based in the Chicago area and when we got 6 inches, my little farm would get two feet. Saugatuck is truly beautiful with many wonderful gay people and businesses. But last time I was there I was shocked at the way it felt given my bf’s style-and I’m certainly not going to put baby in the corner. One day it’s super gay friendly in town and the next you’ll remember how red neck the surrounding area truly is. I’m not going back.

Thank you so much!

Loved this video. It was very helpful!

I will be retiring and would like to move to Malaga.I want to plana visit for next June.

This is very helpful information- Thank you all. My husband (who has Italian citizenship, btw) and I are exploring the idea of retiring in Spain and will be traveling there next year to check some areas out.

I am having a great time! Miss you too Sheila!❤

Had to listen today…..needed to hear your voice!! Hope you are enjoying your new life to the fullest ❤ we miss you!!

Outstanding conversation and information about Torremolinos and Sitges. Thanks!

NYC is 5 hours away, not a difficult drive.

I love trans women

I love trans women, i want to meet

T people are not really gay people. I don’t know why the gay community acknowledges them.

around milton DE much better option,very gay friendly 25 miles from salisbury

I would not recommend lgbtq move here,its a gay desert. And not super friendly towards gays(im from there)....better options are oc maryland,milton DE,rehoboth DE..its a very RED area. 25 years away from change..

A new place to visit when I decide to move back to the RVA area.

Neighbors are awesome. Amazing 2024 PRIDE festival

Salisbury has a very accepting attitude towards LGBTQ.

Wishing Wishing for more snow … peninsula and bay definitely have an influence.

And Mark D … loved meeting you at Brick Room … great podcast.

Hi Mark G … it’s SAWLZBERRY 😊 … as a new LGBTQ resident of 1.5 years, I was taught this early on.

I'll underline the need to consult with a tax attorney before deciding whether to relocate to Spain. For example, last I checked, U.S. Roth withdrawals are taxed by Spain, which defeats the purpose of that financial vehicle. Also, it's important to keep in mind that tax laws are not static; they can change suddenly, whether positively or negatively, especially after a political change.

Very good info in this wide-ranging episode. Renato was a perfect guest for the topic. (Incredible that he's only 22!) I'd add a few things: 1. In the Queer Money podcast from a month ago, you mentioned how all the factors one has to consider for a move to Spain are mind boggling. Like you, I consulted a Spanish tax attorney. He said, "Americans come here with stars in their eyes, having researched little, and then they're shocked by the tax issues." These significant issues are counterbalanced by the superiority (both in quality and affordability) of Spain's healthcare system, but once you qualify for Medicare in the U.S., you're in a similar-enough boat. My opinion: There's an optimal retiree window for this sort of major move, and it's roughly between the ages of 50-55. 2. Although I'm convinced Spain's quality of life is better, in some ways our lives are easier in the U.S. In Spain, you have to go to a pharmacy for just about anything related to health (even common pain relievers like acetaminophen), whereas in the U.S. these products are readily available elsewhere. Banks are a total pain; if you think opening an account is challenging, wait until you have to close it. Apartment buildings can have poor construction, and units are very small by U.S. standards, with limited appliances (e.g., dryers and dishwashers are rare). To my knowledge, buildings don't have HOAs, just a community fee that covers garbage pickup and shared utilities. I've heard horror stories -- like someone whose older building was damaged extensively by termites, and she lost the apartment since she couldn't afford the sudden massive assessment. Apartments can be easier to buy than they are to sell, and the government taxes you coming and going (although the property tax is relatively low). Finally, the bureaucracy is just as bad as you've heard; you'll never complain about the U.S.'s bureaucracy again. 3. A couple of additional facts about restaurants: Because Spaniards are night owls, not early birds, mealtimes are hours later than in the U.S. I know this drives some Americans nuts, but the times match my body clock perfectly, so for me it's a plus. The food is delicious but never spicy hot. Again, perfect for me, but some find it bland. The *menu del dia* is the greatest bargain ever: Generally you get a soup or salad, then an entree, and then dessert -- plus bottled water or wine/beer -- for around 15 euros. 4. Anyone who has allergies should be sure to experience a hot, dry, dusty period in Madrid. My sinuses were on fire in a way they've never been elsewhere. 5. Renato mentioned that those 65+ can ride the metro free; I think that might be limited to city residents. There's also a *golden ticket* for those 60+ that lets you ride the Renfe trains at a 50% discount. It costs only 6 euros for a year.

Missed opportunity. Almost nothing on KZbin for gay singles/couples retiring to Thailand for quality of life and culture but your guest just kept bringing it around to gutter talk. Had to stop listening at 23minutes as he just wouldn’t let up with the smut.

Very good info in this wide-ranging episode. Renato was a perfect guest for the topic. (Incredible that he's only 22!) I'd add a few things: 1. In the Queer Money podcast from a month ago, you mentioned how all the factors one has to consider for a move to Spain are mind boggling. Like you, I consulted a Spanish tax attorney. He said, "Americans come here with stars in their eyes, having researched little, and then they're shocked by the tax issues." These significant issues are counterbalanced by the superiority (both in quality and affordability) of Spain's healthcare system, but once you qualify for Medicare in the U.S., you're in a similar-enough boat. My opinion: There's an optimal retiree window for this sort of major move, and it's roughly between the ages of 50-55. 2. Although I'm convinced Spain's quality of life is better, in some ways our lives are easier in the U.S. In Spain, you have to go to a pharmacy for just about anything related to health (even common pain relievers like acetaminophen), whereas in the U.S. these products are readily available elsewhere. Banks are a total pain; if you think opening an account is challenging, wait until you have to close it. Apartment buildings can have poor construction, and units are very small by U.S. standards, with limited appliances (e.g., dryers and dishwashers are rare). To my knowledge, buildings don't have HOAs, just a community fee that covers garbage pickup and shared utilities. I've heard horror stories -- like someone whose older building was damaged extensively by termites, and she lost the apartment since she couldn't afford the sudden massive assessment. Apartments can be easier to buy than they are to sell, and the government taxes you coming and going (although the property tax is relatively low). Finally, the bureaucracy is just as bad as you've heard; you'll never complain about the U.S.'s bureaucracy again. 3. A couple of additional facts about restaurants: Because Spaniards are night owls, not early birds, mealtimes are hours later than in the U.S. I know this drives some Americans nuts, but the times match my body clock perfectly, so for me it's a plus. The food is delicious but never spicy hot. Again, perfect for me, but some find it bland. The *menu del dia* is the greatest bargain ever: Generally you get a soup or salad, then an entree, and then dessert -- plus bottled water or wine/beer -- for around 15 euros. 4. Anyone who has allergies should be sure to experience a hot, dry, dusty period in Madrid. My sinuses were on fire in a way they've never been elsewhere. 5. Renato mentioned that those 65+ can ride the metro free; I think that might be limited to city residents. There's also a *golden ticket* for those 60+ that lets you ride the Renfe trains at a 50% discount. It costs only 6 euros for a year.

And then it drifted into stupid American war mongering BS. The natural gas turned out to be a curse in disguise called the Dutch disease, most gas was sold cheaply to EU countries with very long term contracts to integrate a European gas network together with Russian gas, and then our frenemy the USA bombed Nordstream while the EU wants to save the whole planet all by itself and forces ridiculous climate policies onto it's member states.

Rachel and all this other stuff that he's talking about coming from California born and raised Los Angeles now living Las Vegas, and had a chance to live in Chicago 2 years ago from 2021 to 2022 unfortunately he's right but at the same time he's really being very light on that subject He's he's treading that water very lightly I can see how he's using the right words .

Good video.

Kurt my brother you are the man!! Keep doing what you do!! You're definitely claim your place in society... You've made a difference in life for many people my brother...🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Great show! I love this guy!!!

Hi friends! This is an awesome interview with my friend Toby. Hi Mark!