Think of England...Italy...Luxembourg...
Date: 01/29/2007
Did you guess this was where I was going, from last week’s photo? Here I am in the heart of Europe—if not geographically then at least spiritually. The Grand Duchy has only 455,000 souls and is perhaps what the European Union is all about: the population is trilingual, determinedly outward-looking, and shares borders with three other countries, two of which are major players in the European arena.
Traveling here by train from Paris (a comfortable journey of three and a half hours) required no passport control and, wherever I went, communication was relatively easy, even though I don’t speak much German or any Luxembourgish (yes, it is a language—see the box below), as French was widely used—as well as English.
I’m here to find out more about this discrete region, and, more specifically, to see the latest works of my favorite photographer, the inimitable Martin Parr. I’ll tell you more about my trip in the next couple of weeks or so. Meantime you can read about a region that may be the next hot destination in Italy, find out how to make friends once you get there, and the ABCs of buying property in France.
Bests,
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Leigh Fergus
Editor, The European
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Focusing on Luxembourg
by Leigh Fergus
The mischievous lens of acclaimed documentary photographer Martin Parr has recently been focused on the Grand Duchy—he was commissioned to do a series of photographs in December to mark the start of Luxembourg’s year as the official European Capital of Culture. And, as usual, he has not disappointed.
If you have already seen some of his unforgiving images of the English in Think of England—tattoos, sunburned flesh, and lurid deckchairs, as well as herbaceous borders and biscuit selections—you might be forgiven for wondering what he could find in this tiny constitutional monarchy to home in on: Everything here is neat and tidy, respectable and kindly, uncontroversial. Yet in Assorted Cocktail you can see from his latest images (displayed with a selection of other similar series, such as Think of Germany, and observations of Belgians in Knokke-le-Zoute) that he has managed to capture the very essence of Luxembourgers with remorseless clarity and humor: a woman at a restaurant table set for one, with her fur hat laid carefully by the wine glass, like a fluffy chocolate mousse; the close-up of the wealthy fur-cuffed coat and fancily manicured hands—with one finger adorning a BandAid; a vast selection o f sausages and wurst; the kitsch ’60s door handles; and, of course, ingots of gold.
Obviously, there’s more to see than what Parr has picked out—and it’s not easy for us lesser mortals to get a glimpse of so much gold—but I’ll be filling you in on other aspects of the Grand Duchy in the coming months: This exhibition is simply an appetizer.
Assorted Cocktailis currently at La Rotonde 1, 62 rue de Bonnevoie, behind the main train station, Luxembourg City, until April 8, 2007. Photos © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos
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Le Marche’s magic
by John Szabo, master sommelier
Many Italians would struggle to describe the exact whereabouts of the little-known region of Le Marche, pronounced “lay MARkay” (translates to The Marches), but in fact the capital city of Ancona sits right on the coast in the shadow of Monte Conero, about 200 miles from both Rome and Florence.
Despite its relative lack of notoriety, Le Marche has plenty to offer, and I predict this will be the next hot spot all’Italiana for the “in” traveler. Whether you want to soak up local history, art, and culture, hang out on the beach or discover local wines and food, there is enough to keep you entranced for years. And to top it all, Le Marche has some of the cleanest air and coastal waters in Europe due to its low levels of heavy industry. Here’s a short snapshot of what makes this region magical…
Art historians should head to Urbino, a jewel of a Renaissance city developed under the glittering court of Federico di Montefeltro with a textbook Renaissance-style palazzo Ducale and a masterpiece of Urbino’s most famous son, the high Renaissance painter Raffaello Sanzio, better known as Raphael. Though he built his fame in Rome, one of his finest paintings, La Muta (The Silent One) is on display here.
Sun seekers will want to head to one of the seaside resorts that dot the coast from pesaro in the north down to the border with Abruzzo in the south. If you avoid the high season from mid-July to the last week of August, you will still enjoy fine weather and far fewer crowds than generally encountered on the Mediterranean side of the peninsula. San Benedetto and neighboring community Grottamare in the south have stunning, fine sand beaches and warm, shallow waters. It is also your best bet for lively nightlife during the tourist season. Some of the most dramatic seaside scenery of the Adriatic can be found on the so-called Riviera del Conero, the section of coastline beneath the towering limestone peak of Monte Conero just south of Ancona. In the town of portonovo, secluded rocky coves and thin beaches drop off more steeply into the blue-green waters of the Adriatic Sea.
With abundant sunshine, soft sand, crystal clear waters and clean air, hilltop towns and wild mountains, deep cultural patrimony and a rich tradition of food and wine, Le Marche is poised to be a high-profile destination in years to come. For those who fall in love with the area, you’ll be pleased to know that real estate prices are a fraction of those in more famous neighboring regions. For example, a three-bedroom country home, complete with vegetable garden, large kitchen hearth, and full amenities, within a short drive from the sea, can be had for less than $90,000. Now that’s the magic of real Italy.
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Jaén Province–Andalucia
by Rachel Webb
The Costa del Sol in Andalucia has always been a favorite playground for Brits and northern Europeans thanks to its minimum 300 days of sunshine a year and warm winters. But the overpopulated and overpriced coastal strip that has emerged to meet rising demand has steadily advanced further inland. This “Little Britain” phenomenon has crawled along the coast and eaten into the rural life of the southern towns and villages. A phrase book is unnecessary here and, from the accents heard, you might think you were in a sunnier version of Britain or Germany.
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Don’t forget your number... To buy property, you now need to have an NIE, or numero identificacion extranjero, obtained at the Comisario de Policia with your passport. There is a considerable amount of paperwork required in Spain and many properties have been sold privately, thus by-passing legal payments and the paperwork processes entailed. It is in your best interest, however, to follow the legal route and to use an independent Spanish lawyer rather than one the realtor suggests—in this way the lawyer’s loyalty is primarily to you. |
The province of Jaén is a more traditional region. This is one of the most northerly provinces of Andalucia, bordering on Castilla la Mancha, a land of fertile soil, silvery green trees, and unique gastronomy based on its own liquid gold—olive oil. Although the provincial capital Jaén is worth a visit, its famous neighbors, Cordoba and Granada, have overshadowed it in terms of tourism. As such, this unspoiled agricultural land seems unlikely to be affected by the mass tourism of the coastal areas, where a smattering of the language is a necessity.
Property prices have risen 17% over the last two years, mainly due to Spanish second-home buyers—and the advance from the south of English buyers catching cheap flights into Granada airport.
Town houses can still be found from $32,000 (24,000 euro). I saw a nine-bedroom, four-bathroom house, with 1.2 acres of olive trees and other fruit trees plus a pool and views, priced at $582,000 (450,000 euro), and an impeccable three-bedroom chalet was on the market for $187,000 (144,000 euro).
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Access
There are talks of Jaén having its own airport, thus opening up another area of cheaper properties toward Castilla la Mancha. At present, the nearest airports are Granada, about 90 minutes from the provincial capital; Malaga, a drive of two and a half hours; and Madrid, a four-and-a-half-hour drive to the north.
Estate agents
Inmobilaria Hidalgo,
tel. +(34) 953-553321
(Spanish speaking)
tel. +(34) 953-564211 (English speaking)
Inmobilaria Jaén Casas, tel. +(34) 610-931921
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A ready-made network of friends—in Italy
by Steenie Harvey
As in almost every European country, Italy boasts a serious list of expat groups, clubs, and associations. Below is a list of those in and around Rome. If you want to integrate into your new community, you can also enquire at your town hall or municipio for local social or sports groups , or the American Embassy can provide you with an updated list of American groups to contact in your area.
American International Club of Rome, Via Parigi 11, 6th floor, 00185
Rome; tel. 06-4544-7625(Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. -12 noon); e-mail: aicr@aicrome.org; website: www.aicrome.org. This group provides an opportunity for Americans andnon-Americans alike to enjoy mutual interests and experiences through cultural,educational, and social exchanges. Members can enjoy Happy Hours, dinners, cocktail gatherings, as well as volunteer and community service opportunities.
American Citizens Abroad (Italy), Via della Vetrina 28, 00186 Rome; tel:
(39)06-687- 9695; e-mail: tl@iccrom.org; website: www.aca.ch . This non-profit organization acts as a forum for the concerns of U.S. residents throughout Italy. Its stated purposes are to promote the interests and protect and enhance the rights of Americans living abroad; inform Americans in Italy of their rights and responsibilities and to provide information on issues that may be of concern to them; solicit the views and concerns of Italian-based Americans and communicate them to policy makers; bring together Americans residing in Italy to strengthen the American community and to gain support and companionship; and foster a greater understanding and appreciation of both Italian and American societies by promoting cultural information programs.
Welcome Neighbor, Via Barbarano Romano 15, 00189 Rome; tel: (39)06-3036-
6936 303; fax (39)06-3036-1706. This group is dedicated to helping English-speaking newcomers “bloom where they are planted” by providing contacts, new friends, and information about Rome and Roman life. Once notified of a newcomer’s arrival, a friendly neighborhood greeter calls upon the newcomer to welcome him or her. The greeter also makes him/herself available to answer any questions that may arise while settling in. Further
introductions and information are given through neighborhood coffee mornings, special information packets, and lectures. This service is offered free to newcomers as it’s sponsored by local merchants, organizations, companies, and individuals, some of whom offer special gifts, services, and discounts to new residents.
Note: This article is an extract from Italy: The Owner’s Manual.
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The ABCs of French real estate ownership
by Samuel Okoshken
Now that you have bought a property in France, what should you be aware of? First point: You should have sought legal advice before you bought, because there are some pre-purchase planning moves that need to be considered before signing even the promesse de vente (purchase and sale agreement). If you had consulted a lawyer, you would have been urged to consider purchasing the property through an SCI (a French real estate holding company)—the SCI is especially useful if you are a non-resident of France, as it allows you to side-step the infamous “forced heirship” rules. These rules guarantee that children—even children from a former marriage—will inherit a certain share of the property. Due to a recent law change, spouses also have a guaranteed right to one-quarter of the decedent’s interest in the property.
Creating an SCI does not, however, free you from inheritance tax on the property: French inheritance tax is imposed on real estate owned by non-residents. The tax rate depends on the degree of kinship between the deceased and his/her heirs, and willing it to persons outside the immediate family can result in a 35% to 60% tax imposed on the legatee.
What if you rent it?
Income from rents is taxable, even for non-residents, and an annual non-resident tax return must be filed. Certain deductions are allowable but depreciation is not one of them.
And if you sell it?
The capital gains rules are complex, but the basics are that non-residents are taxed at 33.33% on the gain; except for non-residents who live in an EU country, in which case the rate is only 16%. If you owned the property for more than 15 years, there is no capital gains tax. If you owned it for less than 15 years, after the fifth year of ownership, the amount of gain subject to tax decreases by 10% per year.
Can you deduct improvements to the property?
Here’s the rub…you’ll have to await a future article dedicated to the ins and outs of selling French real estate.
Wending through (or around) those various rules with the least pain, and creating a comprehensive and tax-efficient plan, should be prime considerations before signing on the dotted line. But even if you did not, there may still be options for improving your situation.
For further information, contact Sam Okoshken, an American lawyer practicing in Paris, e-mail: Samuel@Okoshken.com
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