Title: Is It Time to Become an Ex-Pat?
Downloaded: 2026-04-10 14:46:24

Welcome back everybody to another episode of the AutoAcctorneys podcast brought to you by the Auto Accident Attorneys Group where our motto is simple. We take care of you. Today I am so blessed to be joined by Mr. David Garrison of the David Garrison Global Real Estate Group with Bolst Real Estate. That's a mouthful. I know you had to drive through the city to get to the BBS. David, thank you so much for joining me. >> Absolutely. My pleasure. Thank you for having me. >> I have been wanting to have this conversation with you specifically.

Yeah. >> For probably six, seven, eight months now. So, I I'm appreciate your time. Uh, I'm looking forward to to learning as much as possible about this. Before we jump into it and I start asking every question if you don't mind, please introduce yourself and uh tell us how you came to to be who you are and what you do. >> Happy to. Thank you for having me. I am from Atlanta, Georgia. This is my hometown. I have literally just entered my 22nd year as a realtor and my 12th year as a certified international property specialist.

So, I am helping um a lot of Americans um with real estate abroad and I ended 25 uh 2025 uh working in nine different countries um doing a lot of outbound work and so I am working with bilateral partners of the National Association of Realtors to ensure that our clients interests are taken care of um as we would here domestically the same we would we would do um abroad. So, um, a lot of a lot of work these days is being done in Spain, of course, uh, Portugal, Mexico. Um, I'm finding myself helping, um, folks with real estate in Morocco, the Philippines, the UK, um, on and on.

So, it's really exciting. It's timely. Um, and something that a lot of people are asking for, uh, advice for these days. Uh you mentioned taking care of your client's interests falls right in line with the theme of our firm. We take care of you. So just hearing those words is is awesome. David, uh when you were giving me that that blur, which is super impressive. You don't look like you've been doing anything except maybe like uh taking care of that face for 22 years. So you're aging really well. >> Cheers.

>> You you mentioned you said Spain, of course. >> Yes. What is is that one of the is that like the destination right now that you're seeing most of? >> Well, I I I should say personally I've had a very international background myself and so my first international trip when I was 19 years old was to Spain. Um and I didn't go to some of the obvious places like Barcelona or Madrid. Uh I went straight to the Boleric Islands and one of my best friends is from Menorca um one of the Boleric Islands. And so I started going there and I it just it I fell in love with it.

And so since then I've been traveling to Spain and so I have a real passion for the country. Uh these days of course many people they they are really having their moment as other countries are. I think Mexico is similar. They're having they're really having their moment. Last year Spain was named the economy of the year by the economist. Uh within the past couple of weeks the uh Portugal received that honor. Um so a lot of people are moving there. They have very friendly immigration um procedures and policies and um of course lovely gorgeous climate along the Mediterranean as well which is which I'm very much drawn to.

So it's Spain is a passion uh project for me. Uh but of course many people are asking about it. >> Economy of the year. I would have never thought that. >> Yeah. Yeah. you know, after the 2008 financial crisis, um the southern European countries were were, you know, effectively bankrupt and had we're experiencing tremendous issues and they have truly rebounded and Spain's GDP is outpacing >> most of Europe um and just really again doing great things with that. Their property values have gone up um demand has gone up, supply is is an issue u but there's still a lot of opportunity.

The thought process for me is uh Americans would would save money by moving overseas. Sure. Something like Spain where they they got economy of the year, they're recognized be by >> uh a global magazine, >> is there still upside or are there deals to be found in >> Absolutely. Absolutely. I think so. Even though they're seeing in some places like Valencia, very popular place, leading Spain with appreciation, uh the past couple of years, maybe 20% year-over-year appreciation. Wow. >> Going into 26, most people are projecting something more like four or 5%.

U affordability has become more of an issue. Um largely uh largely for the Spanish population, unfortunately. Um and so appreciation should slow in 26. Um a lot of that again has to do with affordability and um inventory. Um, but there are prices in city centers as compared to what we've spent here are still attractive for Americans. But if you're not tied to being in city centers and you go a little further out, there are the the value is tremendous. It really is. >> The reason that I wanted to have the conversation with you because the I have bouts of anxiety that come and go.

>> Sure. Many of us do. >> Yeah. So initially it was uh whether it was political unrest or uh state of the economy I was like man I don't know if this is the >> maybe I should have a second option a plan B with with two young kids. >> Sure. >> What do you find most of the people that that you deal with and your clients what what's the number one driver for them becoming I guess would you call them expats? >> Expats. Sure. Um yeah, I mean you you hit the nail on the head really. I mean the first thought for most when they think of of go uh moving to another country would be escaping politics right in many other places politics are not at the forefront of your daily news cycle or your thoughts or your interactions with others.

Um so that's certainly a driver but it's also you know unfortunate realities that we face here. crime uh being one, access to health care um is a is a you know a major major issue. Uh when you talk about affordability uh in other countries even though some of the more popular places we've seen such a rise in values in real estate um and you will pay tax higher taxes in some places uh if you do the math on healthcare alone it's it's incredible. Um I recently one of my partners I work with as some of the services that I can offer um my clients um is u an insurance provider in Spain.

And so part of uh before you get a visa um to immigrate there a non-lucrative or digital nomad or whatever visa you need to have health insurance. You don't want to you don't want to be perceived as going over to be a burden on their system. Um and you have to have the policy in place. So, to better inform myself, I recently had a a um got a quote for an insurance policy. Full-blown best policy you could get in Spain that includes electives, procedures, and on and on. Accommodation for your partner if you're in the hospital, everything.

>> Uh it was €260 a month. Um >> Wow. >> For everything. I'm currently paying $800 for not the best policy. Yeah. Um, so if you do that math, you'll go to the hospital, you'll go to the doctor, and you will not see a bill, you won't pay a co-ay. Um, there are no deductibles, none of that stuff exists. >> Where was the This was >> This was in Spain. This was in Spain in particular. >> Do they do they have not to get into political route, but out of my curiosity, because it's the health insurance you're getting, it's privatized medicine, or are you buying into their like state system?

>> That's a private policy. >> That's a private policy. >> Yeah. Once you gain residency, I believe you could then have access to to the to the government system. >> So, you buy that private policy at €200 a month, €200 and change a month. >> Yep. >> But then you have access to any of their physicians and and clinics that you're going to need >> ultimately. Yes. >> That is incredible. >> Yes. >> Access to health care, escaping crime. Okay. >> Yeah. the general treatment of, you know, certain groups within or folks within our population who may be looking for more favorable treatment >> um is another, you know, another reason um that people might consider um changing locations.

>> That used to be sort of the beauty of America or at least what I thought of the idea of America is if you wanted to lead a certain type of lifestyle, you could go into one of the right the states that would be >> if you want to be more conservative, you go this way. If you want to be more liberal, go that way. >> Right. >> Um, >> if someone like myself, all I had was the idea. I was like, I need a plan B, but I've never thought about leaving the country before. >> Mhm. >> What What are some uh if I wanted to go through that analysis to pick a place?

What are some things that I should consider? >> Sure. Uh, well, first I think you need your your favorite local global real estate expert. Um, no. um you know it's back to it's back to quality of life for you um what's important to you I think um again for me if you are of a certain uh group within society and you're looking for more favorable uh treatment or more acceptance um some places are that way um if you are looking for more health more better better better access to health care if you're looking for a lower quality of life uh if you're looking for better access to to higher quality foods with fewer for chemicals and that sort of thing.

Um there are places that that you can you can find that. Um schooling um uh access to schooling or elder care can be different in certain places as well. >> Have you had clients that have uh I'm I'm asking selfish questions at this point. That have uh children because I I imagine the bulk of people that are moving are are older later in life, retirees. I'm wondering are there do you see young families moving? If so, is there a particular region in the world that they're going to? >> Absolutely are. Um I would say the majority of the people that I that I work with who I help um whether it's on the real estate side or the lifestyle side of partnering them with with any number of my vendors um whether that's uh again mortgage, health insurance, um immigration attorneys, real estate attorneys, tax planners, etc.

um they are either younger tech workers who are untethered from the from the office um who were taking part in a digital nomad visa for example uh places that are very friendly for that um would be Portugal, Spain, Mexico. Um so you're seeing a lot of that and then yes there are other other folks who are more of the retirement age. Um, and then there's also people who just have the wander list and want to, you know, they're they they have the freedom to roam. Um, and so they're they're looking for that experience.

>> If if schooling was a major issue for a young family going to take kids, what resources are there to to compare education systems and and schools? >> Sure. >> Is there anything? Are there websites available or there? >> Sure, absolutely. Um, there certainly are. And this is something that we've helped uh our clients with as well is partnering uh partnering them with um services in the country of their choice to help them locate schools. Same for elder care uh as I mentioned uh because many people will need that.

Um there are American schools, there are British schools, you know, English- speakaking schools if you need that. Um, but we can absolutely help help identify and put uh put our clients with the right people to help them uh better better identify schools. >> So, I'm getting a better idea of the international global >> Uhhuh. >> agency. >> Yeah. >> Uh I was going to have questions about, you know, what how do you put a team together? I'm assuming that's that's what you would do, right? you would you get the the im immigration attorney, a tax consultant, adviserss, what's that team look like?

>> Absolutely. That's a good question. So, through my relationships and my affiliations, I have uh I spend a lot of time traveling and vetting my partners uh and creating and deepening relationships um for my for my international real estate partners and again lifestyle what I call lifestyle consultancy services. I'm a member of a number of international organizations that really help me deepen those relationships and create better ones. Uh including FIABSI, which is a a Paris-based uh real estate uh networking organization that is a tremendous resource for me.

Um the Spanish International Realy Alliance, the Canadian Real Estate Alliance or Association, Mexican Real Estate Association, as well as the National Association of Realtors. um through all of these organizations. Um it does allow me again to better serve my clients and have these these these member partners uh at hand to be able to to uh to better help our clients. One one example is um I had a client come to me here in Atlanta recently who resides in Waka, Mexico uh from Atlanta, Mexican resident uh wanting to buy a hotel outside of Marrakesh in Morocco.

Um completely fascinating, right? My bread and butter, what I do have done for 22 years is selling bungalows and Grant Park and East Atlanta and I love it and it's wonderful and I'm grateful for that. But uh selling a hotel outside of Marrakesh to an American living in Waka is completely fascinating. And through my organization, through FIASI, and through some of my contacts in Portugal, um and and other organizations, I was able to assemble a team, an attorney in in Morocco, um a local agent to do the on the ground work, um a lender in Paris who does very favorable lending for expats.

Um we were able to assemble this team and so far so good. >> That's incredible. You So you mentioned the lender. One of the questions I had was do you would you recommend the the first thing that you do when you identify like your target country and you're starting to search would you how important is it to open a bank account overseas first? >> Sure. Depending on the country um that is one of the first steps. um we can if you reach out to me we can kind of give you the rundown on on how to get that process started but it but traditionally you would want to when necessary uh apply for a foreign tax ID number so you'll need that in place so that you can then basically perform any manner of business within the country uh typically a pretty easy process that you can do yourself with some online tools I personally like to engage an attorney um for those for those procedures as well as any other matters.

And for example, when I got my they call it the NIE. When I got that in Spain, I um I engaged an attorney um to handle that for me. And it was a simple, easy process. I had the NIE in my inbox by the time I got back to the States. >> Um >> you were you were in the country. You were in Spain. You applied for NIE and by the time you got back, it was registered. >> It was registered in my inbox. Um >> what what does NIE stand for? >> That's a good question. It's a it's a national uh identification for for a foreigner extra extra.

Yeah. >> And when you So if you apply you would foreign tax ID number, right? General category >> when you go uh can you if I'm traveling in Paris, let's say I'm I'm only there I'm supposed to be leaving the country in two weeks. while I'm there, can I go and apply for a foreign tax ID or do I need to get a different type of visa and go particularly for that reason? >> Gen generally speaking, uh when they are needed, yes, you can. Um in Spain, for example, you actually go to the police station to apply for that.

Now I will say some things that people will find as they travel or move to another country uh some surprises that you might that may pop up uh would be policy changes or bureaucracy or slow processes. So the policy at one police station in Spain to get your NIE might be a little different than the policy across town at the other police station or they're just like mñana um or that sort of thing. So, this is where I again I like to have an attorney handle it. Um, and I'll pay a little bit more to have them handle it.

It's in their hands and I know it's I know it's going to be done. >> So, you've been able to identify or if if there's a particular country you don't have one, you know, how to identify a local council in that country to handle this paperwork. >> Yep. I also like I have a number of attorney partners. Um, one in Valencia that I really like. Uh, some in Madrid and then down in the Costa del Soul. um and Marba and Estapona um who I really like. Um I I tend to go towards those who can handle the real estate side and the immigration as well.

So everything under one roof. Um and that relationship tends to be very valuable. >> Um and is there an order to do it? Well, actually as I asked that, I think you probably want to get your immigration status first before you buy property and then realize you can't go. >> Yeah, it depends on your motivation. Um but uh you know the first thing would be the NIE then the bank account um and simultaneously consider your visa options of course employment you know if that's if if you need the employment something something to consider and that will impact the type of visa you get as well.

>> Um some people will buy properties strictly as an investment um to experience a return or maybe sort of as a placeholder for a move at some point in the future. Um, so it it really depends on your uh your motivation. >> If you if you're purchasing that, whether it's an investment property or it's a let's call it like a safety blanket, security blanket or whatever. >> Sure. >> Do you not need any sort you you don't need the uh foreign tax ID number? You can just buy that as an American and it's >> No, you have you speaking about Spain or or Portugal, you have to have that tax ID number to basically do any manner of business.

So, um, buying a car or contracting for internet or phone service, that sort of thing. Um, you you will have to have the NIE. >> Okay. So, you you do have to register with that country so that you're in their system and they track. >> That's right. >> Uh, Spain specifically, is it the same sort of thing that we experience here? Like there you have annual taxes on on real property and pays for the schools. there's like a school tax and >> it's a it's a lower tax situation. So, um your cost to buy there is higher.

So, the cost upfront is higher because you're paying the majority of your taxes at once and then the cost to carry over time is lower. So, you'll pay a nominal um what I believe they call the IBI, it's a it's a a town hall tax. And so maybe just to use rough numbers, maybe a 500,000 euro flat, 100 square meter flat in Valencia would have maybe a 400 euro annual tax after you've after you've purchased. But >> the cost to buy would be you pay about a 10% tax upfront. So So as an American, if you're mortgaging a property, you have to put down 30% plus your 10% plus another five for incidentals.

That's that's commissions, uh, recording fees, um, legal, and that sort of thing. So, you're talking about a 30% plus 14 to 15% cost to buy, but then over time it's lower. >> I see. >> Yeah. >> Um, are there are there banks uh that will provide some sort of pre-approval? >> Certainly. >> For overseas, >> certainly. And we have outstanding partners um who can provide that as well. And the upfront pre-approval process is very similar to what you experience here if not easier. Um so they will I like to use brokers and they will go and uh negotiate on your behalf to the banks.

So you know the bigger banks and then they will present you with several offers which ones make the most sense at what rate what down payment and over the term. Um, so yeah, financing is is there and it's very affordable and their rates are currently incredible. In Europe, for example, Southern Europe, you're talking two and a half% to 3 and a half% right now. >> Holy cow. >> Yeah, >> that's incredible. >> Yeah. >> Um, I I would have not expected that at all. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Now, I want to get into some subjectivity.

>> Sure. >> What uh have you identified? Obviously, you're you're going to be uh uh not partisan, you're biased towards Spain. I know that already. >> Yes, of course. >> But have you identified places if if I came to you and I said, um listen, I just I want to buy uh I don't really care. I like being anywhere in the world, but I want to buy somewhere uh that is going to be a plan B for me and pseudo investment. So, I'm taking out all of the requisites where like I want to be by the ocean or I want to be in the mountain or I want to healthare.

>> Take out the emotion. >> Yeah. Just straight upside. >> Sure. >> Have you identified >> any place on the globe where you're like, "Yeah, if you buy a lot here, it's going to >> Yeah, >> it's the next Bitcoin." >> Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. Um well, you know, I mean, in this business, I don't make any promises, but I certainly I certainly see trends and um and see what others are doing. Um places that are emerging. Well, you know, Mexico remains number one for American expats. Uh and I again, I think they're having tre they're having their moment and it's there's tremendous opportunity there from the inland to to the coast.

Um and you can get phenomenal returns. Um there are if you're looking strictly at uh rental returns for example you can get places in some of the ex some of the um suburbs of of Valencia in Spain you can get 10 12% returns annual returns um but emerging markets people are Albania is starting to trend for uh lowcost and gorgeous beaches um the UAE for no income tax. Um uh Panama is uh another place that has been favorable for retirement visas. Very favorable tax um policy as well. Um Greece remains very popular for its golden visa with I believe a a minimum of a 250,000 euro buyin.

That's sort of a citizenship by investment scheme. Uh you've seen a lot of the golden visas go away. Uh but they still have one. Um >> go golden visa is in reference to just you can actually get you could become a a citizen of Greece. >> It's a it's an accelerated uh citizenship process through investment. Um so Spain had one they ended it last year. It was a it was um you had to spend €500,000 to basically get immediate residency and accelerated citizenship. Um Portugal had one. Portugal still has one, but it's not tied to real estate anymore.

Uh, so you have to invest into into a fund um with a where you would get a nominal return. Um, and these are things we can also help provide access to um access to those funds or people who u uh attorneys who handle golden visas. Um and then there's places like Thailand and Mex and Malaysia who are uh uh also drawing a lot of interest and experiencing really good appreciation. >> Uh this is more of ignorance on my part. But is there a benefit to having citizenship in let's say Portugal as opposed to just having a uh >> I you know I sometimes think about this myself is you know residency is important.

I you know I don't know why I would want to why one might want to rush to citizenship other than for that that that uh passport. the passport, the second passport that many are rushing to get these days really anywhere has become very trendy and and critically important to many. Um so what you will see and I have seen are people get because it has been sort of fasttracked to get the the golden excuse me to get the passport in Portugal um over the past several years. So you'll see people get the Portuguese passport and then move to Germany or get the Portuguese passport and move somewhere else in Europe.

Um so it's kind of a portal a channel to to to gain that that access to the Shenhen countries. >> I see. >> Yeah. >> I see. Uh how I the only exposure to immigration I have is American immigration policy and my own family that >> Yeah. had, you know, great difficulty getting to this country, >> right? >> How difficult is it for Americans going elsewhere? >> Uh, you know, some of the visas are pretty obtainable. Um, and and the threshold for some to qualify for the income threshold um are pretty reasonable in my view.

Um, again using the the the Portugal or Spain reference point for a uh a digital nomad visa or non-lucrative visa in Spain. That's that that's a visa where you can't work u where you come over and you've got you've got income to justify or to to s sustain yourself. the the the monthly threshold, the income for those is quite reasonable. 242,500 euros uh a month plus several hundred maybe for a dependent or a spouse. Um so that's pretty reasonable. Uh I have seen I've seen cases of people getting those visas within a matter of a couple of months.

Uh I think and I've heard of people handling handling them on their own, but again, back to the attorney thing, I think that's money well spent. >> Yeah. Um and uh and and there's no guarantees again, but it's the quick the best the closest thing you can get to it. >> The minimum you said is 20 >> is around there. >> 2,000 euro >> 2,500 2,400. >> That's it's everything outside of America seems so reasonable. >> Yeah. Right. Right. Exactly. We could have another we could have another discussion on that one.

>> A quick sidebar. I went to u uh one of my favorite restaurants at Alineia in Chicago. Chef Grant Atkins's spot. He did a popup in Beverly Hills and I I went to his popup. Uh the tickets were I want to say it was like $14,500 without a wine pairing. >> And then he's he's doing a global tour. And so I went to the popup in Beverly Hills and I was like, you know what? I want to do it again. Yeah. >> So, I looked at the one in Tokyo. I was like, man, it's probably going to be really expensive. >> It was something like $400 >> for the popup in Tokyo.

And I was like, this is unbelievable. >> Yeah. >> So, >> I love that. We could talk about that as well. And I'm happy to share my restaurant spreadsheets uh with you as well. >> Uh we need to do an episode on that. >> Another hobby of ours >> that's really taking care of people. Um, do you what is what is the outlook for for David Garrison? You're >> you've been based in Atlanta and you've got all this exposure. You've been doing the traveling. Does it look like you're >> Are you going to set up shop elsewhere in the next decade?

>> I'd say it's all in play. Um, and I would I it's something I've certainly thought about. I uh will continue to scale this side of the business and grow it and again create and deepen more relationships abroad. Um I would love to be more hands-on in country in Europe for sure. Um and um and so I'm continuing to explore opportunities and just and help people. We will of course always help our clients here in Atlanta and throughout the state of Georgia, our hometown. Um myself and my team. Um, but we'll continue to grow grow this side of the business.

Something I'm passionate about and I want to do for the for the rest of my career. >> I First off, that's awesome. Uh, but I was was trying to be sneaky and see if you were going to let on on some insight to be like, "Yeah, I'm I'm going to >> I'm out of here. >> Albania, >> yeah, >> Albania caught me off guard." Well, you know, to be quite honest, any excuse I can get to uh grab my passport and and take off, um >> um I'm happy to do it, but you know, we we've got to make it make sense. And um and I and I also want to blend in the business aspect.

Again, I want to I I I will continue to scale this and grow it to help more and more people. If if one of our listeners is interested in purchasing a second property and and having a vacation home somewhere and they don't have a target country identified yet, >> how do you have any recommendations on how best for for someone like that to to narrow down what to do? Would you >> I mean, you know, again, I think it comes down to motivation um and and what you're looking for. if it's just strict investment, there's a lot of opportunity for that.

Um, and there again, there's financing to be obtained. And in some places there's a need. For example, Portugal, the demand for rentals outweighs supply. Um, they um they need uh they need people to buy to rent um to to service that that population. So, >> they need in Portugal, they need people to buy property in order to rent it out. They need they need investors to to uh to offer more supply for >> I see do some development and >> for tenants. Yeah, >> I see. >> Um so yeah, I mean it comes down to again to the motivation.

I will say I hold regular workshops, regular coffee hours where we will just sit down and talk about this and swap ideas. And so if you follow me on social media, um you could stay informed on that and you know, we just sit down, have a coffee and and chat about it and people talk about what they where they want to go, what they've been reading, um what interests them and um it tends to be a productive hour or so. >> That's incredible. We'll we'll tag you in all the posts, but since we're talking about it, what how would we find you on social media?

>> Sure. Uh Instagram is David Garrison Global and David Garrison. Um, and then David Garrison on Facebook and LinkedIn. >> Garrison. G A R R I S O N. >> Correct. Yep. >> All right. Um, David, we're we're getting close to wrapping up and it makes me sad, but I do have a couple more questions, >> please. >> Um, are there any issues that you've seen your clients have they've I asked a bunch of questions on on how to get started? You have a client that has all this stuff figured out and they identified the target country.

they bought the property and then they moved over. Is there anything that you've seen or heard from your clients or dealt with that uh has been a surprise or something that they never anticipated and it's one of those things that they didn't know that they didn't know? >> Yeah, sure. Absolutely. Uh that one comes up quite a bit. Maybe um maybe getting uh a more laid-back environment than they'd actually bargain for. U which is a good thing. Um, you know, shop hours um in some places may be a little loose, not as advertised.

Um, holidays can come become frequent and, you know, you're just you you may just not be able to go out to dinner on a Sunday or or whatever. Uh, bureaucracy being being slower um is certainly one. Um, so yeah, I mean these these are things, but I think a lot of these these surprises tend to be good surprises. It it it is funny that uh for I we can sit here and and bash some of the uh American way of life and we were talking about cost and all that, but >> there's a part of it that we sort of take for granted like you just said I I didn't even think about that.

Yeah. With like the the store hours being a little bit loose. It's like maybe I'll open at 9. >> Exactly. >> Maybe I won't. >> Exactly. Another one that has come up and personally come up is, you know, the ability to watch your favorite sports team or your college football team uh can be a challenge and so and people don't often prepare for that. So, you know, finding the right apps, the right ways to log in or your local expat bar um can be important for many. Yeah, that's th that was I love to hear from specialists about things that people don't >> Yeah.

>> think about on the front end. So that that was a fun little conversation and it's neat to think about. >> Um David, before we wrap up, uh I'd like to turn the mic over to you if there was a question that you feel like I should have asked and I didn't ask or if there's uh something that you feel is really important for our listeners to know about any topic that that's important to you. Well, thank you very much. Share >> with us. >> Thank you very much. And again, I I very much appreciate you having me today.

Uh topic that I could, you know, I could talk about all day. Um, no. I when when it comes to planning, I think a couple of things that uh they're just not particularly exciting um topics, but ones that are critical uh would be tax planning um and making sure you're working with partners who understand taxation in America and taxation taxation abroad. Um, if you are in the position where you need to sell a property here before you can buy a property there, uh, timing it correctly so that you don't create a taxable event in both countries, um, is critical.

Um, I'm not a CPA. I'm a little dangerous with these topics. Um, but I can partner you with, um, CPAs, uh, here and there who understand taxation on both sides and can help you plan. um looking at your retirement plans um some may not be accessible in other countries and so having a look at them here if you're moving and you'll be relying on a pension or a 401k or something um getting with your your with your financial planner here to make sure that those are structured properly is critically important.

Um same for currency conversion. Uh, another piece that people don't often think about is, you know, if you're if you're buying over there, you've got to get your money out of US dollars to to euros. Let's use euros for example. And how do you do that safely at the best cost where the bank's not feeing you to death? Um, do you do it all at once or do you do a little bit over time? you know, the US dollar was at effectively at parody with the with the euro a year ago um until administrations changed and then it's gone from it was point it was 1.16 this morning it's anywhere from 1 15 to 117 on any given day now.

So it's the dollar's lost a lot of value. Um many people will argue that you need to move little bits of money every month regardless of where the rate is. Um, but planning that effectively and working with uh someone who can with with a currency conversion company who will do that and work in many different currencies is really important to save you money and do it safely. >> Incredible. So much to to digest. I'm excited that you are a resource available to us and our listeners. >> Thank you. >> I appreciate your time.

>> Absolutely. It's my pleasure. If you guys are looking to perhaps find a second home, whether it's in Atlanta or across the globe, uh, make sure to to reach out with to David, we'll tag him here. If you're in an auto accident, reach out to me. My tag is here. I'll get you a settlement so that you can buy a home in Portugal. Uh, if you guys can please uh share this episode, I hope you got something out of it. Mom, I know that you were listening to the whole thing as always, so I love you very much. I'll see you guys next week.

Take care.