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SPSS, Data Mining, Statistical Analysis Software, Predictive Analysis, Predictive Analytics, Decision Support Systems [ Skip Global Navigation ] Search Home Software and Solutions Customers Training Services Store Support Partners News Events About SPSS Welcome to SPSS.com. Click here to login or register on SPSS.com. Regional Web Sites Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada Czech Republic China Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Israel Italy Japan Lithuania Mexico Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Russia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom United States Enabling the Predictive Enterprise Is your organization a Predictive Enterprise? Companies that use predictive analytics experience a significant return on their investment. Learn more about the ROI that SPSS predictive analytics solutions deliver. Find out why SPSS is uniquely qualified to help your organization become a Predictive Enterprise. After modeling with Predictive Marketing, we were able to reduce our costs by 30 percent. View other customer success stories . Business Solutions Marketing Effectiveness Fraud Detection and Prevention Risk Management Operational Improvement -- Market Research Public Health and Safety Administration and Institutional Research Scientific Research Technologies Business Intelligence for the iSeries Data Mining Predictive Analytics Statistics Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Survey Research Text Mining Web Analytics Solutions for Your Industry Education Financial Services Government Insurance Market Research Retail Telecommunications All products Papers and Demos Evaluate SPSS for Windows statistical analysis software More papers and demos News Australia's Direct Mail Provider Virid Achieves 200 Percent Campaign Profitability with SPSS Software Read More | Press Releases | News Room | Press Contacts Events Online Seminar: ShowCase Virtual User Group: "Microsoft Excel Add-ins for Essbase", January 26, U.S. Register today | More Events New! SPSS 14.0 Discover the powerful new features of the most recent version of SPSS. Learn more! SPSS Directions User Event Now on two continents! Get more information about Directions 2006 ! New! ShowCase Suite 7.0 New ways to manage your business using flexible analytics and information delivery ! Investor Relations | Worldwide Offices | Site Map | Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy © 2005 SPSS Inc. All rights reserved. SPSS Inc. Headquarters, 233 S. Wacker Drive, 11th floor Chicago, Illinois 60606

Buy Property

Buying Property in France Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living As seen in Transitions Abroad Magazine March/April 2000 Related Topics Living Abroad Related Articles Legal Living in France Moving to France Buying a Home in France Property in France How to Find It, Buy It, And Live in It By Phyllis Cohen Buying property in France is not just for movie stars and celebrities. Ordinary people with a passable knowledge of French (or a friend who speaks it) and a lot of patience can acquire a bit of magic too. But before you attempt it, arm yourself with knowledge of how to find your special place, how to buy it, and how to live in it. Finding the Place As you look for what you want, here are several things to bear in mind: Don’t expect American state-of-the-art appliances, floor layouts, or conveniences. Part of the charm of old buildings is that they are old, and that includes the kitchens and plumbing. Decide if you want a pied-à-terre (a small place where you can comfortably stay for several weeks or months at a time) or a year-round residence. Generally, an apartment is sold with an empty kitchen—four walls and a water outlet. There are stores that will help you design and install your own kitchen, ranging from pre-fabricated cabinets at IKEA to a kitchen created by cuisinistes . Get at least three estimates as well as references before selecting your vendor. If you will be in a city, decide whether or not you will have a car. Parking in Paris is difficult; having a parking place can greatly increase the resale value of your place. France offers a wide variety of locales. Before you go to the effort of buying something, you really need to explore. Paris itself is divided into 20 arrondissements , each with its own character. If you are willing to live in the banlieue , or suburbs, prices drop dramatically. Properties in the countryside are considerably cheaper. Finding the right house or flat is more complicated than in the U.S. There is no such thing as Multiple Listings in France. Only 30 percent of real estate transactions occur with the help of realtors; the rest are directly between buyer and seller. As a foreigner, you might be more comfortable working through an agent, or agent immobilier , who knows the laws of France. Getting Started Let’s say you’ve decided to buy an appartement in Paris. Walk the streets to find an area you like, then hunt down some agencies that look promising. You can also check out the listings and realtors in various magazines, newspapers, and on the Internet. There is relatively little new construction in Paris. Those apartment complexes that are being developed are usually sold when ground is first broken; in other words, you basically buy an apartment two years before it is completed. Occasionally, you will find almost-completed apartments listed in newspapers and real estate magazines.If you are truly brave, you can buy a place at auction. Notices appear in newspapers such as Le Figaro and the International Herald Tribune. Let the buyer beware. At least take an architect with you when you go to look at the offering. Reading Listings No matter where you find your listings, they will all be posted as À Louer (For Rent) and À Vendre (To Buy). They will also tell you what arrondissement (if in Paris) or département (if in the rest of the country) the property is located in. Perhaps most importantly, they will give you the size in square meters and the number of rooms. Most apartments in Paris are small. Studios are 100-200 square feet, some smaller. Three-bedroom apartments are frequently under 1,000 square feet. Listings will tell you how many rooms there are other than the kitchen. A studio is one room. A one-bedroom apartment will have two pièces, or two rooms, plus the kitchen. Bedrooms are almost uniformly small, while the living rooms are comparatively large. Bear in mind that the French follow the European convention of counting the first floor as the ground floor (Rez-de-Chauseé or RdC); the second floor in American terminology is the first floor in Europe. Generally, the higher the floor, the more expensive the property. Closing the Deal Once you have decided on a place you like at a mutually-agreed upon price, you and the seller sign a document known as a promesse de vente . This is a legally binding document that confirms that the seller must sell the property to the buyer. The buyer, however, has 11 days to change his mind. The seller must also provide to the buyer an accurate floor plan of the apartment or house. All sales in France are conducted with notaires. Both the buyer and seller has his own notaire and they confirm that all aspects of the sale are done according to law. If you are buying a condominium, there will be a set of rules that govern the building. As an owner, you are a co-proprietaire and are bound by the laws of the building. Owners collectively determine such things as whether you are allowed to install a satellite antenna on your balcony, whether the building as a whole will subscribe to cable TV, how often and how much money will be spent on repainting the walls, etc. Do not make the mistake (as we did) of not personally reading all regulations before you sign. As a foreigner, it is advisable to hire an avocat , or lawyer, who specializes in real estate. In case of a disagreement, you are far better off having someone who knows the law and knows how to speak French. Tax Considerations Before buying property in France, you should know that the Government of France has very specific inheritance laws. By law, on your death your property is divided equally between your spouse and your surviving children. There are some steps you can take to ensure that the surviving spouse can continue to live in the house or flat. Speak with a lawyer about this before you buy the property. You will pay between 8 and10 percent in taxes and fees. If you buy an apartment less than five years old, however, you will pay only 3 to 5 percent or less. Ask also about property taxes, which tend to be less in Paris than in the country. Generally, you will be responsible for both a land and a habitation tax. A larger question is your residency status. If you reside in France full time and earn a living here, you will become part of the French social system. The taxes are extraordinarily high (more than 50 percent). Again, you should seek the advice of a tax attorney who is familiar with both the American and French taxation systems. You can get a list of attorneys from the U.S. Consulate. Financing If you are able to pay cash for your new home, you will not need a mortgage, and many properties for sale in the country might well be within reach of your savings kitty. If you need a mortgage, things become a bit more complicated. A French bank will issue a mortgage to expats as long as you can show regular income. By French law the total of all of your mortgage payments worldwide cannot be more than 30 percent of your total income.Lastly, you must have mortgage insurance for a large mortgage and a physical examination at the bank’s expense. If you do not fall neatly into an income category (e.g., you are retired without a fixed income), Banque Woolwich is a good resource. The staff are used to dealing with expats and speak excellent English (Banque Woolwich, 9, rue Boudreau, 75009 Paris; 011-331-42-684-221, fax 011-331-474- 203-23; www.woolwich.co.uk ). Mary Fort is branch manager.The good news is that mortgages in France currently have excellent rates. Most mortgages (or “prets”) are for 15 years and currently run 4.5 percent annually. Once you are here in France, an excellent book to read is At Home in Paris , published by the Junior Service League of Paris. It gives all sorts of hints on differences of living in the States versus France (like how to make sure your laundry pipes don’t clog up with deposits). Living in France is a free publication, in English, that gives useful information on housing, employment, banking, insurance, etc. It can be found at various establishments around Paris that cater to foreigners. To absorb the flavor of a buying experience, read Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence or Francis Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun. Both give agonizingly accurate pictures of the adventure of buying property abroad. All in all, buying property in France might seem like a daunting experience, but it is not an unpleasant one. Contrary to France’s reputation of being inhospitable to foreigners, we have found the opposite to be true. With the notable exception of a few surly cab drivers, we have found the French to be polite and helpful. And as we take our evening walks across the Alexander III bridge we can’t help but be amazed that a small part of this City of Lights belongs to us! Real Estate Listings De Particulier A Particulier (From Buyer to Seller), published weekly on Thursdays, is the most popular nationwide resource. L’Hebdo Immobilier (Weekly Realtor), published weekly on Wednesdays, also has an Internet site at www.immobilierenfrance.com . Demeures de France, a bi-monthly publication that specializes in upscale offerings, is in English and in French and also has an Internet site at www.demeures.com . Demeures de Charme is similar to Demeures de France, and is also in English and in French. FUSAC , a bi-weekly free publication for English-speaking residents of Paris, has advertisements for rentals, purchases, and agencies which can help you do either. FUSAC is available at many locations around the city including W.H. Smith and Brentano’s, two English-language bookstores. PHYLLIS COHEN and her husband Bob have taken a year off from their software company, packed their bags, and moved to Paris (See " Moving to France " in the January February Issue of Transitions Abroad Magazine). Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living Disclaimer ©Transitions Abroad

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Texas Land Trusts Directory: Introduction Maincontent Local Navigation print friendly search Regulations Publications Outdoor Learning Kids Game Warden Grants Get Involved Shop FAQ Calendar Español Experience Texas Fishing & Boating State Parks & Destinations Hunting & Wildlife Land & Water Doing Business Home Land & Water Land Private Tltc Dir Texas Land Trusts About Texas Land Trusts Starting a Land Trust Texas Land Trust Directory Foreword Listing Regional Index About the Texas Land Trust Council ( TLTC ) TLTC Board of Directors and Honorary Council News 2004 TLTC Conference Speech Bulletin Board TLTC Publications Land Trust Resources Texas Land Trusts Top 1-Million Mark in Acres Conserved Texas Land Trusts Directory: Introduction Texas Land Trust Directory A land trust is a local, state or regional nonprofit organization directly involved in protecting land for its natural, recreational, scenic, historical or productive value. Texas landowners have a variety of options available to them which can preserve and protect the special qualities of their property. The land trust organizations in this directory work with landowners to help them meet their long-term land use objectives. These organizations may be willing to purchase land or accept donated properties and easements for conservation purposes. These tools can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the property owner. Land trusts have varying conservation objectives. Some work in specific geographic areas, or concentrate on protecting different natural or cultural features; many provide technical assistance and educational programming about land conservation. Also listed in this directory are organizations in Texas that advise property owners on their land conservation options, but do not accept land donations or manage conservation easement agreements. Land trusts are a creative answer to today's land conservation challenges. They offer a flexible, cooperative and effective approach to land conservation. Land trusts are the fastest growing conservation movement today, with new land trusts forming at an average rate of more than one per week. America's 1,200 plus land trusts protect millions of acres of farms, ranches, wetlands, wildlife habitat, urban parks, forests, watersheds, coastlines and river corridors. Contact Us | Help | Accessibility | Media | Site Policies | Complaints | Intranet | State of Texas | TRAILS Search | TexasOnline | Compact with Texans Texas Parks and Wildlife Department , 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744 Toll Free: (800) 792-1112, Austin: (512) 389-4800 Content of this site © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department unless otherwise noted. Last modified: July 29, 2005, 4:38 pm

buy property in Spain

Spanish property insight for reliable information on buying properties and real estate in Spain Spanish property, Spanish property news, Spanish property information, Spanish property guide, Spanish properties SPANISH PROPERTY INSIGHT Insight for buyers and owners of Spanish property Home | Property Insight | Market Insight | Financial Insight | Resources & Solutions | About Us | Forums | Tell a friend THE TRUTH ABOUT BUYING PROPERTY IN SPAIN AND THE SPANISH PROPERTY MARKET Insight into the Spanish property market and expert advice on how to go about buying property in Spain. When you buy property in Spain you need to understand the Spanish property purchase process and you need to have a working idea of the Spanish property market. Otherwise you are in the dark and at risk of being taken for a ride, regardless of your budget. 30% of foreigners who buy property in Spain run into serious problems for lack of knowledge about the Spanish real estate market and the process by which property changes hands in Spain. That's almost one out of every three overseas buyers who lives to regret their lack of Insight. Most problems are easy to avoid if you know what you are doing. Spanish Property Insight helps you understand the process, the Spanish property market, and keep out of harms way. We do not charge for any of this information. Insight into the Spanish property purchase process Not understanding the property purchase process in Spain puts you at risk. We know from our surveys how concerned buyers are about this issue. We explain the process and provide you with the information you need to navigate unfamiliar waters and buy property in Spain with confidence. Insight into the Spanish property market Spanish Property Insight does not sell any property and is therefore completely independent and unbiased. Unlike all other Spanish property websites, which are busy trying to sell you the dream, we tell it like it is. Our news bulletins and in-depth briefings will help you understand the Spanish property market so be sure to join our mailing list. Regional Spanish property guides We are producing in-depth guides to property in the different regions of Spain. These guides give you a stronger hand when dealing with estate agents in Spain. See the Barcelona property guide Useful tools to help you buy and manage property in Spain We are preparing a Spanish property buyers toolkit to help you buy and manage your property in Spain. This will include checklists, financial models, comparative tables, useful contacts and notifications of important issues that might affect you as an owner of property in Spain. This toolkit will only be available to people on our mailing list. The Spanish Property Doctor column in The Sunday Times is written by Mark Stucklin of Spanish Property Insight Spanish property? You'll need this Our free Spanish property news bulletins are a must. Emailed to you every month they keep you abreast of what is going on in the Spanish property market, alert you to important changes in regulations that might affect you, and give you all sorts of useful ideas, advice and resources to help you get the most out of owning property in Spain. Spanish Property News Bulletins Full Name: Email: Found us? -- Internet search engine Article in paper or magazine Article online TV programme Recommended by a friend Website link Read our privacy policy Remember, when it comes to Spanish property, ignorance is neither blissful nor cheap. Read testimonials of people who use this website The Spanish Property Doctor Column in the Sunday Times The Home Section in the Sunday Times is a must read for anyone with an interest in Spanish property. The section regularly covers the different regions of Spain from the property buyer's perspective, and examines the most important issues related to buying, owning and selling Spanish property. The section also includes the Spanish Property Doctor column - a monthly column by Mark Stucklin of Spanish Property Insight.. The Spanish Property Doctor columns The Sunday Times Property Section online OVERCHARGED AT EVERY TURN WHEN BUYING PROPERTY IN SPAIN? In the course of buying property in Spain there are many ways that you can end up paying substantially more than necessary for lack of insight into what Spanish property and property related services should cost. Don't let this happen to you. Read our Insight briefing on property prices, estate agent commissions, Spanish lawyers' fees, Spanish mortgage costs, insurance and banking charges here How to avoid overpaying when you buy property in Spain . IS THERE A BUBBLE IN THE SPANISH PROPERTY MARKET? Over the past few years Spanish property prices have risen to record levels both in real terms and in relation to average incomes. This has sparked a heated debate as to whether these prices are justified or part of a speculation-driven property price bubble. Read the arguments for and against the existence of a bubble here Is there a bubble in the Spanish property market? Home | Property Insight | Market Insight | Financial Insight | Resources & Solutions | About Us | Forums © Spanish Property Insight. Spanish property information, analysis and resources Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions Spanish Property Insight | Barcelona property guide | Spanish mortgage guide | Guide tooff-plan property in Spain