Sold!

anniefromessex · 05-12-2011, 07:43 PM

Hi guys, just want to let you know that we have now sold our Florida property, thereby ending 21 years of Florida ownership!! We close Monday/Tuesday and to say that we are ecstatic is an understatement; the property was becoming a millstone round our neck. We had some wonderful times both before and after we moved over but the relief now is tangible.

It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride, but thanks to our Realtor - a member of this forum (UK2FL) who I would recommend to anyone, has taken the stress out of it as much as he could - but I think has now turned to drink (lol) and is now bald!!! Thanks Paul.

In many ways it is a sad time - we have made many friends in our 21 years but the t-shirt is bloodied and there is no way that Ted would ever set foot in the country again. Sad but true and just the way he feels about it - he still has nightmares of our time in the airport in Nassau (I don't think either of us will ever forget that) - and the damage it has done to our family, but hey all in the past now and we just have to move on; I think the sale of our property will be the starting point (hopefully)!!!

Anybody who wants a Realtor who goes above and beyond, pm me!!

Well thats it folks. I will still log on to see what is happening over there and I really hope that the Visa debacle (especially for E-2ers) gets sorted out by the likes of Zoe - one dedicated lady - it wont be for the want of trying.

Love Anniexxx

peter gold · 05-12-2011, 07:49 PM

Well done and good luck to you both Peter

anniefromessex · 05-12-2011, 07:56 PM

Thanks Peter, hope you are your good wife are enjoying life in St Augustine. Ted and I really enjoyed our weekend up there - really nice place, although we did enjoy our day with you when you very kindly hosted a leaving do for us. Lovely day and great memories!

Love Anniexxx

byjove · 05-12-2011, 08:01 PM

congratulations on the sale Annie. It has now closed a chapter for you, and a new ones is in the making. If you get pennies left over from the sale, make sure you do something memorable with a portion or buy something nice. =)

anniefromessex · 05-12-2011, 08:08 PM

Hey Byjove, yes got some money earmarked for things we haven't been able to do since coming back; funnily enough our 42nd anniversary is Tuesday so will be able to celebrate two things - I hear Champagne popping!!

We have lost a lot of money but really we are just thankful to have sold at all - and in a comparatively short time. Feel sorry for all those that haven't been able to sell!

Now onwards and upwards as they say LOL!! Hope you are all doing okay.

Love Anniexxx

Tina_2 · 05-12-2011, 08:29 PM

Oh Annie that's wonderful news. I'm so pleased for you.

And you are right about Paul, he's one of a kind.

kirtida8 · 05-13-2011, 11:28 AM

Congratulations Annie and Ted you really deserve some good news after so long.

Have an extra glass of champagne from us on Tuesday and may good fortune continue to be your companion.

JulieC · 05-13-2011, 01:55 PM

Oh thats great news Annie. What a weight off your mind. Do you mind me asking whether the sale was to a resident or as a holiday home ( I know it was Kissimmee) and also when you say you have lost a lot of money do you mind me asking how long you had owned the house, did you buy when prices were at a high?? Just wondering how the market is there now, whether it is improving any.

By the way I am not sure Paul is a member of this forum, he is of others.

Susie · 05-13-2011, 06:40 PM

Wonderful to hear your news, now life really begins. I have often thought about you and Ted and glad you can now start a new chapter,

Any ideas of what or where you would like to go. I often think fondly of the little caravan we used to own at Walton on the Naze, We have fond memories of happy family times

How are the family in OZ ?

anniefromessex · 05-13-2011, 08:13 PM

Thanks guys for all your comments. Just found out that closing will be on Monday, yippee!!

Julie, we have sold to an American couple (I think Paul said the guy is 80), they come from Michigan I believe and had been staying in rented accommodation on our development; I think they are going to be snowbirds from what I can gather. Our home was built for us in 2000 and we moved in when we did our usual 6 month stint in the December of that year. We didn't pay a fortune for it - prices at that time were reasonable, we had owned our previous home for 10 years at a time when you were lucky if you made much money from the sale (in fact we only made $5,000 in 10 years) LOL. At one time we had this property up for sale when our kids were living over there too as we all wanted to move to Eustis and it was up for $289,000 -crazy really but really wish we could have sold at that time!! In all honesty I suppose we have lost about $40-50,000 but it could have been worse -our debacle over there cost us many many thousands of dollars more than that - hence we are paupers now and any and all contributions to our fund would be appreciated LOL!!!

Susie, we are staying put in Clacton - really got used to it here now and it is great to be able to walk along the front (which is only a 5 minute walk) in all weathers. We are in the posher part (LOL) and our bungalow is huge so not looking to spread our wings anymore - will just enjoy holidays and weekends away. None of our family have fared too well in the immigration frenzy so are now all back in the UK and making the best of life over here (the grass isn't always greener) and in many ways can cause a lot of hearbreak and upset (it certainly did with ours)!!! When the weather is good over here there is really nowhere better in all honesty, we have found so many beautiful places since being back and the countryside is amazing, so really all well in our world especially having sold our home over there and now we can just concentrate on our life here and look back with our own fond memories of something that wasn't meant to be - for us.

Love Anniexxx

JulieC · 05-13-2011, 10:37 PM

That isnt too bad then. Seems a lot I know, but could have been worse, we bought at the high in 2007 and managed to lose $140,000 on ours. I had a vacation home before that which I sold in 2005, made a bit on that one. I looked at the price on Zillow a couple of months back and it was worth about $20,000 less than I paid for it in 1997.

Hope you enjoy a few luxuries now with the extra money that has been released, Annie, as you say a few nice holidays, lots of nice places to go to in Europe. You are right about the UK being as good as anywhere if you have the weather. April was just beautiful.

GLORIA GRAY · 05-14-2011, 05:02 AM

Hi Annie. good news that you have finaly sold. You were such a support to us when we were having problems getting here.... I hope you enjoy Clacton we went there often when we lived in Bury st Edmunds before we went to Spain.....Being retired we have no problems here as we have our pensions and don't have the worry of e2 ect. We are near to our daughter and our only grandchildren which is the reason we came in the first place. Good luck and enjoy east anglia

dip your toe · 05-14-2011, 01:35 PM

Congratulations. Must be a great weight of your mind and go a long way towards bringing some sort of closure on your emmigration nightmare.

Upwards and onwards from now on eh?

anniefromessex · 05-15-2011, 03:09 PM

Gloria great to hear from you and I am sooo happy that things are now working out well for you. Tbh I think being retired over there is very different to working and having to deal with the bureaucracy. Like I said about our realtor I think sometimes you feel like tearing your hair out because it seems that no-one bothers to get back to you, if they do say they will turn up 9 times out of 10 they don't (I know many of you on here experience that on a day to day basis), but probably like it all over the world now - oh for the good old days haha!!

Good luck Gloria, know how much grandchildren mean so understand all your reasons for wanting to be near them.

Dip your toe, definitely onwards and upwards now thank God!!!

Love Anniexxx

britcan · 05-25-2011, 12:38 AM

Well done Annie- thats a big relief for you- I understand the mixed feelings though! xx

Carl · 05-25-2011, 03:15 PM

Congratulations Annie, I am glad it has worked out for you in the end.

Carl

05-12-2011, 07:43 PM	#1
anniefromessex Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kissimmee Homeland: U.K. Posts: 2,176	Sold! Hi guys, just want to let you know that we have now sold our Florida property, thereby ending 21 years of Florida ownership!! We close Monday/Tuesday and to say that we are ecstatic is an understatement; the property was becoming a millstone round our neck. We had some wonderful times both before and after we moved over but the relief now is tangible. It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride, but thanks to our Realtor - a member of this forum (UK2FL) who I would recommend to anyone, has taken the stress out of it as much as he could - but I think has now turned to drink (lol) and is now bald!!! Thanks Paul. In many ways it is a sad time - we have made many friends in our 21 years but the t-shirt is bloodied and there is no way that Ted would ever set foot in the country again. Sad but true and just the way he feels about it - he still has nightmares of our time in the airport in Nassau (I don't think either of us will ever forget that) - and the damage it has done to our family, but hey all in the past now and we just have to move on; I think the sale of our property will be the starting point (hopefully)!!! Anybody who wants a Realtor who goes above and beyond, pm me!! Well thats it folks. I will still log on to see what is happening over there and I really hope that the Visa debacle (especially for E-2ers) gets sorted out by the likes of Zoe - one dedicated lady - it wont be for the want of trying. Love Anniexxx

05-12-2011, 07:49 PM	#2
peter gold [Expat's Voice Team] Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Beautiful St Augustine Homeland: London Posts: 3,065	Re: Sold! Well done and good luck to you both Peter __________________ I am not an Attorney.

05-12-2011, 07:56 PM	#3
anniefromessex Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kissimmee Homeland: U.K. Posts: 2,176	Re: Sold! Thanks Peter, hope you are your good wife are enjoying life in St Augustine. Ted and I really enjoyed our weekend up there - really nice place, although we did enjoy our day with you when you very kindly hosted a leaving do for us. Lovely day and great memories! Love Anniexxx

05-12-2011, 08:01 PM	#4
byjove [Expat's Voice Team] Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Livin' in wheretheheckis Homeland: UK Posts: 3,237	Re: Sold! congratulations on the sale Annie. It has now closed a chapter for you, and a new ones is in the making. If you get pennies left over from the sale, make sure you do something memorable with a portion or buy something nice. =) __________________ Be kind to your kids...................... Coz, they choose your nursing home!

05-12-2011, 08:08 PM	#5
anniefromessex Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kissimmee Homeland: U.K. Posts: 2,176	Re: Sold! Hey Byjove, yes got some money earmarked for things we haven't been able to do since coming back; funnily enough our 42nd anniversary is Tuesday so will be able to celebrate two things - I hear Champagne popping!! We have lost a lot of money but really we are just thankful to have sold at all - and in a comparatively short time. Feel sorry for all those that haven't been able to sell! Now onwards and upwards as they say LOL!! Hope you are all doing okay. Love Anniexxx

05-12-2011, 08:29 PM	#6
Tina_2 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 22	Re: Sold! Oh Annie that's wonderful news. I'm so pleased for you. And you are right about Paul, he's one of a kind.

05-13-2011, 11:28 AM	#7
kirtida8 [Expat's Voice Team] Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: FL Homeland: Indian born, but UK is Home Posts: 3,950	Re: Sold! Congratulations Annie and Ted you really deserve some good news after so long. Have an extra glass of champagne from us on Tuesday and may good fortune continue to be your companion. __________________ Kay A woman is like a teabag, you never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail - Ralph Waldo Emerson [SIGPIC]

05-13-2011, 01:55 PM	#8
JulieC Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,742	Re: Sold! Oh thats great news Annie. What a weight off your mind. Do you mind me asking whether the sale was to a resident or as a holiday home ( I know it was Kissimmee) and also when you say you have lost a lot of money do you mind me asking how long you had owned the house, did you buy when prices were at a high?? Just wondering how the market is there now, whether it is improving any. By the way I am not sure Paul is a member of this forum, he is of others.

05-13-2011, 06:40 PM	#9
Susie [Expat's Voice Team] Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Davenport, FL Homeland: London Posts: 9,402	Re: Sold! Wonderful to hear your news, now life really begins. I have often thought about you and Ted and glad you can now start a new chapter, Any ideas of what or where you would like to go. I often think fondly of the little caravan we used to own at Walton on the Naze, We have fond memories of happy family times How are the family in OZ ? __________________ Regards Sue Please note I am not a lawyer but want to be so this is just IMHO

05-13-2011, 08:13 PM	#10
anniefromessex Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kissimmee Homeland: U.K. Posts: 2,176	Re: Sold! Thanks guys for all your comments. Just found out that closing will be on Monday, yippee!! Julie, we have sold to an American couple (I think Paul said the guy is 80), they come from Michigan I believe and had been staying in rented accommodation on our development; I think they are going to be snowbirds from what I can gather. Our home was built for us in 2000 and we moved in when we did our usual 6 month stint in the December of that year. We didn't pay a fortune for it - prices at that time were reasonable, we had owned our previous home for 10 years at a time when you were lucky if you made much money from the sale (in fact we only made $5,000 in 10 years) LOL. At one time we had this property up for sale when our kids were living over there too as we all wanted to move to Eustis and it was up for $289,000 -crazy really but really wish we could have sold at that time!! In all honesty I suppose we have lost about $40-50,000 but it could have been worse -our debacle over there cost us many many thousands of dollars more than that - hence we are paupers now and any and all contributions to our fund would be appreciated LOL!!! Susie, we are staying put in Clacton - really got used to it here now and it is great to be able to walk along the front (which is only a 5 minute walk) in all weathers. We are in the posher part (LOL) and our bungalow is huge so not looking to spread our wings anymore - will just enjoy holidays and weekends away. None of our family have fared too well in the immigration frenzy so are now all back in the UK and making the best of life over here (the grass isn't always greener) and in many ways can cause a lot of hearbreak and upset (it certainly did with ours)!!! When the weather is good over here there is really nowhere better in all honesty, we have found so many beautiful places since being back and the countryside is amazing, so really all well in our world especially having sold our home over there and now we can just concentrate on our life here and look back with our own fond memories of something that wasn't meant to be - for us. Love Anniexxx

05-13-2011, 10:37 PM	#11
JulieC Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,742	Re: Sold! That isnt too bad then. Seems a lot I know, but could have been worse, we bought at the high in 2007 and managed to lose $140,000 on ours. I had a vacation home before that which I sold in 2005, made a bit on that one. I looked at the price on Zillow a couple of months back and it was worth about $20,000 less than I paid for it in 1997. Hope you enjoy a few luxuries now with the extra money that has been released, Annie, as you say a few nice holidays, lots of nice places to go to in Europe. You are right about the UK being as good as anywhere if you have the weather. April was just beautiful.

05-14-2011, 05:02 AM	#12
GLORIA GRAY Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Alabama Homeland: ENGLAND Age: 77 Posts: 124	Re: Sold! Hi Annie. good news that you have finaly sold. You were such a support to us when we were having problems getting here.... I hope you enjoy Clacton we went there often when we lived in Bury st Edmunds before we went to Spain.....Being retired we have no problems here as we have our pensions and don't have the worry of e2 ect. We are near to our daughter and our only grandchildren which is the reason we came in the first place. Good luck and enjoy east anglia

05-14-2011, 01:35 PM	#13
dip your toe Gullible Mad Orater Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 599	Re: Sold! Congratulations. Must be a great weight of your mind and go a long way towards bringing some sort of closure on your emmigration nightmare. Upwards and onwards from now on eh? __________________ __________________________________________ A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest - Paul Simon

05-15-2011, 03:09 PM	#14
anniefromessex Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kissimmee Homeland: U.K. Posts: 2,176	Re: Sold! Gloria great to hear from you and I am sooo happy that things are now working out well for you. Tbh I think being retired over there is very different to working and having to deal with the bureaucracy. Like I said about our realtor I think sometimes you feel like tearing your hair out because it seems that no-one bothers to get back to you, if they do say they will turn up 9 times out of 10 they don't (I know many of you on here experience that on a day to day basis), but probably like it all over the world now - oh for the good old days haha!! Good luck Gloria, know how much grandchildren mean so understand all your reasons for wanting to be near them. Dip your toe, definitely onwards and upwards now thank God!!! Love Anniexxx

05-25-2011, 12:38 AM	#15
britcan Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Canada (again) August 2008 Homeland: Canada &Poole, Dorset Posts: 1,085	Re: Sold! Well done Annie- thats a big relief for you- I understand the mixed feelings though! xx __________________ Fight the good fight!!

05-25-2011, 03:15 PM	#16
Carl Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Kissimmee Homeland: UK Posts: 997	Re: Sold! Congratulations Annie, I am glad it has worked out for you in the end. Carl __________________ Anything I write on here is just my opinion. IF IT LASTS MORE THAN 4 HOURS, SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE, OR RING YOUR MATES AND TELL EM!!

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