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ADVISE ON LIVING AND BUYING A HOUSE IN CALI COLOMBIA

I have recently returned from a short trip to Cali Colombia, lucky for me my girlfriend and her family are natives, this was invaluable to me although none of her family spoke any English. I was made to feel so welcome by both her family, and the people of Cali.
My Spanish is limited earning all the time. I am any British national working and currently living in Trinidad and Tobago for a local company since April, 2006, and wish to buy a house in Cali..
In addition, I also wish two set up a business for my girlfriend who is a hairdresser, with a view to settling in Colombia.
I have read so much on the Internet about the legal issues on foreigners buying businesses and property all this has been as clear as mud.
However my understanding is as follows,

House and apartments – no problem with foreigners making a purchase seems we have the same rights as local people. Many large developments to the south of Cali, however sales agents have no command of the English language whatsoever.
My girlfriends English is somewhat limited, so the levels required of my inquiries resulted in a blank expression.
Surely these larger developers have their own English speaking legal team ! well maybe not.!!!

Banking – three different stories from three different banks, two banks said “they were not sure what to do�? with one saying “that are no problem need only passport and reference from a local professional�? lucky for me my girlfriends father is an local accountant.
What to do ? can anyone help me with this ?
I noted from a recent blog articles that an investment of a minimum 15,000 U.S. dollars helps.!

Setting up a business - how I wish I could speak Spanish NOW ! I get the feeling this will be so complicated that by the time the salon is up and running hair will be a thing of the past.
What would be useful could anyone put me in touch with commercial real estate agents .

If you have taken the time to read my plight, I am truly grateful. I guess there are many people out there who have gone through what I’m trying to achieve. Well maybe not .
For the people of the UK I’m glad I’m here and you are there.
For many of those of you are considering migration to the UK please consider one thing like “why are so many people leaving the streets paved with gold�?

One reason is there is no gold ! Only an illusion, mainly based by the people who have been brainwashed by successive governments.
Great Britain is no more, for those of you still there I hope you are still enjoying treats like Inland Revenue, M6 and M62 motorways, £1.15 per litre for fuel, Traffic Wardens, The London Congestion Charge, and lastly, the famous Barbecue complete with Patio Heater you get to use once a year. Yes that’s right we have to heat the outside even in the summer,

By Russell Etherington on Jun 13, 2008, 13:49 in Visa & paperwork.

Cheers Terry says on Jun 13, 2008, 14:27:

None of my business Russell, but you're buying a house and business for your girlfriend and you don't even share a common language with her?...

Good luck.

Cheers,
Terry

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GregYohn says on Jun 13, 2008, 14:32:

Hola!

Go and download Google Earth immediately! You will find how to get around Cali with it!

I have been with my Cali, Colombia GF during 12 of my 13 trips to Colombia and you can see one of the results of our romance by looking at my ICON.

Seriously, I visited model homes across the street from JARDIN plaza in South Cali. They are garbage! Do NOT expect insulation to be used to keep out the heat with those cheap homes. Seriously, you can do the best for yourself if you get some land and build your own place!

We built a new bedroom with a bathroom this past year in Cali! Definitely, I have alot of information for you on how to get your place built properly!

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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CanadaMan says on Jun 13, 2008, 15:46:

Welcome Russell,

1) First of all she is your girlfriend..

2) You don't know her language..

3) Never ever mix love and money with a girlfriend..

4) Are you trying to buy her love ? You want to buy her a business , man o man o man..

5) Don't do anything you would not with a girlfriend from England.. Would you do this for a English Lass ?

6) How long have you known her ?

7) Give your head a shake..

8) Are you nuts ? Don't take this personally but you are about to make a huge mistake..

9) By the way kat1 who is one of our moderators lives in England and is from Colombia..

10 ) I wish you the best but man this looks like a huge train wreck ahead..

11) Take it slow , get to know her , look for red flags , learn Spanish, enjoy your time with her..

12) Make sure you know the difference here between great sex and true love..

I hope I am totally wrong and everything goes great for you..

We need Gomezman here to talk this guy down..

take care.

CanadaMan

..

Formerly WidowerfromCanada...I am engaged to a wonderful Peruviana.

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Russell Etherington says on Jun 13, 2008, 17:07:

Ok everyone my g/f has been living with me in Trinidad for the past year ! I have been married twice before so I will not make the same mistakes again. Yes I need to learn but anything I do will be in my name. If I smell a rat I will back away

But many thanks for your comments I really do thank you all for that.

Russell

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Russell Etherington says on Jun 13, 2008, 17:16:

Hi GregYohn I looked at houses and apartments at JARDIN plaza in South Cali.you supprise me as a civil engineer on first appearence they looked fine, well constructed but I thought they were very hot inside seemed to have no a/c. Can you put me in touch with some local agent who deal with land and construction

Russell

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Russell Etherington says on Jun 13, 2008, 17:19:

Hi GregYohn great picture of your baby mate you must be very pleased. I used to be married in the UK so miss my kids and grand kids very much but thats life and we have to live it the best way we can

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Russell Etherington says on Jun 13, 2008, 17:33:

Cheers Terry Xamina is very good with her English we both try and help each other every night its the level which you require I need a very high degree if you see what I mean.

But thanks for your comment, I am not buying anything for her this is for me and Xamina knows this. Do you live in Colombia mate would be good when I get there to share a beer

Thanks Russell

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angelcanada says on Jun 13, 2008, 18:08:

welcome to Colombia. the best place on earth

MY NAME IS ANGEL. I AM COLOMBIAN AND LIVED IN CANADA AND THE USA FOR 18 YEARS. I RETURNED TO MEDELLIN AND WOULD LIKE TO OFFER SERVICES AS INTERPRETER/ ESCORT AND DRIVER. I CAN ALSO HELP IN FINDING SHORT TERM APT. RENTALS.

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Chelesupercono says on Jun 13, 2008, 18:12:

he he he....another one bits the dust.....and they just keep coming......

never go to bed with someone crazier then you are, you will do it and you will regret it.......

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pcampbellcali says on Jun 13, 2008, 18:47:

I´ll start with a little history of me.

The first of April I started work on remodeling an existing house outside of Cali. The pueblo is named El Carmelo. It is located about 15 minutes outside of Cali on the road between Juanchito and Candelaria. The pueblo has a grand total of 6,000 residents, no drinkable water, and no water service for plumbing between 9PM and 6AM each day. But, all of this doesn´t matter. El Carmelo seems safe, the people are friendly, and the cost of living is really low.

Living outside of the city is quite different. I may be biased but I think that this is more of the “real Colombia�?.

Be prepared that buying a property can be quite complicated. You should count on not having bank financing. Are you prepared to purchase the property in cash$?

The banks have a form that you must complete showing your source of income. Unless you have a respectable person (perhaps the accountant) that can vouch for you, it is very difficult to obtain a bank account. It doesn´t matter that you have money, you have to show its origin ( this is to avoid money laundering which is prevalent in Colombia).

Regarding setting up a business, this can be as easy or as hard as you wish to make it. Anyone can start a business here without any government paperwork. However, eventually the Chamber of Commerce will note you and ask you to join. Outside of the city things are much simpler.

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la campiña says on Jun 13, 2008, 19:00:

talk to , britabroad, morrongo, and fugdis, all have places here and are 18 years old but look 50, me ? I have a place here am 50 but look 18, ha, wanna know the secret: it'll cost ya, haha

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GregYohn says on Jun 14, 2008, 14:24:

Hola!

I knew that those places did not have insulation near Jardin Plaza, since whenever you speak to a person in construction including architechts, they do not even understand the term R-Value and then never suggest you to use insulation. I also asked the people showing those model homes about insulation too.

I built an extension on my GF's house in Cali and learned alot of things! Tile is an important item for a Colombian home! Going to Corona Tile is a good place to begin. They can design your place online, so you have complete tiles.

Styrofoam like Insulation is available at HomeCenter 2.8 x 1.2 M x 15 CM or 4' x 8' x.5' This can be used for the walls when you have a post and beam construction. The walls would have about 40 times more R Value insulation than regular red bricks and motar per inch. Our finished room is nice, but we just got the insulation in the concrete roof.

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 14, 2008, 14:29:

Insulation? Against what? The heat?

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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billyb says on Jun 15, 2008, 00:22:

i agree desi (no, not again), no houses in cali have insulation, excpet maybe greg's addition and the cheap ass new construction methods being used in low end developments.. the only way you can get insualtion in construction, is to use cheap drywall as you partitions (anahtema in colombia). The best way to beat the heat in cali construction is to use open architecture with plenty of breezeways.

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billyb says on Jun 15, 2008, 00:34:

Good thing the MIO goes into service in November. They are not banning private car use, just restricting the days you can use it during rush hours with the pico y placa.

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GregYohn says on Jun 15, 2008, 23:32:

Hola!

Brick has an R-Value of .5 per inch and Styrofoam has an R-Value of 20 per inch. When you get to Cali maybe you can see the place? Locals there consider the construction we used is much cooler during the day and warmer at night than most homes with a cement roof! Of course you can use brick to cool off your place, but we rarely use a small 9 watt fan. The small courtyard with a patio umbrella lowers the heat also from entering into the room with direct sunlight.

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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calipro says on Jun 16, 2008, 07:25:

Russell Etherington

Let me know when you are going to be back down in Cali. I own an apartment there.

If I were you I would decide which type of visa I was going to ask for so you can live in Cali and get a cedula which will make it a lot easier to do business and get a bank account.

Take care

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Frank Rizzo says on Jun 16, 2008, 15:23:

That's right Greg....we're doing construction in san andres ....with hollow styrofoam and pour in concrete...with rebar....then....geo-thermal.....for all the cooling...cause of the high electric there... 14 foot overhangs (so the sun never touches the windows..)....over the porch...double thermo windows....the R value of the styrofoam building blocks filled with concrete is 26.....

In an addition in cali...we built the ceiling 6 inches higher...and used 4 inches of styrofoam over the roof...then gypsum below that....to try to keep off all the heat we can.....

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GregYohn says on Jun 16, 2008, 17:23:

Hola!

Looks like only after good construction done correctly will people understand the value of insulation. Everday I get a free hot water shower in Cali, I can't believe why more people don't like the same! I just added 33 meters of pex tubing inside the roof, attached it to the foam insulation, and CPVC tubing for the hot water shower.

12VOIP.com gives free calls to Colombia.Greg

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poco says on Jun 16, 2008, 19:02:

Quote: and they are going to more and more start banning private car use in the big cities.

Who cares ? Cities in Colombia are no good anyway,, not one single Colombian city is better than the WORST city in the U.S.

Plus,,

cockroaches don't need cars, especially doped up cockroaches.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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