TioJoe has left 72 comments

TioJoe comments on Buying Property

It does help if your wife is from Colombia -- I recently bought a home for retirement -- unless you have someone there to help you with all the Colombian paperwork I would not reccomend it unless you want to be stressed out and can afford to fly a lot back and forth. Residency is not a requirement -- wait for the dollar to strengthen against the peso -- pray fpr a Democrat to be president :) If it is your personal residence it might be worth the effort and risk -- if it is an investment -- keep your money at home and learn how to capitalize on a weak American economy.

TioJoe comments on Hillary Can't Answer Question on Colombia

Neither could BUSH he was in and out of Bogota so fast last year he spilled his coffee when the mortorcade turned around and high tailed it back to the airport. His lieing ass did wave to Uribe as he promised his NAFTA support as he jumped on the plane to Mexico.

TioJoe comments on More property questions

My mistake -- it was the two forms you mentioned

TioJoe comments on More property questions

I do not post often but here is some current information regarding money transfers for a home purchase we made 2 years ago. Every time you make a money transfer a form has to be filled out and recorded by both the buyer and seller. Sadly if the people you are buying the apartment or home from do not complete their end of the paperwork a penalty is assessed against your purchase and you may never know it. The amount accrues rapidly and after a few years, when you wish to sell, it comes to light. The total amount of the penalties and interest can be substantial and has been more than the value of the real estate in some cases. We found this out by doing a little due diligence, even though we had an attorney and an accountant helping us with the purchase of our apartment. It was missed because all the penalty paperwork was sent to the builder and not to the address where they placed the lien. It only cost us about $400.000 thousand peso however there were 3 different forms involved over 2 years and 16 transfers, 1 of the transfers was not filed by the builder correctly. I believe it was Banco de la Republica is where you must go to verify if all money exchanges are done properly for your home. I would not ignore this if you have purchased real estate by transferring money from the USA. Get your attorney to check it out. We were told that this is a very common and expensive mistake a lot of people have made.

TioJoe comments on THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ANYONE... USING DEBIT ....CREDIT CARDS.. OUT OF THE COUNTRY....

Several previous posts have mentioned reservations regarding the information that is being requested on this form. While I believe it is legit it is not worth the fruadulent chance the disclosure of banks and credit card numbers will not be compromised. Even though my settlement would be considerably higher than the $25.00 minimum I was not real excited about announcing to the U.S Court system every dollar I spend in a foreign country -- shredded it immediately.

TioJoe comments on PBH member's photo blogs

Kernow - I wonder how many times we have passed by each other at Los Delicias on SOBT? If you ever see an old short fat americano with one hair and a tooth waddling through the line with a good looking wife it is probably me. Say hello.

TioJoe comments on Some Random comments on Colombia and South America

Salitre Plaza "Crepes y Waffles" I was at that one in June and they opened at 11:30 am -- I will be back over the holidays and will try your kind suggestion -- Thanks

TioJoe comments on Investment property in Colombia

This "Dude" has been traveling in an out of Colombia for about 20 years and this is the second home we have purchased in Bogota. I do not know what miniscule amount you consider deep pockets however you have arrived at a simplistic conclusion with very few facts.

TioJoe comments on Colombia gaining popularity... good or bad?

Bogota as a tourist destination certainly has one severe drawback - the altitude. Watching all the tourists fight bronchial spasms as they try to adapt to 8,800' on a short vacation is fun to watch. Adjusting to barometric pressure usually takes some time and sucking oxygen is an unpleasant experience they always share back home. I do not see Bogota becoming a hot spot like the coastal areas.

TioJoe comments on The Oppenheimer Report: Latin American Schools Don't Measure up In Today's World

Miami Mike -- wife is an occupational therapist and not only took and passed the National Board but has a license to work in the that profession in Florida. She did not have to take additional classes other than english proficiency tests. I think it depends on the school you attend -- not all colleges in Colombia had degrees that were acceptable for transfer. Colleges must seek that certification for thier students. The other sobering reality is high paying fields intentionally do not make it easy for foreign nationals to obtain a job in the USA unless there is a severe shortage.

TioJoe comments on How about this for a business Idea

I have an idea -- talk all the gringo's into getting a nipple pierced with a RFID chip so you can track them via satellite. If they get kidnapped you can tell the families where to send the check. Charge them by the month accept only cash.

TioJoe comments on Some Random comments on Colombia and South America

Crepes y Waffles (which amazingly, isn’t open for breakfast, wtf?) -- That amazes me as well. I enjoyed the insight of your post however from my observation Bogota may have color discrimination more than is experienced in Medellin. Possibly as a result of the different non-coastal ethinticity mix. Social class discrimination certainly seems the same. Well done.

TioJoe comments on Mortgage in Colombia

$10000-20000 with a $5000 down payment -- equates to a 5 to 15 thou loan with a few additional expenses. Hell put it on your credit card and save yourself a lot of aggravation. The home buying process is complicated enough with out trying to get a loan from a Colombian bank to add to the confusion.

TioJoe comments on Investment property in Colombia

Guess we could all buy a second home in the USA -- I hear the prices are pretty good or perhaps invest in the euphoric stock market fueled by $93 oil and 1.2 billion dollar per quarter losses for financial institutions. I bought my home 3 years ago in Bogota and could sell it for twice what I paid today. The obstacles are a test however the minimal capital risk vs gain justifies the effort.

TioJoe comments on South Bogota by the airport apt????

Bama -- I live in Salitre when I travel to Bogota and agree with Gringo -- easy to get back and forth to the airport, a lot of nice restaurants within walking distance, Salitre Plaza is very nice and the area is safe.

TioJoe comments on need fried ants

I shared a bag of these tasty morsels with the people I worked with years ago. Only after the fact did my lovely wife tell me I should have removed the legs first. Either way they still taste like a BUG ! Her brother sent them to me as a gift right after Colombia lost to the USA in soccer. He is still laughing.

TioJoe comments on Colombian - American Marriage Success rate?

The more time you can invest in any relationship prior to marriage certainly will provide a better success rate. I never understood how a person could meet someone for a few days, plan a marriage and then question why the divorce rate is so high. I have been married to a lady from Colombia for 15 years. We dated for three, wrote lots of letters and visited each other as often as possible. I also agree with Robert and the Duck, the wife and I are unable to think of any couples {Colombia / USA} that we know that have divorced. We can however think of several of the typical american couples that have not survived the test of time. I suspect if this marriage fails all I will have to do is look into a mirror for the culprit. Ladies from Colombia, in my little experience, are very commited to making it work.

TioJoe comments on new coffee shop

You win Tinto -- I will buy you a cup of coffee in Bogota someday so we can discuss this further. Cheers

TioJoe comments on new coffee shop

Pod -- one type of coffee for me that I like would be sufficient no need to try the others. Same as the bourbon I drink same one for 25 years.

TioJoe comments on new coffee shop

Scotty -- Watching a news cast as I type this a place in NY called Caruso serves up an eight dollar cup of coffee ground from an Esmeralda coffee bean shipped in from Panama. They say that it costs $200 lb if you would like to take few bags home. Just a thought.

TioJoe comments on new coffee shop

Tinto - prior to the 1970's they would not allow coffee beans to be imported because of fear of contamination and infestation. All imported coffee had to be processed. Now all coffee legally imported into the USA is unprocessed and fumigated with methyl bromide. You also could visit this website {http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/mpm-3.html} for clarification on what steps are used after arriving in the USA. Methyl bromide is a carcinogen and certainly does not add to the taste. I agree with you on this point, the quicker you can pick, grind and drink it, the better the coffee will be which is why I like the coffee "IN" Colombia so much.The coffee bean is actually sweet not bitter when you can get it "Fresh". Small specialty roasters do import ground coffee into the USA from other countries using FED EX and USPS etc. which is illegal because it bypasses the fumigation process however few people are aware of this law. Hawaii is very sensitive to this issue because they they have 100 year old trees to protect from the likes of the coffee bean weevil, borer and coffee leaf rust.

TioJoe comments on new coffee shop

Starbucks is about to open their first store in Bogota -- I can not wait -- lets see if they can get 6,000 - 10,000 pesos per cup --- I hope they go broke and not run up the price of a ten cent cup coffee like they did in the USA. Coffee companies {Folgers etc.} had a law passed a few years ago all coffee brought into the USA could longer be ground but had to arrive as a coffee bean so major coffee conglomerates could mix and grind lousy coffee with the good. Do what I did follow the aroma and go to Colombia where the coffee is fresh without the bitter taste we are so accustomed to in the states. The taste of coffee changes as it ages and the it affects not only places like Starbucks but also the brands bought in the super markets.

TioJoe comments on US State Visa site

Send the invitation I have written letters on behalf of two young ladies that wanted to visit my wife that were not family that received tourist visas. All I say is; "Thank you for your hospitality while we were in Bogota. The Museo de Oro was spectacular, thank you for allowing us to visit your home etc. --- hopefully someday soon you can visit us in Orlando so I can show you Disney World, Universal Studios etc." keep it casual. Make a humerous references regarding your past visit in Colombia so the person who is giving the interview has a smile on their face at the end of the letter. What harm can it do? I have used this approach for years and all family members have tourist visas. Good luck.

TioJoe comments on buying property in colombia

Buy New Construction Even though I have a joint savings account in Colombia with my wife. It was not a requirement when we purchased a new apartment using american dollars. The property is in the wifes maiden name so certainly it is not considered a foreign investment however my name could have been on the title. I found several good companies building new apartments in Bogota very happy to receive dollars for the purchase through a separate fiduciary bank. A process I would very highly recommend. The money is then transferred at the prevailing TRM rate for the day from your bank to the fidicuary bank. As was stated to you on a previous post "SAVINGS" accounts are much easier to open and something to consider. Now the bad news, cash talks so financing might be difficult if not impossible to obtain in Colombia under the circumstances you described earlier. The good news -- you can buy a really nice apartment for very little money. A little ray of hope -- like new construction in the USA you might find a little more flexibility in financing if you buy new.

TioJoe comments on I didn't want to offend anybody

SweetG -- the refrain is getting old peace and a smile

TioJoe comments on I have a question, why do these men have to go to other country for a woman

Cam You said it better than I ever could -- my last word on this thread.

TioJoe comments on I have a question, why do these men have to go to other country for a woman

Alleycat I am not confused -- again we say and I twice -- American women are in denial. Many american men do not like american women -- mind if I use your post as an example?

TioJoe comments on Dial 911, Colombian Chicas are disappearing at an alarming rate.

401K Garvin - my 401k is worth about $4.01 thanks to the Enron and the Worldcom maleficence -- just a thoughtful commentary as I beg for pennies this XMAS.

TioJoe comments on I have a question, why do these men have to go to other country for a woman

Bamapits They advertise it as a sex tour to the men with a cheap flight to Colombia -- 10 girls to every guy in Medellin and Cali -- Sadly that is the ratio when they visit those areas. Most of these self professed millionaires could not buy dinner or a ticket to Europe without plastic. Many american "GENTLE MEN" of all ages visit your country on a different pretext. We are all not what you perceive. In general I agree with your post but you have a narrow view of the issue however your obsevation obviously comes with experience.

TioJoe comments on I have a question, why do these men have to go to other country for a woman

whew I just wanted sex

TioJoe comments on I have a question, why do these men have to go to other country for a woman

Cheers Desi Drinking anchient age bourbon as I try to remember how old I am. Your point was expressed well however do you truely believe all us elderly gents are equality challenged? I am retired and my colombian wife has a carreer as an occupational therapist in Florida. She lovingly refers to me as her lifetime pension check while I think of her as my big paycheck. Seeking old fashioned values is a stretch in our relationship -- role reversal -- I clean the house and cook now however I did draw the line when she asked me to meet her at the front door after a hard day at the office butt naked and in high heels. We old men still have a little pride.

TioJoe comments on I have a question, why do these men have to go to other country for a woman

Deluded Alleycat you have truely made some valid points regarding money, looks and personality when us old men date young american women with age often being the determining factor. I found the same priorities in Colombia on my first visit but reversed in importance personality, looks and money with age not the deal breaker it is in the USA. I may have been one of those unattractive gentlemen that married a "hot 20 something woman" half his age that you have casually destined to fail. Still suffering the consequence of delusional passion as she kisses my bald head after these many years and yes I know many other similar "old is ugly" men equally as happy.

TioJoe comments on Dial 911, Colombian Chicas are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Bushit Far left/right democrat or republican both parties provide plenty of crap. It all smells bad no matter if it comes from a donkey or an elephant. Conservative or liberal are just a convenient way to label idiocy at the extreme edges of each party. Mainstream america is a little of both as proven by the Nov. elections. By the way; CEO stands for "Corporate Embezzelment Officer" so I have been told. What pictures???? Where????

TioJoe comments on I didn't want to offend anybody

Internet Dating Meeting a possible wife or husband -- lets see they could try to hook up at the local bar however a little risky and not very romantic. Another option could be to try to meet a religious righteous fanatic at the Sunday social at church. Then of course the person could make the ultimate mistake of trying to connect with someone they work with and take a run at sexual harassment and the daily hell that no doubt would follow if they ended the relationship. Suddenly the thought of internet dating doesn't look so bad.

TioJoe comments on and another thing

Not all are Desperate SweetG my wife owned a very successful ballet school in Bogota and owned the building. Yes, she was half my age but gave it all up for love and the hope I could offer her more than food stamps and a tent in the USA. She likes to tell our friends she married me because I knew the difference between a jete and a demi-plie. Your simplistic generalities equating most of the internet women as desperate astound me. My wife wanted only "ONE" thing something hard to find in Colombia and not much appreciated in the USA. A faithful husband. Possibly they are only seeking the same.

TioJoe comments on I have a question, why do these men have to go to other country for a woman

Divorce When I married 15 years ago civil divorce was not allowed in Colombia only separation. This was a major consideration since a very common refrain from many american women I dated was "If it doesn't work out we could always get a divorce". The inequality to dissolve a marriage in the USA was also a painfull recent reminder of why ANY american wife was not an option. SweetG - I met my wife the old fashioned way before the websites but there is a simple answer to your question why there are no websites offering american women as foreign brides. The truth is in the foreign countries I have visited american women are just not held in very high regard. Sorry gentlemen -- civil divorce is now allowed in Colombia -- they changed the constitution right after I married so be nice.

TioJoe comments on Long Term Care in Colombia

An Opinion Wife is from Colombia and an occupational therapist that works in a long term care facility in Florida. I submit all medicare and medicaid billing for the home care she does. My point - care in the USA for elderly is about the money. Quality is terrible. Saw an international survey recently {sorry I do not have the url} that has Colombia in the top five in the world in medical care and the USA was 17th. Save the money on insurance buy a CD at 5 per cent. Medical professionals get paid little and often drive taxi cabs in Colombia -- only the best of the best get to practice their profession. In the USA BUSHIT and a donation will get you a degree. A therapist in Colombia makes 300 thousand peso a month. You do the math a full time college educated therapist 8 hours a day for individual care or a high school drop out CNA in the USA with 30 patients to treat on an 8 hour shift.

TioJoe comments on Comparing Home Prices Within The U.S. and Across the Globe

Estrato I read the same article and Bogota being the most affordable did not come as a great surprise to me. Certainly, as we know in this forum, depending on where you choose to live the price varies considerably. By comparison to like areas in the USA I think Bogota is a tremendous bargain. Recently purchased 186 sq mtr apt in Salitre {estrato 4}. A similar property in central Denver or Orlando would cost at least 5 times as much.

TioJoe comments on Why be alone during the Holidays?

Love is blind I am ambidexterous and blind myself Brode. I was told poor eyesight goes hand in hand with pocket pool but I did not believe it until it was too late. Thankfully my lovely Colombiana is very fond/fondle of braille.

TioJoe comments on Bell Mobility cellphone in Colombia

Cingular GSM works between US and Colombia -- $1.99 per minute unless you get international roaming which is cheaper but has a monthly fee. Used it recently with poor quality. Still to expensive to use about 50 cents a minute I believe. Buy the cheap cell with minutes as Gringo suggests. My recommendation as well.

TioJoe comments on buying apts

Just bought an apartment in Bogota I just had an apartment built in Bogota and paid for it 4 weeks ago so this is current information as it relates to my experience. No tax for dollar transfers to Colombia from the USA just the prevailing TRM rate. I used a fiduciary bank as an intermediary between buyer and seller something I would strongly advise if you will be buying new construction. My father in law is an accountant and my brother in law is a bank VP and an attorney so from what I have seen over the two years of transfering money for construction. No additional tax if the money was earned in the USA. My closing costs with the notary was 5 million pesos {1/2}. New construction will require additional money for upgrades in pesos. This was not any more complicated than buying a home in the USA however if you ever want to convert back to dollars additional forms are needed. This does not apply in my case. American banks DO NOT GUARANTEE funds to Colombia if lost however the trail is very good if you keep all your paper work -- I made 16 transfers and one had to be traced. The only documentation I had to provide was job or income verification and previous tax statements to prove the money was earned honestly. CitiBank accounts in the USA and Colombia are not considered the same. You can use the ATM in Colombia at any CitiBank accessing your account in USA with no charge but you are limited as to the ammount you can withdraw per day. Best of luck!

TioJoe comments on No Fiance K-1 Visa Needed -- See How I did it.

Relative information of the relatives Cowboy from my experience is correct regarding older adults and tourist visas. They seem to be easier to obtain for that age group. I too am aware of the proof requirement regarding home or business ownership to facilitate the tourist visa. That requirement was met by my in-laws in most cases however her brother visited us when he was 20 and in college 14 years ago and two nephews ages 14 and 18 have just recieved their visas using my letter writing approach. To keep it in prospective I have lived in tourist areas {Denver & now Orlando} which may have helped as well as the fact I visit Bogota often. I have written letters on behalf of two young ladies that wanted to visit my wife that were not family with the same results. All I say is; "Thank you for your hospitality while I was in Bogota. The Museo de Oro was spectacular, thank you for allowing me to visit your home etc. --- hopefully someday soon you can visit us in Orlando so I can show you Disney World, Universal Studios etc." keep it casual. Make a humerous references regarding your past visit in Colombia so the person who is giving the interview gets a smile on their face. A warning -- First time I bought a ticket for my Mother-in-law {three months} she became home sick after two -- cost me money to change the ticket. Wish you and your wife luck and as much happiness as we have.

TioJoe comments on No Fiance K-1 Visa Needed -- See How I did it.

Tourist Visa cowboy - all my extended family have tourist visas to visit the USA - I wrote the same letter to all - "Thank you for your hospiltality hope I can extend the same courtesy and can reciprocate etc." -- they take it to the consulate. I have had tremendous success with this approach. Reminds me, mother in law is arriving at 2 pm for six weeks for the holidays -- Save me! -- I do not have all the answers I just know what works for us -- creative communication is what I call it. Not advocating all try it and too old and tired to argue the point with the other gentleman.

TioJoe comments on Mexican Spanish vs. Colombia Spanish

My spanish is so bad the the waiters in Bogota give "me" tips

TioJoe comments on No Fiance K-1 Visa Needed -- See How I did it.

You win Tony -- I am an idiot and a fraud with a wife I love.

TioJoe comments on No Fiance K-1 Visa Needed -- See How I did it.

Tony Can I get you a vallium - 15 years ago - not married in my case means{recently divorced} - my wifes packet with immigration in Denver was about a foot thick no improprieties. It was her first and only tourist visa. We own homes in both countries and travel extensively between the two - not here to agitate you it was a different time. My pillow is very comfortable as I yawn. Thank you however.

TioJoe comments on Mexican Spanish vs. Colombia Spanish

Slang cowboy I know the same refrain -- my wife is equally proud of her heritage and language - slang I think might be the issue - I can not understand half the english I hear from England or Australia either.

TioJoe comments on Mexican Spanish vs. Colombia Spanish

Taco My spanish is limited however if you ask for a TACO in Colombia they will hand you a cue stick for tres bandis.

TioJoe comments on Buying an apartment in Cartagena

We consulted several people including a tax attorney before we made this purchase. My wife still has her Colombian ID in her maiden name and it is not unusual for the "new generation of women" to purchase property in this way rather than using their married name. We filed paperwork with the notary at close that indicates her married name and I being her husband. Since we are married it is a personal rather than a taxable gift. Backround information: she has dual citizenship and works as an occupational therapist and generates enough income to have made the purchase. All monies were transfered in HER MARRIED NAME to pay for an apartment in her MAIDEN NAME. A gift to herself so to speak. The answer to your question is - NO best we can tell however the ultimate determination will be next year when she files her taxes. Basically in this case the money was earned in the USA and is not taxable in Colombia per our tax attorney.

TioJoe comments on Handycapped access

Handicap Access Salitre in Bogota and Salitre Plaza are accessible quite well for an electric wheelchair. New apartment buildings nearby also provide ramp access instead of stairs. It is a new area and it seems consideration for the handicap population is present however obstacles will remain. Additionally this area is unique in its close proximity to everthing.