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The more modern high rise condos do have HOA fees. So in your case, look for a single family dwelling that as no HOA and you'll be home free.
However, the no property tax policy may change in the very near future (if it hasn't already). There has been talk of implementing a national property tax. Currently, there may have been provinces/cities that implemented a local property tax structure but a national one doesn't exist so there are still places where this tax is non-existent.
Even if China implements a national property tax, you may still find their lack of sales tax and lack of annual car registration to your liking.
The more modern high rise condos do have HOA fees. So in your case, look for a single family dwelling that as no HOA and you'll be home free.
However, the no property tax policy may change in the very near future (if it hasn't already). There has been talk of implementing a national property tax. Currently, there may have been provinces/cities that implemented a local property tax structure but a national one doesn't exist so there are still places where this tax is non-existent.
Even if China implements a national property tax, you may still find their lack of sales tax and lack of annual car registration to your liking.
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When we were living in China a couple of years ago, it was a topic of discussion that the major reason the Chinese had been able to build such a spectacular public transportation system in places like Shanghai, including bullet trains, etc., was that ALL land was owned by the state (no expensive condemnation process necessary, etc.), and when a home was sold, what was being sold was actually a 75 year lease. Has that changed?
The ready availability of cars, on the other hand, has caused car ownership and use to skyrocket. Even 5-10 years ago, in cities like Shanghai, there were only 25-30% of the number of cars that there are now. So what you have, basically, is a whole country of inexperienced drivers -- yikes!
When we were living in China a couple of years ago, it was a topic of discussion that the major reason the Chinese had been able to build such a spectacular public transportation system in places like Shanghai, including bullet trains, etc., was that ALL land was owned by the state (no expensive condemnation process necessary, etc.), and when a home was sold, what was being sold was actually a 75 year lease. Has that changed?
The ready availability of cars, on the other hand, has caused car ownership and use to skyrocket. Even 5-10 years ago, in cities like Shanghai, there were only 25-30% of the number of cars that there are now. So what you have, basically, is a whole country of inexperienced drivers -- yikes!
It's actually a 70-year lease. And I don't think it was changed but I could be wrong. With the way they construct buildings I doubt many would last 70 years anyway.
I was just there a month ago and I actually found their driving to be quite good. Better than many places I've been in America.
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Face facts. The land you "own" really belongs to God. He just lets you live there. Personally, you should be happy that you have a govt. that protects you property rights. If there was no govt. somebody bigger and meaner would be taking from you. Some of you need to remember that government does some very good things.
The more modern high rise condos do have HOA fees. So in your case, look for a single family dwelling that as no HOA and you'll be home free.
True, but my understanding is that in China you can't own real estate, either. All you're doing is leasing it from the Chinese government (abet with a very long lease period).
It seems a technicality - but then, so was the quibble in the OP's original post.
Location: where you sip the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoCalSun
America isn't a place wehre you can truly own property. If you don't pay your king, the government, then the king can take back his house and property, because even though you paid your whole life for it, it's still not yours and it never will be.
So where can you truly be free and own your own property where it can't be taken away if you don't pay the king his taxes on his property?
A lot of European countries use value-added taxes, IIRC, which are complicated sales taxes on every step of the economic process. It's one of the reasons why the COL is so expensive in Western Europe -- and why some economies, like Greece, are struggling: a widespread "underground" economy where relatively few transactions are unrecorded (and the VAT paid) leaves the government without enough money. Avoiding VAT taxes is relatively easy compared to avoiding property taxes.
Actually, the costs of living are far lower in Western Europe compared to the US. Property taxes too. Maybe it used to be the other way around once, in the 80's or so.
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