DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ I bought a $62,200 house in Italy, where I'm planning to live most of the time. The home prices are so low, I bought a second house — and may buy more.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She bought another home with her brother to use as a rental and may buy another with her sister. I've gone to China, Amsterdam, Paris, and Germany, among other places, but Italy just felt like home. My primary house is in Mussomeli, and my brother and I bought a second house. Lorrah MintonAt the closing of my primary house, I paid a 10% deposit and the agency fee, which is generally 4% of the purchase price. Generally, the property taxes are between 300 and 600 euros annually, but because my house is ginormous, it's 946 euros.

Persons: Lorrah Minton, Minton, I've, it's, It's, I'm, they're Organizations: Service Locations: Italy, Sicily, Wall, Silicon, Mussomeli, American, China, Amsterdam, Paris, Germany, California

☆ I bought a $62,200 house in Italy that I'm planning to move into full-time. The home prices are so low I bought a second house — and may buy more.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

She bought another home with her brother to use as a rental, and may buy another with her sister. I have my primary house in Mussomeli, and then together, my brother and I bought a second house. That's why we bought the second house, and my sister and I are looking at a third house right now. Lorrah MintonWhat needed to be paid at closing for my primary house was a 10% deposit and the agency fee, which is generally 4% of the purchase price. But if someone said you can get this 3,000-square-foot, six bedroom, two kitchen, beautiful house for 70,000 euros, I'd say, "Done."

Persons: Lorrah Minton, —, Minton, I've, it's, It's, there's, I'm, they're, someone's Organizations: Service Locations: Italy, Sicily, Mussomeli, American, China, Amsterdam, Paris, Germany, —, California

☆ I'm a 27-year-old surfer who moved to Costa Rica for a more adventurous lifestyle. Living abroad is an attainable goal, and I'm having the time of my life.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Living in Costa Rica is helping save money to eventually start his own health and wellness business. I took a solo trip to Costa Rica to surf and enjoy the beach. However, in Costa Rica everything is grown locally and there are no chemicals like glyphosate in our food. We settled in Mal Pais, Costa Rica. By living in Costa Rica I've gained a sense of opportunism that I lacked in the US.

Persons: Luke McStravick, —, Mal Pais, Luke, Costa, It's, we've, I've, Costa Rica I've Organizations: Service, Facebook Locations: San Diego, Costa Rica, Mal Pas, United States, Mal, Philadelphia, Mal Pais, Santa Teresa, It's, San Jose, Sweden, Germany, Italy, South Africa

☆ I left a troubled San Francisco for Croatia and regret it. My hometown's problems keep getting worse, but Dubrovnik has its downsides too.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Ashley Couto | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

She and her partner didn't want to move home to San Francisco long term because of rising crime. In 2016, I quit my job as a manager at a government agency in San Francisco to go traveling. San Francisco is not what it used to beI grew up in San Francisco, and that's where my family lives. You can't avoid homelessness anywhere, but the homelessness problem in San Francisco has become overwhelming. After we got married, we traveled to South America for eight months before I returned to San Francisco to visit my parents.

Persons: Gigi Chow, didn't, —, we'd, There's, Croatia We'd, Expats, you'll, I'm, It's, Roger, I'd Organizations: Service, Food Locations: San Francisco, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Europe, Asia, America, Barcelona, Spain, South America, Adriatic, It's, Francisco, California, Thailand, East Asia

☆ I moved to Germany and regret it. The people have been unwelcoming, and not even the great healthcare can convince me to stay.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Chris Weller | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Stephanie Bollmer moved to Germany from South Korea about 18 months ago. I was living in South Korea, teaching English, when I met my now-husband in 2021. In the US and South Korea, I was used to people being friendly toward visitors trying to learn the language. Coming from the US and South Korea, where same-day or next-day delivery are more common, this has been an adjustment. But coming from South Korea, where the care is even better than Germany, I recognize it's the care, not Germany, that I'll miss.

Persons: Stephanie Bollmer, Bollmer, —, It's, We're, restationed, I've, I'm, I'd, stepmom, Germany that's, it's Organizations: Service Locations: Germany, South Korea, Sacramento , California, United States, German, Berlin, Frankfurt, Korea, Philippines, California

☆ I moved to Germany and regret it. I've felt unwelcome by the people, and not even the great healthcare can convince me to stay.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Chris Weller | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Stephanie Vollmer moved to Germany from South Korea about 18 months ago. I was teaching English in South Korea when I met my now-husband in 2021. In the US and South Korea, I was used to people being friendly toward visitors trying to learn the language. Coming from the US and South Korea, where same-day or next-day delivery is more common, this has been an adjustment. When I lived in South Korea, I was much closer to my dad and my stepmom, who lived in the Philippines.

Persons: Stephanie Vollmer, Vollmer, —, We're, restationed, It's, I'm, I'd, I've, Germany that's, it's Organizations: Service, Amazon Locations: Germany, South Korea, Sacramento , California, United States, German, Berlin, Frankfurt, Korea, Philippines, California

☆ New York City was home to the most billionaires in 2022—here's the full list of global cities
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New York City topped the list as the city home to the most billionaires, according to Wealth X. Alexander Spatari | Moment | Getty ImagesTop 10 cities around the world with the most billionairesNew York City Hong Kong San Francisco Moscow London Beijing Los Angeles Singapore Shenzhen Mumbai New York City topped the list with 136 billionaires in 2022. Hong Kong is home to 112 billionaires, according to the Wealth X report. Yang Liu | Corbis Documentary | Getty ImagesLike New York, Hong Kong had a similar dip of just 2 billionaires — they now total 112. According to an ECA International survey, Hong Kong is also considered one of the most expensive locations for expats in the world. San Francisco is home to 84 billioanires, according to the Wealth X report.

Persons: WealthX, Alexander Spatari, it's, Yang Liu, —, San Francisco, Dan Kurtzman Organizations: New, New York, New York City Hong Kong San Francisco Moscow London Beijing, New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, ECA, San Francisco, San, Henley & Partners Locations: New York City, New York City Hong Kong San Francisco Moscow, New York City Hong Kong San Francisco Moscow London Beijing Los, Singapore Shenzhen Mumbai New York City, New York, New, U.S, Hong Kong, York, San, San Francisco

☆ The 10 least affordable places to live if you're an expat in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Reena Koh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

New York, Hong Kong, and Geneva are the top 3 unaffordable cities to live in if you're an expat in 2023. Read further for the 10 least affordable places to live if you're an expat in 2023, ranked from the most expensive to the least expensive. Alberto MazzaThe average monthly rent for a four-room apartment in Geneva's city center is about $4,600. GettyThe median monthly rent for a two-bedroom flat in London touched a high of $2,895 in December, according to CNBC. JaCZhou 2015/Getty ImagesThe average monthly rent for a four-room apartment in the city center of Zurich sits at around $4,200, per The Local.

Persons: —, Lee Quane, Read, Sharp, ANTHONY WALLACE, Alberto Mazza, LondonlovesBusiness, Justin Sullivan, Alexander Spatari, Marielle, Allan Baxter, Tokyo Kantei Organizations: Service, York, ECA, Big Apple, NBC, New York Times, Getty, expats, Bloomberg, CNBC, San Francisco Bay Area, Jerusalem Post, Central Bureau of Statistics, CBS, South Korea Skyline, South, Financial Times Locations: . New York, Hong Kong, Geneva, London, Singapore, New York, Asia, expat, Manhattan, expats, NBC New York, China Hong, Switzerland, Geneva's, Swiss, NurPhoto, Zurich, San Francisco, US, San Francisco Bay, Tel Aviv, Israel, Jerusalem, Seoul, South Korea, South Korean, —, Korean, Tokyo, Japan

☆ New York overtakes Hong Kong as the most expensive city in the world for expats, new survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong has ended its four-year reign as the most expensive city globally for expatriates, according to a survey — as New York surpasses it to first place. Hong Kong has ended its four-year reign as the most expensive city globally for expatriates — surpassed by New York which took first place, according to a new survey. Hong Kong fell in our rankings as the increase in prices of day-to-day goods and services was tempered by falls in accommodation costs in the city. Lee Quane ECA InternationalStill, Hong Kong retained its position as the most expensive location in Asia. Reports suggest residents of Hong Kong left the city in droves last year — due to Covid-19 restrictions and what they see as an erosion of democratic norms.

Persons: —, Lee Quane Organizations: New, ECA, assignees, Lee, Asia, U.S . Federal, Urban Land Institute, ULI, Asia Pacific Centre for Housing, U.S ., San Locations: Hong Kong, New York, Asia, Singapore, Asia Pacific, Asia Hong Kong Singapore Seoul Tokyo Shanghai Guangzhou Shenzhen Beijing Taipei Yokohama, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tokyo, Japan, York, U.S, San Francisco

☆ How begpackers became some of the world’s least popular tourists
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

James, a comedian, is one of the posters behind the Instagram page Chaotic Hong Kong Expats. But the age of social media has catapulted the activity into public consciousness with a wave of begpacking-shaming Instagram accounts and Facebook pages. “Hong Kong is a very expensive place to live and the average (monthly) wage is 15,000 Hong Kong dollars ($1,915). Viral social media photos of begpackers in places like Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong have been appearing on social media in recent months, re-igniting debate over the issue. “I think it kind of represents the growing arena of location-independent tourists blurring boundaries between leisure and work,” says Bernstein.

Persons: Ashley James, “, James, ”, ” James, Stephen Pratt, He’s, Pratt, –, begpackers, Patrick Leigh Fermor, ’ ”, ” Will Hatton, “ you’ve, ” Joshua Bernstein, Bernstein, begpack, Raphael Pangalangan, Begpacking, ” Pangalangan, ” Hatton, Hatton, it’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, Rosen, of Hospitality Management, University of Central, Hong Kong Polytechnic, Language Institute, Thamassat University, Michelin, European Union Locations: Hong Kong, Asia, Kong, Thailand, India, Indonesia, begpackers, University of Central Florida, Hong, Kowloon, Europe, begpacking, Bangkok, North America, Malaysia

☆ I moved from the US to Sweden after struggling with burnout. Now I have 6 weeks of paid vacation per year and rarely work overtime.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Now she rarely works overtime, gets six weeks of paid vacation a year, and got a free master's. In Sweden, if you work late, your boss might flag that your workload is too high, or that you're not capable enough to do your work within work hours. His company sponsored both of our residencies and work visas, so we had the ability to live and work in Sweden full time. I get six weeks of paid vacation every year and I use it allSweden's Annual Leave Act gives workers the legal right to take at least four weeks of consecutive paid vacation between the months of June and August. My company gives us six weeks of paid vacation per year, and I take all of it.

☆ Russia is floating a plan to build a village for conservative Americans who want to move to a 'Christian country' and are tired of liberal ideology in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is building a village for US expats who are tired of liberal ideology, a lawyer told state media. Russia has in recent years sought to position itself as a bastion for "traditional" moral values. Putin has, in recent years, sought to portray Russia as a country that stands for "traditional" moral, social, and religious values. It said Russia was in a "unique position" to defend and spread conservative views, which the decree called "traditional Russian moral and religious values." The village project also comes as Moscow's war on Ukraine and resulting international sanctions have sullied Russia's reputation among tourists and expatriates.

☆ Singapore firms scramble to soften blow of soaring rent costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Chen Lin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

But with private housing rents in Singapore maintaining the scorching pace of gains in 2023, those steps are likely falling short, forcing expatriate workers to even consider leaving the city for good. An exodus of foreign talent due to unaffordable housing costs would be a setback to Singapore in fulfilling its ambitions of becoming a technological and innovations hub. EXPAT WOESRecruitment companies said most expats in Singapore do not get housing allowances as companies are controlling their costs amid an uncertain global economy. That is cold comfort for Briton Natalie, who has been living in Singapore for 15 years and is facing a S$3,200 increment in monthly rent. ($1 = 1.3274 Singapore dollars)Reporting by Chen Lin in Singapore; Editing by Xinghui Kok and Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nightmare in Sudan: African expats struggle to find way out
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Macdonald Dzirutwe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Thousands piled into buses and trucks for the 800 km (500 miles) journey by road from Khartoum to Port Sudan on the Red Sea to board ships. He had to wait four more days for transport to Port Sudan, an overnight trip. After a week, word reached them that there would be transport leaving from their embassy for Port Sudan. RSF fighters stopped the family along the way but let them pass when he said he was looking for food for his son. From Port Sudan, they travelled via cargo ship to Saudi Arabia.

☆ The best checking accounts for getting cash abroad in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Liz Hund | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Many of the most popular checking accounts charge foreign transaction and ATM fees, which can add up quickly. Best checking accounts for traveling abroad in 2023Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking Account: Best overall for travelers with no foreign transaction fees and reimbursed ATM surcharges. Schwab Bank Investor Checking Account: Best overall for travelersSchwab has one of the best checking accounts for international travelers. This makes the Schwab Bank Investor Checking Account our top checking account pick for most travelers. This is significantly higher than the industry average, and is one of the best checking account APY’s we’ve seen.

☆ Irsina, the Italian village being repopulated by Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Silvia Marchetti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

More than 15 families from the US and Canada have bought old properties in this remote village, known for its premium wheat fields and olive groves. The first foreign “pioneer” to buy a house in Irsina was Sandy Webster, a 63-year-old writer from San Diego. The couple fell in love with the village, bought an old house with thick stone walls, antique furniture and ancient maiolica-tile floors, and spent four years renovating it. “When we got here in 2016, over 80% of the population had fled to the newer district of Irsina, the old Irsina was empty and we loved how it looked. Their house, built into the old village walls, was on sale for 70,000 euros ($77,000).

☆ Australia unveils direct pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, April 22 (Reuters) - Australia announced on Saturday a direct pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders living in the country, reversing controversial visa rules a day before a visit by New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Hipkins, set to visit Queensland state's capital Brisbane on Sunday, hailed the move as "the biggest improvement in the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia in a generation". "Kiwis taking up Australian citizenship will still retain their New Zealand citizenship. The changes also meant children born in Australia since July to an Australia-based New Zealand parent would be automatically entitled to Australian citizenship, he said. Around 670,000 New Zealand citizens live in Australia, while there are around 70,000 Australians in New Zealand, according to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

☆ Australia eases pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Australia announced on Saturday a direct pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders living in the country, reversing controversial visa rules a day before a visit by New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. Hipkins, set to visit Queensland state’s capital Brisbane on Sunday, hailed the move as “the biggest improvement in the rights of New Zealanders living in Australia in a generation”. “Kiwis taking up Australian citizenship will still retain their New Zealand citizenship. The changes also meant children born in Australia since July to an Australia-based New Zealand parent would be automatically entitled to Australian citizenship, he said. Around 670,000 New Zealand citizens live in Australia, while there are around 70,000 Australians in New Zealand, according to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“According to the information we have in Khartoum, 50% of hospitals have been out of action in the first 72 hours,” said Abdalla Hussein, the Médecins Sans Frontière operational manager for Sudan. On Wednesday, Japan said it was preparing to send its military to evacuate nationals from Sudan. Smoke rises during clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, Sudan, on Wednesday. The RSF denied the claims, blaming Sudan’s armed forces for committing the crimes while wearing RSF uniforms. The armed forces have denied involvement in the violations, and reiterated accusations that the RSF has committed crimes against humanity.

☆ Apple continues to quietly build on its fintech ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In payments, specifically, its made progress via Apple Pay, the Apple Wallet, and the Apple Card. On Monday, Apple took another step deeper into financial services, announcing the launch of a high-yield savings account (4.15%) via its Apple Card. And now, as Goldman tries to salvage what's left of its consumer dreams, Apple continues to roll on. What's not clear, though, is what type of terms Goldman gets for serving as the back-end partner partner. Click here to read more about the top eight executives shaking up payments, including a key leader at Apple Pay.

Stringer/ReutersThe RSF denied those reports, telling CNN in a statement that it “will never assault any UN staff or employees. Meanwhile, tense efforts to establish a ceasefire have ramped up, with the UN calling for rival factions to end their hostilities. Satellite imagery of the smoke plume at Khartoum International Airport on Sunday. The Sudanese Armed Forces later issued conflicting statements on a proposed 24-hour ceasefire, intended to go into effect later on Tuesday. Both sides had previously agreed to a three-hour ceasefire on Sunday, and again on Monday, with fighting resuming afterward, Perthes said.

☆ Yonder, a fintech startup that helps expats get credit cards and offers rewards for spend, raised $78 million in debt and equity using this 11-slide pitch deck
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Callum Burroughs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

London-based fintech startup Yonder has raised $78 million in debt and equity. Yonder, a London-based credit card startup, has raised $78 million in debt and equity in a new funding round. Yonder previously brought in $26 million in debt and equity as part of a seed funding round. This latest raise comes in the form of £12.5 million, about $15.7 million, in equity and £50 million, roughly $62.6 million, in debt. Yonder also plans to launch in two further unspecified cities and offer more events to users with its new capital, Chong said.

☆ Singapore rent prices are still sky-high. Long-time expats are having to consider drastic changes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

If rents continue to grow steadily, more residents will bite the bullet and purchase a property before paying higher prices for rent, Knight Frank's Christine Li said. Whether one's renting a room, an apartment or a house, long-time expatriates living in Singapore are digging deep into their pockets and making drastic changes to cope with rising rents. Some foreigners living here say their landlords may be taking advantage of an overheated property market to jack up prices — with some doubling the rent. "If rents continue to grow steadily, more people will just bite the bullet and purchase a property before paying higher prices for rent," she said. Justin Paget | Stone | Getty ImagesFrancesca said many potential landlords offered her "rent free deals" to convince her to agree to higher prices — that essentially translates to no rent for the first few months.

☆ The top 3 countries where it’s easy to settle into a new life abroad, according to expats
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Jennifer Liu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Traveling abroad is one thing, but starting a new life overseas is another. Expats who've moved abroad say Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore are the top three places where it's relatively easy to settle in, according to a 2022 Internations survey of nearly 12,000 expats around the world. Newcomers say it's easy to get a visa, find housing, access government services online and get around without speaking the local language. These expats are most likely to work in finance or banking, Internations says, and the countries aren't big spots for retirees. New residents there say it's easy to deal with local authorities, open a new bank account and access a robust digital infrastructure.

☆ In Beijing, French business community welcomes Macron's overtures
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, April 6 (Reuters) - Among the French business executives travelling to Beijing with President Emmanuel Macron, the mood was cautiously sanguine on the thawing post-pandemic trade prospects with China, with some rejecting American-led calls for 'decoupling'. It shows the business community is supported by the president, it's very important vis-à-vis the Chinese authorities," Thierry de la Tour d'Artaise, chairman of French appliance group SEB (SEBF.PA), told Reuters. The size of Macron's business delegation was criticised by some commentators, though. "Three-quarters of the delegation are business leaders: the goal is first and foremost to sign contracts," Raphael Glucksmann, a left-wing member of the European parliament, wrote on Twitter ahead of Macron's visit. Operating in China still presented challenges for French businesses, China-based French expats said.

Search resuls for: "expats"

25 mentions found