Canadian Snowbirds in Florida: The Guide to Buying in the Sunshine State

About the book

You have spent enough winters scraping ice off the windshield. This book is written for you, the Canadian who dreams of warm December mornings, palm trees, and a place in the sun that is truly yours. Written by a licensed Florida real estate broker who works with Canadian buyers every season, it walks you through why Florida has become the natural second home for hundreds of thousands of your fellow citizens, and exactly how to buy there with confidence. You will learn where Canadians cluster, from the famous 'Little Canada' around Hollywood and Hallandale Beach to the Gulf coast cities of Naples, Sarasota, and Fort Myers. You will understand the rules that matter most to you specifically: the Substantial Presence Test, the 182 day question, the Closer Connection Exception and Form 8840, FIRPTA at resale, the currency factor, and US estate tax exposure. You will see how foreign buyers finance, hold title, and protect themselves. Most of all, you will gain a calm, step by step plan so t

What you will learn

• Why Florida is the number one snowbird destination for Canadians, and what makes the lifestyle stick
• The legal and tax issues that are specific to Canadian buyers, explained in plain language
• How the Substantial Presence Test and the 182 day question really work, and how Form 8840 protects you
• What FIRPTA withholding means when a non resident eventually sells, and how to plan for it
• Where Canadians actually buy, from Hollywood and Hallandale Beach to Naples, Sarasota, and Fort Myers
• How the CAD to USD exchange rate affects your purchasing power and your strategy
• How foreign nationals get financing in the United States without a US credit history
• The pros and cons of owning personally, through an LLC, or through a cross border trust
• How to budget for closing costs, HOA fees, property taxes, and Florida hurricane and flood insurance
• A clear, step by step action plan from first search to closing day and beyond

About the author

Alberto Zaltzberg is a real estate broker in Florida and the author of hundreds of guides on real estate, investing, business and Jewish tradition. He writes practical, straightforward books to help readers make better decisions.

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