# questions about Texas, especially San Antonio



## ignatzmouse (Mar 5, 2009)

questions about Texas, especially San Antonio

Can anyone advise us about

1. immigrating on an investor visa
2. taxes- local + federal, city v country, ag exempt land/ property
3. are we eligible for free public schooling for a 12 year old- grade 6- if stay for an initial experiment for 3 months?

Thanks in advance

We are a family of 4, aged 51, 41, 19 and 12.
Currently living in London, England.
Architect/ space entrpreneur and interior designer.

iain at meek dot demon dot co dot uk


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

I've moved your post over to the US forum where I think you might get a few more replies.
Cheers,
Bev


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Investor visa - USISC.com
Taxes - Google is your friend. Pull maps by city and county then the tax assessor for city and county. 
School - unless you are a legal resident your child is not eligible to attend public school.
3 months experiment - what do you mean by that? If you are eligible you can enter up to 90 days on visa waiver program as tourist. There is no "moving to the US on trial basis".


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

ignatzmouse said:


> 1. immigrating on an investor visa
> 2. taxes- local + federal, city v country, ag exempt land/ property
> 3. are we eligible for free public schooling for a 12 year old- grade 6- if stay for an initial experiment for 3 months?
> 
> ...


This one confuses me greatly. You're asking about an investment visa but don't say which. This involves many $$$. Then you say you're only coming for an experiment for 3 months? It's looking like an expensive holiday to me. Anyway,
1/ Don't use an E2 if you love your children.
2/ Buy a ranch and put a cow on it if you want to lower your property taxes.
3/ Everyone gets grade schooling. See: Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982).


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## ignatzmouse (Mar 5, 2009)

*thank you*

Many thanks for that to Bevdeforges

IM



Bevdeforges said:


> I've moved your post over to the US forum where I think you might get a few more replies.
> Cheers,
> Bev


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## ignatzmouse (Mar 5, 2009)

*taxes, schools and trials*

Dear Twostep

Many thanks for your helpful reply.

We have hunted through Google for some time and came to the conclusion that tax in the USA is "a very complex field". However we have eventually tracked down the Bexar County site which helps a bit. The best and worst states for taxes - MSN Money suggests that Texas is about 41st to 43rd for taxes in the USA. We are wondering if we should just appoint a tax advisor who can tell us what it all means!

Our big concern is what seems to be crippling property taxes including school taxes. It is likely that we will have to send our daughter to private school which adds about $25,000 to our outlay as she is dyslexic and needs small class sizes to keep up. Also see your point below. 

We are planning to go on a tourist visa and put our daughter in school for a term to see how it goes. We've already visited Texas and San Antonio last year for a couple of weeks and loved it. If one term works, we would apply for Investor resident status.

Thanks again

IM

ps sorry about the links but we can't post with url's


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## ignatzmouse (Mar 5, 2009)

*Deaths, cows and dyslexia*

Dear Fatbrit

We are looking at an EB-5 visa. Both my parents died last year and have left us enough to make the application ie $1/2M. We had looked at the E-2 but it seems to be a non-migrant. Are there other reasons regarding kids that we should avoid that one?

A good guess. We want to buy land to build a house on, preferably out on the North side around Boerne. Daughter wants a horse (as usual), wife wants to grow vegetables, eldest daughter (at at college in England) wants a vine yard. (I want to start a blues band). How does a cow help? Is this the ag exempt status? any idea where we can read up on this.

Looked up your Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982). Very interesting! We should probably book the little one into private middle school rather than get involved in a 5 year court case to get free schooling, also see my other reply re dyslexia.

Thanks a bundle though. We'll do some more research.

IM




Fatbrit said:


> This one confuses me greatly. You're asking about an investment visa but don't say which. This involves many $$$. Then you say you're only coming for an experiment for 3 months? It's looking like an expensive holiday to me. Anyway,
> 1/ Don't use an E2 if you love your children.
> 2/ Buy a ranch and put a cow on it if you want to lower your property taxes.
> 3/ Everyone gets grade schooling. See: Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982).


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

ignatzmouse said:


> Dear Twostep
> 
> Many thanks for your helpful reply.
> 
> ...


Given the size of the US the San Antonio market is not that large and complex. Use a good map, mark your necessities such as hospital, shopping, recreation and work your way outward.

Real estate taxes in TX are not worse than in other states. You can end up paying county/municipality plus water. We pay 9% sales tax and that on food as well:>( Read up on "mineral rights" as you may find a derrick in your yard one morning.

Private schools are pricey on both sides of the pond. Some churches maintain private schools and admit non-congregation members. You may want to look into that.

What is complicated? You have to pay property tax and if you are very lucky these taxes do not get assessed on an annual basis and can file homestead excemption on it as your primary residence. Your income will be taxed depending on factors pretty similar to the UK - amount, source ... minus appicable deductions such as child, certain expenses ... Read up on the site of IRS.

Good luck with this rather borderline sounding adventure. Have you bothered to go over the definition of VWP? Your investment may be short lived.

MSN.Money is a branch office of the tooth fairy:>) One of my neighborhoods has one of the highest per capita income numbers in the US but it gets thrown in with section 8 (assisted low income housing) and classic university housing neighborhoods for numbers concerning the city.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

ignatzmouse said:


> Dear Fatbrit
> 
> We are looking at an EB-5 visa. Both my parents died last year and have left us enough to make the application ie $1/2M. We had looked at the E-2 but it seems to be a non-migrant. Are there other reasons regarding kids that we should avoid that one?
> 
> ...


@You can buy all the land you want and build as long as it meets code. Some research will pay off as TX has odd laws governing minerals, water, access.
@Nothing wrong with growing vegetables as long as you can afford to water them.
@The vineyard may be an issue as your 19 year old may not be on your visa. Fatbrit will have a link about age limits of dependents.
@One more band will not polute the airwaves.
@County/city tax assessor can give you details for ag excemptions. Are you prepared to care for live stock?
@Your investment has to provide employment and make a profit. Something to consider. How far are you with biz plan, location, ...?


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

ignatzmouse said:


> We are looking at an EB-5 visa. Both my parents died last year and have left us enough to make the application ie $1/2M. We had looked at the E-2 but it seems to be a non-migrant. Are there other reasons regarding kids that we should avoid that one?


The EB-5 $0.5M has just closed and only Congress can reopen it, but the $1M program is still open. It's anybody's guess whether they will or not.
The E-2 is indeed a non-immigrant visa and there is no direct path to a green card. When your kids turn 21, they're on their own. It's a brutal visa that has cut up many lives.



ignatzmouse said:


> A good guess. We want to buy land to build a house on, preferably out on the North side around Boerne. Daughter wants a horse (as usual), wife wants to grow vegetables, eldest daughter (at at college in England) wants a vine yard. (I want to start a blues band). How does a cow help? Is this the ag exempt status? any idea where we can read up on this.


Texas raises money for local government services mainly through property taxes rather than a local income tax. Property tax is therefore higher than places where there is more emphasis on raising revenue from local income taxes. There are property tax breaks for ranches -- find out what you have to do to qualify.


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## nardy8 (Mar 10, 2009)

*Read this*

San Antonio investors, information related to investing in real estate 

Arcelia Trevino Lawyer
Phone at 210.626.8649. 

They provide a free initial consultation for every area except immigration law and contractual disputes, and they accept all major credit cards and are fluent in Spanish.


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## Fatbrit (May 8, 2008)

nardy8 said:


> San Antonio investors, information related to investing in real estate
> 
> Arcelia Trevino Lawyer
> Phone at 210.626.8649.
> ...


Personal recommend?
Recommend through other dealings?
Google?

or what?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

nardy8 said:


> San Antonio investors, information related to investing in real estate
> 
> Arcelia Trevino Lawyer
> Phone at 210.626.8649.
> ...



Ambulance chaser:>)
What good will an attorney without immigration background do for someone who wants to immigrate?

Martindale.com is a reputable site get information about attorneys/firms and their backgrounds.


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