New members of the Puerto Rico forum, introduce yourselves here - 2021

Hi all - love this forum, great info!
We are a family of 4, plus a dog and two cats, considering a move for lifestyle, culture, adventure and Act 20/22/60 tax advantages.

My husband and I are 50, love great food, kitesurfing, windsurfing and tennis.

Our teen girls will enter 9th and 10th grade next year, they don’t speak Spanish (yet). (None of us do). They are top academic students so advice on top private schools is appreciated!

Location ideas welcome - we would like proximity to:
High level gymnastics (names of gyms?)
Competition equestrian, hunter jumper (name(s))?
Kitesurfing spots
And school of course!

Hubby and I can work from home so the location really centers around our kids school and activities.

All your experience and ideas are welcome, thank you in advance!

Come on down, the water is fine. It sounds like you are looking for a place like Dorado, PR.

I am an Expat in Dorado and I am considering starting a service to provide Property and Personal errand solutions to our Expat community. Ready to put my 20+ years of Puerto Rico involvement to use to help expats feel just a little bit more at home.

Back to your family, look into Dorado. Check out Tasis School for your daughters. I'm not sure there is Equine activity here, but the rest of it is.

Maybe too early, but I want to be the first to welcome you to Puerto Rico.

Moving the family to Palmas del Mar this year, from FL. Most of us speak Spanish. Excited!

Hello samlinc, GreenCaribbean & Cyclone33,

A warm welcome to all of you on behalf of the Expat.com team

Thank you for introducing yourselves, and telling us about the plans you have in Puerto Rico. You can interact with our members and ask them for insight they may have as expats by creating new threads on the Puerto Rico forum regarding subjects on which you are looking for information.

Best of luck,

Diksha

Hello everyone, Native New Yorker living in North Carolina but heavily considering the leap to PR.
My biggest worry is finding remote work (I have worked in banking/finance for 20 years and my husband works in IT for about the same) and learning the language (work in progress).

We fell in love with PR after our first trip in 2007 and have been traveling there 1-2x a year (sometimes 3) ever since. We are empty nesters so we don't need to worry about schools. We have a 1/2 acre lot but we stopped maintaining it after Maria so it's heavily overgrown and would need to be cleared before we decide whether to sell it or build on it.

Thank you,

Jackie

Welcome to the forum Angela!!

What part of PR are you interested in living in?

Hello there!  I am so excited to arrive next week in PR, with my main goal to view real estate for a move from California to PR.  I am really trying to find a fit to our lifestyle, which is my wife and I, we are selling our home, have 4 dogs, love diving, fishing, exploring, etc.  We have traveled through the west indies, and the central American countryside, and I speak Calif-Spanish, and get into conversational pretty easy (with a Calif. accent).  So what are thought about the real-estate market currently?  Seeming over priced, but generally speaking, I would like to know average counter offers, and great locations with land of 1 acre or so, with a house for 2 + dogs.  We love open space, and don't need to live on the beach (but for a great price.property it could happen).  Other than the desires we have, I would like to ask; what are the safety and security concerns to look for in a home and how often are the homes damaged by weather?  Thanks all!

Signed our contract on a home on the west coast of the island! My parents live there already (father is Puerto Rican) and my kids have been visiting with them during quarantine. Excited to get everything lined up and looking forward to the information and connections here in this forum!

Wow - congrats!  I am visiting PR for the first time next week... hoping to find my next home.

We’ve been looking since April of last year, so I am grateful the search is over. The realtor for the sellers has been fantastic to work with, much better than this other guy who apparently has quite the reputation for being a bit of a jerk 😂

The 90-day countdown begins! Haha

Hi all,

My family will be moving to Palmas del Mar in May. Lots to do before then, but the question we have now is about leasing a car. Will we need a puerto rican drivers license before getting the lease? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi there,

I'm flying out to San Juan on March 2nd to explore the area and research what it's like to live there and where I should consider moving. I plan on moving to Puerto Rico within the next couple of months, and would love to connect with expats while I'm visiting from the 2nd through the 7th.

Welcome, we've been here for 2 weeks. PR does not have a traditional leasing program similar to the mainland. You will have to pursue their balloon buying program, which is considered similar - but not really to me. Also, you don't have to have a DL before purchase. You will need income verification, lease/mortgage, and utility bill. Also, unless you're buying a hybrid/electric car, be prepared to pay 30-40% above value to cover the excise tax they pay to bring over. For example, 30k car over here in PR will run you close to 50k. Literally bought a new car 4 days ago. Also, they handle registration and plates - no paper temp tags. And, the insurance is handled by dealership and you have to pay the full year in advance. Its different too, so ask lots of questions. Make sure to register for the autoexpresso (ez pass basically) for roads too. Have fun!

tinatrenet wrote:

Welcome, we've been here for 2 weeks. PR does not have a traditional leasing program similar to the mainland. You will have to pursue their balloon buying program, which is considered similar - but not really to me. Also, you don't have to have a DL before purchase. You will need income verification, lease/mortgage, and utility bill. Also, unless you're buying a hybrid/electric car, be prepared to pay 30-40% above value to cover the excise tax they pay to bring over. For example, 30k car over here in PR will run you close to 50k. Literally bought a new car 4 days ago. Also, they handle registration and plates - no paper temp tags. And, the insurance is handled by dealership and you have to pay the full year in advance. Its different too, so ask lots of questions. Make sure to register for the autoexpresso (ez pass basically) for roads too. Have fun!

Very useful information! Thank you!

Hey Guys,

I've been living in Puerto Rico for a while now, but still consider myself an expat.

I know Puerto Rico can be a little over and underwhelming at times.  So if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

I am also a foodie, and created a website not too long ago for local restaurants.  So if you need any good food suggestions in your area, I'm the guy.

***

Hi everyone!

We are Julia and L.J. and we arrived in Puerto Rico around the end of January on our sailboat. We are both from the USA, but have not lived there in many years. We have been expats in Germany, Spain, France, Grenada, and now here in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico and her welcoming people have captured our hearts and we are very excited to be here and make a home for ourselves. We already have found some helpful information on this forum and we look forward to learning more.

Thanks for this helpful forum!
Julia & L.J.

Hi I am Brian and I am thinking about moving to PR from Los Angeles at the end of the year. Looking to find more information and seeing if this is the right place for me. I look forward to interacting with this fine community.

Hello
My name is Diana and I am thinking about moving to P.R in the next two years. Im a veteran and am looking at employment opportunities at the VA in San Juan. Im excited about being a member to this blog and I look forward to talking with other members.

Also from So Cal heading to the island.  Setting up my strategy. Make sure you have a mission plan!

Good Luck

Hi!  My name is Dawn, I am going to be spending some time in Puerto RIco starting April 8th, looking at properties, exploring the island etc.  I am excited about the prospect of picking up a second home on the island with the intention of making it a full time residence.

I have always wanted to “retire” in the Caribbean and have spent some time knocking around the waters.  I have spent time on St. Croix, spent 6 months on St Thomas working as a nurse and spent 3 months in Roatan, Honduras.  Loved all those places!   

Not gonna lie,  totally excited about the idea of having the jungle and beach AND the outlet malls and IKEA lol.   

So glad I found this forum!  Looking forward to learning lots!

Dawn

Hi-
  Moved here mid March with intent to lease.  There is NO lease program here!  I ended up with a Mazda on an 84 mo. purchase, which I figured would be about like a lease would be if I traded it in for a new car in 3 years.  Hopefully it would be at a break even point at that time.  By the way Mazda has NO in-house financing, it was done thru a local bank.  AND, it took 6 hours to do the deal!  You must have a good credit rating and if no PR driver's license, you MUST show actual SS card!  Ours was in a pod in transit and we were hounded almost daily until our pods arrived and we had access to our cards. It was an ordeal until my wife called another Mazda dealer who gave us a lower price over the phone and so our dealer matched it and we bought the car.  I would also advise getting the smallest car that works for you if you plan to live in San Juan as streets are narrow and parking is to match.

Retiring to Puerto Rico

My wife and I are retiring to Puerto Rico the end of this year.   We are active and in our early 60's.  Looking for something in or near a  golf/tennis community, love hiking and the outdoors, like to snorkel and scuba dive.   Prefer the mountains to the beach.  Looking to buy or rent starting in November but don't have a location picked out.   We have a healthy budget to buy something, $2 million.  Ideally like somewhere in the country side with some land.  Close enough to town for groceries and restaurants but quiet.   No condos.   Any suggestions?

Hello everyone I am new here my name is Jasmine and I will be moving to PR in a few months. My boyfriend is already there and I will join him with our son once he is settled. My son is almost 7 and I am just wondering about school during this pandemic and meeting new people. We are California natives and none of us know Spanish so I am nervous on if I need to learn prior to moving or if my son will have a hard time in schools. I’m hoping to meet some new people also or moms and hopefully have some play dates my son and I love meeting new people and we love the outdoors. I am a home baker and love cooking and having a good laugh. My boyfriend works for the airlines so we also love traveling and seeing new places. I’m so excited and nervous for this new beginning and can’t wait for this fresh new start

Hey Jasmine!  Early welcome to the island.  What part of the island are you guys relocating to?  We met most of our local friends at the beach.  Having a kid is a lot like having a dog.  The kids find each other.  We've met some fantastic families and meeting people has been really easy this way.

Hello, we will be relocating to Isla Verde. My son loves the beach , I think he was a fish in his past life lol, so I hope he can definitely make friends there.

Hello,
My name is Roman. I am 37. Planning to move to Puerto Rico at the end om March. Happy to join the community

Native New Yorker. Never thought Id leave but current situation in the state is a mess to say the least. My partner is in finance & talk about a possible move to PR came up about a month ago. We went down for 7 days, saw as many houses as we could & threw an offer out for a cute little jungle of a place in Guaynabo. The family accepted all our contingencies & we are moving in June 1st. Naturally everyone thinks Im crazy, I speak broken high-school spanish (which actually caused a hilarious mix up during one house showing) & have a 9 year old introverted son, plus two wild dogs that i'll be schlepping down myself. But I really did fall in love with PR for the brief time I spent there. Everyone is warm, friendly, good-crazy... My son was invited to roast marshmallows around a fire one night with a family of spanish speaking kids, watching him smile & laugh with them, while only understanding the word "chocolate" is a memory im holding onto!
Looking forward to connecting on this forum with others in a similar situation!

Hi Dawn,
I am a teacher and ready to retire, Rented a condo for the month of JANUARY in Culebra and plan on going back and forth. Im also spent time in STX and STT and actually lived on STX for about 2-3 years but left because of the crime. I found Culebra to be absolutely beautiful, everything like STX e minus the crime! connect w me if you come over there in JAN    [link moderated]. My college roommate is a former Olympic windsurfer and she teaches there!

My friend teaches windsurfing in Culebra, She was a former Olympian champ! Lisa Penfield google her

Hello!

My family is relocating from California to Puerto Rico this June.  I was born and raised in Mayaguez but have been in California most of my life. We love watching Caribbean Life and House Hunters International.  One night I told my husband, why not try my little island?!
We really want to slow down and have quality time with our daughters plus we want them to learn Spanish and enjoy the kind of childhood I had.
We just bought a place in Palmas del Mar and hope to meet other families with kids. We also brought our friendly Husky from California as well. 
I need some advice regarding schools.  One of our daughters will be in 4th grade and the eldest will be a senior this year.

Hi there,

I'm looking to gather more information on the expat experience living in Puerto Rico and families who have made the move. My husband has a job offer to re-locate to PR as a power line man to help re-build power lines. We are in our mid thirties and have three kids ages 11, 4, and under 1 so it will be a big move. We are really up for a new adventure. We are Canadians and my husband is originally from Colombia,  we really want our children to become fluent in Spanish.

Looking for advice on the transition of re-locating with children, school enrolment and what to expect overall.

Hi everyone!

I am a filipino currently living in Canada with permanent status,

I’m planning to move in Puerto Rico for good but dont know where to start.

I hope we have someone here to guide me.

GRACIAS!

Hi,
    I'm originally from NY and a recent transplant from FL.
I'm retired on Social security and would like recommendations about where in PR to live on a fixed income.
     I have 2 small pets, would like a/c, washer/dryer, near beaches, English speakers, good restaurants, safe neighborhood with good cell and streaming reception. Does anyone have any recommendations?
     At the moment I'm residing in Guayama and it's too rural for me. Cell and cable reception is awful.


Thanks in advance for your assistance. It will be greatly appreciated.

drkaye1031

Hi! 

My family and I moved here in April 2019.  I purchased a home in Bayamon this past November and I absolutely love it!!  If we can be of any assistance let us know.  We are self employed here, looking to network and help others who also want to make the move.  Its an exciting process and learning Spanish is important (I still stubble thru sometimes but I think most people do speak some English).  What part of the island are you moving to?

Hi;

I Spent 20 years with large Tech companies for first 20 years on MA and CA - DEC, IBM, SUN - Management Sciences Consulting, Technology Management, AI, Expert Systems, Market Development, Product Management, District Professional Services, Market Research manager of $2B business, Networking Manager, Managed SUN's premier CPU business _ ULTRAsparc, etc.

Then joined the Small Tech startup industry in Silicon Valley  for 20 more years ..

Have landed in San Juan Condado - ocean view on May 3rd, to understand potential next steps in PR.

Looking at driving initiatives in the emerging Digital Economy.

Enjoying and suffering at new location - however this is the best initiative after the 1 year Covid lockdown.

Love relaxed environment, food (like it more spiced though), ....and more coming soon I hope.

Hate mosquitos, Sand Tics/Mite, and no response from Puerto Rico Transport Car Transport, since they forgot to pick up my car in CA on 6/3.

Love to all,

Hi,
Glad to hear your in Bayamon. That is where we would like to be,  however,  ×we're looking for land Around 2 acres with house. Plus, it must have close Ocean view or easy beach access. Do you know of any?  Plus, we would like to use crypto currency. Do you know anyone that takes that yet. Thank you for any information or direction.
Carol

We are Beth and Billy from Texas. We are nearing retirement and would love to live near a beach. We had been considering Mexico, but we just returned from a short trip in Puerto Rico and we loved it! Our seat mate on the return flight suggested that we would love the community in Rincon.

We would love to be able to bring at least some of our dogs and cats, so they probably would be the source of most of our questions about moving.

I'm very glad I found this website and look forward to making many friends.

I am dubious about being taken advantage of because I speak only intermediate level Spanish. I desperately want to lease a senior's apt - my income is ~$2000/mo, I guess I would have to ship my furniture ($$ ???), have no idea how much that would be, as well as my car. I'm getting discouraged but still don't want to give up just yet.
Any - ANY - advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanx,
Sz

My experience …. not necessarily others experience.

As for the car, we used a company that books through Crowley out of Jacksonville FL. They contract for a lot of space so are cheaper than booking directly with Crowley. The cost was $1800. I dropped it in Jax, as I was from Florida. If you are somewhere else there is added cost shipping to Jax.  It took less than a week for the car to arrive in San Juan. The boat left Jacksonville on Friday, I dropped on Wednesday, it was in San Juan on Monday.

Now the hard part, picking it up at Crowley. First, it is hard to find the port lot, second the process changed due to COVID so the instructions were out of date, third you have to go to the Crowley office, then to another Crowley area to pay, then to a trailer where a company collects the SURI tax, then it’s lunch time and everything shuts down, then back to Crowley to get another stamp, then through security to find your car. Finally, it was hard to get insurance as you need the car registered in PR and right now it takes a couple weeks to get an appointment, use the CESCO Citas site.

As an aside, the people at CESCO, their DMV, were extremely helpful. Don’t hesitate to say you don’t speak Spanish. I would try and book a CESCO appointment to register your car a few weeks before it is scheduled to be here, and remember it must be here because you will need the bill of landing and  SURI tax receipt to register it.  You don’t need an expediter just translate the CESO site and make sure you use the SPECIAL link as this is for registration, licenses take 3 months.

So it was a difficult experience and the Crowley people were truly indifferent to their customers. It took 6 hours and the SURI tax was $4,100 for a 2018 Hyundai Tucson SE. you can find the SURI tax from the Hacienda SURI site. Most companies that offer transport services have the link on their site.

We left most of our things in Florida as many apartments and homes are rented or sold furnished. UPAC, is a shipper, the costs change every day and doubled from when I first inquired in January to my trying to book in April. It is easy to get a quote on their website. So we have some thing is storage in Florida.