Renovating in America

O

Ozzyrenovator

Hi yes I am new to this site and have come here with a specific question. Please only answer if you actually have property in USA as you are the target market.

So here's the question, if you want to renovate your American house is there a company that specifically deals with australian clients?

I am toying with the idea of moving to America during our winter months and renovating houses for Australians. I am trying to find out if there would be a market for this or if someone is already doing it?

I would imagine Australians would much rather deal with other Aussies when it comes to having value adding renovations done to there overseas investment. A trusting voice if you like, to deal with the job.

Please post or email me if you have any suggestions regarding this idea. Positive or negative I'm open to all feedback.

Thanks for your help, ozzyrenovator
 
If you can convince your would be Aussie clients that you are going to operate in the US and then pass on the much lower contractor prices to your Aussie clients then any client of yours is not in touch with reality. You obviously have the intention of creaming it otherwise you wouldn't be considering the move.

Personally my experience is that dealing with Aussies in the US is an even more likely reason to get ripped off.

What I find is that the Aussies that have set up over there know the sort of prices that you are used paying in Australia and actually increase the US prices to only be a little bit lower and then convince the Aussie bunny that they are getting a good deal.

Cheers
 
I have a friend who has renovated properties in the US (LA). Mexican labour is very cheap. There is a corner where a bunch of them stand each morning, and people drive around in a pickup truck and say 'I'll take you, you and you' like picking members for a sporting team.

The quality is obviously not there (when compared to Australian builders, who mind you would charge you 100x the amount but at the least the thing would stand the test of time). In fact, one of the considerations in this whole 'Australian houses are overvalued compared to xyz country' is that Australian homes are build much better, which is why they cost more. I remember living in the US and so many hotels etc you'd go to plug something into a wall socket and the thing would be barely hanging off the wall!

Interesting place. I'd imagine you'd have a heavy QA component to your role.
 
Thanks for your replies definatly gives me something to think about. Especially about myself or any other Aussie going there to do the work so we can rip fellow Aussies off, can't say that I had considered that?

It is an idea more for a lifestyle change rather then trying to earn HUGE amounts of profits. I would have assumed Australians would have felt more comfortable dealing with someone overseas who knows and understands the way that the investor expects the work to be carried out, and then there's that little issue of quality.... As mentioned above I know I wouldn't want some Mexicans picked up from the corner then brought to my house to work.

Thanks again for the replies anymore would be great
 
Hi Ozzyrenovator,

Thanks for your post.

I also had the dream of moving to the US a while back. I have been living and working with US real estate for the past year. I am based in Kansas City.

Its a different world here. The materials and construction ways are very different to Australia. It takes a while getting use to. The labour is cheap and there are Mexican workers that are legal. We have 2 Mexican painters that have green cards. There skills are amazing. I wish I could bring them back with me to Australia one day.

The living expenses are very low and most of my friends earn $30,000 - $40,000 per year and this is enough to enjoy in a decent lifestyle here in Kansas City.

The biggest drama you will have is in obtaining a visa. This is a long process that I don't even want to start typing about.

Please feel free to email me at [email protected]

I am happy to assist and answer any questions you might have.

Thanks and have great day.
 
Even that doesn't always work. My old Boss overstayed in the US while dating a American girl. Got banned for 10 years from the US , ended up marrying her and they lived happy expatriate lives.

Waited out the 10 years, then applied to go and visit her family. Rejected. Then got a dream job that required 2 weeks training that is only available in the US. Again rejected, after jumping through a million hoops eventually got approved for the 2 week visa.

Moral of the story, overstay your visa and even a Yankie lass can't help you.
 
Timocracy said:
Even that doesn't always work. My old Boss overstayed in the US while dating a American girl. Got banned for 10 years from the US , ended up marrying her and they lived happy expatriate lives.

Waited out the 10 years, then applied to go and visit her family. Rejected. Then got a dream job that required 2 weeks training that is only available in the US. Again rejected, after jumping through a million hoops eventually got approved for the 2 week visa.

Moral of the story, overstay your visa and even a Yankie lass can't help you.
Click to expand...

WOW

Timocracy,

Thanks for sharing. They are very very strict.

I am fortunate enough to have been granted the b1/b2 visa.

I also have a good friend who got denied twice for no reason.

I am actually in the process of getting an e2 visa which will allow me to stay 2 years at a time and it can be extended indefinitely. The information that is required for this visa is absolutely crazy. The regulations are so strict.

Thanks and have a great day.
 
Timocracy said:
Even that doesn't always work. My old Boss overstayed in the US while dating a American girl. Got banned for 10 years from the US , ended up marrying her and they lived happy expatriate lives.

Waited out the 10 years, then applied to go and visit her family. Rejected. Then got a dream job that required 2 weeks training that is only available in the US. Again rejected, after jumping through a million hoops eventually got approved for the 2 week visa.

Moral of the story, overstay your visa and even a Yankie lass can't help you.
Click to expand...

I was there a few days ago,and standing in line prior to going in they pulled several people from the entry point once they scan your prints eyes and face ,into a different room to have a look at what you intend to do in business terms in the US my wife was on the 14$ online visa she did not have a problem ,myself I spent about 3/4 hour waiting in a separate room with several other people from different countries and a few Australians were in there also,they talked to me 3 times over that period went back maybe checked the business visa that I had for I year checked declared,then they let me in,i,m not sure about the others as some may have not been 100% honest with what was on their visa paperwork,they have a lot of power those people at the airport and if you lie you will be on the first plane back to where you came from..all it takes is a few phone calls back to Australia to check and if they find any faults you will be banned for life,,,
 
willair said:
I was there a few days ago,and standing in line prior to going in they pulled several people from the entry point once they scan your prints eyes and face ,into a different room to have a look at what you intend to do in business terms in the US my wife was on the 14$ online visa she did not have a problem ,myself I spent about 3/4 hour waiting in a separate room with several other people from different countries and a few Australians were in there also,they talked to me 3 times over that period went back maybe checked the business visa that I had for I year checked declared,then they let me in,i,m not sure about the others as some may have not been 100% honest with what was on their visa paperwork,they have a lot of power those people at the airport and if you lie you will be on the first plane back to where you came from..all it takes is a few phone calls back to Australia to check and if they find any faults you will be banned for life,,,
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right, they will send you back home.

I lived in US in my twenties on a working visa which my employer organised and I know at that time if you secured a green card it was like winning lotto.

Haaa.... but times have changed and I would not want to live in USA today, gun happy, lovin' people... not for me.
 
Last edited:
They take it to the extreme.

The customs officers have full authority to do what they wish.

The different visa's have different regulations but it pretty much comes down to their interpretation of what kind of business you are conducting or not.

Thats why they ask same questions over and over again to see if your story isn't straight.

Thanks.
 
Aaron_C said:
Getting a tourist visa to visit the US is hard enough. I'd hate to imagine what a green card would be like.
Click to expand...

Rather difficult.

My brother has a green card due to marrying a local girl. He had to jump through a number of hoops, have interviews, and the whole process required the use of a lawyer to navigate. Even though he was a legitimate immigrant, the process had about a 60% chance of success, and was very expensive.

Not only that, but when he renewed it, the card was lost in the post. Unlike Oz, where a visa is tied into a passport, it meant that he had to go through the whole cycle again!
 
Graemsay said:
Rather difficult.

My brother has a green card due to marrying a local girl. He had to jump through a number of hoops, have interviews, and the whole process required the use of a lawyer to navigate. Even though he was a legitimate immigrant, the process had about a 60% chance of success, and was very expensive.

Not only that, but when he renewed it, the card was lost in the post. Unlike Oz, where a visa is tied into a passport, it meant that he had to go through the whole cycle again!
Click to expand...

WOW,

Thanks for sharing.

Crazy stuff
 
Just got news that my E2 business visa has been approved.

WOW,

What a process that was.

It allows me to do business in the country for 2 years and it an be extended indefinitely.

Thanks and have a great day.
 
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