Employment for Returning Expats

[Stephon.]

that is a good question,
I often wonder how people can go liming 2/3 times a week spending a couple hundred on alcohol, go movies another day,
eat out/lunch avg $40-50 and still have money.

but the answer is most of them living "home" and their priority investment in life is a car.

I don't get it. How are people surviving in Trinidad? How can you become homeowners on an average national salary of 8kTT/month? This is madness.

It's funny when I see 2012 vehicles parked up on the sides of the road. People rushing to spend their life savings to get a loan for a new elantra and don't even have a proper garage to park it in.

[eliteauto]

that is a good question,
I often wonder how people can go liming 2/3 times a week spending a couple hundred on alcohol, go movies another day,
eat out/lunch avg $40-50 and still have money.

but the answer is most of them living "home" and their priority investment in life is a car.

I don't get it. How are people surviving in Trinidad? How can you become homeowners on an average national salary of 8kTT/month? This is madness.

It's funny when I see 2012 vehicles parked up on the sides of the road. People rushing to spend their life savings to get a loan for a new elantra and don't even have a proper garage to park it in.

like you drive through West Moorings last night?

[carmelo]

With the current feeding frenzy and eat ah food behavior now plaguing our society .... Jobs are now offered to the friends of the current cabal

[Stephon.]

that is a good question,
I often wonder how people can go liming 2/3 times a week spending a couple hundred on alcohol, go movies another day,
eat out/lunch avg $40-50 and still have money.

but the answer is most of them living "home" and their priority investment in life is a car.

I don't get it. How are people surviving in Trinidad? How can you become homeowners on an average national salary of 8kTT/month? This is madness.

It's funny when I see 2012 vehicles parked up on the sides of the road. People rushing to spend their life savings to get a loan for a new elantra and don't even have a proper garage to park it in.

like you drive through West Moorings last night?

Doubt the people in west moorings are emptying their bank accounts for cars though lol.
But driving through some streets there are annoying as hell.

[AbstractPoetic]

AFAIK HDC developments are for ppl under a certain income (or those with political links). The irony of the Trinidadian Middle Class is that they earn too much to qualify for an HDC house but too little to afford houses on the open market.

WOW. You've summed up the conundrum of the millenium. All too sad when you think of it. I guess its best to buy land and build slowly.

Foreign credit scores are used locally particularly Trans union.

Thank goodness!

[AbstractPoetic]

gl getting a hdc house

Small ting, man. I hear its who you know inside dey, eh!

[Sky]

Btw, HDC houses can take up to 15-20 years to come through. If you start saving when you apply, you might be able to coast on them when they finally offer you something because you can now buy a house cash.
Buying land and building is the best option for middle class.
what you're overlooking AP, is that even though real estate's a bi+ch, other things are faily cheap.
Food will be cheap if you swallow your pride and avoid the big groceries and frequent the small supermarkets around. Beers are relatively cheap, so that's why people could lime so much.
Thanks to Raptor, a lot of electronics are also cheap. Sometimes cheaper than importing it yourself when you count the hassle. Some people buy a house and car and are in the scrunting zone, but they get by with minimal stress. Only bad habits would sink them.

[Death-Row]

words like locals and accents etc damn i really feel like im in the bush on some cast away island hahahaha.


AP, it really looks like you have ur views set in stone already, ur just looking for people who share those same views to confirm yours and make urself feel better. you've shut down most information posted in some way or the other unless it was going in a certain direction. i know most of the others have seen this also and thats why they think you really haven't changed and they just gonna mess with you lol.


i really hope ur not right about returning expats being soo good and all. i really would hate for trinidad to follow suit as a country like USA, sadly happening already but maybe its just a "fad." They already in a sheit hole, trinidad could learn but dont follow.


blehhh, not even gonna continue on this again yes lol its been said to many times. AP, good luck with ur move, wish you the best.

[AbstractPoetic]

People make it sound impossible to get a house, you're not restricted to only 10% of the loan mount when you're trying to buy a house you know, and saving your money is an option.

Try saving up between $150,000TT - $300,000TT on a 8kTT/month salary...while paying a rent....and feeding hungry mouths.

pugboy, I more studying where folks getting money for $6000TT costumes to jump with band and pay for VIP tickets to fetes....where are people's priorities?

[pugboy]

I ain't too sure she want to live in HDC area though, lol

[AbstractPoetic]

Btw, HDC houses can take up to 15-20 years to come through. If you start saving when you apply, you might be able to coast on them when they finally offer you something because you can now buy a house cash.
Buying land and building is the best option for middle class.
what you're overlooking AP, is that even though real estate's a bi+ch, other things are faily cheap.
Food will be cheap if you swallow your pride and avoid the big groceries and frequent the small supermarkets around. Beers are relatively cheap, so that's why people could lime so much.
Thanks to Raptor, a lot of electronics are also cheap. Sometimes cheaper than importing it yourself when you count the hassle. Some people buy a house and car and are in the scrunting zone, but they get by with minimal stress. Only bad habits would sink them.

Sky, food is expensive! I was in TT last month and was bawking at some of the prices for bread, juice, flour, chicken and meat (OMG, rape!). I normally shop TruValu but plan to do more HiLo and Xtra Foods, grow my own and do market shopping for fruits and fish on the weekends. For bulk items, I will visit Price Smart. I do plan on shipping down a barrel of the more expensive items though - dishwashing liquids, paper towels, aluminum fowl, toilet paper, etc. I have some time to plan this.

As for vehicle, I'm not planning to be one of those Trinis who taking out big time loan to drive a fancy brand new car. I plan on paying for my car in full and it will be USED. I looking at owning a Honda or Toyota . The Range Rover and Audi could wait!

[AbstractPoetic]

AP, it really looks like you have ur views set in stone already, ur just looking for people who share those same views to confirm yours and make urself feel better. you've shut down most information posted in some way or the other unless it was going in a certain direction. i know most of the others have seen this also and thats why they think you really haven't changed and they just gonna mess with you lol.

Breds, what DOHTISHNESS yuh bringing to this thread? Where you see me "shut down most information" up in this thread? And if it does not apply in this space, then take it outside nah.

blehhh, not even gonna continue on this again yes lol its been said to many times. AP, good luck with ur move, wish you the best.

Thank you and take care!

[AbstractPoetic]

I ain't too sure she want to live in HDC area though, lol

Not all HDC developments are akin to Beetham Gardens/Laventille (places I cannot personally see myself living). There are quite a few decent establishments around.

[Sky]

See? Xtra Foods, Hi Lo, Tru Valu.
Dais stush place.
I talkin about shopping in Mahraj small grocery with meat shop on de side.
Place like Chatergoon's. Real Small man grocery, or the thousands of mini marts smeared all over the country. The only big store givin them competition is Price Smart, and you have to watch that carefully because they make you buy amounts you don't need.

[Conrad]

See? Xtra Foods, Hi Lo, Tru Valu.
Dais stush place.
I talkin about shopping in Mahraj small grocery with meat shop on de side.
Place like Chatergoon's. Real Small man grocery, or the thousands of mini marts smeared all over the country. The only big store givin them competition is Price Smart, and you have to watch that carefully because they make you buy amounts you don't need.

Isn't it usually the other way around (with the exception of Hi-Lo)? Larger groceries are able to offer better prices whereas smaller groceries can cater to the items you need urgently/in a short distance.

[r3iXmann]

See? Xtra Foods, Hi Lo, Tru Valu.
Dais stush place.
I talkin about shopping in Mahraj small grocery with meat shop on de side.
Place like Chatergoon's. Real Small man grocery, or the thousands of mini marts smeared all over the country. The only big store givin them competition is Price Smart, and you have to watch that carefully because they make you buy amounts you don't need.

Sky, i disagree

only some of the items in those places are overpriced (cosmetics etc)

most small man grocery prices are actually higher than the bigger stores. i assume this is because they can't afford to buy the same level of bulk *shrug*

right on pricesmart..good prices but you can end up buying a ton of stuff you don't need in there. i usually only go for water, meat and alcohol in there

[AbstractPoetic]

See? Xtra Foods, Hi Lo, Tru Valu.
Dais stush place.
I talkin about shopping in Mahraj small grocery with meat shop on de side.
Place like Chatergoon's. Real Small man grocery, or the thousands of mini marts smeared all over the country. The only big store givin them competition is Price Smart, and you have to watch that carefully because they make you buy amounts you don't need.

Chater who? I've never heard. Do they have locations throughout TT?

[teems1]

I ain't too sure she want to live in HDC area though, lol

Not all HDC developments are akin to Beetham Gardens/Laventille (places I cannot personally see myself living). There are quite a few decent establishments around.

Oh really?

Can you give me an example of 1 such HDC development area which would be deemed suitable?

All the HDC areas I've scoped out, it appears it was still too early to tell if they would degenerate into a mini Beetham/Laventille type of development.

[pugboy]

none are but it's not the development, its the people that live there, lol

I ain't too sure she want to live in HDC area though, lol

Not all HDC developments are akin to Beetham Gardens/Laventille (places I cannot personally see myself living). There are quite a few decent establishments around.

[Sky]

Different experiences I guess. The only thing I see the big stores have the smaller groceries beat on is the canned citrus juices.

[16 cycles]

shop around the groceries close by, prices fluctuate and some items are cheaper than others depending on the grocery you go to....

dollar saved is a dollar earned....

[Rory Phoulorie]

Oh really?

Can you give me an example of 1 such HDC development area which would be deemed suitable?

All the HDC areas I've scoped out, it appears it was still too early to tell if they would degenerate into a mini Beetham/Laventille type of development.

There is a new HDC development, townhouses, close to the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima. I saw the exterior in the night, but for a TOTAL cost of between $250,000 and $300,000 for a unit, it is a steal of a deal. The unit actually has architectural features, not a slab sided building like what you see in Oropune.

HDC also has a fairly good townhouse development being built up in Maracas, St. Joseph.

You just have not looked in the right areas.

[bluefete]

AP, just wanted to raise the point on the home ownership so you can compare to present situation + taxes required to pay etc when making your decision....

best of luck

if i pass in the bank again, i'll pick up the flier, think the interest rate was 6.5% with 20 year plan

Does that 6.5 percent apply if you're only borrowing a certain amount?

And no property taxes, right? That in and of itself is an advantage. Property taxes here are ridiculously high....and that's separate for having to pay a mortgage tax.

Don't get tie up there AP. That 6.5% is NOT for the life of the mortgage. That might be for 5 years and then the banks will find an excuse to either raise or drop (RARELY) the interest rate.

I tell anyone who is taking a mortgage from the bank to get the rates ironclad in writing. They always come back and say that the bank is cannot guarantee the rate for 20 25 years.

Variable mortgage interest rates ftl.

[Sky]

^^ Just hope they don't fill it with squatters.
teems1 is right. The majority of people that get those houses are of a certain type.
What do I mean? They can't behave jed. I does feel sorry for the decent people with neighbours who steal, are noisy, fight in the streets and playgrounds and bring undesirable elements into the neighbourhood. A fresh start and thas what they do. Say what allyuh want about me. People need to learn to behave.

[pete]

Who gettin those townhouses for 250-300k/month? You sure that's the actual price?

I applied for and HDC house but I'm not getting my hopes up. Trying to go the land and build route..

[pugboy]

hdc projects are basically a form of voter padding

ask anybody who living couva how they find it now crimewise
couva probably has the most hdc projects in the country

[pete]

People make it sound impossible to get a house, you're not restricted to only 10% of the loan mount when you're trying to buy a house you know, and saving your money is an option.

Try saving up between $150,000TT - $300,000TT on a 8kTT/month salary...while paying a rent....and feeding hungry mouths.

pugboy, I more studying where folks getting money for $6000TT costumes to jump with band and pay for VIP tickets to fetes....where are people's priorities?

WRT carnival costumes, $6k/year is just 500/month and most costumes aren't that much anyway.

On 8k/month you really can't do much. Even if you're saving half that every month, that's only 48k/year, to save 300k taking 6 years and who knows how real estate prices will be then. Even if you do manage to save up 300k, how much the house gonna be? You have to hope you find something under 700k which is not easy to do right now. Even land is out of reach for most people. All over chaguanas land is selling for 300-500k for a lot, don't talk about closer to Port of Spain. So you basically either pay a lot of the land or you have to live way in the bush and spend 4 hrs/day commuting.

I don't know how sustainable real estate prices are. To me it seems that people who have bought houses at 400k and almost paid off their mortgages looking to sell for all they put out and make a profit so they're selling at 800+. What happens to someone who buys at that and looks to do the same thing? Are all houses going to be 1.5mil up in 10 years?

[pugboy]

our economy is too small to follow normal rules of supply/demand
our real estate prices not coming down in a hurry as most people who selling don't really need to sell and can just hold
the only people who at risk are those couples who bought expensive townhouses in the late 90's-2000 and paying a high mortgage
but then again local companies don't really fire people when times are tough like in the US
so things really nice here

[rfari]

AP, just wanted to raise the point on the home ownership so you can compare to present situation + taxes required to pay etc when making your decision....

best of luck

if i pass in the bank again, i'll pick up the flier, think the interest rate was 6.5% with 20 year plan

Does that 6.5 percent apply if you're only borrowing a certain amount?

And no property taxes, right? That in and of itself is an advantage. Property taxes here are ridiculously high....and that's separate for having to pay a mortgage tax.

Don't get tie up there AP. That 6.5% is NOT for the life of the mortgage. That might be for 5 years and then the banks will find an excuse to either raise or drop (RARELY) the interest rate.

I tell anyone who is taking a mortgage from the bank to get the rates ironclad in writing. They always come back and say that the bank is cannot guarantee the rate for 20 25 years.

Variable mortgage interest rates ftl.

Nail on head. Folks either don't know or don't care at this. People scuff at me when I suggest ttmf and its 8%.

[Dizzy28]

Oh really?

Can you give me an example of 1 such HDC development area which would be deemed suitable?

All the HDC areas I've scoped out, it appears it was still too early to tell if they would degenerate into a mini Beetham/Laventille type of development.

There is a new HDC development, townhouses, close to the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima. I saw the exterior in the night, but for a TOTAL cost of between $250,000 and $300,000 for a unit, it is a steal of a deal. The unit actually has architectural features, not a slab sided building like what you see in Oropune.

HDC also has a fairly good townhouse development being built up in Maracas, St. Joseph.

You just have not looked in the right areas.

1. Santa Magarita just opposite Hugh Wooding Law School.
2. Federation Park

Both are high end HDC developments. Was a reward for party hacks in the last administration and I suspect the same applies now as not all units were assigned.