My husband and I are fed up with the winter in the UK and are looking to buy a holiday home either in Florida (my choice) or France (husbands choice). Any opinions as to which might be the better option. Would be grateful to hear anyones opinion.

If its purely a holiday home I'd choose florida. But if you intend to live there one day, I'd probably choose France as Florida is too far from family.

Our choices were Spain and Florida, but we came to Spain so we would be close to family if we wanted to pop back at any time

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France would also be the better choice purely for administrative reasons. I know couples who have bought a holiday home in Florida with the intention of living six months in Europe and six in Florida - but they run into visa problems due to the timing of their trips.

At least with France (or Spain) you're within the EU and can ignore the visa hassles.

The weather in Florida will be better than in France, and warmer than in the south of Spain. If you check the Spain forum, you will find references to microclimates, so that the town you chose has an impact on how cold or warm the winter weather will be.

For the US, check into the visa-free programs, and see if you are eligible for a long-term visa that will allow you 180 days per year in the US. Be careful about arrival and departure dates, because visas may be referred to as two-month or six-month, but they are really 60-day and 180-day visas. Also, the day you arrive counts as your last day in the country you left and the first day in the country you are entering. If you just look at the calendar and give yourself six months or 180 full days in the country, you will be overstaying your visa.

I ran into this going back and forth between Thailand and Burma, and Thailand and Malaysia. My 90th day in Malaysia, the day my visa expired, was only my 89th day out of Thailand.

Yes, agreed ..... I've been on holiday to Florida for 6 or 7 times, and I love it. Mind you, I did go in August one year and it was cold and wet!

As Bev says, I have heard people having problems with Floridian villas but then again I know of people with problems with property in Franca also so I guess its all relative

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Thanks for all your replies, the dollar rate is drawing me to Florida as it seems that you can buy a very grand house for very little money compared with Europe, especially as there appears to be a lot of repossessions in Florida at the moment.

This certainly is the time to buy! Be sure, however, that you buy somewhere where you can get property insurance. After the horrible hurricane season we had durning the Katrina years, it became impossible to get in some communities.

I don't think property prices are going to rebound, and they may well fall further, so you shouldn't rush. It's always smart to rent for a while first.

EU is the safer bet and convenient
Also cheaper when it comes to health and the country then is a personal matter
Southern Spain is the warmest in winter in EU....Costa Almeria claims to have the best climate which is one reason why we have chosen to winter there in due course
Near Huercal Overa, away from the tourist area but not isolated and prices are still reasonable; 2 bed villas in plots from 400m2 from 190.000€ including the 7% IVA

hi
we live in a village called fines, in almeria spain,
i suggest if your not to good at learning languages, i'd choose somewhere where they speak english, i'm finding it really difficult to get by, simple things like doctors and dentist and the wheather is not much better in the winter, you would have to have cental heating, it's been gale force winds here today
sometimes its really cold at night, far enough its warmer in the day about 14 or 15
we went to mojacar today and different again no winds and about 22
just some thoughts for you in the end its youre choice and its a big desicion
good luck
debs