We are what it says on the tin; The Association of Foreign Property Owners, meaning people from one country - their homeland - who have an interest in property in another country.
We call this their second country, though there are many AFPO members with more than one 'second' country. Such as an Englishman with a houses in France and Spain.
Members are a wider group of people than might be thought. There are those who are intending to purchase in a second country, and naturally they want to know everything there is to know as they plan and make the purchase. Owning a property is not a condition of membership. An ambition to own abroad is sufficient.
Then, that our name is in English hints that this is an Association that was formed specifically to assist English speaking people who want to invest or own or start a business in another country.
That too is a wider group of people than might be thought, but aspect this is a little more complex.
The Association was born out of the fact that people from English speaking countries, whose country has a culture and legal system that is based upon English law of one or two hundred years ago can face quite serious issues when they purhcase property in, for example, Napolionic law based countries.
Almost everything to do with assets and taxes is the opposite between one system and the other. None of which is obvious.
And so AFPO was formed to assist 'English speaking people', whether from The U.S.A, Canada, Australia, Ireland, The UK or almost any Commonwealth country to purchase and own property or businesses in the likes of France, Spain, Italy and so on.
Though has come to provide a useful service to english speaking people buying in such as Mexico, New Zealand, Thailand.
Then, what the Association provides has turned out to be of interest to people who speak English well from the likes of Norway, Holland, Sweden to understand the detail of owning in France or Spain - even though those systems are not so unfamiliar to them. Simply because of the detail we strive to provide.
Members do also have several other reasons for joining, such as to meet other 'foreigners abroad' who speak English, no matter what country either originates from.
AFPO in a particular country gives its members the opportunity to get to know each other.
++++++++
There have never before been so many people and families enjoying owning property in a country other than their homeland.
That journey can be exciting and fun.
When dreams just fall into place and everything is going well, there seems no need to study what is taking place in detail.
But, when things become complex, or go wrong, in a foreign country, involving another language, it is worrying.
For good reason.
And can be very expensive.
Help and advice, in English, in a hurry, can be hard to find - and will be expensive.
The Association of Foreign Property Owners is a members organisation who exist to be there to help you THROUGH any worries in your journey.
Though preferably that help starts BEFORE the journey.
Through boxed sets of information and tutorial podcasts, videos and PDFs.
Let's return to the worries side of things later.
Because the bulk of what AFPO does is to help you enjoy your journey, to owning a property in another country.
xxxxxxx
AFPO encourages you to enjoy understanding everything there is to know about the location you have chosen to invest in before you spend.
Whether yourplans involve a holiday home, an investment into a business, an investment into a touristic letting property, part and part - or - you are buying a place to retire.
The local AFPO, in the part of the world that excites you, can be hugely helpful BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER you buy. All achieved by whatever suits you best. Podcasts on eveery aspect of the ROAD TO . Such as 'The Road To Spain', or 'The Road To Mexico'.
A library of Boxed Sets is available onevery conceivable topic. Information about any topic is free, simply by registering as an AFPO Associate Member.
It is only when you require Tutorials - involving step by step instruction about how to do 'something' (e.g. buy a property, buy a car, write a will) that you will need to step up to being a Full Member for a period of time.
And IF something goes wrong, then you are not alone, and can expect full support and solutions.
Becuase when a hundred or a thousand Full Members are paying £150 per year or £15 per month into the kitty - in order to solve members issues the results are fast and spectacular.
Yet for most of the time members, as Associate Members, paying NOTHING.
Associate Members receive a periodic newsletter and access to a library of information PODEOS - podeos are podcasts that can be viewed on a video platform - that provide an overview of everything in that country where you are a Foreign Owner.
It is only when an Associate Member needs step by step TUTORIALS about how to DO something, that they need step up to Full Membership, for as long as it takes to solve the problem.