When/If to sell ladies apartment?

[JohnDearGreen]

Ladies:
How many year(s) after being married in another country before you plan to sell your apartment?
Or will you keep wanting to spend thousands$ each year traveling back to take care of an apartment
that is only worth a few thousand$ ?

[docetae]

My wife will sell her apartment when the market will be a little better. We have already fixed threshold value to sell it, with the money, we have planned to buy one apartment that will be used by our children when the will leave house.

And why do you assume it is worth only a few thousands $ ?

[Gylden]

I am sure it is different for everyone, there are so many variables. My wife sold her apartment after receiving permant residence status. A friend of ours, will never sell hers, as a matter of fact she bought another one, mostly because her children are still there.

[Misha]

How many year(s) after being married in another country before you plan to sell your apartment?

My wife sold her room shortly after we wed. I explained to her that her local housing market was a bubble and would soon pop. I was right and she sold her room at close to the peak. It was worth a lot more than a few thousand dollars 

[Nat]

Ladies:
How many year(s) after being married in another country before you plan to sell your apartment?
Or will you keep wanting to spend thousands$ each year traveling back to take care of an apartment
that is only worth a few thousand$ ?

First - flats are worth much more than a few thousands, second - it can be rented, and the rent will compensate payments for water, heating, etc.

[Doll]

Nat, by "few" he means quite a bit. He knows how much it is.

[Lily]

Ladies:
How many year(s) after being married in another country before you plan to sell your apartment?
Or will you keep wanting to spend thousands$ each year traveling back to take care of an apartment
that is only worth a few thousand$ ?

JohnDearGreen,

An apartment is usually the most considerable asset a Russian person may have at all. As it has been noted earlier, most apatments are worth much more than a few thousands $. On the other hand, apartments of a few thousand may not be markertable at all.

To sell or not to sell, that depends on every partucular life and family situation. Many immigrants sell their flat as soon as it is clear that they never return to Russia to live. This often helps them financing their first mortgage.

Another factor in decision to dispose an apartment would be remaining extended family, of any. The relatives may use the flat and take care of it, while the master is establishing herself overseas.

[Nat]

Nat, by "few" he means quite a bit. He knows how much it is.

Doll, it was said "that is only worth a few thousand" My grammar book says "a few = not many, but enough" Ah, it doesn't really matter since it costs a few tens thousands dollars minimum (is it a word?) and may be the question was to sell or not to sell in general I wouldn't sell until I've been absolutely set up there and had a citizenship Besides, it can give profit in form of rent

[Jazzyclassy]

I am not going to sell my apartment , maybe when we are old we will move to Moscow, plus my family( grandparents) worked so hard to get it just for me to sell it for nothing, and as it was said it is property which always values, money is nothing in comparison to it

[KenC]

Doll, it was said "that is only worth a few thousand" My grammar book says "a few = not many, but enough" Ah, it doesn't really matter since it costs a few tens thousands dollars minimum (is it a word?) and may be the question was to sell or not to sell in general I wouldn't sell until I've been absolutely set up there and had a citizenship Besides, it can give profit in form of rent

Nat,
I took the meaning the same as you and English ismy 1st language.
KenC

[JohnDearGreen]

And why do you assume it is worth only a few thousands $ ?

Exact value not important.  i just meant to say it is not necessarily an investment property like in center of Kyiv or Moscow.  I have no idea how much a 'better than average" apartment in Vinnitsa is worth.  My uneducated guess would be $20000 max.  I would not want to buy one there as an investment, and I wouldn't expect it to appreciate much, even if prices are down this year.  I would think a main reason a lady would want to keep it would be a backout option if marriage did not work out and she could not economically survive in USA.  Lady might be a bit overconfident if she sells before getting her green card...

[OlgaH]

 I have no idea how much a 'better than average" apartment in Vinnitsa is worth.  My uneducated guess would be $20000 max.

I think it depends on location, condition, metric area and etc as anywhere.

Below is a website you can look
http://www.vinnica.etag.com.ua/c_3-kup-1.html

[mies]

Never. Would even buy second apartment in Ukraine.
Do you think your wife travels only to see the apartment? Maybe there are other reasons - like - she loves the place/country she was born at. She wants to visit relatives.

You cannot make a person to un-love the country/place. If you sell the apartment - either she will still travel, but now you'll also have to pay for the hotel during the trips. Or the trips will stop and you will make your wife utterly unhappy. Choose wisely.

[mies]

My uneducated guess would be $20000 max.

your guess is uneducated.

Vinnitsa is 256km (159 miles) from Kyiv. It's a central region of Ukraine, quite good city. No big problems, not very expensive - true, not bad place to live, nice climate/nature.

[Misha]

If you sell the apartment - either she will still travel, but now you'll also have to pay for the hotel during the trips. Or the trips will stop and you will make your wife utterly unhappy. Choose wisely.

My wife sold the place that she had bought. When she returned back home this summer, she stayed with her mother and sister. Thus, it was not necessary to pay for a hotel, and my wife still went back. She doesn't regret having sold her place.

[mies]

My wife sold the place that she had bought. When she returned back home this summer, she stayed with her mother and sister. Thus, it was not necessary to pay for a hotel, and my wife still went back. She doesn't regret having sold her place.

probably the sentiments are different for every person. if a woman feels uncomfortable about selling her apartment - she should not be pressured to do so. Maybe some people don't want to "burn the bridges behind".
plus - the major problem for the OP seems to be woman's trips to FSU. In your case Misha - you do not seem to object your wife trips to visit her relatives.

[Blues Fairy]

Ladies:
How many year(s) after being married in another country before you plan to sell your apartment?
Or will you keep wanting to spend thousands$ each year traveling back to take care of an apartment
that is only worth a few thousand$ ?

If I had an apartment I would sell it as soon as I needed to buy a place in my new country.  If the real estate prices in that locality are still going up, possibly keep it for a while as an investment.  But in any case, my decision would be MINE ONLY and therefore any questions my husband would ask on forums about "When/if to sell ladies apartment?" would be entirely a waste of his time. 

[JohnDearGreen]

But in any case, my decision would be MINE ONLY and therefore any questions my husband would ask on forums about "When/if to sell ladies apartment?" would be entirely a waste of his time. 

BF:  Your poor attitude is typical of FSU women with your "mine" and "his" terminology.  I suppose "you" don't expect "him" to pay many thousands of dollars to put "your" kids through college either?  If your marriage was good, you would be saying "ours", not "mine" and "his".

[Blues Fairy]

BF:  Your poor attitude is typical of FSU women with your "mine" and "his" terminology.  I suppose "you" don't expect "him" to pay many thousands of dollars to put "your" kids through college either?  If your marriage was good, you would be saying "ours", not "mine" and "his".

Doesn't whatever state you live in recognize property acquired before marriage as that spouse's personal property?  It must be the poor attitude typical of the FSU women US legislators, I guess.

As for MY my attitude however, to understand it better, please REREAD THE FIRST SENTENCE in my previous post.  My choice would be to invest the Russian appt in the (joint) mortgage in the new country (that is, if I had a Russian appt).

[JohnDearGreen]

Doesn't whatever state you live in recognize property acquired before marriage as that spouse's personal property? 

I see you have been married less than 2 years and you are already studying the divorce laws.  Better keep your apartment.

[Blues Fairy]

I see you have been married less than 2 years and you are already studying the divorce laws.  Better keep your apartment.

CAN YOU READ?

[Gylden]

BF,
 “If I had an apartment I would sell it as soon as I needed to buy a place in my new country.  If the real estate prices in that locality are still going up, possibly keep it for a while as an investment.  But in any case, my decision would be MINE ONLY and therefore any questions my husband would ask on forums about "When/if to sell ladies apartment?" would be entirely a waste of his time.”
 In the first sentence in your first post you did give the I,Me,Mine impression. Best to admit it, it isn’t something necessarily bad, as we all have different relationships and have organized these pragmatic issues differently. Also you did seem to attack the OP a bit in your last sentence, maybe he has been discussing this with his wife/fiancée or GF and they are both curious to understand what others have done about this issue. (benefit of the doubt)
I might add that what is particularly interesting is that most single Russian women with an apartment in any major city in either Ukraine or Russia, has most likely a better or equal net worth (at least better than an AM would think) than the average AM her same age. Combined with the idea, IMO, that most FSU women are very pragmatic, might be a factor in FSUW marrying older AM.
Anyway, JohnDearGreen
This answer to your question varies a lot depending on each individual circumstance. In discussing this with your wife (assuming you are married), keep in mind that this is some sort of insurance for her, in the unlikely event that something goes awry. There might be some intrinsic value to keeping it, at least for some time. In our case my wife kept her apartment until she obtained permanent permission to live here. The fear of something happening to a vacant apartment was an issue, which was solved by letting a friend of hers live in the apartment free of charge, just so that things were looked after. It turned out to be a good move, as the prices went up. She had no further interest to live there and has only her parents there, so there were no other considerations for her to hold the apartment longer. We know of women who will never sell their apartment, because they have children in the FSU and they wish for them to have the apartment. Other women are planning to move back after they retire and be near family again.

Good luck!

[Blues Fairy]

BF,
In the first sentence in your first post you did give the I,Me,Mine impression. Best to admit it, it isn’t something necessarily bad, as we all have different relationships and have organized these pragmatic issues differently. Also you did seem to attack the OP a bit in your last sentence, maybe he has been discussing this with his wife/fiancée or GF and they are both curious to understand what others have done about this issue. (benefit of the doubt)

So my "I, Me, Mine" phrase does not get the benefit of the doubt and the OP's "When/if to sell the lady's apartment" does?   

The OP does not give the impression he respects his wife's wishes either; on the contrary, her habit of flying to Russia all the time seems to irritate him to no end. 

[Misha]

probably the sentiments are different for every person. if a woman feels uncomfortable about selling her apartment - she should not be pressured to do so. Maybe some people don't want to "burn the bridges behind".

Yes, when I was selling my wife's apartment, one woman was telling me how much better off my wife would be keeping her apartment and renting it out. However, looking back, I was quite prescient in my forecast. I sold my wife's apartment at the very peak. Had she decided to sell it a month later, I doubt that we would have been successful in selling it. Also, the ruble was much stronger at the time, trading at around 22 rubles to the dollar. Overall, if my wife were to sell her her apartment now, she would only get half as much money. It was a hard decision for my wife, but she trusted me, and I am fortunate that I was correct in my analysis of where Russian real estate prices were heading.

plus - the major problem for the OP seems to be woman's trips to FSU. In your case Misha - you do not seem to object your wife trips to visit her relatives.

Fortunately, my wife and I are on the same wavelength. She does not really see the need to go to Russia every year, let alone several times per year.

[Gylden]

Good move Misha! (IMO)

It sounds like our situation exactly, only my wife and I were both of the same opinion and as you said, couldn't have been better timing!!