Retire Overseas Tales Of Success

Please, Share Your Story!

Oct. 10, 2010, New York, New York: My next retire-overseas guide will feature real-life tales of people who are already living their dreams in foreign countries. I issue today, therefore, a call for retire-overseas stories.

Dear Overseas Opportunity Letter Reader,

In New York for a few days this week to visit my daughter, who has just begun her senior year at university in Manhattan, I met for lunch Friday with my book agent to discuss the outline for my second book.

This next guide will feature real-life tales of people who are already living their dreams overseas.

I issue today, therefore, a call for stories!

If you're living abroad, in retirement or otherwise, full- or part-time, please, get in touch. I'm particularly interested in tales of part-time retirement in a foreign country, of retirees who are traveling back and forth between "home" and their chosen Shangri-las abroad, and of those who are dividing their years among two or three destinations.

In addition, this next book is going to have a focus on creative ways to fund your retirement in paradise. Therefore, I'd appreciate hearing from you if you're one of the many entrepreneurially inclined "retirees" who have taken advantage of this phase of life to launch a business.

If you've already begun your retire-overseas adventures, and would be willing to be interviewed to share your story with others preparing to follow in your footsteps, I'd appreciate hearing from you.

You can reach me by e-mail here: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Kathleen Peddicord

P.S. My first book, "How To Retire Overseas--Everything You Need To Know To Live Well (For Less) Abroad," published earlier this year by Penguin, is available right now in bookstores across the United States and, as well, for online purchase here.

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• "Buenos Aires," writes Correspondent Siri Lise Doub, "reminds me of that children's story 'Fortunately and Unfortunately...'

"Fortunately, Buenos Aires is in a great location, making it a good place for a regional office and blessing it with a mild, warm climate year-round.

"Unfortunately, the city, like this entire country, suffers from an openly corrupt government.

"Fortunately, even with its government, Argentina's growth rate is relatively high at about 6%. People somewhere in the country are making money somehow.

"Unfortunately, its inflation rate is through the roof. Prices are rising daily...

• "October is a culturally busy month for our household in the Pyrenees-Atlantique department of southwest France where we're living," writes France Correspondent Lucy Culpepper.

"We kicked off the month with the 16th Basque Pelota World Championships based in the city of Pau. Twenty-two nations (including the United States, Cuba, Spain, Uruguay, Mexico, and Brazil) are competing for 14 world titles in 7 disciplines over 10 days.

"Never seen a Cesta Punta Chistera (racket)? Imagine a glove attached to a 24-inch-long canoe-shaped basket made of wicker and chestnut wood. Slip your hand into the glove, scoop up a small rubber ball, and fling it at an alarming speed at a wall.

"Next we cheered on France against Mexico in 'Paleta Cuir' and watched Mexico vs. USA in the 'Main Nue' (bare hand) category.

"Later in the month, we'll be traveling to the next village, 2 miles down the road, for a concert performed by two internationally known musicians--baritone Arnaud Marzorati and accordionist Daniel Brel. It's just US$15 for an evening of 'Romances et Chansons.'

"To see the month out, we'll visit the Basque region over on the western side of the Pyrenees-Atlantique department (on which I'll be reporting in full in the January 2011 issue of the Overseas Retirement Letter).

• "I cannot argue with the statement from your reader, John B., regarding the infrastructure in Costa Rica," writes Costa Rica Correspondent David Stubbs in response to one of my Mailbag postings last week.

"The infrastructure in this country is antiquated, especially the bridges and roads.

"However, the reader's premise regarding the exchange rate between the Costa Rica colon and the U.S. dollar is not accurate.

"The reader states, 'The exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and Costa Rica's currency has dropped by 40% in the last four years.'

"This simply isn't true. If you look at figures for the exchange rates between these two currencies on Oct. 1, 2006, and Oct. 1, 2010, the drop is 2.88%.

"It is true that the U.S. dollar bought as many as 585.89 colones in September 2009 and has dropped 13.8% since then. Still this is nowhere close to 40%.

''That said, the reader could be referring to something else--namely the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar in this country. This is not the same thing as the exchange rate, but it is an important issue.''

Costa Rica has experienced high single-digit or low double-digit inflation (as high as 13.8%) every year for years.

In the past four years, the cumulative inflation rate has been 48.7%. For 2010 so far, the rate is 8.3%.

As David explains, this has nothing to do with the exchange rate of the colon...but it sure has had an effect on the local purchasing power for anyone living in Costa Rica on U.S.-dollar-based income.

Add to this the 13%+ fall in value of the Greenback versus the colon in the past year, and you can understand why some U.S. dollar-holders residing in the land of the Ticos would be concerned.

• Friend and international tax attorney Chris Rusch writes this morning to share his Top 10 Reasons Panama Is A Step Ahead Of The Rest Of Latin America... 

#10 The Panama Canal...

a) Keeps Panama an important and relevant spot in Central America...

b) brings in jobs and investments (China)...

c) brings in guaranteed cash each year, thereby stabilizing this small economy...

#9 U.S.-Dollar-Based Economy...

Means that Panama has the most stable currency in Latin America.

#8 The Tax System, which is based on...

a) Taxing Panama-sourced income and

b) inviting international businesses that would not otherwise operate here by allowing them to operate free of corporate tax. This means more high-quality jobs for Panamanians and increased revenues for the government through employment taxes.

#7 The Stable Banking System...

ALSO THIS WEEK From Global Real Estate Investing Guru Lief Simon:

It's hard for the typical investor to get in at the earliest stages of most international real estate deals. Typically, you've got to be well connected to be alerted in the earliest days.

I'm writing today with an alert that qualifies as earliest days.

I introduced you earlier this year to Luke Chadwick, the developer at Sanctuary Belize. Sanctuary is a master-planned oceanfront gated residential and marina community (where you can still invest in an early-on retail lot).
I'm writing today not about Sanctuary Belize, but about Luke's next project, Mango Springs.

Luke and his partners have put together an early-investor package for this new undertaking. It amounts to an opportunity to get a lot in this new project effectively free.

Specifically, you invest US$40,000 with the developer. He pays you back your investment capital and, in addition, gives you a lot in his new Mango Springs project.

Deals like this can sound too good to be true, and, sometimes, they are.

However, depending on the players involved and the particulars of the opportunity, this kind of collateralized investment can be a win-win situation for both the investor and the developer. I alerted you to a similar offer from Carmelita Gardens, coincidentally also in Belize, earlier this year. The deal at Carmelita was essentially the same offer--invest your funds and, in return, get your capital repaid plus lots equal in worth to the amount of your initial investment.

I like this kind of a deal. The investor gets a great return on his investment...or a free lot, depending how you want to look at it. The developer raises capital quickly and securely without the hassle of applying for bank financing.

The idea behind Mango Springs is to address market niches of buyers who are looking either for a simpler community than Sanctuary Belize (which is a full-amenity project) or for something more affordable (although with the available financing terms at Sanctuary, the lots there are very affordable). Luke will be offering financing for the retail lots at Mango Springs, as well, but the driving idea at work here is to get the full retail price for lots under US$50,000.

Luke has hit that target. He's found land not far from Sanctuary Belize where he has been able to plan for lots with an average price of US$40,000.

Given that, Luke has set the investment amount for his current investor offer at the same US$40,000 (the average planned retail lot price).

For your US$40,000 investment, you get your choice of any of the lots in Mango Springs (once the final master plan is approved and permits are issued). In addition, you'll be repaid your initial US$40,000 within 12 months from the developer receiving all required permits.

While the developer is obtaining the permits, the investment will be secured by land in Sanctuary Belize. As Sanctuary is an operating development with active sales, this is excellent collateral.

Luke is offering 40 investment packages at the US$40,000 price point--meaning he's looking to raise US$1.6 million. The land at Sanctuary to be used as collateral is a single parcel valued at US$1.6 million. Investors will receive a 1/40th share of this land that Mango Springs will have an option to buy back for US$1 once they transfer title for your lot in Mango Springs.

Mango Springs isn't beachfront land like Sanctuary. This is an important reason Luke is able to keep the lot price points as low as he is. However, Luke also recognizes that beachfront access can be critical to a development community's success. He has therefore secured a beachfront house that will serve as the main clubhouse for Mango Springs. Residents will have full access to both the beach house along with the beach in front of it.

If you're interested in investing in one of these packages but not interested in owning a lot in Belize, the marketing outlet for Mango Springs is a critical factor to consider. Would you be able to resell your lot and take your profits?

There are no guarantees, of course, but I've worked with Luke to make it possible for you to put your investor package lots back into the general sales mix along with his developer lots when he launches retail sales. This is a great benefit for the investor. The catch is that you'll have to offer your lots for sale with the same financing options that Mango Springs offers, meaning you won't get 100% of your cash upon making the sale.

Of course, if you want to keep your lot and build a house, that is fine, too. Again, your lot is your lot, and you can do with it as you like--sell it through Luke's team, sell it on your own, or keep it for yourself. You could even use the return of your original capital to start construction for your new home in Belize.

Either way you look at this offer--as pure investment or as an early retirement purchase--both the offer and the buy-in cost for these investor packages are excellent.

Again, Luke is offering only 40 of these investor packages. I alerted my Marketwatch members to the opportunity last week.

If you're interested, therefore, I urge you to inquire sooner rather than later.

Go here to request more details..

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