• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result

10 Best Places To Buy Real Estate Overseas In 2020

10 Best Places To Buy, Own, And Enjoy Real Estate

Kathleen Peddicord by Kathleen Peddicord
Dec 27, 2019
in Belize, Brazil, Dominican Republic, France, Mexico, Panama, Real Estate, Thailand
0
Collage with pictures of the Best Places To Buy Property Overseas for 2019
7.4k
SHARES
97.6k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

We´ve done the hard job and pulled out the 10 best places to buy real estate overseas in 2020. The international property stands out among investment options because it is both a hard asset and one of the best current opportunities for generating cash flow while building real, long-term wealth.


Check out all of our “Best of 2020” picks in the following categories:

  • Best Places To Live Overseas In 2020
  • Best Places To Go Offshore In 2018
  • and now, Best Places To Buy Real Estate Overseas In 2020…

Whether you’re contemplating a first purchase overseas or looking to expand current foreign property holdings, here’s where you should focus your attention and your capital this New Year. As we move into 2020, these locations dominate as markets of opportunity:

Panama

Panama City during a summer night
Image Source: iStock/sborisov

Panama is by far one of the best places to buy real-estate overseas. I recommend Panama for two things specifically—apartments for rental and agricultural opportunities.

Panama City, where resale transactions have slowed, is and will continue to be a buyer’s market through 2020.

I see this year as a chance to buy on a dip, because, long term, I remain very bullish on the Panama City rentals market.

Yields continue strong… though not as strong as they were a couple of years ago, primarily because rents have softened.

Argentine, Colombian, and Venezuelan buyers have helped to keep the Panama City market stable and growing over the last 10 years, even while other markets in this region have struggled or even collapsed.

Today, North Americans and Europeans continue to invest, but it’s Panama’s new relationship with China that I predict will fuel this economy through its next stage of growth. If the Chinese come in volume, as they did in Vancouver in the 1990s, Panama City property prices will soar to new levels.

Investment Opportunity In Panama

The second big opportunity for making money from real estate in Panama in 2020 is productive land. This country’s interior is a fertile bread basket. Individual investors can participate in organic plantations for turnkey agro-profits.

A great website to look for real estate in Panama is www.encuentra24.com

Brazil

Fortaleza Brazil
Fortaleza

Brazil is a big country of many different property markets, some more interesting than others. I recommend focusing on the Fortaleza area. This coastal region is a top destination among Brazilian tourists. Rentals targeting the local holiday market can earn better than 8% net yield reliably.

I also recommend an investment in beachfront along this coast, where lot prices are a global bargain.

The Brazilian real remains stable against the U.S. dollar (at around 3.81 reals to US$1, as of this writing) and historically weak relative to the rate of 1.6 reals to the dollar of a decade ago.

Good yields and a weak currency make this country a very strong buy for 2020.

Dominican Republic

a view from santo domingo church at th estreet, houses and ocean
The Dominican Republic offers a high-quality lifestyle at a not-so-high cost…

In the Dominican Republic, I recommend focusing on the capital, Santo Domingo.

The Dominican Republic is enjoying continued strong growth, as well as increasing foreign direct investment. All those business travelers coming to get in on the country’s economic boom pass through Santo Domingo… and they all need places to sleep.

Meantime, tourism figures continue to impress, as well; this country saw more than 6.2 million tourists in 2017, up 3.9% from 5.9 million in 2016.

A furnished rental for either of these markets—the business traveler or the holiday-goer—can be an excellent source of cash flow and, if you buy right, should enjoy good capital appreciation.

Maximize Profits With A Pre-Construction Investment

One of the best opportunities, specifically, is to invest pre-construction in an apartment intended for the business traveler market. Business people staying longer than a week prefer an apartment to a hotel.

Note that it can be possible to qualify for financing as a non-resident. I don’t recommend financing property overseas, however, unless you are sure you can cover the mortgage payment even without any income from the financed property.

That said, Santo Domingo city apartments rent well, and you should have no problem covering your mortgage payment from your rental income.

This classified website has the most listing of real estate in the Dominican Republic inmuebles.mercadolibre.com.do/

Thailand

agricultural fields in thailand. One of the best places to buy real estate overseas
Agricultural fields in Thailand

I like Thailand for agriculture primarily but think this country deserves attention for its strong economy and expanding tourism industry, as well.

The downside in Thailand is that restrictions are placed on how foreigners can own property. Foreigners are only able to own land leasehold.

A foreigner can hold freehold title to the construction on the land, but, unless your house is portable, you might not take comfort from that.

Foreigners are also permitted to own condos freehold as long as foreigners don’t own more than 49% of the total area of the condo building.

For this reason, the condo market is where most foreign investors focus their attention. A condo is also cheaper and easier to manage as a rental than an individual property.

Bangkok was the number-one visited city in the world in 2018, according to one survey. This city last year received more visitors than London or Paris. Again, that’s worth the would-be property investor’s attention.

Portugal

A view of the orange roofed, white buildings throughout Lisbon, Portugal. One of the best places to buy real estate overseasProperty markets in Portugal have been on the move since 2015 making Portugal one of the best places to buy real estate. Some neighborhoods in Lisbon, for example, are now priced beyond what I believe makes sense for property investment. Other areas of this city, however, continue to offer good value and opportunity, especially if you’re up for a renovation project.

In 2020,  I recommend focusing on the lesser-visited areas along the country’s Algarve coast and the Porto region north of Lisbon.

Portugal is another country where it’s possible for a non-resident to get a mortgage.

France

Paris France at Dawn small. One of the best places to buy real estate overseas
Paris

I’ve been sold on the Paris real estate market for decades and have owned in this city for about 15 years. Prices go up and down, as they do everywhere, but, for my money, a piece of Parisian real estate is one of the surest imaginable stores of wealth long-term.

Though its strength is waning as we move forward into 2020, the U.S. dollar is still creating euro bargains for American buyers. Another good reason to be looking right now at both Portugal and France.

Another of the most appealing features of the French property market is that this is another country where foreigners are eligible for in-country financing. In fact, interest rates for French mortgages for foreigners are at historic lows of less than 2% interest… with loan-to-values as high as 85%.

Mexico

sky view of the seaside in puerto vallarta, mexico. One of the best places to buy real estate overseas
Puerto Vallarta

Put concerns about the drug cartels aside. Mexico remains a top destination among Canadians and Americans for both tourism and retirement and is enjoying good growth in the local tourism market as the country’s middle class continues to expand.

All that combines to make Mexico a top choice for a property rental investment.

Top markets include Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast and Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya. In both of these popular tourist towns, a rental property can generate an excellent yield.

Mexico offers financing options for non-residents, generally from U.S. lending institutions set up in Mexico specifically for that purpose.

Belize

white sand beach in belize tropical
Image Source: iStock/SimonDannhauer

I believe the tourism and resident expat markets on Belize’s Ambergris Caye will continue to expand through 2020 and beyond, meaning this still-undervalued Caribbean island is another good choice for a rental investment making Belize one of the best places to buy real estate overseas.

Elsewhere in Belize I’d focus on Cayo, where quality rental accommodation at a reasonable price is hard to come by. If you were to build a high-quality rental, you could make a good yield by pricing your property competitively relative to the local hotels that you wouldn’t let your mother-in-law stay in.

Turkey

Turkey Real Estate. One of the best places to buy real estate overseasThe attempted coup in this country in 2016 has kept many foreign investors away since. Meantime, values in Istanbul have surged.

Istanbul was the world’s 9th most visited city in the world in 2018. That was behind brand-name cities like Paris, London, New York, and Tokyo… but ahead of other major cities, including Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, and Los Angeles.

In addition to tourism growth, Istanbul and Turkey in general are enjoying strong economic growth as the population increases and the middle class expands. I see both tourism rentals and student rentals as appealing rental investment options.

One of the biggest selling points for such an investment in Istanbul is the low cost of entry. A rental unit in this market can be within most any investor’s budget.

Turks And Caicos

crystaline water and white sand beach in turks and caicos. One of the best places to buy real estate overseas
Turks and Caicos

At the other end of the budget spectrum is the higher-end Turks and Caicos.

People might not agree this is one of the best places to buy real estate overseas. Ordinarily, a high-end property does not generate the level of net rental yield that can be possible from a lesser investment.

Long-term rents for a luxury-standard house in the United States, for example, don’t generally reflect the premium price of the property.

A luxury purchase in the Turks and Caicos can be an exception to this rule. It can be possible in this Caribbean market to earn a net rental yield of 8% even from a high-end investment.

Banks in the Turks and Caicos will lend to non-residents. At the price points of the luxury rentals in this market, you definitely want to be conservative with any mortgage you take out in case rental income slows for any reason.

Lief Simon

*This article has been updated for 2020

Comments

Share3265Tweet1709
Previous Post

The Opportunity To Live And Invest Overseas Is Yours To Take

Next Post

The 10 Best Places To Live Overseas In 2020

Kathleen Peddicord

Kathleen Peddicord

Kathleen Peddicord has covered the live, retire, and do business overseas beat for more than 30 years and is considered the world's foremost authority on these subjects. She has traveled to more than 75 countries, invested in real estate in 21, established businesses in 7, renovated historic properties in 6, and educated her children in 4.

Kathleen has moved children, staff, enterprises, household goods, and pets across three continents, from the East Coast of the United States to Waterford, Ireland... then to Paris, France... next to Panama City, where she has based her Live and Invest Overseas business. Most recently, Kathleen and her husband Lief Simon are dividing their time between Panama and Paris.

Kathleen was a partner with Agora Publishing’s International Living group for 23 years. In that capacity, she opened her first office overseas, in Waterford, Ireland, where she managed a staff of up to 30 employees for more than 10 years. Kathleen also opened, staffed, and operated International Living publishing and real estate marketing offices in Panama City, Panama; Granada, Nicaragua; Roatan, Honduras; San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Quito, Ecuador; and Paris, France.

Kathleen moved on from her role with Agora in 2007 and launched her Live and Invest Overseas group in 2008. In the years since, she has built Live and Invest Overseas into a successful, recognized, and respected multi-million-dollar business that employs a staff of 35 in Panama City and dozens of writers and other resources around the world.

Kathleen has been quoted by The New York Times, Money magazine, MSNBC, Yahoo Finance, the AARP, and beyond. She has appeared often on radio and television (including Bloomberg and CNBC) and speaks regularly on topics to do with living, retiring, investing, and doing business around the world.

In addition to her own daily e-letter, the Overseas Opportunity Letter, with a circulation of more than 300,000 readers, Kathleen writes regularly for U.S. News & World Report and Forbes.

Her newest book, "How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (for Less) Abroad," published by Penguin Random House, is the culmination of decades of personal experience living and investing around the world.

Related Posts

Panama City Skyline from Cinta Costera Park, Panama City, Panama.
Investing

How Panama Became A Great Economic Success Story

by Kathleen Peddicord
January 19, 2021
0

Last week we held the biggest Live and Invest in Panama Conference in our history, with more attendees and more...

Read more
Scenic sunset in Lisbon, Portugal.

How To Invest In Property 101: The Pitfalls You Should Avoid

January 18, 2021
Refreshing Cocktail at beach in Belize.

10 Reasons To Reinvent Your Life In Beautiful Belize And 9 Challenges

January 17, 2021
Beautiful tranquil beach sun rise in southern Belize.

Ask Yourself These Questions Before You Move To Belize

January 15, 2021
Beautiful Wooden pier view in Belize.

Living A Whole New Life In Belize

January 14, 2021
Classroom with students and teacher 350x250

Schools In Belize: What Every Expat With Children Needs To Know

January 13, 2021
Burns Avenue in San Ignacio, Belize 350x250

Cayo, Belize, Is A Great Escape For Expats

January 13, 2021
Next Post
the algarve in portugal. best places to Retire

The 10 Best Places To Live Overseas In 2020

A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today.

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas

Get Your Free Panama Report Today!

​​Simply enter your email address below and we'll send you our FREE REPORT - 101 Things You'll Wish Someone Had Told You About Panama.
 

how to retire overseas

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2021

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

Get Your Free Real Estate Report Now

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you our latest real estate report: The 10 Things To Know Before Buying Real Estate Overseas.

WANT TO RETIRE OVERSEAS?

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll immediately send you a free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE in style overseas. Each day you’ll learn about the best opportunities for international living, retiring overseas, offshore diversification and asset protection, and investing in real estate around the world.

Get Your Free Panama Report Today!
 

​​Learn more about ​​​PANAMA and other countries in our free, daily Overseas Opportunity Letter​​, as well as our ​In Focus: ​Panama ​newsletter​​​​​​. Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE REPORT – ​​​101 Things You'll Wish Someone Had Told You About Panama.
 

Get Your Free ​​Belize Report Today!
 

​​Learn more about ​​BELIZE and other countries in our free, daily Overseas Opportunity Letter​​, as well as our ​In Focus: Belize ​newsletter​​​​​​. Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you our FREE REPORT – ​​Discover Belize: Reef, Ruins, Rivers, And Rain Forest… Plus Easy Residency And Tax-Free Living
 

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.