I’ve been covering this beat for more than 35 years.
And, as I’ve been reporting this week, I’ve identified one country that meets all my criteria for a top choice for retiring, living, investing, or owning a second home overseas.
That’s a big claim… and one that I don’t make lightly.
You and hundreds of thousands of your fellow readers count on me to give it to you straight, and I take that responsibility seriously.
I’ve built a reputation that means a great deal to me, so I don’t say something that isn’t true… and I don’t paint everything as rosy.
I identified this destination as one of the best places in the world to spend your time and your money about a dozen years ago. At the time, people called me crazy for making the recommendation I began making.
No matter. I developed a thick skin long ago.
I was the first to recommend Costa Rica as a top retirement haven. The first, too, to suggest people think about living or investing in Belize… in Panama… or in Ecuador…
In time, though, in every instance, my recommendations have evolved from nutty to prophetic.
This most recent case is no exception. Now, 12 years later, many others are suggesting that this long-misunderstood location is in fact one of the most appealing places on Earth…
Not to mention one of the world’s most interesting investment markets and retirement havens right now…
Where am I talking about?
Colombia… specially the mountain city of Medellín.
I identified Medellín more than 12 years ago using the same rigorous approach that I’ve always followed. Based on my research and my on-the-ground investigations, I predicted, starting in 2008, that Medellín was on track to become one of the world’s most sought-after destinations, for both living and investing.
Today I’m very happy to say that many others are making the same claims. This is great news for little Medellín, who has worked hard to earn this emerging place on the world stage.
Specifically, Medellín offers:
- Perfect weather, requiring no heat or air conditioning…
- World-class health care…
- A rich cultural scene, with theater, orchestra, and exciting events…
- An affordable cost of living…
- Absolutely low property cost…
- Great investment potential, for both the capital gain and the income investor…
I’ve Never Seen A Place That Holds Such Exciting Opportunity For Retirees, Entrepreneurs, And Property Investors
But a wealth of opportunity is exactly what I found when I finally took the advice of persistent friends who’d been nagging me for years to come see this place for myself.
Since my first visit, I’ve made dozens of return trips.
I’ve bought my own home here…
And I’m actively searching for my next investment buy…
What’s more, my family and I have even re-thought our overall long-term retirement plan to include this beautiful, delightful city… that’s how impressed we are with what we found in Medellín.
And, again, I’m happy to say that it’s not just me. Retirees are starting to move here in unprecedented numbers… they’re buying property… they’re managing rentals… they’re reinventing their lives in this charming, welcoming, Euro-chic city.
In my considerable experience, this is one of the best places on Earth today to establish your foothold overseas.
Here’s How I Can Make Such A Bold Claim With Confidence
Finding these opportunities is my life’s work… and I’ve seen the evolution of destinations like this before.
It isn’t often that such a strong opening presents itself… and it’s even less often that we recognize the opportunity when it’s on the table.
Over the years, I’ve been on the ground early, urging readers and friends to get in ahead of the crowd. I’ve sounded the call for most every market that has emerged over the past three decades as a top retirement and investment haven… places like Costa Rica, Roatan, Belize, Ecuador, Ireland, and Uruguay… and even the explosions in Panama City and Boquete.
But, to be honest, I’ve also missed opportunities… times when I wasn’t able to act quickly enough to get in on the ground floor.
That’s why I moved so fast here… I didn’t want to take a chance on missing out on what I believed could prove to be my biggest find of all.
Why am I bringing this to your attention now… a dozen years later?
Because we right now enjoy a window of perfect timing…
A cost-of-living “loophole,” as I’ve come to think of it, that gives you 55% more buying power in this country.
One of the greatest advantages of moving or retiring overseas can be the opportunity to enjoy a reduced—sometimes dramatically reduced—cost of living.
Even more exciting is when you find a place where this cost-of-living advantage can be supercharged by currency exchange rates… creating a “loophole” that can compound your savings (and profits) to irresistible levels.
I am happy to report this is the case in Colombia right now for Americans.
The strong U.S. dollar has resulted in a steep “currency discount,” making Colombian goods and properties more affordable than they’ve been for many years.
Using 2015 as a baseline, current buyers have 55% more buying power… again, thanks to today’s favorable exchange rate.
When it comes to a property purchase, for example, a condo that was US$100,000 in 2015 costs you just US$64,000 today.
Indeed, for investors, your opportunity in Colombia now is twofold:
Capital gains from a property market with a lot of room to grow…
While positioning yourself for currency gains. When the dollar enters its next downward cycle, your profits will be multiplied, in dollar terms, by the strengthening peso.
And It’s Not Just Property Prices That Benefit From Today’s Exchange Rate…
In addition, thanks to today’s “currency discount,” that upscale dinner that cost you US$100 a few years back is, likewise, now just US$64.
It’s a huge reduction… that, of course, also applies to your groceries, property taxes, rent, HOA fees, and everything else you might spend money on.
This all means you can live a luxury lifestyle—including theater, orchestra, fine dining, bistros, and cafés—on a modest… indeed on even a Social Security budget.
For this reason—thanks to the current currency discount—we’ve named Colombia (specifically Medellín) as the number-one lifestyle choice in the Americas.
You can live a five-star life in this Euro-chic city on a budget of as little as US$998 per month.
Imagine that.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Peddicord
Founding Publisher, Overseas Opportunity Letter
