Omar Best

Omar Best is a contributor of Overseas Property Alert, focused on buying property abroad for investment or lifestyle. He’s also our front-running property scout and is often the first person on the ground when targeting new markets or opportunities. Omar is an expat based in Medellin, Colombia.

Avatar photo

How To Get In On Huatulco, Mexico—Before The Tourism Boom

Beach Front Properties, Caribbean & Central America / By
Paradise sand beach with turquoise blue water in Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico

Mexico has become a tourism powerhouse. It totals to over 32 million arrivals, making Mexico the ninth most-visited country in the world… and the second in North America after the Unites States.

The rise in Mexico’s international popularity is due to the efforts of FONATUR (Fondo Nacional de Fomento al Turismo), the Mexican government’s tourism investment arm. Think of it as a national fund for tourism development.

FONATUR was created in 1974 to invest in (and incentivize the development of) new infrastructure, hotels, and other tourism-related businesses in designated regions throughout country. These projects are known as Integrally Planned Resort Centers.

First, the agency identifies an intrinsically desirable area in which to create a tourism zone. Then it develops a master-planned community, which includes a residential section for permanent residents complete with schools, hospitals, and markets; a tourist area with hotels, shopping centers, and golf courses; and, in many cases, protected …

How To Get In On Huatulco, Mexico—Before The Tourism BoomRead More »

How To Buy Property In Italy: Buying, Closing, And Bureaucracy

Europe / By
A house by a lake in Italy

Bureaucracy.

This is the most common word used to describe the property-buying process in Italy. An official public notary is appointed by the Italian Ministry of Justice to oversee the real estate-buying process. So you might think that Italy is one of the few countries where foreigners can navigate the purchase process unscathed without an attorney…

Well, you’d be wrong.

The notary acts as a neutral party in the transaction, as his only job is to follow Italian law. The final deed, although prepared by the notary, is based on the contract details established by the buyer and seller. The notary’s job is strictly to ensure that everything is legal.

Your attorney is responsible for conducting due diligence on the property, negotiating the best contract terms and conditions, helping the notary draft the deed, providing legal advice, and coordinating payment transfers. Your attorney ensures that everything has been done correctly on your behalf. …

How To Buy Property In Italy: Buying, Closing, And BureaucracyRead More »

Your Own Vineyard in Argentina’s Los Arbolitos For Under US$50K

Agricultural Real Estate, South America, Top Investments / By
vineyard los arbolitos

Profit From Your Own Wine Vineyard For Less Than US$50K

We’ve been touting yield-generating hard assets, specifically agricultural land, for a little over four years now. In addition to providing investors with cash flow from harvests (in some cases, within nine months after their initial investment) and capital appreciation, productive land also provides you with asset protection and a hedge against inflation.

And with the emergence of turnkey farm operations, individual investors can earn hassle-free yields without a huge capital outlay.

For all of these reasons, turnkey agriculture offerings have become extremely popular investments. Many of our readers have begun to diversify their real estate portfolios into agriculture, investing in everything from fruit trees (mangos, limes, and avocados) to timber (teak, acacia, and eucalyptus).

The question about agriculture I get most frequently is, “What other agriculture investments do you have?”

Like all savvy investors, they want to add another layer of diversification to …

Your Own Vineyard in Argentina’s Los Arbolitos For Under US$50KRead More »

Beachfront Property In Brazil’s Ceará Coastal Cities

Beach Front Properties, Featured, South America / By
Beachfront Property In Brazil is affordable and with chance of upside in Ceará, Fortaleza.
Plus: Freeing Up Your IRA For Overseas Investments
The Pros And Cons Of Fractional Ownership
Extending Your Stay In Europe

Due to the strength of the U.S. dollar against the Brazilian real, I’ve been paying close attention to the real estate market in Brazil. At the time of this writing, the Brazilian real is trading at 3.25 reais to the U.S. dollar… a 147% increase in buying power in Brazil for U.S. dollar holders since 2014.

If you’re spending U.S. dollars, now is the time to be seeking out real estate deals in Brazil, as the real has moved dramatically in your favor… and no one knows how long this trend will last.

The Brazilian property market presents investors with a unique opportunity to profit from a simple change in currency… or capital appreciation… or both. In fact, according to the most recent national price index compiled by the Brazilian Institute of Economic Research, property prices have increased by …

Beachfront Property In Brazil’s Ceará Coastal CitiesRead More »

Top 3 Websites For Listing Rental Property Overseas

Featured, Investing Fundamentals / By
You can now even use a tablet when Listing Rental Property Overseas.

Three Sites You Should Be Using To Market Your Overseas Rental

Plus: “How Do I Sell My Agro-Investment?”
Shipping Household Items Abroad
And Banking In Uruguay

As an overseas property owner looking for income, you need to pay attention to how your property is being marketed—this is critical to the success of your rental property. Specifically, you need to be aware of the best marketing channels to effectively promote your property to ensure high occupancy levels in your unit.

Right now, the best and most effective marketing outlets for a short-term rental are online booking websites. Not only do these platforms allow you to promote your property, they’ll also receive payments on your behalf.

I would even say that it’s imperative that any rental property owner get their property listed on every worthwhile online booking site.

Can’t My Property Manager Do This Marketing?

Maybe… maybe not.

Some property managers only …

Top 3 Websites For Listing Rental Property OverseasRead More »