Samantha Russell

Samantha Russell is the Editor for our Global Property Advisor, guiding readers to establish, build, and diversify their international property portfolio, and is LIOS’ in-house real estate Guru, protégé to Lief Simon.

Samantha started following property markets when she was 21 and made her first investment just two years later at 23. After getting to grips with her local market (London), she began to look farther afield at international markets. Armed with this firsthand experience, Sam knows what to look out for when considering a real estate deal, but she also backs it up with serious due diligence on every project she considers for her readers. As she says, “you can’t fall victim to PDF fear,” meaning she happily ploughs through 200-page PDFs on property or planning law… sometimes in her second language.

Currently living in Panama but having traveled three continents, Samantha has seen a bit of everything in life. She goes off-road and nips through cities, submerging herself into society´s truths and secrets. These days, nothing gets past her unnoticed… she then puts pen to paper and divulges all, bringing her readers the sweet, and at times bitter, truth. Known for her honest writing, Samantha covers property markets throughout Europe, the Americas, and Asia. She also dives into the world of citizenship through investment programs, current affairs, Smart Cities, and the potential of blockchain.

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Diversify Your Portfolio With Colombian Coffee Investment

South America / By
Coffee cup and coffee beans

This week I’ve managed to interview a very important expert in the world of coffee… Adrian Beales. And I want to share with you his insight into this lucrative agricultural investment so you can learn where in the world coffee investing makes most sense and why you should be tapping into this market… a market that typically offers returns as high as 14%.

Here’s Adrian’s insights into one of the world’s top coffee-producing markets… …

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Seoul, Songdo, And Singapore: Smart Cities Of The East

Asia / By
artificial trees singapore

When I was 16 years old, I went to my first drive-through McDonald’s. I’m from London and we had about three Golden Arches we could drive through. When I was 22 years old, I went to the States. I saw my first drive-through bank and drive-through pharmacy counter. “What… drive-throughs are not just for McDonald’s? How futuristic are these people?”

Then I went to Seoul…
…

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Nearly Sold Out: Teak Investment With Returns Up To 690%

Agricultural Real Estate / By
teak tree forest

The Panamanian teak plantation Global Property Advisor featured in January 2018 had only 25 parcels left in December. Now the inventory is down to 10.

That is a seriously limited inventory.

And each parcel makes a return from 10.4% up to 690%. An investment this attractive means these last 10 are going to sell out soon.

The few remaining parcels are 1/4 of an acre and cost US$22,500 each; add Panamanian residency and the cost goes up …

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Living In Paris And Lisbon: Smart Cities Of The Old World

Europe / By

Smart City: Paris, France

Among Europeans, Paris has never been famous for being green, not in terms of recycling, emissions, or how many parks it has. However, the City of Light is about to change…

In 2015, Paris launched its Smart and Sustainable Paris initiative. Part of this project includes Smart 2050 by architect Vincent Callebaut. Under this architectural project, high-rise buildings will integrate several smart energy-production techniques to lower their energy demand and encourage inhabitants to be eco-friendly in their daily lives. …

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2 Smart Cities That Are Changing The Future Of Urban Living

City Properties / By
medellin smart city

Smart cities improve life. And who doesn’t want improvement?

A “smart city” is a city that’s smartly run. The city’s movers and shakers work together, thinking collectively. And they use technology to make the city a better place… nicer, more pleasant, more sustainable, easier…

Smart cities aren’t about technology being used at the dinner table, killing the art of conversation. They aren’t about your grandkids locking themselves away to play video games instead of ball in the backyard with buddies. …

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Investing In Lagos: Easy Residency And Guaranteed Returns

Europe / By
Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Algarve

Where would you be if you walked 600 feet from your house?

If I walk 600 feet out my front door, I have to avoid a broken sewer pipe and some noisy roadwork.

I asked this question to my friend in the United States and she said she would see a mailbox and a neighbor who she tries to avoid because she can’t stand yet another conversation about the woman’s latest health issue. I asked another friend in Panama and he replied, “a long line of parked cars.”

What do you see when you walk 600 feet out your front door? …

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Why You Should Target The Local Housing Market In Lisbon

Europe / By
Boat On Beach Near Lisbon

Portugal is on the rise. The dark time of stagnation or the occasional 1% value rise is long forgotten. Between 2012 and 2016, home prices rose by 35% in this Atlantic-European country and are currently the highest they have been since 2007. Some areas even enjoyed a 10% bump at the end of 2017.

Portugal’s capital, however, is not enjoying such impressive movement. Lagging Lisbon saw only a 4.9% rise in 2017, fetching an average US$1,750 per square meter. …

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Investing In The U.K. Student Housing Sector (PBSH)

Income Properties / By
oxford england university dorms and houses

Student housing is gigantic, global, and growing. Savills states that 2016 saw US$16.4 billion invested into global student housing. The United Kingdom and the United States traditionally lead the Purpose-Built Student Housing (PBSH) sector. In Europe, 80% of PBSH is focused in the U.K.

And, although I predict the U.K. and the States will continue to reign for some time to come, other European countries are starting to sniff around their thrones.

The U.K.’s Property And University Markets

I’ll be focusing on the U.K. Full disclosure: I am a tea-gulping Brit—but that’s not why I’m bullish about this market. The numbers go beyond patriotism.

London typically sees a 3.75% net yield on PBSH, and other parts of the country hit about 4.5%. To put those percentages into perspective, in London 3.75% is only 0.25% less than grade-A commercial office returns.

Why Compare Student Housing To Commercial Property, As Opposed To Other Residential Property? …

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