Not everyone dreams about living or investing in a tiny, tropical beach town. You may appreciate the modern conveniences and familiarity offered by city properties. Often, a city property can provide the best return on your investment, especially in tourist areas where you can focus on higher-yield, short-term rental opportunities.
If you are considering investing in a city property, you have many options in location and style. Paris, Barcelona, and Lisbon are a few European gems worth investigating, while the Americas offer bustling locations like Panama City, Medellín, and Quito.
City properties come in all shapes and sizes. You might consider investing in a Spanish-colonial city that features traditional hacienda-style homes with interior courtyards and bubbling fountains surrounded by adobe-walled living and sleeping spaces. Or you may decide to buy a chic high-rise apartment with a pool and gym that will draw international visitors.
If you are considering a city property for personal living, don’t be intimidated by the size of the city as a whole. Most bigger cities are organized into smaller neighborhoods where you will pass neighbors on the sidewalk and find a favorite local pub or park to pass the time with new friends. Many cities have large expat communities where you are sure to find other like-minded folks who have taken the plunge and invested in a city property.
Short-term renters flock to city properties for the many activities and options offered in bigger communities.
Finding a city property can be challenging because most countries do not offer a Multiple Listing Service that shows all of the properties on the current market. Instead, you’re better off working with several local real estate agents to find the perfect city property for you.
Plus: “You people are nuts… I’m going to look into getting you shut down.” You hear a lot about currency risk in the world of overseas property investment. In fact, we often mention here that your property’s price—or your rental income—will vary with current exchange rates. But there’s more to the issue than meets the […]
Exchange Rates Cut Both Ways For The Property Buyer Read More »
Plus: Awaiting The Collapse Of The Dollar Since my first visit to Mexico’s Xalapa in 1998, it’s been one of my top choices in Latin America and my favorite in Mexico. The city is an extremely rare blend in Mexico of modern conveniences: a rich, traditional, and educated Mexican culture and the energy and spark
Xalapa: Elegant, Non-Gringo Mexico Starting At US$38,000 Read More »
Plus: Where To Invest In Paris Today | Canadian Pensions Abroad Properties in Nicaragua trade in U.S. dollars On my first trip to León, Nicaragua, I felt like I’d gone 50 years back in time since leaving Granada, just three hours down the highway. By 2004, Granada was already well discovered by expats, had a
Discover A Newly Emerging Market In Colonial Nicaragua Read More »
Two countries that rise to the top in any conversation about Latin America are Colombia and Chile. They both get high marks for their property markets, economic performance, lifestyles, and geographic diversity. Colombia and Chile share some common ground, but they’re different in many ways. Let’s compare these top two destinations head-to-head. The Property Markets
Chile Versus Colombia: Two Top Countries Compared Read More »
April 29, 2014 Granada, Nicaragua Property in Nicaragua trades in U.S. dollars Dear Overseas Property Alert Reader, Many of us dream of living in a Spanish colonial city…and of owning a Spanish colonial home, with its high ceilings, painted tiles, and a private center courtyard. If you count yourself among this growing number, then you’ll
April 1, 2014 Cali, Colombia Dear Overseas Property Alert Reader, My recent trip to Cali, Colombia, brought the most pleasant surprise of the past five years. The weather was great, the city was fun, the restaurants and nightlife awesome, and the people welcoming, open, and friendly. Best of all, I saw rock-bottom prices—some of the
Earn a hassle-free 10% rental yield in this emerging rental market Read More »
March 25, 2014 Medellín, Colombia Dear Overseas Property Alert Reader, “No gringo communities for me… I’m going to be part of the local culture.” “I’m not the gated community type of person…” Every year, I speak with hundreds of potential expats at events, and I get thousands of emails from people considering moving abroad. Most
Why we hate gated communities…or do we? Read More »
The real estate market in Cali, Colombia, is the most exciting scene I’ve witnessed in a long time. This is an attractive city, with low property prices, a low cost of living, low cost of ownership, and high rental returns. Best of all, prices start at less than US$66,000 for a nice apartment in one
Bargain properties, great lifestyle, and a low cost of living Read More »