Finding and purchasing your dream home in the top locations of South America…
The continent of South America is also known as the southern subcontinent of the Americas. The entire landmass is located in the Western Hemisphere and mostly south of the equator. However, a few of the locations we recommend lie in the northern hemisphere including most of Colombia, a small portion of Brazil, and parts of Ecuador including Quito which straddles the equator itself.
Most of the continent is located in the tropics and the geography is dominated by the long Andes Mountain range and the Amazon River Basin. With lush jungles, wide rivers, coastal beachfront areas, and even vineyards you can find just about any natural setting you might want to explore.
South America is a perfect destination for many U.S. and Canadian expats since it lies in similar time zones and the northern-most countries are only a few hours away by air. Many major airlines serve the larger cities in South America where you’ll find modern airports and friendly locals.
The South American locations nearest the equator offer excellent year-round weather, especially those at higher elevations such as Quito, Ecuador and Medellín, Colombia. While in destinations like Santiago, Chile you can enjoy four seasons and snow is common in the highlands.
Most countries in South America speak Spanish, while Brazil’s native language is Portuguese. If you can learn a little Spanish, you can travel around the continent without having to master several languages. You’ll find more English speakers in the larger cities depending on your country of choice, but you’ll need some Spanish in the smaller, more traditional villages.
You can immerse yourself in the culture of Spanish-inspired, colonial towns that seem to be frozen in time, or marvel at the large, cosmopolitan cities with first-world infrastructure, public transportation, quality roads, drinkable water, and every convenience you are accustomed to “back home.”
If you are looking for an exceptional quality of life, at a reasonable cost of living, the amazing opportunities in South America are not to be missed.
With more than 1,250 miles (2,000 km) of coastline, Ecuador is the westernmost country in South America. And Salinas, on the Santa Elena peninsula, is the westernmost piece of land on Ecuador’s mainland. It’s one of the world’s few coastal resorts where you can still buy a new condo for less than US$53,000. This ex-fishing […]
Salinas, Ecuador: Affordable Beach Condos Under $53K Read More »
Curitiba: High Culture At Low Cost If you are planning to move when you retire, likely you’ll strive to balance a high quality of life with a reasonable cost of living—which is not always an easy task. A city which offers both—though you may never have heard of it—is Curitiba, in southern Brazil. People from
Curitiba, Brazil: Low Cost, High-Quality Life In The “Other Brazil” Read More »
Vila Velha: “Little Rio” My walk finished, I plop down in a chair at Talismã, my favorite kiosk. The waiter looks at me and raises an eyebrow in question. I nod and mouth, “Coco.” I hear him behind me, hacking the top off a chilled coconut with a machete, and in seconds it’s on the
Vila Velha, Brazil: Top Beach Real Estate Without Rio’s Price Tag Read More »
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
Your Own Vineyard in Argentina’s Los Arbolitos For Under US$50K Read More »
Santa Marta: Colombia’s Calmer Caribbean Alternative Cartagena continues to boost its profile as a prime travel and investment destination, and it’s not hard to see why. The city is teeming with culture and liveliness, and boasts a wide range of features—from the outstanding cuisine and tropical climate to a bustling city center and bohemian neighborhoods—that
Santa Marta: A Hidden Gem On Colombia’s Caribbean Coast Read More »
Few pleasures rival a sunset walk down a wide, sandy beach that is unspoiled by tourists and overdevelopment. Many expats dream of retiring in a place where such strolls are a daily occurrence. The problem lies in
Olón, Ecuador: Top Choice For Affordable Seaside Living Read More »
You’ve been dreaming about living abroad for years, and now you finally can afford to buy the perfect house in a beautiful gated community. You’re ready to sign on the dotted line, hand over the cash, and move in. Not so fast—your dream home could rapidly become your worst nightmare. By paying attention to these
10 Things To Know Before You Buy In A Planned Community Read More »
Granada, Nicaragua, is my favorite city in all of Central America. This is saying a lot, given the number of popular retirement spots I’ve visited over the past 15 years… especially in Panama and Costa Rica. Granada offers a number of strong selling points: Granada is aesthetically beautiful… a picture postcard of what colonial Spanish
Granada, Nicaragua: Our Favorite City In All Of Central America Read More »
Colonia is the most attractive and convenient town in Uruguay. It’s busy all year with a thriving local population as well as travelers from Uruguay’s other cities, Buenos Aires, and around the world. It offers a solid, long-term property and rental market. Colonia has everything you’ll need for a comfortable and enjoyable lifestyle. From fine
Property Market In Colonia, Uruguay, Is Ripe With Opportunity Read More »
Brazil has approximately 4,700 miles of coastline. As you might imagine, it has quite a few nice beach towns. For my money, Cabo Frio is among the very best. Cabo Frio, which means “Cold Cape,” lies less than 100 miles up the coast from Rio de Janeiro. Cabo, at around 175,000 permanent residents, is the
Beautiful Beaches And Property Bargains In Cabo Frio, Brazil Read More »