Joshua asked:


I’ve been leaning toward Costa Rica lately — but a buddy of mine says the turnaround on houses there isn’t as high as you’d think, so now I don’t know. Where would you suggest? And would you purchase just property or perhaps a little house/condo instead? (I don’t have that much money to spare so it’d have to be a REAL little house.)

Yolanda

Richard W asked:


My brother is living in CR has offered me an interesting opportunity in Punta Leona.

A condo in Villas Paraiso for US$70k – it’s next to the new Ramada Hotel under construction when finished will automatically re-evaluate all neighbouring properties by double in 2 years. A totally furnished equipped beach condo with a 10% guaranteed rental income sounds quite hard to beat.

Can anyone recommend a good website to advertise this opportunity?

Carla

Sacha Tarkovsky asked:


Overseas property investment can be the road to riches or the road to ruin depending on how you invest.

If you follow the 4 tips below you will be able to enjoy the minority of big winners in overseas property investment so here they are.

1. Buy the trend

This is perhaps the biggest error made by newcomers to overseas property investment.

They don’t want to buy an established market they want to buy the new property “hot spot”

Why?

Because it’s cheaper and they think the rewards are higher. The downside of course is the risk is high to and most new property “hot spots” never take off and the investor is left with losses and a property he can’t sell.

Buy a trend in motion i.e. where investors are already investing and making money.

The reason for this is:

You have missed the start of the move and maybe some profit, but that doesn’t mean there is more to come and more importantly the downside risk is less.

Property trends last decades or longer and once their in motion they suck more money in ensuring higher prices.

Consider a favourite of US investors Cost Rica:

A property purchased 15 years ago near the popular resort of Jaco for $30,000, is worth as much as $750,000 today!

Is this move over?

Consider this and decide:

Beach front property is still up to 70% less than in the USA AND with demand for ocean view strong growth will continue.

This type of market not only offers great rewards but l0w risk, also as it’s popular you can pick up extra rental income as a bonus.

So 30 -100% profit is available without the risk investing in emerging markets.

Most investors want big gains but also want low risk and that’s what an established market gives you.

2. Location

Whatever market you buy in you need to get a good location. For example in Costa Rica you would look for the expanding resorts rather than the established ones to maximize your risk reward.

3. Look at the law

Many people invest in countries and have no idea of the law and find out later that they don’t have the same rights as residents or that their property can be seized by the government etc

Don’t take the risk. Only do overseas property investment in countries that offer you protection and get a local attorney if you can’t speak the language, its money well spent.

4. Make up your own mind

Don’t fall for sales hype like huge profits in a new emerging market – If it looks to good to be true it probably is.

With overseas property investment stick with established trends that look likely to continue.

Make sure that you pick locations carefully near expanding areas to maximize risk reward and get a good attorney; it’s a small price to pay and stick to countries where the law gives you the same rights as residents.

It’s all about risk reward

Of course you can be a pioneer and go for a killing in a new emerging market, but keep in mind many pioneers got rich, but most got the arrows!

You don’t need to be clever to make 30 – 100% annual gains in overseas property investment, you can do it by following the above and more importantly with low risk,



Lonnie