For those looking to beat inflation and elevate their lifestyle, there is literally a world of options waiting for them.

By Michael Cobb

July 7, 2022

Dear Fellow Investor,

For many, a vacation or investment property overseas is a dream in the making. For others it’s about moving to a magical location somewhere in the world. And yet many see it as a great way to earn passive income.

No matter the reasoning, investing overseas requires a great deal of due diligence to get it right the first time.

Many people plan to own property overseas at some point and they know exactly where they want to live. A lot of times, this is a favorite vacation spot over the years where they know the neighbors, bartenders and shopkeepers.

For others, that location isn’t yet determined.

That being said, we all know the world is a vast and diverse place, and because of that, this article is going to focus on the Caribbean and Latin America, because this region offers such an array of different geographies and settings available for buyers.

The Easy Questions

For buyers shopping around, we must ask ourselves if we want to own in the city, in the country, on the beach or in the mountains? Do we want a three-bedroom house or a one-bedroom condo? Would I like to have a backyard, a place for pets or a perhaps a garden?

Or is this an investment property, and low maintenance and ROI are the critical factors?

Getting it right the first time means asking ourselves the right questions.

The easy stuff is geography, both climate and setting.

Climate choices around the Central American region range from breezy Caribbean islands...to high, dry deserts...to vineyard areas similar to Napa Valley.

Not to be left out are the lush, moist tropical lowlands to semi-arid, southern-California-feeling climates on the beach.

Settings, as opposed to climate, include everything from the solitude of a country home to pedestrian cities perfect for life without a car. From modern cities with subways and shopping malls to historic cities with classic architecture and symphony orchestras — ask yourself what kind of setting are you drawn to?

Are you more interested in living life in a small village or do you prefer the lifestyle of a full-blown resort community?

In the Caribbean and Latin America your options include just about every setting and geographical location imaginable — making for many attractive overseas options.

The list below is a mix-and-match of climates and settings and can be combined in a “pick one of each” category, with a corresponding location.

• Hot, warm, cool, cold
• Dry, moderate, humid
• Snow, hills, waves
• City, town, country
• Modern, historic, village, resort

Narrowing It Down

So you have an idea of the type of climate and setting you would prefer...and if you are like a lot of people, you like warm weather.

But what kind of “warm?” There are many different types.

Do you prefer dry, moist or humid?

For a hot, dry climate, the deserts of Mexico would be a great choice. If you want desert at the beach, Cabo San Lucas in Baja might be a good choice. If the SoCal climate is preferable, then the Pacific coastline of Nicaragua and Costa Rica would be a place to consider. For a hot, moist climate, Panama, Cartagena Colombia or coastal Ecuador would be perfect for you.

Of course, there are many people who would prefer a cooler climate when moving overseas, one that comes close to resembling springtime year-round.

In places like the Central Valley of Costa Rica, the highlands of Panama, the mountains of Ecuador, or Medellin, Colombia, temperatures are in the 80s during the day and 70s at night, every day of the year.

If even cooler temperatures are what you want, places like Bogota, Colombia, or Cuenca, Ecuador, will provide temperatures in the 70s and 80s during the day and the 50s at night. Moving further south of the equator, southern Chile and Bariloche, Argentina provide all four seasons.

Narrowing down climate is one thing, but setting is critical too.

Do you want to live in an urban area, or do you want to live in a rural area? Do you want a modern city with high rises, a subway and shopping malls, or would you prefer a small colonial city with brick streets, small markets and rough sidewalks?

The good news is that the incredibly varied geography of the region can usually serve up the right solution for almost any wish list.

The Tougher Questions

As you can see, there are a wide variety of geographic and setting choices giving many kinds of specific locations to explore. But there’s more to consider. A lot more.

Where is the nearest grocery store? Can I open a bank account? Is there a language barrier? What about healthcare access?

These questions and many more are as vital to a high quality of life overseas as is the weather and location.

The Consumer Resource Guide is an excellent place to start exploring and discovering answers to the many questions you may have. It takes the guesswork out of the equation, “guiding” you to ask the right questions and pointing you in the right direction to make the best decision — for you!

Recently, ECI Development and Golden Opportunities newsletter teamed up to produce a webinar touching on this idea of due diligence and the right questions to ask. You can request a copy of the recording here.

Now, we are excited to offer you the opportunity to dive even deeper into the world of options when it comes to investing overseas at an exclusive webinar on July 21, 2022 at 6:00 pm EDT.

Click here to register for the webinar.

I look forward to connecting with you, hopefully south of the border somewhere.

Respectfully,

Michael K. Cobb

Chairman and CEO of ECI Development
14 Years Living as an expat in Latin America

CLICK HERE
To Register For The Upcoming Investing Overseas Webinar