In this week’s Your Overseas Dream Home Digest…
- Massive Response to the RETA Deal in Portugal’s Algarve
- What It’s Really Like to Live and Own in Lagos
- WATCH: $16k Condos on This Caribbean Island
- VIDEO: South America’s Most Overlooked Capital
- A Home Near Tokyo For $80,000
- Your Questions Answered on Where to Buy in Panama
This week’s Your Overseas Dream Home Digest comes to you from Cabo. I landed here last Sunday. Since I first bought in Cabo more than a decade ago, this place has become a winter refuge for me. A perfect-weather escape.
I love the laidback seaside vibe…the natural beauty of the desert and mountains meeting the sea in dramatic fashion…the vast stretches of golden-sand beach…
The lifestyle here energizes me. I’ll have more on Cabo in the weeks ahead.
Today, we have a packed Digest. I’m going to tell you about a Caribbean island where you can own a condo for $16,000…houses just outside Japan’s capital that sell for $80,000…the most overlooked capital in South America…and where to buy in Panama…
But before all that, I want to tell you about the incredible off-market deal I launched to Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) members this week in Lagos, Portugal.
A photo I snapped after arriving in Cabo this week. This is the beach where I go for my morning walks…
Massive Response to the RETA Deal in Portugal’s Algarve
On Wednesday I opened the latest Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) deal in Lagos, on Portugal’s Algarve. The response from RETA members was out of this world, as befits an opportunity as mind-blowing as this.
This deal was a chance for RETA members to own stunning condos on the most prestigious street in the heart of the town’s luxury marina district—steps from the marina itself, and a short walk to the beaches, historic core, and dining.
With this deal, I expect gains of €292,500 just three years after delivery alongside gross rental yields over 13.1%.
And I’m likely being conservative at that.
Huge congratulations to all the RETA members who have got in!
Lagos is the kind of place you visit for a week and end up staying for a lifetime.
But don’t take it from me. Hear from two RETA members who have bought in this perfect beach town—now joining Europe’s elite coastal destinations—as a result of RETA’s scouting.
Lagos offers a rare mix of modern marina, immaculate old town and stunning beaches.
What It’s Really Like to Live and Own in Lagos
On Monday, I shared the story of RETA member Patty Farmer, who didn’t just buy once in Lagos—she bought, sold, and then bought again there. And she’s still investing in Lagos.
Her experience offers a useful window into what it’s like to buy and live in this town.
Patty explains what first drew her to Lagos, how prices moved faster than she expected, and why a visit to the town changed her plans entirely. What began as an investment became the place she calls home.
Learn why Lagos has inspired Patty to buy repeatedly here.
Tuesday’s dispatch provided another view into Lagos.
Longtime RETA member Kurt Hoppe bought a luxury condo there too and achieved a 12%+ yield renting his property out. Kurt shares how his investment came about and how much income he earned from owning it.
Discover all the details here.
Praia Dona Ana is one of the most iconic beaches in Lagos, and one of the most photographed beaches in the Algarve.
VIDEO: You Can Buy Condos for $16,000 on This Caribbean Island…But Should You?
From a haven of European luxury to a forgotten destination…
I recently recorded a YouTube video where I explore a stunning Caribbean island where you can buy condos from $16,000.
And I explain why that’s probably a bad idea…at least for the moment. Click below to view the video.
At its peak, this island welcomed up to 3 million visitors per year, rivaling major Caribbean tourist destinations. Now, it lies largely forgotten. But if it stirs, the opportunity would be incredible…
As you may have guessed, the Caribbean island I’m talking about is Isla Margarita, part of Venezuela.
Margarita has exploded into the spotlight over the past month due to the dramatic events in Venezuela and talk that the country could be finally about to emerge from crisis.
Margarita is a stunningly beautiful Caribbean island with around 70 beaches, including some of Venezuela’s best. At one time, it was attracting more than 3 million tourists a year. But in recent times, visitor numbers have collapsed, with only around 11,000 international tourists visiting in 2022.
Crucially, though, the tourist infrastructure remains—resorts, port terminals, and an international airport. So it could rebound quickly, given the right circumstances.
In my video, I share more on the background to Isla Margarita and offer my current take on the opportunity there.
Click here to watch the video.
VIDEO: Luxury Condos for $200 per Sq. Ft. in an Overlooked Capital
Last month, I put boots on the ground in a little-known capital city that’s been attracting growing attention from real estate insiders.
This is a place with low taxes, a hugely affordable cost of living, and top-end luxury real estate from around $200 per square foot—pricing you simply won’t find in any other capital city like this.
That destination is Asunción, the capital of Paraguay.
Earlier this month, I shared a video with members of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group, where I sat down with RETA Editorial Director Ciaran Madden to discuss what I saw on the ground in Asunción and why this city holds huge potential.
Now, I’ve posted the video to my YouTube channel. Click below to view.
In this video, I share the key takeaways from my recent scouting trip to Paraguay’s booming capital, Asunción.
A Home Near Tokyo For $80,000
A few days ago, an Instagram reel stopped me mid-scroll. It showed a neat, detached house on a quiet street in Chiba, Japan—wooden floors, a traditional entryway, even a small garden.
The location was about an hour from Tokyo.
The price? Roughly $80,000.
Japan is a place I’ll be scouting in March when I visit the country for my long-delayed honeymoon. (Thanks, Covid.)
In yesterday’s dispatch, I explore why real estate prices exist in Japan at all…the factors that make it happen…and the mindset that reinforces them.
Tokyo is one of the world’s great capitals—yet just beyond its limits are quiet neighborhoods where homes change hands at surprisingly modest prices.
Your Questions Answered
Have a comment for me or my team? A question about owning overseas? Share it here. I’d love to hear from you. Here’s a question I got from a reader recently…
Jim B. asks: I’m thinking about buying a condo in Panama, but I’m torn—does it make more sense to look in Panama City, or near the beach? I’m thinking the city might be too crowded. Plus my five-year-old granddaughter loves swimming and being on the sand.
Ronan says: Thank you for your question, Jim. Panama is a world-leading destination, with warm weather year-round, high-quality healthcare, a stunning coastline, and a vibrant lifestyle with activities for every taste. This prosperous country also offers a dollarized economy, favorable residency programs, and a booming real estate market.
So, Panama definitely has a lot going for it. Where you choose to buy here will depend on your preferences, budget, and whether you and your family plan to spend much time at the property.
As you might guess, real estate in Panama City is in huge demand—especially the best-in-class and most luxurious properties. The city is now three times the size it was in 1990. Almost half the country’s population lives in its metro area. And it’s drawing in foreign talent like never before.
Booming Panama City has the world’s 25th biggest skyline. This city is experiencing breakneck development.
That means the city is booming and bustling. It’s a busy place. Though there are pockets where you can enjoy a serene lifestyle, even in crowded Panama City. In particular, I’d look to the Santa Maria master-planned community on the edge of Panama City.
This is a 700-acre gated, green, and luxurious private enclave centered around a Jack Nicklaus golf course, high-end condos, a country club, and a Marriott Luxury Collection hotel. I’ve brought incredible deals here to members of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group.
For instance, in July 2025, RETA members had the chance to own in Bosco di Santa Maria, the signature new development in the community, with exclusive pricing on luxurious two-bed condos starting from $456,020. Already, retail prices are above the exclusive RETA pricing. Condos that RETA members could own for $474,082 were listing retail at $518,500 in November…that’s $44,418 more in just four months.
If you prefer to own on the beach, I’d recommend Playa Caracol, on Panama’s Pacific Riviera (west of Panama City). This is the nicest stretch of beach close to Panama City, but for years it was leapfrogged by development because it lacked road access.
Over the past decade, though, Panama’s foremost developer has turned Playa Caracol into a glorious beachfront community.
Today, there are hundreds of delivered condos. You can dine in great restaurants. Get a massage on the beach, hire a private chef to cater for you and friends in your home…take a surf lesson…pop into the well-provisioned Caracol market for groceries…
Playa Caracol is miles of Pacific beach just an hour to 90 minutes from the global haven of Panama City.
Kids can take boogie boards out or build endless sandcastles on a beach that stretches for miles. Your granddaughter would love it!
I’ve also been able to bring my RETA group some excellent deals here. One example…
In October 2024, RETA members could own true beachfront homes from the exclusive price of $519,800 in the Seashore community in Playa Caracol. By January 2025 the developer was listing similar homes for $605,000—an uplift of $85,200 on the RETA price.
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. If you have a question about buying real estate overseas or have suggestions for destinations my team and I should put on our scouting list, drop me a line here.
