In this week’s digest:
- Gains of $275,000 in the Caribbean
- Special Report: Dream Homes in Asian Beach Towns from $50,000
- Own a Private Island from $215,000
- Your Questions Answered on Affordable Mediterranean Destinations
It’s been an incredible week for my Real Estate Trend Alert group…
On Wednesday, I launched our RETA-only deal in the ultra-luxurious master-planned Caribbean community of Cap Cana.
This was a chance to lock down stunning luxury condos, a stroll from one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet, at exclusive, off-market pricing.
I bought alongside RETA members in this deal. And the response from our group was phenomenal.
I can’t say I’m surprised. This was a killer deal…
Cap Cana has a coastline to rival any in the Caribbean…any in the world…with glistening white-sand beaches and crystal-clear, turquoise waters. Juanillo beach, a stroll from the RETA opportunity, is among the most beautiful I’ve seen in decades scouting the world.
Spanning 30,000 acres (that’s twice the size of Manhattan), Cap Cana offers out of this world luxury.
It’s set on three miles of glistening white-sand beach, and miles more of stunning Caribbean coastline. And it’s home to the largest inland marina in the Caribbean…world-class golf…ultra-luxe resorts…one of the Caribbean’s finest equestrian facilities…the region’s largest water park…and so much more.
This isn’t a normal master-planned community. It’s a self-sufficient and secure bastion of wealth and luxury that functions with a high degree of autonomy. A city state for the affluent.
People pay millions of dollars for condos and villas here. Yet, RETA members could own from a RETA-only $382,400 for luxurious two-bed condos.
I’m expecting huge gains of $275,000 in five years on our condos. Plus, there’s income…
Rent short-term and I’d expect gross annual income of $45,600, or gross yields of close to 12%. I’ll probably rent mine long-term for nine months of the year. I expect to get $3,000 a month doing that. Renting for nine months or so gives me the rest of the time to enjoy my condo. And to share with friends and family the many incredible experiences Cap Cana offers.
This deal is the complete package. I’m so excited to be an owner in Cap Cana.
I’m moving fast on my due diligence now. If you’re a RETA member and you’ve reserved, you should too. No time to waste!
This week, my team was also digging into stunning beach destinations much further afield…
A photo I snapped while scouting Cap Cana. I’m hugely excited to be an owner here…
Special Report: Homes in Asian Beach Towns from $50,000
From the powdery, white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and lush tropical landscapes of Koh Samui, Thailand, to the long, bustling golden-sand beaches fronting the South China Sea in Da Nang, Vietnam, Asia boasts some of the most striking and popular stretches of coast on the planet…
And since it’s Asia, these destinations also offer incredible history, culture and architecture, and amazing food.
Another big selling point of Asia’s beach towns is the often incredibly affordable real estate…
Recently, my team have been digging into listings in five of the most beautiful and popular beach towns in Asia, from Koh Samui to Da Nang to Bali, Indonesia, and they found stunning homes at incredible pricing…
I’m talking about an upscale condo with a panoramic view of the South China Sea, with Vietnam’s famous “China Beach” at your doorstep, for just $66,005.
Or a luxurious open-air villa in Bali, decorated in folk art and intricately carved tropical hardwood furniture, with private plunge pool surrounded by lush foliage…for just $126,398.
Or a modern sea- and mountain-view condo in a luxury building with a rooftop lounge, infinity pool, and fitness club overlooking the Gulf of Thailand for only $50,000.
And those are just the start of what’s available in beach destinations across Asia. Now, to be clear, owning as a foreign national in Asia comes with a lot of red tape and restrictions. And that’s in the destinations where it’s permitted…in some it’s not allowed at all.
I explore all of that, and share lots of incredible listings, in the brand-new Overseas Dream Home special report: Dream Homes in Stunning Asian Beach Towns from $50,000.
This report is free…a special benefit to you as an Overseas Dream Home reader. Simply click here to read it now.
Ang Thong National Marine Park, a group of 42 islands in Thailand, is easily accessible from the main island of Koh Samui. You’ll find homes listed on Koh Samui for less than $100,000. See the full report for details.
Own a Private Island from $215,000
One thing you’ll rarely find at an Asian beach is solitude…expect hustle and bustle, particularly in the most famous destinations like those in our special report. This frenetic energy is part of the appeal of destinations like Da Nang.
But if you prefer seclusion, and you have money to spend, there’s a way you can get a stunning stretch of coast all to yourself, permanently…your own private island.
Private islands are typically associated with the billionaire class, think Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the Caribbean or Larry Ellison’s Lanai Island in Hawaii.
The thing is, though, you don’t need to have Larry Ellison or Richard Branson levels of wealth to own a private island…
I asked my team to search for private islands for sale around the world. They found interesting listings in places like Ireland, Finland, Canada, and French Polynesia. The prices vary…many of these islands cost millions…but you’ll also find options from as little as $215,000.
Check out all the listings in our full article here.
It doesn’t get more exotic than an island home in French Polynesia…and my team found one on the market there right now. See the listing in our full article on private islands here.
Your Questions Answered
Have a question or comment for me or my team? A question about owning overseas? A destination you’d like us to scout. Share it here. I’d love to hear from you. Here’s a question I got from a reader…
Cesar S. asks: I’m looking for my vacation retirement home. Do you have more information on a part of the Mediterranean where Americans are welcomed visa-free and where you’ll find affordable historic ocean-view homes?
Ronan says: Hi Cesar, there are a number of areas around Europe that might fit your criteria and have affordable real estate. One that springs to mind, especially when it comes to visa-free treatment for Americans, is Albania.
Albania is sandwiched between Greece and Italy, farther down the coast from Montenegro, on the Adriatic Sea. It’s full of ancient sites, Roman, Greek and Ottoman—the Turks ruled for a long time. After World War I, during the creation of the Treaty of Versailles, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson stopped the big European powers from carving up little Albania. History gets remembered in the Balkans and as a result Albanians welcome Americans to stay in the country visa free for a year.
Albania suffered under communism for a long time, from 1946 to 1991. And recovery has come slowly. You’ll still find home here in the $50,000 range and sea-view condos available from around $100,000.
Increasingly, though, people are discovering Albania…
Back in 2022, one of my senior scouts, Eoin Bassett, went to explore this under-the-radar country. At the time he wrote: “I’ve never been anywhere as beautiful. A hikers’ paradise, mountains crown this corner of Europe, and run right down to sparsely developed Mediterranean beaches.
Albania’s under-the-radar Riviera boasts picture-perfect white-sand beaches…
“This place is almost undiscovered. I say ‘almost’ because, although things are very ground floor and early days, I found significant signs this Riviera is being discovered,” Eoin said.
“The Albanian Riviera is a three-hour drive from the capital Tirana. Following the coast road from the beach town of Saranda to Dhermi—the length of the Albanian Riviera—takes about two hours. The views are spectacular, the beaches outstanding, and much of the central stretch is—as yet—undeveloped.”
To find out more about Eoin’s trip here, RETA members can read his full report here. (Not a RETA member, join here and you’ll get access to this and all our scouting research reports.)
I have yet to visit Albania myself. In terms of investment, there are many unknowns to this developing country. But it’s on my radar, and my team and I are tracking developments here closely.
Of course, Albania is not the only corner of the Mediterranean where you’ll find incredibly affordable real estate. Another more established spot to consider would be Sicily.
Another of my team members, Ciaran Madden, had boots in the ground there earlier this year. The biggest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily boasts historic cities…ancient temples…quaint little villages…towering mountains…and stunning beaches on every shore…
While there he discovered condos by the beach from an astonishing €80,000. And he viewed even more affordable options inland from price tags as low as €15,000. You can read more about those in this article here and another boots-on-the-ground report here.
