Tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET, I’m opening a brand-new, off-market deal in Lagos, Portugal to members of my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group.
Lagos has quietly become one of Europe’s most desirable coastal towns—historic, walkable, and anchored by a world-class marina. With this deal, RETA members have the chance to own in a true boutique luxury community walking distance to the beach and old town, with an unrivaled amenity stack including four pools, sauna, spa, firepits, rooftop ocean-view lounge area…
This is not the first RETA members-only deal in Lagos…
My group has been ahead of this town’s transformation for years…and the results have been extraordinary.
Today, I want to introduce you to one of the members who bought in a past RETA here—Kurt Hoppe. Kurt has bought in eight RETA deals, including a previous Lagos deal.
Below, he shares why he bought…and how he used his Lagos condo to earn $149,000 in gross income in little more than three years.
Wishing you good real estate investing,
P.S. With the new RETA deal in Lagos, I expect gains of €255,000 five years after delivery. And my numbers indicate gross yields of over 10% from short-term rentals once the community is established. RETA members who want to get in on this deal need to be ready to act. There are only 40 condos. That’s it. And when they’re gone, they’re gone. The deal opens at 1 p.m. ET tomorrow. (More on the deal below.)
***
“How I Earned $3,820 per Month from One Condo in Portugal”
By Kurt Hoppe
It was late 2020 and I was driving west across the Spanish border into Portugal, the sun high over the Atlantic, the roads nearly empty. My destination was a small town in the Algarve that I’d never been to before called Lagos.
At that time, much of the world was still frozen by pandemic-era restrictions, but I was on a mission to upgrade my life. Just a few months before, I’d packed most of my belongings into a storage unit in California and hit the road. After two decades living and working in high-tech around the U.S., I’d decided to become a full-time digital nomad.
I had a clear goal in mind: build a portfolio of income-producing properties around the world and rent them out when I wasn’t using them. I wanted to spend my next phase of life traveling between the world’s most beautiful and desirable places—and I didn’t see any reason to wait until retirement to do that.
Not long before making this decision, I’d joined RETA. That’s how I’d heard about Lagos—from Ronan’s scouting and deals.
Lagos offers a rare mix of modern marina, immaculate old town and stunning beaches.
So in 2020, I decided to make that trip to the town, and immediately I understood the appeal—the beaches, the old town, the marina, the walkability, the food…
After touring Lagos, I ended up buying a new condo in the Adega community there for €355,000. This was one of my first international real estate investments.
I took delivery in 2022. Every year, income increased.
In 2024 alone, my Lagos condo generated $49,000—a gross yield of over 12% with occupancy rates above 80%. From January to July 2025, income increased again 24% year on year.
Kurt Hoppe is a member of RETA. He has bought in eight RETA deals, including in the Adega community in Lagos.
Real estate has always been a passion for me.
I began my career in the military in my native Canada and spent more than two decades in the tech sector, including roles with global leaders like Google and LG Electronics. But in the early 2000s, I launched a side hustle that would ultimately change my life: buying and managing vacation rentals.
For a long time, I focused on properties in Canada and the U.S. But by 2019, I started considering overseas investments. That’s what led me to RETA.
I’ve always enjoyed puzzles. I like problem-solving. Whether it’s designing a product, creating repeatable processes, managing a team, or choosing where to invest, I focus on finding patterns and opportunities others haven’t seen yet. I like to innovative, to be ahead.
Lagos is now a true top-tier luxury destination—one with global appeal, permanent demand, and limited supply. RETA was ahead of this story.
When I found Ronan and RETA, I recognized a kindred approach. RETA isn’t about chasing hype. Ronan focuses on fundamentals like identifying “paths of progress” and finding value that others have yet to appreciate.
Lagos was one of the first towns I heard about through RETA. The town checked every box. It’s charming, walkable, historic—but also has the modern infrastructure to support year-round tourism. We’re also ahead of the curve here. The value is excellent, especially compared to more saturated markets in Europe.
After learning about Lagos, visiting this beautiful town, seeing the relative value, and understanding the rising attraction of Portugal, I decided to act. The availability of local financing also played a crucial role in my decision-making. Portuguese banks offer attractive mortgage terms and rates—even better than you’ll get back in North America.
The stunning Adega community in Lagos where Kurt bought. In 2020, RETA members could buy two-beds, three-beds and penthouses in the Adega community near the marina, with prices starting from €348,000. In April 2025, a penthouse RETA members could buy for €495,000 listed for €765,000—an uplift of €270,000.
In 2020, I bought a two-bedroom unit in the RETA deal in Adega. It is a clean, contemporary community just steps from the marina and a short walk to the old town. The construction quality is exceptional, with top-class finishes and features like underfloor heating, underground parking, solar water heating, and energy-efficient design.
With help from the RETA contacts there, the entire purchase process was simple. I secured a local mortgage, opened the right accounts, got legal and accounting support, and closed the entire transaction with just a few Zoom calls. No U.S. paperwork. No headaches.
Once I got my unit, it started producing cashflow very quickly.
From the beginning, I treated the condo like a business. I lived in it for a few weeks before listing—walking the neighborhood at different times of day, testing Wi-Fi, learning traffic patterns, and optimizing my setup for the guest experience. I partnered with a local decorator. I personally made the IKEA runs, adjusted the layout, and stocked the kitchen based on what I’d want if I were staying for a month—or three.
I wasn’t going after the one-night budget traveler. I designed the rental to attract remote-working couples, long-term winter renters, and professionals who’d appreciate thoughtful touches and consistency, in addition to the sunny summer weather.
This approach has been very successful. My condo consistently ranked at the top of guest searches, generated strong repeat bookings, and brought in good income.
Lagos’ stunning beaches draw huge numbers of vacationers to this historic coastal town.
Portugal, thankfully, makes all of this easy. The tax system is clear. Licensing is straightforward. I had no issues securing my AL (Alojamento Local) short-term rental license. When it comes to operating a short-term rental, Portugal easily tops other major countries on simplicity, efficiency, and cost of ownership.
Around the same time I bought in Lagos, I also bought in a RETA deal in Spain’s Costa del Sol. Since then, I’ve expanded and bought in Puerto Vallarta, Playa del Carmen and Tulum on the Riviera Maya, and beyond. I’ve now bought in at least eight RETA deals.
If you’re interested in creating an affordable lifestyle, freedom, and global income through real estate, Portugal is still one of the best places to begin.
Lagos was the first place where the numbers, the lifestyle, and the opportunity all came together for me.
RONAN SAYS: Kurt shared that in 39 months, his Adega condo produced roughly $149,000 in gross short-term rental income. That averages out at $3,820 per month.
And as Kurt says, this was all so easy to do. You’ll find exceptional rental managers and accountants in Portugal, and everything can be done easily, completely hands-off, through English.
RETA members have had incredible deals in Lagos, with huge income and six-figures uplifts. Deals are getting to find here now. But thanks to our deep local relationships and the collective buying power of all RETA members, I’ve been able to negotiate a new deal…and it has the potential to be the strongest yet.
Take a tour of delivered RETA deals in Lagos and the incredible uplifts they have secured for members.
The community, called Palmeiras Dona Ana, will be a short walk from the golden cliffs and coves of Ponta da Piedade, the cobbled streets of the Old Town, and several world-class beaches including Dona Ana.
And it will be true boutique luxury. Four pools for just 40 condos. Plus, a gym, a spa, a sauna, firepits, and a rooftop lounge looking out over the ocean. And despite this level of amenities, the projected holding costs are remarkably low.
This community is designed to offer thespace, privacy, and amenities of a luxury villa—without the cost, upkeep, or hassle of owning one.
With the exclusive deal I’ve negotiated, I expect a gain of €255,000 on the spacious two beds RETA members can own for off-market pricing.
Plus I project gross rental yields of more than 10% annually once the community is established. And those figures assume 70% occupancy, leaving plenty of time for personal use.
Portuguese bank financing can make the opportunity even more compelling.
The deal opens exclusively to RETA members tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET. If you’re a RETA member, now is the time to get ready.
Remember, there are only 40 condos in the whole community and I expect them to go fast.
Deals are getting hard to find in Lagos. This could realistically be the last…
Rooftop amenities are rare in Lagos and across Europe’s elite coastal destinations. The Palmeiras Dona Ana community will have an ocean-view rooftop with pool, lounge area, fire pits…a rooftop experience that feels like a private club rather than a shared building. (Renders shouldn’t be considered final, but give us a great idea what to expect.)
