The 5 R’s: My Proven Framework for Profitable International Real Estate

There’s a Japanese concept called Ikigai. It loosely translates as “a reason for being.” It’s the place where what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for all overlap.

For me, that’s real estate. Not just any real estate—global, boots-on-the-ground, opportunity-driven investing.

My name is Ronan McMahon, and I’ve been an international real estate scout and investor for over 20 years.

I started investing in my 20s with a bit of capital, a strong gut instinct, and a passport. I bought my first property before I really knew what I was doing. I got lucky. Made some mistakes. Learned fast.

In 2008, when the world was in meltdown, I was in Brazil, hunting for real estate opportunities…

While many Western economies were collapsing, Brazil was on a tear. It was witnessing an economic and real estate boom thanks to huge new investments and a surging middle class.

During my scouting trip, I went to a private party with a friend. He had an invite, and I was his guest. It sounded cool. A beach setting, wine, canapes, and live music. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday evening.

The party wasn’t quite what I expected, though. The host was a real estate developer. The event was his way of giving a small group of select insiders first dibs on his latest project in a new beach community.

There was no show home or scale model, no published price lists or fancy brochures. What was on offer, however, were very sizable discounts.

Thanks to my insider contact, I was able to lock down two condos. These condos were worth double our ground-floor pricing soon after delivery. At a time, real estate investors were losing their shirts back home thanks to the great recession.

The experience taught me two hugely valuable lessons: There’s always an opportunity somewhere when you look everywhere.

And it pays to get insider access…

After that party, I looked for a real estate investing group that worked together to approach developers and used its collective buying power to get this kind of insider access. I knew that by acting together, a group like this could get exclusive access and big discounts.

But I quickly realized that there was no such group. So I started my own, Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA).

To be a RETA member is to be first on the very best real estate deals in the world. (You can learn more about RETA here.)

In the 17 years since its inception, RETA has developed a heavy-hitting reputation in the right circles. Our core strength is our group buying power—it’s by acting in unison with like-minded investors—fellow RETA members—that we get the incredible deals that we do.

Alone, I can’t bring much to the table when I negotiate with developers besides my charm. I might not even get into their office. But with RETA members at my back, I can bow developers to our will, craft insanely good terms and prices, and leave everyone a winner.

It’s how we get deals no one else gets, deals that even the most informed local real estate insiders can’t believe…in the world’s most desirable locations.

I live and breathe real estate, and my team and I are constantly seeking out the best real estate opportunities around the globe.

We spend more than $1 million on travel and research every year.

Even after over two decades in the international real estate game, I still feel the thrill of the hunt. There are corners of the world I haven’t explored. Neighborhoods are just beginning to emerge. Transformations are throwing up opportunities.

I’ve come to earnestly realize that real estate investing isn’t that complicated. Not if you stay clear, disciplined, and learn to spot trends early.

I believe success boils down to five simple secrets….the 5 R’s. These are the same principles I use to guide RETA members to the world’s most lucrative, early-in deals—before the crowds show up.

They may be simple. But they’re profoundly powerful.

Let’s unpack them…

Secret 1: The Right Transformation—Find Out Where the People Are Going…

Before you analyze a spreadsheet, before you ever open your browser to start searching listings—there’s one thing you need to understand:

Human movement drives real estate value.

The most lucrative investments are never just about numbers. They’re about people—specifically, where people are going. Where they want to be. Where they’re heading next.

When you figure that out before the crowd, you position yourself in front of the wave. It’s the best way to profit.

This isn’t a theory—it’s a proven pattern.

When I first visited Playa del Carmen on Mexico’s Riviera Maya more than 20 years ago, it was a small beach town. Today, it’s becoming one of the world’s foremost beachfront cities, drawing millions of visitors each year. It’s undergoing what I think of as “the Miami Effect” and has grown from a few hundred inhabitants to hundreds of thousands.

It wasn’t random that I was in Playa del Carmen in 2004. I was following the signals.

Cancun was booming to the north. The government was spending big on highways and expanding the airport. Europeans were arriving. Americans were booking flights.

Connectivity was improving. Access was getting easier. The pull factors—sun, sea, relaxed lifestyle—were already there. All it needed was momentum.

I saw it coming. So I acted. This is how you win.

You don’t need to guess. You need to observe:

• Are flights increasing?
• Are roads being built or upgraded?
• Is the internet fast, stable, and getting better?
• Are new visas making it easier for people to stay long-term?
• Are there cafés full of laptops and surfboards, or are they about to arrive?

Are the people coming!

And today, more than ever, it’s about mobility. Millions of people can now work from anywhere, live anywhere, and build a life anywhere. And they’re doing exactly that. They’re seeking sunshine, adventure, culture, connection—and they’re taking their income with them.

A powerful shift is underway, and you’re either ahead of it…or you’re late.

Let me be clear: I’m not talking about betting on hunches or chasing fads. I’m talking about watching for real, lasting transformations—the kind that are driven by infrastructure, access, and the growing human desire to live better, freer lives.

Let’s look at some real-world examples of where these forces have converged…

Portugal’s Algarve: Once the quiet corner of Europe, the Algarve has transformed into a magnet for global wealth. Why? Connectivity and incentives.

The region now boasts a network of upgraded highways, fast rail links, and an international airport in Faro with direct flights across Europe. Add in incentives like 300 days of sunshine, world-class golf, and golden beaches—and you get a place where the right real estate has doubled in value in under a decade. The best homes now rent year-round, not just for a few high-season weeks. With international schools and a huge expat community, it’s no surprise the Algarve is drawing remote professionals and wealthy early retirees from the UK, Germany, the U.S., and beyond.

Mexico’s Riviera Maya: The Riviera Maya—stretching from Cancún through Playa del Carmen to Tulum—has become one of the most internationally connected coastlines in the world. With tens of millions of passengers flowing through Cancún International Airport annually, and the newly opened Tulum Airport adding further lift, access is unmatched.

The pull? A fusion of white-sand beaches, cosmopolitan dining, strong rental demand, and improving infrastructure, like the new Maya Train. Add in favorable residency pathways, thriving expat communities, and a growing tech-nomad crowd, and you have a region where rental returns can be extraordinary.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico: Cabo used to be the playground of Californians and Arizonans. Now it’s gone global. Private jet traffic is soaring. Boutique resorts and branded residences—from Nobu to Four Seasons—are racing to keep up with demand.

The region’s real estate market has been supercharged by ultra-high-net-worth buyers, infrastructure upgrades, and its ease of access from major U.S. cities. A new bypass highway and improved connectivity from the airport have opened up new prime neighborhoods. The lifestyle is five-star, the weather nearly perfect, and the rental income potential massive.

Those who bought years ago are sitting on enormous equity gains. But there are still opportunities—if you know where to look and who to deal with…

Southern Spain’s Costa del Sol: For decades, this stretch of Mediterranean coastline was a haven for European sunseekers. But in the last few years, it’s undergone a transformation. Now, Malaga is a tech hub. Marbella has become a year-round base for international entrepreneurs and crypto millionaires. The Andalusian government is rolling out fast-track visas and digital nomad incentives. And with high-speed rail, modern highways, and direct flights to dozens of countries, access is seamless. RETA members who got in on the right deals have seen big uplifts—not just in price appreciation, but in year-round rental income from a steady stream of global tenants.

Costa Rica’s Gold Coast: Stretching along the country’s northwestern Pacific shoreline, Costa Rica’s Gold Coast—especially around Tamarindo, Playa Flamingo, and Playa Grande—has become one of the hottest lifestyle-driven investment zones in the Americas.

Why? Because it checks all the boxes.

The international airport in Liberia has undergone major upgrades and now welcomes direct flights from dozens of U.S. and Canadian cities. In under five hours from JFK, you can be on a surfboard or sipping a sundowner by the infinity pool. Add to that improved roads, fiber-optic internet, private healthcare, international schools—and suddenly this isn’t just a place for a vacation. It’s a place to live.

Costa Rica offers a rare blend of natural beauty, political stability, and sustainable development. Its residency programs are straightforward. Property laws are investor-friendly. And its deep, long-standing appeal to eco-tourists, wellness travelers, and remote workers means demand for high-end rentals is strong and growing.

Each of the places I mention above has crossed the tipping point—from seasonal resort to full-blown year-round destination for high-income professionals, digital nomads, and international retirees who aren’t just visiting… they’re staying.

That’s why smart investors like us look beyond their own borders. Because when you know how to spot these shifts—and how to identify the right property in the right place—you can capture serious upside.

This is the foundation of global real estate investing success.

Get there first…then, find the right location and real estate…

Secret 2: The Right Location…

Once you’ve identified the broad destination—where the people are going—the next question is critical: Where exactly should you buy?

Because not all neighborhoods, not all buildings, and certainly not all streets are created equal.

You can be in the right town and still make the wrong move. That’s why understanding micro-location is where the art meets the science.

It’s not enough to ride the big wave. You have to be positioned on the right part of the wave to get the speed, the height, the thrill—and the return.

Take the town of Lagos, in Portugal’s southern Algarve region.

This is the most historic town in the Algarve and my favorite on this entire stretch of coast. There are semi-secret sandy coves, long stretches of golden-sand beach, a top-class marina, a lovingly restored old town, incredible restaurants, and golf…

Lagos has developed differently from the rest of the Algarve. While many of the towns close to the region’s airport in Faro experienced unrestrained tourism development, Lagos has remained low-rise and low-density. The development focus has been on high-end communities that fit the historic character and culture of the town.

This has made it popular with vacationers looking for a more authentic, upmarket experience…wealthy retirees seeking a true community where they can live year-round…remote-working professionals looking for a place to stay for part or all of the year…

The opportunity in Lagos, then, is to own the kind of real estate these folks are looking for, and that’s luxury condos in best-in-class communities walking distance to the marina, beach, or old town.

That’s what we’ve done at RETA. Some examples…

• Uplift of €277,000—In November 2020, I brought our club an opportunity to own two-bed luxury condos at pricing starting at €348,000 near the marina in Lagos. A local broker told a member of my team that they sold one earlier this year for €600,000. That’s €252,000 more.

• €414,500 More—In December 2019 RETA members could buy luxurious two-bed condos in the Santa Maria community in Lagos from €310,500. Today, there’s a two-bed condo in Santa Maria listing for €725,000. That’s an uplift of €414,500.

It’s the same everywhere.

In short: it’s not just about being in the right place. It’s about being in the right place within the right place.

That’s how you maximize income. That’s how you accelerate appreciation.

Secret 3: The Right Real Estate…

This is where many investors fall short. They spot a rising market. They pick the right area. But then…they buy the wrong type of property. Success lies in selecting the kind of real estate that stands out—the kind that renters and future buyers actively seek out.

That means understanding what size, layout, and concept will have the widest appeal… and what makes a property truly competitive.

In a booming short-term rental market like Playa del Carmen, for instance, a two-bedroom condo hits a sweet spot. It works for couples, singles, digital nomads, and small families. It offers flexibility without being too big or too expensive.

But look beyond the four walls….

In Playa’s prime neighborhoods, you’ll find new condos with a rooftop pool or a gym. But imagine owning in a building with something no one else can match—like the half-acre rooftop club at The Landmark community, complete with an infinity pool, restaurant, bar, lounge areas, and panoramic Caribbean views.

In Panama City, I brought RETA members an off-market deal in a community called Ipanema—set to be an oasis of relaxation and luxury.

Ipanema is not only in the ideal location, but it’s a spectacular landmark—two buildings shaped like the wind-filled sails of a frigate, billowing out into the Pacific Ocean.

The amenities cover thousands of square meters and include a waterfront park with a manicured sand beach… immaculate pools…enclosed lounges…top-notch sports courts…a state-of-the-art gym, equipped with the latest fitness technology…and a stylish bistro that serves gourmet delights.

You get my point…

You’re looking for a community or building with amenities that don’t just beat the competition—they blow it away. It turns your property into a trophy asset.

It’s this combination of smart size, thoughtful design, and standout resort-style living that drives both rental demand and resale value.

And remember: always think ahead. In five or 10 years, who will want to buy this from you—and why will they choose yours over everything else?

Secret 4: The Right People to Do Business With…

Real estate is a relationship business. You can have all the strategy and analysis in the world—but if you work with the wrong people, you’re sunk.

Since 2008, I’ve built a global network of established developers, agents, attorneys, architects, and fixers. People who’ve proven themselves through actions, not words.

You want to work with people who:

• Deliver on promises
• Operate transparently and ethically
• Understand local laws and regulations
• Have experience with foreign buyers
• Are in it for the long haul, not a quick buck

Before I recommend a deal to RETA members, I know the players behind it. I’ve sat in their offices, met their teams, walked their buildings, and scrutinized their reputations.

The right people make all the difference.

I look for best-in-class developers. This is a key step. I’m looking for someone with an impeccable track record. I like developers who have been around a while, for example, if they survived the 2008/09 crisis and came out stronger and smarter.

Do they have the following attributes:

• An instinct to be extra conservative…
• But creative and dynamic at the same time. They will be innovators, but only through a succession of small incremental changes.
• They need to put their customer first.
• They must show that they know how to make money…if not, the first puff of crisis will blow them over…
• They need to be able to see the bigger picture. Be comfortable with selling at a huge discount to RETA members in pursuit of a bigger agenda. Greedy developers won’t work.
• They must take a long-term perspective…picture how they would feel living in the community they are building themselves 10 years out…
• And they must have a strong track record of delivering on their promises.

Then I uncover the best project they have in the works. Next, I have my lawyer check the paperwork and permits, etc.

It’s worth talking about land here…

In many cases, the most outstanding RETA deals are those we get because, back in the mists of time, a developer did a great land deal.

It’s a question of margins. A developer who is late to the party buys land in, say, downtown Playa del Carmen and starts building. He will have paid for the land many times what the smart developer next door paid a decade ago.

I actively look for developers who get ahead of major transformations in their own right, buying land ahead of a Path of Progress, buying low, and waiting. Or else developers who are land-buying specialists, who can get a great deal on land.

Those guys can afford to cut us big discounts. But if a developer’s margins are extremely tight, it’s impossible for them to do the kind of deal we demand.

Secret 5: Buy at the Right Price…

This is the final secret—but it’s the one that ties all the others together.

No matter how good the location, the property, or the people, you must buy at the right price. That’s where your money is made—from the very beginning.

That’s what we do at RETA. That’s how members secure the kind of deals that aren’t available to the general public.

We don’t buy retail. We buy smart.

In short: RETA is your unfair advantage in international real estate.

But why?

WHY do developers give us these amazing off-market deals?

It can seem too good to be true. Why would developers give us first dibs at lower prices? What’s in it for them?

What’s the catch?

No catch. It’s all quite scientific. There is a financial equation underpinning the perfect RETA deal.

Here’s how it works…

These deals are a result of RETA’s group buying power. By all buying together at the same time, this group can change the developer’s business.

When developers decide to proceed with a project there are typically two numbers they target. One is the profitability, the other is Internal Rate of Return (IRR). Without getting too technical, IRR is the annualized rate of return on their cash invested.

Developers look for the lowest-risk route to hit their targets. By doing a deal with us at RETA, it means the developer can sell a big chunk of their inventory in one fell swoop. That’s because we bring our phenomenal group buying power to bear. And that cuts the project lifespan significantly.

In other words, the developer can get the project done much quicker, which has a huge impact on the IRR number. It boosts it (conversely, stretching out a project reduces the IRR proportionally).

Cutting the timeframe of the project also reduces costs because sales and admin offices are staffed and open for a much shorter period of time. Meantime, because the developer has less inventory to sell to the local market, they can charge a higher price for that inventory at retail.

This all adds up to a very simple equation for a developer: They can offer really big discounts to us and still hit their numbers, while reducing their risk (and, by extension, our risk).

That’s a win for the developer, and it’s a win for RETA members. This is the big strength of RETA—our capacity to change the game for a developer. In lots of cases, a developer who’s cut us the right kind of deal has sold more condos in an afternoon than he and his team had expected to sell in a year.

Now you can see why, as word got out about RETA, developers started to come looking for us.

Remember what I said about land. I’ll repeat it because it’s important:

In many cases, the most outstanding RETA deals are those we get because the developer did a great land deal.

It’s a question of margins. A developer who is late to the party buys land at a higher price than one who arrived on the scene decades ago.

I actively look for established developers who get ahead of major transformations in their own right, buying land ahead of a Path of Progress, buying low, and waiting.

Or, I find specialists in buying land, developers who are killers at getting the best deals on land.

Because in each case, I know those guys can afford to cut us a special off-market RETA price. But if a developer’s margins are extremely tight, it’s impossible for them to do the kind of deal we demand.

This is the value of 17 years of RETA—nearly two decades of making the right connections.

Bringing It All Together

Let’s recap.

1. Find out where the people are going. Understand macro trends. Follow the flow of lifestyle seekers, retirees, and digital nomads. Look for Paths of Progress, big transformations in infrastructure and investment.

2. Find the right location there. Get granular. Know the towns, neighborhoods, and streets where value is about to explode.

3. Find the right real estate. Choose properties that are best-in-class, that will be sought-after, easy to own, and attractive to renters and future buyers.

4. Find the right people to do business with. Partner only with proven professionals who have your best interests at heart.

5. Buy at the right price. Lock in value from day one. Protect your downside, maximize your upside.

Each of these secret steps builds on the others. Follow them all, and you position yourself for incredible success.