There are plenty of reasons why buying real estate overseas can be a good idea for you. You might want to have a place where you can spend your summers or winters. You can also try to take advantage of tourism booms in certain countries. You can just want to diversify your investment portfolio with some real estate abroad. Whatever the reasons for your desire to buy property abroad, here are ten destination that might be worthy of checking out.
- Portugal
Portugal, and its capital Lisbon, offer some great investment opportunities. Tourism in Portugal is blooming, and it has been for a couple of years now. While that means that some of the more lucrative opportunities have already been snatched, you’ll still be able to find solid real estate opportunities in Lisbon. Especially if you don’t mind a fixer-upper.
- France
France is a traditionally stable market for real estate investments. Sure, the prices will change, but they are doing that everywhere. France offers you a chance to get financing as a foreigner, which is a great benefit. It’s also the most visited country in the world, which is great if you want to buy property and rent it out for the better part of the year.
- Colombia
There are several reasons why buying real estate in Colombia is a sound idea. There’s a favorable exchange rate for Americans. There’s also a growing middle class that will be looking for nice places to live. And there are cities like Cali that are experiencing a tourism boom.
- Panama
Panama offers great opportunities for real estate investors. If you are looking to invest in rentals, or even if you want to invest in agricultural land, Panama is the place to do it. The market is stable, the yields are decent, and the country’s newly developed relationship with China is likely to have a positive impact on the economy and property appreciation.
- Turkey
Even though the country faced severe political instability a couple of years back, it has bounced back stronger than it was before. The economy is on a strong upswing, propelled in part by an increase in tourism. On the other hand, the growing inflation is causing the national currency lira to drop, making for a favorable exchange rate with the dollar.
- Thailand
Even though Thailand presents some unique challenges to foreigners who want to own real estate there, it’s still a great country to buy property in. Richard Lusted of SiamRealEstate explains it: “Return on Investment on Thai Real Estate is exceeding 10% per annum. With land values increasing more than 300% over the past decade and current HPI at 6.8%, real estate in Thailand is experiencing high capital appreciation.”
- Turks and Caicos
The rule of thumb says that it’s much harder to get a good return from a high-end rental than a mid-range one. The one place where the rule is an exception are the Turks and Caicos. Plus, you’ll have financing options as a non-resident, which can come in handy if you’re planning a luxury purchase.
- Greece
Greece’s predicaments might not be over, but its tourism has been drawing crowds as big as ever. The financial troubles of the country have given plenty of opportunity for foreign investors to swoop in and buy great real estate on the cheap. There’s probably more than a few good deals left.
- Croatia
Croatia’s real estate market is split in two parts. The one that’s oriented towards foreign investment is located closer to the Adriatic Sea, and Croatia’s many islands. The market where locals shop is mostly inland. For a good investment, you should keep your eyes to the high-performing coastal regions.
- Italy
Italy’s housing market is still experiencing depressed prices. Even though the dollar to euro exchange rate is not as favorable as it was a couple of years ago, it still makes sense to look into Italy’s many beautiful cities and towns for a great real estate opportunity.