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Assuming you can get the non-blue rate (i.e. the black market rate) on large quantities of dollars, I imagine Argentina can be quite lucrative especially Buenos Aires. However, controls may make this difficult.
Venezuela is a complicated scenario, the black market dollar rate is incredibly high but try changing large sums of cash in one of the most dangerous countries in the world. It's pretty much the wild west there at the moment and the government can take your assets with a single swipe. Don't know what controls there are on foreign buyers.
The Brazilian real has plummeted!! Add to that a recession which is to last throughout the whole of next year and irresponsible lending that covered most of the value of the property + the fact that banks will now only lend 50% of the value of the property means that it's a buyers market. However, properties did become over-valued in my opinion in the last decade.
The Colombian peso has also plummeted however, Colombia's economy is still growing at 3%+. It makes me laugh when the national rhetoric is that Colombia is experiencing an economic crisis when European countries would kill to grow 3%. Growth has been so large and so quick that a slow down becomes a "crisis" when in fact the country is weathering the regional downturn relatively well.
Re: Property, I find Bogota and Cartagena way too expensive. Medellin is also pricey as are many other Colombian cities. A property bubble burst has been predicted for the past 10 years but has never come and never will as Colombian banks are prudent and require a minimum of a 40% deposit. Stock is also low as the population of the middle classes grow steadily. The only cheap city at the moment is Cali and with the drastic drop in crime, the development of the Pacific region fuelled by Asia and important infrastructure projects, Cali is poised to become the next Medellin. I'm currently looking at buying something along what will be the green Tram corridor where the old national rail-line used to pass.
Cali's green corridor
PS: Nicaragua might be interesting with the Chinese canal.
Assuming you can get the non-blue rate (i.e. the black market rate) on large quantities of dollars, I imagine Argentina can be quite lucrative especially Buenos Aires. However, controls may make this difficult.
Venezuela is a complicated scenario, the black market dollar rate is incredibly high but try changing large sums of cash in one of the most dangerous countries in the world. It's pretty much the wild west there at the moment and the government can take your assets with a single swipe. Don't know what controls there are on foreign buyers.
The Brazilian real has plummeted!! Add to that a recession which is to last throughout the whole of next year and irresponsible lending that covered most of the value of the property + the fact that banks will now only lend 50% of the value of the property means that it's a buyers market. However, properties did become over-valued in my opinion in the last decade.
The Colombian peso has also plummeted however, Colombia's economy is still growing at 3%+. It makes me laugh when the national rhetoric is that Colombia is experiencing an economic crisis when European countries would kill to grow 3%. Growth has been so large and so quick that a slow down becomes a "crisis" when in fact the country is weathering the regional downturn relatively well.
Re: Property, I find Bogota and Cartagena way too expensive. Medellin is also pricey as are many other Colombian cities. A property bubble burst has been predicted for the past 10 years but has never come and never will as Colombian banks are prudent and require a minimum of a 40% deposit. Stock is also low as the population of the middle classes grow steadily. The only cheap city at the moment is Cali and with the drastic drop in crime, the development of the Pacific region fuelled by Asia and important infrastructure projects, Cali is poised to become the next Medellin. I'm currently looking at buying something along what will be the green Tram corridor where the old national rail-line used to pass.
Cali's green corridor
PS: Nicaragua might be interesting with the Chinese canal.
I have heard really mixed things about Nicaragua. In fact I watched this documentary that talked about some serious concerns with investing in property in places with some what unstable or significantly currupt political systems.
As a regular person, not a billionaire.. want to avoid these types of situations as much as possible. My family has/had (hard to determine if it is really ours still) a significant chunks of land in Trinidad that cannot be sold or live on due to squatters and possible drug cartel activity. It also does not help that it could have oil reserves on the land like surrounding properties near the land. So this potentially beautiful water front land even though technically legally ours very difficulty to actually mainitain possession of it due to politcal currption. Very dangerous persuit to try and really keep the land. Not planning to die for it so it remains in political limbo. This is sort of the messed up situation that appears to happen in Nicaragua conveyed in the documentary.
The legal system in the country and political stability is really important. My family owns property in Morocco, but I do not directly deal with it and there are laws that are super different then in Canada where I live. Ex. Credit is not a norm. If you cannot pay ... you go to jail. Also inheritance of land is determined by religious law and as someone that does not hold residence there I might actually not be able to acquire the property or move the money from the country. Also in developing other properties in partnership with someone. If this person misuses the money ... we could loose our investment as their punishment could be just jail time with no expectation or ability to pay back the money. Very complicated laws.
Some deals land or properties in reality are just not worth the hassel. I am only willing to consider super simple options. I do not want any drama.
Americans need to own more of their own country. It seems like most of it is owned by foreigners.
The Americas are technically made up of a lot of foreigners depending on the way you see it. As far as I am concerned I have got my feet in 2 countries in the Americas by birth... so I think I should be able to mirgrate anywhere ! It keeps things interesting. I understand the idea of people from outside buying up reality and businesses while people inside the country cannot afford land or business owner ship in their own country. When I was in Trinidad a few years ago I saw some pretty scarcastic signs in front of some local businesses pretty much suggesting that people who left the country to make their money have no right to come back years later and use their money made eslewhere and buy up everything on the island while the locals who actually stayed and live their get everything bought out from beneath them. There is also a famous song from Barbados that talks about people from outside buying up all these beach front properties and leaving locals on the island no have no where to swim. I do think to some extend that countries should regulate how much of their land/ resources/ businesses can be bought by people who do not live outside the country. It also depends who is buying. If people buy land there and invest in the community ex create employment, bring in money to the country or other postive things... it is a win win. However... I just want a little property and would likely plan of living there part of the time. I am not in a position to buy a huge chunk of land a build a resort ( yet .. one can dream ).
Panama is still affordable, but real estate prices are going up rapidly because of all the expats moving in.
Yes. I was there last year in Dec ( really nice beaches , clean drinking water and overall good experience). I also heard that a lot of people from outside are buying places there. It actually seems like a pretty good choice. All I really know about Chile... is I really likes Chilian red grapes (best grapes ever). Would want to visit. There are so many interesting places to explore in the Americas.
Yes. I was there last year in Dec ( really nice beaches , clean drinking water and overall good experience). I also heard that a lot of people from outside are buying places there. It actually seems like a pretty good choice. All I really know about Chile... is I really likes Chilian red grapes (best grapes ever). Would want to visit. There are so many interesting places to explore in the Americas.
Whereabouts in Panama were you? I am glad you liked my country. If you ever think of coming back, make sure you let me know first, so I can help you while you are here.
Whereabouts in Panama were you? I am glad you liked my country. If you ever think of coming back, make sure you let me know first, so I can help you while you are here.
I was at la playa lol. I stayed at the Royal Decameron Resort. Great stay. Wicked beach. I also went to that big mall with carousel in it, tiny bit of time in city centre and a canal...typical tourist stuff. I liked it. I heard there is a really amazing music scene. I really like reggaeton music, but was not with the right company to go to night clubs or music venues. I did not have much time to explore the city on my own, but I would go back.
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Who do you consider foreigners..
! It keeps things interesting. I understand the idea of people from outside buying up reality and businesses while people inside the country cannot afford land or business owner ship in their own country. When I was in Trinidad a few years ago I saw some pretty scarcastic signs in front of some local businesses pretty much suggesting that people who left the country to make their money have no right to come back years later and use their money made eslewhere and buy up everything on the island while the locals who actually stayed and live their get everything bought out from beneath them. There is also a famous song from Barbados that talks about people from outside buying up all these beach front properties and leaving locals on the island no have no where to swim. I do think to some extend that countries should regulate how much of their land/ resources/ businesses can be bought by people who do not live outside the country. It also depends who is buying. If people buy land there and invest in the community ex create employment, bring in money to the country or other postive things... it is a win win. However... I just want a little property and would likely plan of living there part of the time. I am not in a position to buy a huge chunk of land a build a resort ( yet .. one can dream 
).
, clean drinking water and overall good experience). I also heard that a lot of people from outside are buying places there. It actually seems like a pretty good choice. All I really know about Chile... is I really likes Chilian red grapes (best grapes ever). Would want to visit. There are so many interesting places to explore in the Americas.
