Quote:
Originally Posted by $_$
So guys, I'm currently in a situation where I might have some extra money to invest... I've always been in love with beaches and I don't mind developing countries (probably prefer it because low cost of living). I would love to buy a quiet, ocean-front property that won't break the bank, somewhere I can retire to. Any suggestions on where to look? I've been looking at places around Thailand and Vietnam, but online sources haven't been the best.
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What's the budget?
For me, nothing beats the Caribbean -- great weather, the best beaches I've found anywhere, laid back island vibes, and most islands are reasonably safe / relatively to get to. Downsides? Cost, smaller islands may be too small/boring, and occasional hurricanes. With a healthy budget, I'd look at Barbados, Cayman or USVI/BVI. For a bit more affordable but still spectacular, perhaps the Bahamas. On the less developed (but perhaps more interesting) end of the spectrum, I'd definitely look at Dominican Repub.
Current hot spots for retiree investment seem to also include Costa Rica ($$, but very developed), Belize, Nicaragua, and Panama (perhaps the hottest at the moment, but I'm not sold on the beaches). Never been to Central America so no personal comments on any of those places but they all seem very desirable overall.
Mexico is great too to be honest. My mother lives there half of the year and she enjoys a huge house on the beach in a gated community with a pool.... for $300k USD. Mexicans are friendly and shit is still CHEAP in most areas. Downsides? Safety (not an issue in many places but still a concern for many ppl) and third-world headaches.
Thailand is obviously huge, but I know nothing about SE Asia for retirement / investment in property unfortunately.... I know that the Philippines has some super lame rules about foreign ownership that might make it a headache (on top of the standard red tape you get in 3rd world countries), and of course SE Asia means a much longer travel time with higher travel costs (probably).
Spain, Greece, Croatia and Portugal are also worth considering if you are into the Euro-vibe and the Mediterranean beaches. No knowledge beyond that, but might be worth considering.
Good luck!