The Christmas Hat - An expat Christmas in Punta del Este, Uruguay

Monday, December 21, 2009
By David Hammond

It is a little after 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and I am getting a chivito at Chiviterio Marcos. (A chivito is a popular Uruguayan sandwich.) Tonight at two a.m. the place will be full, but since it so early the only other people here are a family from California, with their two young children. (Uruguayans dine late.) The workers at Chiviteria Marcos have just finished prepping, when an elderly man comes in from the street selling Christmas hats.

The hats are made of red felt with a fury white band – like Santa’s hat, only smaller. I am surprised to see the young men who work at Chiviterio Marcos so interested in the hats. They all buy one. Shortly after, as I finish my chivito, the formerly very quiet chivito makers all come out in front wearing their personality transforming Christmas hats to wish me a warm and hearty Feliz Navidad.

The Christmas hats must have come on a truck, because within half an hour they are in wide circulation. A car full of young surfers, donned in beach trunks and Christmas hats position themselves on the side of the road (where everyone will soon be passing on the way to the seawall to watch the sunset) to wave at traffic.

At a little before 9 p.m. people gather at the seawall, where more Christmas hats are seen. A few hours after sunset, it is midnight and fireworks are going off from several beaches, as well as flares from some of the yachts anchored in the harbor. At 12:40 the fireworks are dying down and people take to the street to get something to eat and start a night of Christmas celebration. One young woman walking with a group of friends (who is wearing a Christmas hat) holds her arms over her head and yells, Feliz Navidad – WOOOOOO!

After dinner, friends start text messaging to wish each other a Merry Christmas and to plan out the night. At the same time many families spend Christmas Eve at home with loved ones, with wrapped presents and a few simple decorations. For traditional Uruguayans, the love of family is the center of their identity and culture.

It is a little before 11 a.m. on Christmas day and the first wave is coming out for breakfast – the two restaurants closest to my apartment are playing the Rolling Stones, and Aerosmith at a celebrative volume. I have not heard any Christmas music, and none of the businesses on the main street have Christmas decorations.

What I have learned this year is that even though I am separated from friends and family; and there are no presents, no decorations, and no Christmas music, I can carry the spirit of Christmas within myself as long as I have the love of Christ and a Christmas hat.

David Hammond is the author of Buying Real Estate in Uruguay – an ebook you can purchase and download now.

For more information on reale estate in Uruguay visit www.ParadiseUruguay.com

Real Estate Foreclosures in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Real Estate Foreclosures in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Purchase Properties Overseas


You´ll never find a better time to invest in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; besides, where else can you live in a climate better than Hawaii, 2-4 hours from home, all the amenities of home, more activities than at home, and at a fraction of the price?

Foreclosure, by definition, is the legal procedure for satisfying claims against a mortgagor in default who has not redeemed the mortgage; satisfaction may be obtained from the proceeds of a forced sale of the property.

There are many reasons why mortgagors may fall into default but historically it happens when the mortgagor loses his job, loses his health, or for some other reason is unable to make his mortgage payments in a timely manner.

Today, the majority of reasons for default are totally different. Many recent mortgagors were able to obtain loans with little or no credit history and little or nothing as a down payment. They received adjustable rate mortgages and if they were ever able to afford their monthly payments, they were no longer able as soon as the interest rate increased and consequently the mortgagee was forced to foreclose on the buyer. As the foreclosure rate in a given region started to increase, so did the availability of distressed property sales. Of course, an increased volume of distressed properties in the neighborhood resulted in a rapid depreciation of the neighboring properties. With the value of a given property well below its mortgage payoff balance, many mortgagors merely elect to abandon their property and walk away from their mortgage; thus the mortgagee is forced to foreclose on these borrowers as well.

This vicious circle of foreclosure events is currently occurring at an unprecedented rate in the US. Headlines such as "US Foreclosures Up 24 Percent in 1st Quarter "," US Banks Step Up Home Foreclosures "," Las Vegas Tops Foreclosure List", "Sun Belt States Lead Q1 U.S. Mortgage Foreclosures" and "Foreclosures May Hit 1.5 Million in U.S. Housing Bust" are seen in the news on a daily basis.

Okay, know that we fully understand the cause for and frequency of the recent foreclosures and knowing it's a buyer's market, perhaps, if you still have a little money left over after the recent stock market sell off, you might be considering shopping for a foreclosed property at a distressed sale price in a resort such as Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. If so, you might as well forget it; you'll not see a foreclosure sign in Mexico!

The following is taken verbatim from Condo.com, one of the major websites dealing in worldwide condo sales:

Mexico Foreclosures – Condo.com is the best way to find free foreclosures listings in Mexico. Find foreclosed condos, foreclosed condos, foreclosure properties and other foreclosure investment opportunities in Mexico. Search bank foreclosures, REO properties, preforeclosures, HUD homes and more foreclosures in Mexico.
Sorry! There are no search results found. No For-Sale listings available

Well, that pretty well sums up your opportunities to "steal" a nice condo in PV! There are numerous reasons why foreclosures are essentially nonexistent in Vallarta however the primary reason is that up until just recently, all purchases were done strictly on a cash basis. Mortgages are now available in Mexico but only with a substantial down payment. With a solid credit history and income stream, one might be able to purchase a property in Mexico with only 20% down, however most of the mortgages are with down payments approaching 50%. As you can imagine, it takes an awfully good reason to walk away from a property when you have that kind of investment in it! Consequently, with 98% of the properties owned outright and the remaining 2% with well funded mortgages, there are virtually no foreclosures in Paradise!

Because there are no foreclosures, there has been no significant depreciation of values in Puerto Vallarta. That's not to say that there's not been a leveling off in prices or that the developers are not more inclined to "negotiate" today than they were a year ago. To the contrary, prices on newly constructed condos have never been better than they are today and bargains can be found throughout the city. This is to some degree due to over building during the past ten year boom period and partly due to the reduction in prices of steel and other construction materials as well as the decrease in construction labor rates as the Peso recently devalued by 30% relative to the US Dollar.

For the reasons regarding foreclosures outlined above, you should never see your investment value plummet in Vallarta as it has in many desirable locations throughout the US. Because the North Americans have been recently hit so hard financially combined with the fact that the local developers have overbuilt, Puerto Vallarta is a true buyer's market. There are 1,000´s of new condos currently on the market in PV and with interest rates at an all time low, the time to buy will never be better.

Any North Americans still holding cash will never find a better time or place to invest it; besides, where else can you live in a climate better than Hawaii, 2-4 hours from home, all the amenities of home, as many or more activities than at home, and at a fraction of the price? So, why wait; come on down and explore the possibilities; just don't look for any foreclosure signs!

Jim Scherrer has owned property in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for 26 years and resided there for the past twelve years. The mission of his series of more than 70 articles pertaining to retirement in Puerto Vallarta is to reveal the recent changes that have occurred in Vallarta while dispelling the misconceptions about living conditions in Mexico. For the full series of articles regarding travel to and retirement in Vallarta as well as pertinent Puerto Vallarta links, please visit us at http://www.pvreba.com/.

Expat Exchange - Christmas in Belize -- 'Tis the Season - Belize, Belize Expat, Living in Belize, Moving to Belize

Expat Exchange - Christmas in Belize -- 'Tis the Season - Belize, Belize Expat, Living in Belize, Moving to Belize

Posted using ShareThis

Single Boomers CLICK HERE

Single Expatriate Boomers Unite in our Global Village.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009






Gap Year in Italy - An Unforgettable Experience



Do you feel fed up with your daily routine? Then you should try a new exciting experience abroad.



Every year, many students from all over the world decide to have a different experience and learn a foreign language in a foreign country, and more and more young people choose Italy as their favorite destination.



Italy in fact, offers a wide range of environments, landscapes, cities where to live for a long term period, for studying the language, for working or just for knowing our wonderful country and culture, rich of traditions and ancient habits and customs.



In Italy it is possible to find cosmopolitan and internationally renowned cities like Milan or Rome, or smaller but rich of art and culture towns like Florence or Siena. It is easy to make new friends and know people of different nationalities who want to share such a magnificent experience with other students. It is an occasion which young students have to try at least once in their life.



That's the reason why so many students come to Italy and choose the Italian language school for foreigners Leonardo da Vinci to spend an Academic School Year in Italy (http://www.scuolaleonardo.com/gap-year-in-italy.php) and learn Italian language.



The Academic School Year or Gap Year course in fact is intended for beginner and elementary students and lasts for 32 weeks, leading to the internationally-recognized AIL (Accademia Italiana di Lingua) diplomas (DILI-Intermediate and DALI-Advanced).



By attending this course, students will gradually learn Italian language, but they will also discover and deepen every aspect of Italian culture, from art and culture, to economy and fashion.



The course is divided essentially in two parts: the first part of the program is concentrated on Italian language preparation and grammar, where students will attend 480 Italian standard course lessons taught in Italian from the very start and 80 lessons to prepare them for the AIL diplomas, whereas the second one is focused on art, history, civilization, business and fashion subjects.



At the end of the course, we will ask you to write a final essay on a topic of your own choosing related to Italian culture (art, history or business), with the help of our school library and of a personal tutor (10 lessons).



We remind all the students that the Italian language schools for foreign students Leonardo da Vinci are located in the most beautiful and charming cities in Italy: Rome, Milan, Florence and Siena and students will have the chance to attend the Academic School Year courses in all the school locations.



Next starting dates (http://www.scuolaleonardo.com/Italian-language-dates-newyear.html#AcademicYearItaly ...) for the Academic School Year Course are:



- From 4th January 2010 to 13th August 2010;

- From 3rd May 2010 to 10th December 2010;

- From 20th September 2010 to 13th May 2011.

Kissing the Property Frog

Kissing the Property Frog

Condo for Sale

Ah yes, the “Real Estate Agent” … profession of default for the mildly educated expatriate … second only to “English Teacher”.
Where I live on the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand, there are well over 300 Property agents and agencies hanging their shingle as purveyors of land, house and all other manner of abode.  From corporate conglomerates like Colliers and CB Richard Ellis to humble little shop-house operations like “Location, Location, Location Property Partners”; everyone wants a piece of the real estate pie.


This past week I had the formidable task of sorting this list down to a manageable target and visiting those I thought were most capable of renting or selling my condo near Jomtien Beach.  The agent who sold me the unit is the best candidate as his firm also built and now manages the low-rise luxury building.  Naturally I listed with him.  But, in Thailand there are no rules or even a clearly defined etiquette regarding property listing or sale.  So, I decided to go on a road show, listing with as many agents as possible.
Lucky for me, my sales agent gave me a short list of companies that met 3 criteria; 1) they were familiar with the building 2) they were familiar with Jomtien Beach and 3) they advertise a lot.
My first visit was to Alan Bolton Property Consultants, a big slick agency that inhabits a huge chunk of ground-floor shopping mall space in the center of town.  I saw at least 6 foreign agents and a handful of Thai helpers busily moving about, clicking computer keys and carrying on animated phone calls.  The agent who helped me was a young Irish guy with spiked hair and a ridiculously thick accent.  He efficiently loaded my pictures and information from my thumb-drive, had me sign the commission agreement, and I was out of there in 15 minutes.
There was no offer to visit the property.  My listing would be added immediately to the website.  Since the condo photographed well, my listing would be included in the next double page space ad in various local property publications.   This was quite obviously a media-lead driven organization.  I left wondering how they wrangled all those foreign work permits.
The next stop was what I thought was a mega-shop called Fair Properties.  This company advertises heavily and takes up a big corner on a main road between Pattaya and Jomtien Beach.  It’s the kind of building people reference as a landmark when giving directions.  The giant storefront windows are plastered with dozens of property listings facing out for passersby to ogle; an oversized blue-and-white sign hanging over the road.
Inside the place looked like an empty airplane hangar.  In the corner sat one pitiful desk with a young Thai girl slumped over her keyboard eating fried rice and playing video games.  After we settled on a language somewhere between Thai and English, she accepted my thumb-drive and jammed it into her computer.  Within 3 keyboard strokes she erased all the files on my thumb-drive and staring at me blankly proclaimed, “mot lao”.  Roughly translated this means, “finished already”.  In other words, she was telling me nothing was on my storage device.  She went back to attending her rice and Pokemon game.
Stunned and amazed, I stumbled a few doors down to another well publicized local agent, Seaboard Properties.  The place reminded me of one of those “Ice Bars” that are so popular now.  Everything was stainless and hospital white.  The air conditioner turned down to “glacier”, the 4-girl staff had to wear a few layers of clothing to keep their teeth from chattering.
Three of the agents were clones of each other; manicured, coifed and immaculately dressed in little “Jackie-O” outfits.  The fourth agent, and obviously the boss, was an older Asian lady from somewhere other than Thailand.  She checked my thumb-drive and confirmed that the information had been erased.  “Sometimes they just keep pushing the buttons” she said, apologizing for her “competitor” a few doors down.
Miss Ja, the English speaking clone, helped me fill out an information form while one of the other clones served me a really nice cappuccino.  When I left Miss Ja gave me a card with a reference ID number on it.  She told me to e-mail the information and my listing would be up in 24 hours.  An appointment was made to visit the condo the next day.
During the next week I would visit 7 other property agents.  Every experience as varied as the first three.  I stayed away from big multi-nationals like CB Richard Ellis as they tend to represent cadres of big developers and really have no interest in selling or renting my one unit for a measly 5% commission.  I also avoided the really small mom and pop operators as they tend to be “buyer’s agents” interested more in bargaining than transaction.
Two weeks on, I am reviewing the efficacy of my effort as well as the agents.
Of the eleven agencies I listed with, 6 had me on their website within 48 hours.  All 6 featured my listing as “new” or “hot” or some other promotional heading.  3 placed my condo in space advertising in one or more local property and investment publications.  2 visited the property before showing it (counting the agent who sold it to me).
To date the property has been seen by 8 prospective buyers.  All were with the 2 agents who had actually seen the property before showing it.  It doesn’t take long to separate professional realtors from “list it and they will come” property mills.
But, if the truth be told, I wouldn’t really appreciate the 2 outstanding agents if I hadn’t been exposed to the 9 others.  Kissing the property frog … it’s a matter of research really.
About the Author: Bart Walters is a retired advertising executive from Orlando, Florida.  He is now a part-time real estate developer celebrating his 10th year in Thailand.  Bart lived several years in Bangkok, spent 3 years on the island of Phuket and now resides in Ban Amphur on Thailand’s eastern seaboard.
To view the condo he has for sale go to either http://www.towncountryproperty.com/condos/jomtien-condo/15401.html or http://www.seaboard-properties.com/?page=property&id=1439

Foreigners may be able to purchase property in Cambodia

 

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Foreigners may be able to purchase property in Cambodia

Foreigners may be able to purchase property in Cambodia for the first time following the proposal of new legislation by the country's Government - but they will still be limited to apartments, houses and condominiums above the second floor...

Currently, international investors are not allowed to own land or homes in Cambodia - a limitation that is seen by some locals as a good thing, preventing speculation and price volatility.
Back in 2005, the Government amended an investment law to allow foreign ownership of buildings, but Cambodia's property market was then experiencing one of the biggest booms in Asia and, as a result, the law was never put into practice.

Between 2005 and 2007, the property markets in major hubs such as Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, skyrocketed, with prices rising by as much as 40 per cent.
But now, with the economy and property market suffering in the downturn, the foreign investment law has reared its head again.

If passed, it could pave the way for foreign ownership of houses, apartments and condominiums from the second floor up for resale. Foreigners would also be able to inherit property.

The Minister of land management, urban planning and construction Im Chhun Lim said, "We want this law to be passed as quickly as possible, but we need input from the private sector, so we have passed it on for feedback. The discussion with the private sector will focus on how many units and how much of the building can be bought, as well as which floors they can purchase," he added.

The Cambodian Government is keen to pass the new law as they hope it will revitalize the country's housing market and economy and prevent the market from sliding further.
It is also hoped that the laws will enhance foreign consumer confidence in the undeveloped property market.

As there is some local opposition to the ownership of land by foreigners, the Government is planning to specify a zone near international borders in which foreigners would not be able to buy property, which would prevent foreign ownership of property in disputed areas.

Why Healthcare Is Killing America

Why Healthcare Is Killing America
by Bud Conrad, Editor, The Casey Report

Healthcare is the biggest segment of our economy. In the debate over who should pay for what or, increasingly, for whom, most people don't stop to understand just how large a portion of our society's money is dedicated to healthcare.

For some perspective, as a share of GDP, the U.S. spends about twice that of other advanced nations. This is an important reason why the U.S. is increasingly uncompetitive in global manufacturing. It is, for instance, the most important factor (besides poor management) that General Motors and Chrysler are going bankrupt.

Going forward, the situation is guaranteed to get worse. The Obama administration is committed to major reform to cover the 40 million people not now covered by insurance. Once everyone has insurance, with many paying nothing at all for coverage, patients won't care what it costs, and the system will quickly spin out of control.

And it's already out of control. I recently spent one day in the hospital due to a broken arm, which cost on the order of $100,000. Remarkably, that eye-opening amount still doesn't include the ambulance, the doctors, the x-rays, the CT scans, or the anesthesiologist. I'm still getting bills. The system is far more broken than is widely understood, unless you have had a recent bad experience.

Projections for healthcare are particularly problematic because of the demographics of so many people born just after World War II. Soon, there will be less than three people in the workforce for each retired person. That will result in huge taxes on the few workers to supply the expensive end-of-life medical care for the retirees (and it is in the latter years where medical expenses really begin to rack up).

This bubble was predicted and a government trust fund was set up. Unfortunately, as is typically the case, the government couldn't keep its hands off the money, and so it has already been spent. The outlook is not good. In fact, in just over 10 years from now – by 2020 – the demands on the government for Social Security and Medicare will get so high that they cannot be met. And it gets worse from there.

It's a safe bet, based on history, that the government will once again try to print its way out of the problem – but all that will do is further destroy the dollar and drive interest rates up even more. Just to be clear, this is not just about a government program gone awry, but as much or even more so a demographic problem – which makes it all the more intractable.

ADVENTUROUS SINGLE BOOMERS - WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING? JOIN US TODAY - FREE MEMBERSHIP!

Retiringsinglesoverseas and retiringsingles is an International Global site for investing, traveling and/or retiring overseas single men and single women interested in the possibility of purchasing property, living, investing, traveling and/or retiring abroad.Retiring Singles, single boomers, single men, single women, purchase property overseas, real estate abroad, international expatriates living, adventure, travel, affordable healthcare, second homes, romantic partner, travel partner, investment partner.  All of this and More.

How Will You Finance Your Life Overseas?

By FutureExpat, on September 9th, 2009

Write Anywhere!
In our recent poll, we discovered that most — at least 80% — of our readers will have to generate some income when they move overseas. None of them plan to hold an overseas job with their current employer, but half intend to develop some kind of self-employment income. This will be the first in a series of ongoing articles that may give you some ideas about your overseas self employment.
Since it’s what I plan to do, and what I know best, let’s start with writing. Writing is probably the most portable profession there is. You don’t need much equipment — these days, a laptop and an internet connection are all it takes. You don’t need a special office. You can write in a hotel room or a cafe, or even in the park. Of course, you need to be able to put together grammatically correct sentences. Assuming you can already do that, you may need some special training for a specific type of writing.

Hot Topic: Mail Order Brides – Exploitation or an Equal Partnership

Monday, September 7, 2009


Hot Topic: Mail Order Brides – Exploitation or an Equal Partnership

Is a mail order bride a prostitute selling her body and her relative freedom for a ticket to a wealthier life in the West? Some seem to think so and go as far as claiming that a ‘mail order bride’ as a concept amounts to nothing more that people trafficking.
However, those who have availed themselves of the growing number of agencies and websites offering introductions between beautiful women from nations as diverse, culturally speaking as Russia and Thailand, would strongly disagree of course.

Many men cite their main reason for choosing a ‘wife’ in such a way as being because they find women from their own home nations such as the US and the UK unapproachable and too masculine in their drive, ambitions and general attitudes in life. So perhaps Western women are responsible for the increase in the numbers of men seeking their partners and their pleasures elsewhere?

But really, come on, isn’t the concept of a mail order bride all about exploitation: exploitation both of the women and perhaps even the men who ‘purchase’ a partner over the Internet too? After all the women just give themselves - body and soul - in return for a visa, a passport, cash and a one way ticket out of their old life…and the men must surely give up at least their pride and their status amongst friends and colleagues when they’re seen around town with an obviously bought bride on their arm. Or do you strongly disagree and feel that actually it really is more about a meeting of minds in an equal and open arena that no longer exists in the bars and nightclubs of the West?
No matter who you ask about this topic, opinion is always as strong as it is heavily divided. For many of us the concept of buying a bride over the Internet is comical at best, seedy at worst and something we try not to really think too seriously about. After all, who wants to imagine a fat, old, balding and sad American man lusting after a tiny and pretty Filipino girl a third of his age? But having known men who have bought in to the concept – and indeed bought themselves a wife - it is fascinating to learn what they think about the entire process.

Many men see ordering a bride as finding an ideal partner without the risks associated with chatting up strangers and dating women who may turn out to be bunny boilers. They can pick a woman purely based on her looks and how demure and ‘willing to please’ she is, and all they have to do in return really is fork out cash. They will not be challenged financially speaking, they not be answered back to or argued with in their own home, and if they’re really lucky they’ll get an angel for their kitchen and errm – well, a whore for their bedroom.

But can such relationships work? What about the language barrier for a start? And in a marriage built from a contract of paying for and providing a service, can love blossom and can a harmonious partnership prevail? In answer to this question one has to look at the statistics of marriages that last longer than it takes for the woman to either get her passport or her first beating…and surprisingly, some partnerships do work and they do last. Those that survive on a relatively equal footing have the benefit of partners who make an effort on the language and the cultural front, who are interested in more than just the basics of the partnership contract, and who are truly looking to find a partner for life.

So perhaps mail order bride sites and agencies do have a place in the world after all, and they aren’t just about exploitation – it’s just the people who use them that you have to worry about

Real Estate Investment in St Lucia set to Boom

Tuesday, September 1, 2009


Real Estate Investment in St Lucia set to Boom

Demand for property in St Lucia is set to skyrocket following news that new direct flights from both the UK and the USA are set to take off from October this year - making access to the Caribbean island far quicker and easier - and when coupled with the country's tax holiday on rental income, St Lucia is looking a solid bet for investors and holidaymakers alike...

In a bid to attract more tourists to the island, the St Lucia Government has introduced a new rental income tax holiday which will help international investors who have purchased holiday properties which they let out.

The banana trade in St Lucia has declined rapidly of late, so the island has had to look for new ways to boost the economy - and this tax holiday looks set to boost interest in buying second homes and investment properties.

Any country that offers special tax rates or incentives at the moment will be especially popular with those in the higher tax bands here in the UK, as the rate of tax has risen to a whopping 50 per cent.

Alongside St Lucia's tax break, there is also no VAT on property on the island, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax.

Improved access to a country will always boost its property market and increase the number of visitors holidaying there. St Lucia is about to benefit from new direct flights from the UK, as British Airways has announced that it is increasing its direct flights to the island from three to five times a week as of October this year.

There is also to be a new service from Frankfurt, operated by Condor from 1st November this year.

Across the pond in America, Jet Blue has announced a new service from New York to St Lucia with three weekly flights from 26th October this year.

And that's not all for St Lucia. International investors who inject more than £213,000 into a property on the island could become a resident under new immigration laws that are currently being decided upon. Being a resident will bring other tax benefits for foreigners.

Related articles:

New Lots in the Bahamas - No Name Cay
The Bahamas Sun, Sea and Stars - Lots $14,000+

Costa Rica Tops The Polls

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2009

Costa Rica Tops The Polls

Costa Rica was ranked 5th in terms of global environmental performance in 2008 in the annual EPI (Environmental Performance Index) compiled by Yale and Columbia Universities but Costa Rica is on a path of constant improvement and has now been ranked number one by the Happy Planet Index in June 2009. This index measures the happiness of the nation’s people in comparison to their ecological footprint and Costa Rica was the clear winner.

Costa Rica’s plans to be carbon neutral as a nation by 2021 will ensure that that they will be hard to shift from this number one spot.

Meanwhile, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Costa Rica as the 7th most politically and socially stable county in the world in March of 2009. A good safe place for foreign investment? IDF magazine (Financial Times Publishing Group) agrees and ranks Costa Rica as the second most attractive country in Latin America and the Caribbean for Foreign Investment (Costa Rica was just pipped at the post by Puerto Rica)

The Latin Business Chronicle ranks Costa Rica as the second most globalised nation in Latin America on the basis of six criteria - imports, exports, tourism receipts, foreign direct investment and remittances.

So Costa Rica is good for the environment and good for business.

An attractive place to retire to?

1% of the population is already North American and Canadian retirees and expatriates and retiring to Costa Rica is a straightforward process.

It is estimated that 100 million baby boomers will retire over the next two decades and some projections estimate that 10% of them will seek to live outside of North America.

With its low cost of living, excellent health care and safe beautiful environment Costa Rica looks likely to attract many of these retirees.

Costa Rica Invest specialises in environmentally friendly, ethically responsible, high yield investments, primarily in Costa Rica. Finca Di Pacifico Dos is Costa Rica Invest's current project which gives the security of a teak investment combined with the potentially spectacular returns of development land banking in the no. 1 emerging economy in Central America - Costa Rica. With land prices projected to soar as demand from Baby Boomer retirees increase – this is an excellent opportunity to benefit from the increasing land prices with the additional security of teak growing on your land.

Related articles:
Expat Daily News: Costa Rica - A Dream of a Business for $1 Million
Expat Daily News: Investors and Businesses in Costa Rica to ...
Expat Daily News: What sets Costa Rica Apart?

More articles:
Expat Advice - Expat Finance - Expat Health - Invest Overseas - Live Overseas - Real Estate Overseas - Retire Overseas - Work Overseas - Hot Topics

Expatriates - Single Boomers, Retiring Singles, Living Overseas, Travel!

Are you a Single adult with a World view?

Want to Find Likeminded Singles Like You.

Desired Destination/s

Desired Travel Partners

Desired Romantic Partners

Desired Investment Partners

Free Forum and Chat

Post your events free

Post Free Classified advertising

Post Free articles

Retiringsingles.com and retiringsinglesoverseas.com unites adventurous expatriate minded single men and single women who have the desire to live, invest or travel overseas and are seeking like-minded single partners to share the romance, investment and travel.

Overseas Properties to Purchase
Living Overseas
Buy Real Estate Abroad