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My belly is full. My body is rested. I’m ready for an incredible 2021… I’ve spent the last couple of days celebrating the New Year with my in-laws. They’re Mexican-Japanese and their tradition is heavily set around food. They’ve been preparing for weeks, with scouting trips to Guadalajara in search of just the right ingredients. Read more...: A New Year…and a Flood of New Deals
St. Andrews, on Scotland’s east coast, has been a pilgrimage site for over 1,000 years. It was once so busy with pilgrims, the town had potential to be a “Second Rome.” Legend has it the holy bones of Saint Andrew (an apostle of Jesus) were brought to the town long, long ago. Today it’s famous Read more...: Why I’m Not Buying in My Favorite Vacation Destination
If you want to stay in Santa Claus Village in Lapland over Christmas week it will set you back as much as €1,813. That’s the going rate for a cabin in Rovaniemi, Finland, Santa’s hometown. Not to be a Scrooge, but we can do better… In the spirit of the season, I’ve been hunting for Read more...: A Winter Wonder Land From $46K
For me, the holidays are a buffet of traditions. Sometimes literally… On the night of Christmas Eve, my in-laws serve up a big turkey and ham dinner. They normally serve it at midnight. In recent times, however, to accommodate children and the sleepy gringo, they eat early. I have a foot in another world in Read more...: The Best of 2020 (Part 2)
After almost 14 years in Latin America…where I scouted highland towns in Ecuador…checked out coastal resorts in Chile…tried to chase down the next hot spot in the Caribbean…I’m in southern Europe, looking for a new base and any real estate opportunities I come across. I’m in Albufeira, on Portugal’s Algarve coast, as I write. Faro, Read more...: Albufeira: The Algarve’s Wild Card
You’re looking at buying a condo in Latin America…perhaps in Panama City or in Medellín, Colombia. Your agent has shown you a brand-new, two-bed condo in a glitzy high-rise block. It’s got a gourmet kitchen and a spa-like master bathroom. But you know from your research that the older building right next door has two-bed Read more...: The Upsides (and 2 Major Downsides) of Buying an Older Condo
I’m not a gambler. I like a sure thing. Especially when it comes to real estate investing. However, there are tantalizing deals out there for folks willing to accept some risk. One of the most intriguing of all are “vente en viager” deals found in France and Belgium. The term “viager” owes its origin to Read more...: A Dead Easy Way to Buy a Cheap Home in France
Greetings from seat 1F on flight AM 523 from Cancun to Mexico City. I’ll be home in Cabo in time to see the dramatic fireball Pacific sunset. It’s been a whirlwind of a trip… Honestly, I’m lost for words. COVID meant I hadn’t been to the Riviera Maya since February. In that time, during a Read more...: The Best of 2020 (Part 1)
We’ve seen a deluge of emails coming into our “questions and comments” inbox of late. Keep them coming! I try to respond to as many as I can. It’s actually a great way to pass the time while on a flight…and I’m just about to get on a plane back to Cabo. Email you questions Read more...: VIDEO: Ronan Answers Your Questions
When I first visited the Zona Dorada it wasn't much to look at—mostly empty lots protected by signage and advertising boarding. It's a tiny rectangle on the city's map—just five blocks by four. The location was key. It's in the heart of the city. Close to the beach and the hustle and bustle of fifth avenue, but away from the noise.