Buying Real Estate Overseas For Cash Flow (And A Better Life). Kathleen Peddicord

else in the region. In addition, our contacts in the country report that President Laurentino “Nito” Cortizo's administration is planning an aggressive program of investor incentives to attract direct foreign investment post-pandemic lockdown. Again, we'll keep our Live and Invest Overseas readers up to date on these programs as they are rolled out, at www.liveandinvestoverseas.com/cashflowupdates.

The Winningest of All Cash-Flow Investments Overseas

      The second cash-flowing asset class every diversified global property portfolio should include is agriculture. Amidst and in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, this investment option remains the big winner. While short-term rentals are producing zero cash flow during the global shutdown, agricultural properties are still growing food… and people are still eating.

      Meaning crops need to be harvested. The United States, Germany, and other developed-world markets rely on migrant workers for their harvests. With borders closed, farmers in these countries are worried about how they're going to bring in their crops before they rot in the fields. In the countries we recommend in these pages for turnkey agriculture investment—Panama and Thailand are at the top of this list—farmers don't rely on migrant labor. They use seasonal workers, but recruit them locally. One more benefit of diversification.

      The most resilient part of any real estate investment portfolio during the current or any other crisis will be timber. Trees don't care about a virus. And, even with less attention from caretakers, they keep growing.

Three Countries We like Best Post-Pandemic

Our objective in the pages that follow is to show you how to generate the cash flow you need to be able to afford the lifestyle you want. Looking ahead to the other side of today's crisis, what might you want your life to look like and where in the world might you be able to realize that ideal? Here are three places where you could restart your life putting health, self-resilience, and community first, while also investing in diversified, income-producing hard assets:

#1: Portugal's Algarve Coast

      At home on Portugal's coast, you could wake every morning to the sound of local fisherman announcing the morning's catch and the soft chimes of bicycle bells signaling the start of the daily commute. Offshore this 100-mile-long stretch, the Atlantic Ocean crashes, as it has for centuries, carving arches, coves, and caves into the sandstone, creating a picture-postcard view at every turn. Portugal's Algarve region is not only a top option for retirement in Europe but one of the best places in the world to live, thanks to its

      Year-Round Sunshine

      Portugal enjoys one of the most stable climates in the world and 3,300 hours of sunshine per year, meaning more sunny days than almost anywhere else in Europe. The Algarve coast has no bad weather months.

      Safety

      Portugal ranks as the third-safest country in the world. Violent crime is rare, and petty crime is limited to pickpocketing during the busy tourist season. As well, this country has managed to keep itself separate from the immigration crisis that is playing out in other parts of Europe.

      Good Infrastructure

      Portugal has enjoyed important infrastructure investments in recent years, specifically to do with the country's highway network and airports. As a result, this is a great base for exploring all Europe and North Africa.

      International Standard Health Care

      Health care in Portugal is high quality and a fraction the cost of health care in the United States. If you become a resident, public health care is free.

      Golf

      Portugal's Algarve region boasts 42 courses in less than 100 miles.

      Great Beaches

The European Blue Flag Association has awarded 88 beaches along the Algarve coast Blue Flag status, recognizing their excellent water quality and environmental standards.

      Affordable Cost of Living

      The cost of living in Portugal is among the lowest in Western Europe, on average 30% lower than in any other country in the region. A couple could live here modestly but comfortably on a budget of as little as 1,300 euros per month. With a budget of 2,000 euros per month or more, you could enjoy a fully appointed lifestyle in this heart of the Old World. And right now your dollars buy a lot of euros.

      The Language

      English is widely spoken. Living here, you could get by without learning to speak Portuguese.

      Healthy Living

      The Portuguese are the biggest fish eaters per capital in Europe, and fresh fish of great variety is available in the ever-present daily markets. The year-round sunshine and fertile earth in this part of the world mean an abundance of fresh produce, too, also available in the local markets. Meantime, pollution rates are low, and streets, towns, and beaches are clean and litter-free.

      Retiree Residency

      Portugal offers the most user-friendly residency option in the eurozone. You can qualify to live in the country full time simply by showing a reliable income of at least 1,200 euros per month.

#2: Mazatlan, Mexico

      For decades, Americans have voted Mexico the world's best place to live or retire in the way that really counts—they've packed up and moved there. This country is home to between 1 and 2 million American expats and retirees, more than any other country. Its biggest advantage is its accessibility. Living or retired on Mexico's Pacific coast, you can come and go from the United States by car. Moving to Mexico can be as hassle-free as an international move gets. Nothing's as easy as loading up a truck and driving south. Your entire moving budget could be gas and tolls.

      Why else does Mazatlán stand out as a top Plan B option?

      Familiarity

From its administrative set-up (the Mexican government is a stable democracy, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches functioning in a similar way to those in the United States) to its big-footprint shopping, Mexico is familiar and therefore comfortable. If you're itching for an adventure in a foreign land that's not too foreign, Mexico could be the experience you seek.

      Language

      All the North American attention from both expats and tourists means that many Mexicans, especially in the service industry, speak English. This can make things like navigating the residency process at the immigration office and managing the real estate purchase process with your attorney much easier.

      Property Markets

      Property markets in many areas of Mexico are soft and growing softer thanks to current global events. In addition, the U.S. dollar is at an historic high against the Mexican peso, meaning you having supercharged buying power in those Mexican markets where real estate trades in pesos.

      Easy Residency

      Automatic six-month tourist stays and easy and fast immigration make it possible to come and go and spend as much time in the country as you'd like. You can maintain a second home here (a place you rent out when you're not using it yourself, say) without having to bother with the expense of obtaining