Live Rent Free in Multiple Countries

[Jrjohnny]

@GlobalWealth
Are you still around here?

I’m looking to buy my first investment(s) abroad currently. Ideally i’m looking for a mix of return and enjoyment. I still havent figured out whether I prefer one of the two. Places i’m considering now:

- Portugal: my wife is from there, good weather, developed, reasonably priced, good infrastructure, easy to fly to from Amsterdam.
- Spain: Same as portugal, but Portugal just feels a bit better for me.
- Albania: I’m not sure, but I see this country developing in the future. Good prices and weather. Shitty infrastructure and hard to travel to.
- Italy? Don’t know? Feels like they are stuck in time.
- Morocco: maybe?
- Turkey: maybe?
- Greece: don’t really like it.
- Thailand: Great, but I want to OWN the property.
- Bali: my best friend lives there. It’s really far though.
- Dubai: reasonably priced. Good infrastructure. I feel that this city will continue to grow because they treat entrepreneurs well.

Any more ideas? Ideally it’s not to far from Amsterdam and relatively low priced with good weather.

I mean, this might be biased: I’m Portuguese, and my opinion might not matter to you.

But: I think Portugal. It’s beautiful there.

Likes I would die to go there.

Don’t get me started on the dishes, there’s a dish with almost like tomato soup liquid, pasta, kidney beans, and Chouriço (Portuguese sausage which is to die for)

Called: Feijão macarrão (trust me, google images look gross but my grandma makes the best ever)

If you enjoy fishing? Guess what, portugual is the country for that!

My grandma used to live there, and she used to go out every week with her grandpa for hours and they would fish for dinner.

If you know Latin, it’s basically the same.

bibot in Latin is drink, bibo in Portuguese is drink.

They are big time soccer fans, you’ll get to see soccer everywhere from young kids.

Overall? I’ll say portugal, there’s so much to learn there, and who knows, one day we might run into eachother.

 

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[MTF]

- Portugal: my wife is from there, good weather, developed, reasonably priced, good infrastructure, easy to fly to from Amsterdam

I'm not objective as I don't like mainland Portugal. I did love Madeira, though. I'm yet to visit the Azores but Madeira could be a good option for you as well. More cloudy than mainland Portugal but warmer year round. And much more beautiful.

- Spain: Same as portugal, but Portugal just feels a bit better for me.

Okupas (squatters) are a big risk. There are ways to mitigate it but you never know. Once they get in, it can be very hard to get rid of them (legally).

- Albania: I’m not sure, but I see this country developing in the future. Good prices and weather. Shitty infrastructure and hard to travel to.

I haven't been to Albania but I've been to Corfu just across the sea. I imagine Albania to be a few times worse infrastructure-wise, garbage-wise, and culturally-wise. I wouldn't recommend it. Even if it develops, you have a short season and it's a country that's attracting mostly budget-conscious travelers.

- Morocco: maybe?
- Turkey: maybe?

I haven't been to Turkey but I've been to Morocco (just for a few days). The culture is way too different. Inequality is everywhere and impacts your everyday life, too (beggars on the street, aggressive touts, etc.).

- Greece: don’t really like it.

Where have you been to in Greece? I have mixed feelings about Greece but Kalamata is really awesome. A lot of Dutch people there with second residences. But probably not a good investment for Airbnb as it's too far away from a major city (almost 3 hours from Athens).

- Thailand: Great, but I want to OWN the property.

You can't own land but you can own property. You just need to find a freehold condominium.

- Bali: my best friend lives there. It’s really far though.

I haven't been there but from what I hear it's getting worse. Too overcrowded, too polluted, too dirty, too many Instagram pseudo stars.

- Dubai: reasonably priced. Good infrastructure. I feel that this city will continue to grow because they treat entrepreneurs well.

Shitty weather, though unless you only plan to come in the winter. Don't underestimate how ridiculously hot it gets. Dubai's weather is in many aspects worse than the weather of the Netherlands because for many months, you can't do anything outside (particularly since you'll be frowned upon if you wear shorts so have fun wearing pants in 40+ degrees). You're just going from one air-conditioned building to another.

Any more ideas? Ideally it’s not to far from Amsterdam and relatively low priced with good weather.

The Dutch Caribbean? Easy to get to, the same language, glorious weather year round. Just small but for a second home could be nice.

 

[Sirrom]

I'm not objective as I don't like mainland Portugal. I did love Madeira, though. I'm yet to visit the Azores but Madeira could be a good option for you as well. More cloudy than mainland Portugal but warmer year round. And much more beautiful.



Okupas (squatters) are a big risk. There are ways to mitigate it but you never know. Once they get in, it can be very hard to get rid of them (legally).



I haven't been to Albania but I've been to Corfu just across the sea. I imagine Albania to be a few times worse infrastructure-wise, garbage-wise, and culturally-wise. I wouldn't recommend it. Even if it develops, you have a short season and it's a country that's attracting mostly budget-conscious travelers.



I haven't been to Turkey but I've been to Morocco (just for a few days). The culture is way too different. Inequality is everywhere and impacts your everyday life, too (beggars on the street, aggressive touts, etc.).



Where have you been to in Greece? I have mixed feelings about Greece but Kalamata is really awesome. A lot of Dutch people there with second residences. But probably not a good investment for Airbnb as it's too far away from a major city (almost 3 hours from Athens).



You can't own land but you can own property. You just need to find a freehold condominium.



I haven't been there but from what I hear it's getting worse. Too overcrowded, too polluted, too dirty, too many Instagram pseudo stars.



Shitty weather, though unless you only plan to come in the winter. Don't underestimate how ridiculously hot it gets. Dubai's weather is in many aspects worse than the weather of the Netherlands because for many months, you can't do anything outside (particularly since you'll be frowned upon if you wear shorts so have fun wearing pants in 40+ degrees). You're just going from one air-conditioned building to another.



The Dutch Caribbean? Easy to get to, the same language, glorious weather year round. Just small but for a second home could be nice.

Thank you for your extensive answer!

I dropped my eye on Marrakesh today, I saw that you can get ridiculously cool villas for reasonable prices, the weather is good in winter, you can leverage up a little with a mortgage and it’s only 4hr flight. I never been there though, so i’m planning a trip next month with my wife to check it oout. Also the rental income looks good. I do need some more research though..

Also dutch carribean is nice, but i’ve been there for 10 days and got really really bored. I don’t really like islands because I always feel they lack freedom to move.

 

[MTF]

I dropped my eye on Marrakesh today, I saw that you can get ridiculously cool villas for reasonable prices, the weather is good in winter, you can leverage up a little with a mortgage and it’s only 4hr flight. I never been there though, so i’m planning a trip next month with my wife to check it oout. Also the rental income looks good. I do need some more research though..

I've only been to Agadir and drove east inland and explored that area. Rural areas felt nicer than cities because there were no beggars there, plus nice landscapes. Cities can quickly get tiring unless you can blend in.

Also dutch carribean is nice, but i’ve been there for 10 days and got really really bored. I don’t really like islands because I always feel they lack freedom to move.

Fair point, island living is not for everyone. Overall, I also prefer to be on a continent.

Speaking of islands, have you been to the Canary Islands? Tenerife is a relatively large and diverse island so it's not as boring as small Caribbean islands. It's the same flight time as to Morocco but you get good infrastructure and a reliable year round tourist season.

 

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