Are there bargains to be had in overseas real estate?

My heart is pounding, my breathing shallow; I’m totally psyched as I always am after reading International Living.  The newest edition just arrived in my mailbox today and I’ve already read it from cover to cover!  In it I read of others living their dream – and it’s my dream!  I am just so ready to do it mentally, just can’t do it – yet.  “But, I will!” I tell myself.  I am making the necessary changes.  I am on a new career path which I hope will be profitable for me no matter where we go, and have rental property to provide some monthly income, but there’s more to do while we wait for the door to open.

Mentally, I flit from country to country.  I mean, I want to go everywhere!  I don’t think I really want to settle down in only ONE location.  Maybe the international housesitting scene is for me.  I don’t want to live out of a suitcase and travel around the world.  But I DO want to travel around the world, and I DO want to be free of stuff (so yes, live out of a few suitcases.)  I just DON’T want to be “traveling” all the time – maybe a year here, and then move on to a year there.

Here are the requirements:

1)  I want to be close to the US so I can visit my children and they will visit me

2)  Close to the ocean, or maybe ocean view from the highlands

3)  world class coffee

4)  fresh and inexpensive tropical fruits

5)  cheaper than the US!

Since I already know Spanish, and I love the colonial towns I’m leaning towards Central or South America.  Panama and Ecuador are on the short list, but I’d also consider Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.  Uruguay is tempting, but it is so much further away and therefore more expensive to travel to.  Of course, I want to go back to Italy and Europe too, and this month’s magazine tempts me with Malta and Italy.

Well, it can’t really be decided tonight – and one really doesn’t know what the future will bring.  My heart still pounds…  but until then, I will “bloom where planted” and keep my “eye on the prize”  moving forward with research, planning an exploratory vacation, and – saving my pennies!