Where Are The International Opportunities Today?

They’re literally in both hemispheres. In the East, the investment fever which recently engulfed Bulgaria has highlighted an entire region which used to be part of the former Soviet Union – Eastern Europe. Because of its relative underdevelopment, low property prices, and increasing employment figures, property values in these countries are set to increase quickly over the next few years. For instance, since joining the EU in 2004, Poland’s FDI has risen sharply, and the country currently attracts $6.5 billion in foreign investment every year.

The same trends are expected to take place in Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Baltic states. Slovakia is in Central Europe, and has one of the fastest growing economies in the region. Furthermore, it was identified by the World Bank in 2004 as having the most rapidly improving investment climate in the world. So keep your eye on this region, but also look further east. Where, exactly? China, for starters, because of its status as one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Then look to the surrounding countries which are heavily influenced by China, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and even Japan. The opportunities in these regions will be enormous, and continue for years.

Continue going east, and you’re back in our hemisphere. Specifically, the southern countries of Latin and South America, where the opportunities are also appealing and much closer to home. In fact, opportunities abound in the Baja peninsula, and on the Mexican mainland. There’s a real estate boom in progress here, and it’s poised to climb even higher over the next decade. It’s a ‘once-in-every-other-generation’ opportunity, driven by a combination of low interest rates, plus demographic and economic reasons why this real estate will continue to outpace other investments – from the growing needs of the baby boomer generation, the rise of the ‘echo’ boomer generation, and the novel ways real estate is marketed and sold.

Further south, South America actually contains some of the world’s key emerging markets. Especially prominent is Brazil, and it’s a relatively young market. Goldman Sachs predicts that Brazil will actually become the world’s fifth largest economy by 2035, making it a very appealing investment destination. And let’s not forget the Caribbean. It’s considered by many to be the ultimate lifestyle second-home destination. This alone makes it a wise investment area, with many 5-star hotel and villa complexes being built on previously under-developed islands such as Grenada and St. Lucia.

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