As the Baby Boom generation in the United States starts to retire, a good number of them are looking overseas for their next home. Countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize are the real estate hot spots for retirement investors. With housing costs much less than in the US, excellent healthcare, lots of sun, warm temperatures and spectacular beaches, its easy to see why people look overseas for retirement homes. Of the countries that are the most popular for US retirees, Brazil stands out because of the excellent infrastructure and bargain housing prices.
Brazil has hundreds of miles of pristine and undeveloped beaches that stretch from the tropical north to Rio de Janeiro and all the way down to the border with Uruguay. With cities such as Rio, there are plenty of developed areas to buy in and be near the ocean, but there are also many less expensive areas farther north. The most popular stretch of coast for new development and international investment is in the northeast, stretching from Salvador, in the state of Bahia, around Natal at the tip of Brazil and up to Fortaleza.
While this part of the country has long been popular with Brazilians as an ideal place to take a vacation, it hasn’t been nearly so well known to foreigners. That means that home and property prices are still relatively low, particularly when compared to traditional retirement havens such as Florida, California and the Caribbean.
Additionally, though there are miles of undeveloped coastline waiting to be discovered, the cities in the northeast of Brazil have all you could want and need. With several cities in this stretch that are major population centers, including Fortaleza and Salvador, there is a well-developed infrastructure that is only getting better. The government of Brazil is investing in new and expanded airports, better highways and other services.
Costs in this part of the world are low, so retirees don’t need to worry about spending all their money. In addition to the low housing costs, labor is inexpensive, healthcare is cheap and local foods are easy to get. Many people enjoy the vibrant culture of this part of the world. With more and more foreigners discovering Brazil as a vacation and retirement destination, there are always new people to see and meet.
Finally, getting here is relatively easy. While countries such as Costa Rica and Panama are much closer to the US, they don’t have the easy accessibility of Brazil. With international airports in all major cities, most people can fly direct to their destination city. If there isn’t a direct flight from your US location, there are many connecting flights. No long bus rides over bad roads, ferry trips in old boats or flights in small puddle-jumpers. Brazil is easy to get to
– it’s no wonder it is becoming a retirement destination.
