Real Estate. Don't Dream. Own.
14 PLACES TO BUY A SECOND HOME...NOW!
From the Editors of Men's Health Living
INTERNATIONAL
SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA
If you can deal with (or avoid) the winter weather, Canada is a great pick—it’s English-speaking, and you don’t have to worry about the infrastructure.
We Found . . .
A three-bedroom A-frame on Meeting Lake, a 3-hour drive north of Saskatoon, for $80,000.
CARIBBEAN COAST, COSTA RICA
“On the Caribbean side, you’ll find a lot of inexpensive land,” says Scott Oliver, author of How to Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa. “It’s 15 years behind the Pacific coast.” In other words, teeming with opportunity.
We Found . . .
1. A two-bedroom, waterfront cottage in the town of Puerto Viejo for $175,000.
2. A 30 acres of land in Limón with views of the Caribbean for $150,000.
BAY ISLANDS, HONDURAS
These four islands offer nothing but white sand, pristine beaches, coral reefs, and tropical forests—and that’s the point. Prices are rising in Roatán, the biggest island. For a sleepier, pre–gold-rush environment, check out the other Bay Islands: Barbaret, Guanaja, and Utila.
We Found . . .
1. A three-bedroom beachfront villa with a dock in Roatán for $322,000.
2. A three-story, three-bedroom loft home on a 1-acre waterfront lot in Guanaja for $275,000.
LA PAZ, MEXICO
Property here is about half as expensive as it is in the more raucous Cabo, and there’s a 2-hour direct flight from Los Angeles.
We Found . . .
A three-bedroom hacienda-style house steps from the beach, with a dipping pool and bay views, for $199,000.
BOCAS DEL TORO, PANAMA
This archipelago off the northern shore of Panama hadn’t been touched
by tourists until 5 years ago. It’s for folks who want to island-hop in
a catamaran or hike in forests filled with howler monkeys, iguanas, and
toucans.
We Found . . .
1. A beachfront cottage on Isla Bastimentos—one of the archipelago’s biggest islands—for $120,000.
2. A 5,000-square-foot, two-bedroom home on Isla Bastimentos for $275,000.
MÉRIDA, MEXICO
Known as the White City for its white limestone buildings, Mérida is steeped in Mayan culture. Gringos and wealthy Mexicans have been snapping up colonial mansions in the city for $40,000 or less, and restoring and selling them for $250,000 and up.
We Found . . .
A three-bedroom restored home in the heart of the city, with a pool, for $240,000.
SOUTHWESTERN NICARAGUA
Even the most popular areas are a good decade behind Costa Rica and Belize in terms of prices and development. Nicaragua isn’t Cancún, but there’s plenty to like here, from world-class surfing to volcanic lakes.
We Found . . .
A two-bedroom villa, located a few hundred yards from the beach, for $179,000.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY KAREN HUBE
