5 Reasons Global Real Estate Will Vastly Diversify Your Investment Portfolio with Evie Brooks

damottaleonardweb
Mar 10, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Mar 11, 2022

Investing in classically prescribed backyard real estate may no longer be the best financial choice. Find out the international horizons available for cash flow-focused investors (both in the long and short term) and flip investors alike from expert in Panama real estate, Evie Brooks. Here on The Prosperity Perspective Podcast, Evie shares her "get in, get out" strategy with host Liam Leonard, and even allocates her biggest warning for those looking to start out internationally.

3 Key Takeaways:

Why you should nix the "set it and forget it" investment mentality
One major reason to get a mentor before you step into international investment
The benefits of diversifying your investment niches internationally

Listen to the Full Episode:

Show Notes:

[00:20] Evie introduces herself

Working in real estate for many years
- Deciding she was sitting on the wrong side of the desk
Leaving corporate America and never looking back
Expanding from leases to land development
Becoming a Rich Dad, Poor Dad coach
- Ending up in the international market
"Especially since COVID, a financial plan B has come into play in a big way." -Evie Brooks

[2:20] Was her intro into property management serendipitous?

There was no plan of action
- Planning on going to law school and having a severely sick pregnancy
- Getting a job that would give her insurance benefits

[3:45] How did Rich Dad, Poor Dad come to be for her

Getting an opportunity to fill in for an international trainer in Costa Rica
Investing in that market until 2008
- Rearranging and crossing the border into Panama

[5:15] How Evie began to invest her additional income

Diversifying in several areas
- Getting into niche-specific markets
- Real estate, agricultural and additional markets as well

[7:45] What is Plan B?

Coaching people who were struggling during COVID with cabin fever
- Providing them with that opportunity to move locations
- Getting your residency versus being a citizen

[9:50] The pattern of people taking advantage of Plan B

Her clients are global, but the majority of their clientele comes from the United States
Doing a lot of advanced international presentations on how to get residency in panama

[10:50] What Evie recommends to those wanting to take a path like hers

Don't invest only in your back yard
- You can get more out of Panama a lot easier than you can in your back yard
What this timeline looks like
- You could be in a property after contract as quickly as 72 hours

[13:45] Legal rights and property in Panama

It's the same as the US
- The contract conveys ownership to you
- The government has put together a program that entices investors to come to the country
Panama's democracy history
- US dollar and Catholic-based
Looking at the GP during COVID

[18:00] The labor side of building and materials in Panama

Anything imported tripled in the last three years

[19:00] Is the strategy mostly cash flow? Is it long term or short term?

Evie's additional "get in and get out" strategy
- "I'm walking into a substantial equity position right out of the gate." -Evie Brooks
  - "Packing the pipeline"

[20:40] Evie does invest in long and short term cash flow projects

Their medical tourism niche projects
What do you want to accomplish?
- Then build a plan of action
- "There is no one-size-fits-all investment strategy." -Evie Brooks
"The money is not made in the sale. It's made in the buy. People have to understand that." -Evie Brooks
- Getting in and out of projects on an average of two years

[22:55] How does taxation work on those gains?

Evie's recommendation to see a local CPA that understands international investing
Evie does everything in a state-side LLC and she pays her taxes regularly

[24:00] An example of the great agricultural tax state in Panama

[24:30] One last piece of advice from Evie

If you want to invest internationally, make sure that you tie your wagon to someone who really knows the market
- You're going to get an education, one way or another, so get a mentor!

About Evie Brooks:

Evie Brooks (Atlanta, GA and Veracruz, Panama) is a former “Rich Dad Poor Dad” Advanced Trainer, Real Estate Educator/Investor, and My Panama Vacation Realty Founder, who has guided thousands of investors for 24+ years through the process of locating, evaluating and analyzing transactions for cash flow and ROI (Return on Investment).

Evie has been a keynote speaker and trainer in 13+ countries and 30+ states in the US. Brooks’ work has been featured on Joe Fairless: Best Real Estate Investing Advice Ever, ESPN Cover Your Assets, Think Realty, Realtor dot com, The Real Estate Syndication Show, Women Investing Network, VoiceAmerica, Moving Abroad Podcast, Atlanta Business Radio, and many more real estate investing podcasts. As a disclaimer, Brooks and her employees and affiliates are not investment or tax advisors, and do not offer investment advice.