Investing Abroad: A Guide to International Short-Term Rental Properties
Have you ever thought about investing in an international short term rental property? We’ve thought about investing in a property in Mexico, but since we’re unfamiliar with the culture and market, it’s intimidating to know where to start. So, we thought we would bring in one of our hosting Business Mastery members, Julie Ramsay, to tell her incredible journey of going from backpacking in Australia to owning in Costa Rica while calling Canada home.
In 2019, Julie and her family sold almost everything they owned, including the house, downsized into a townhouse, and made their “someday” dreams come true when they moved to the southern pacific jungles of Costa Rica. They found the perfect one-bedroom apartment with a private rooftop deck, located on a long stretch of quiet beach, in the small village of Esterillos Oeste and two months later, Rocamar Cinco was launched on Airbnb. Within 6 months, Julie had achieved Superhost status. She loves creating a comfortable space for her guests, exceeding their expectations, and allowing them to relax and enjoy their stay the moment they arrive.
We talk about how Julie and her family made these big life decisions to move abroad (with a teenager), the differences in the housing markets in the US, Canada and Costa Rica, and how Julie used the sale of their main home in Canada to fund three short-term rental properties. We also get insight from Julie about what she’s learned being an international host, and cultural differences to be aware of when working with international laborers. She also shares how they’re doing financially from these investments, and the exact changes she made that made the biggest impact on revenue at her property. We hope this conversation inspires you to consider expanding your short term rental boundaries!
Download a transcript of this episode.
Resources:
- AirBnB: airbnb.com/h/rocamarcinco
- VRBO: vrbo.com
- Booking.com: booking.com/hotel/cr/beach-getaway-ocean-view-private-rooftop-deck
#STRShareSunday
It’s time for #strsharesunday! Today we are sharing Meet Me at Mango 😍🥭
We absolutely love the name and logo of this space! It’s after the three mango trees in her front yard! So cute! This feed is SO fun to scroll through, because it’s just as bright and colorful as the property.
Host Shoshana is located in Fort Lauderdale, so please check her out! We can tell that she poured her heart and soul into this property. One thing that really sticks out to us is that she has a lot of beds, but she has designed this space in a really tasteful way while accommodating these beds. If you know that you need to sleep a lot of people, it’s always great to see how other hosts are doing that so you can compare!
Another thing Shoshana has done that I haven’t seen as much with hosts is that she has the shoppable button inside her Instagram feed. It’s like a little shopping bag we users can shop items used in her rental! For instance, she has an outdoor shower, and that links to Florin Decor. It’s the same tile that she has used. And so if you double tap on it, she has links out to all the things that she’s designed her home with. We’re hoping she’s getting affiliate commissions from this, because it’s such a smart idea!
Please check out her beautiful design, and check out the pinned reels of some influencers who have stayed at her place! 💛🥭
We would love to feature YOU, so don’t forget to use #STRShareSunday to get your chance!
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