Nestling in an Ecuadorian valley just 20 minutes north-east of downtown Quito is the upscale neighborhood of Cumbaya. At 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) it's a bit lower than Quito's downtown. That makes it sunnier and warmer. Here, you will find high-end gated communities, restaurants, malls and car dealerships. You will also find the Hospital de los Valles...a private hospital of 100 beds and 250 doctors. This hospital plans to target Americans for medical tourism.

Finally, a true five-star resort community is coming to the Fortaleza area of Northeast Brazil. It’s been years in the making. In fact, when I visited this part of Brazil over three years ago roads had already been constructed and earth moved for the golf course. Today, the golf course is open…as is the five-star Dom Pedro Hotel. We can now get in on the first luxury condo pre-release with special member-only pricing and terms.

Jama Campay is an opportunity to buy a home of more than 1,700 square feet, perched above...yet only steps from...a white-sand beach. From your lap pool you have views past the beach and breaking waves to the Pacific Ocean. Here, you can watch giant whales drift by or gaze south along the coast where luminous green jungle rises steeply from the Pacific Ocean

The evening of the first day of our recent "Path of Progress" private members retreat, developer Greg Schnurr invited us to his Los Arboles Tulum project. To remind you, Los Arboles Tulum is a development of 221 five-acre residential lots, and 10 commercial lots, set in 1,200 acres of pristine jungle. Your back yard is home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna. Members of our little group bought these five-acre lots last year with a small down payment and interest-free monthly payments.

A few weeks ago I was joined by a group of our fellow members for our inaugural “Path of Progress” private members-only retreat in the Tulum area of Mexico’s Riviera Maya. I chose Tulum as the venue for this gathering because it’s the focal point for one of the major Path of Progress stories on my beat. Driving from Cancun airport the new system of flyovers at Playa del Carmen looks 98% complete. I hear it will open in the coming months. Playa will no longer be a bottle neck in times of heavy traffic.

Thirty minutes west of Fortaleza’s glimmering boardwalk is the pretty beach town of Cumbuco. In fact, you can see Fortaleza’s skyline from the beach at Cumbuco. Each time I visit Cumbuco, I am greeted by new parks, squares, trendy beachfront bars, kite surfing shops and posadas. But Cumbuco is still a charming little town with a laid-back feel. I expect it will keep this feel even as development comes.