Here's What the Future Could Look Like

“I started dreaming about what I want my future life to look like,” writes Lisa, a 62-year-old single mom. “You’ve inspired me and brought me hope… I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve!”

Perhaps like you, Lisa’s been reading International Living for years, soaking up bits of knowledge until she was ready to take the leap. And now she has. This year, Lisa, who’s also a member of Ronan McMahon’s Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA), invested in a condo in Montenegro’s spectacular Kotor Bay, taking advantage of a special deal Ronan put together for members. But when the time is right, she tells us, she’s looking to land in Portugal…

This month, we bring you a sneak preview of the 2025 RETA International Real Estate Index, or the top places to buy real estate now. (And Lisa, the winning town just happens to be in Portugal.)

As you’ll see in these pages, the world is full of opportunity… you just have to know where to look. Barton Walters found it in Thailand… where he owns several profitable rental properties. “American expats,” he says, “move here to live twice as good for half as much.”

Bart’s real estate decisions have been largely based on the country’s forward-looking infrastructure projects. In 2010, for example, a new motorway opened to connect Bangkok to the vibrant beach town of Pattaya, and the Eastern Seaboard exploded with development. “It felt like Bangkok threw a rope around the beach and pulled it three hours closer.”

Even if you’ve never considered a move to Thailand, Bart’s deep-dive into what the future holds for this land, where the ancient and modern blend together “as delicately as a piquant Thai curry,” will leave you feeling a little bit smarter.

We’ve included ways for you to travel smarter, too… Like how to transport your pets in style to Europe, and how to get free flights to Sweden—and a two-week fantasy road trip to boot.

I’ve barely scratched the surface of what you’ll discover in this month’s issue. But be sure to catch Sean Jansen’s 1,000-mile solo paddleboard journey down the Baja peninsula, where he braves the desert, sharks, and a hurricane to help rescue an endangered porpoise.