Episode 253
Living the Expat Life in Latin America - with Mike Cobb
Mike Cobb is the founder and CEO of ECI Development. After vacationing in Belize in 1993, Mike saw the opportunity to help others own properties overseas. Realizing that not everyone wants to be in Belize, the company expanded to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, El Salvador, and Portugal. Over the last 27 years, ECI Development has focused on providing customers with a product that fits their specific needs, rather than trying to sell people a cookie-cutter solution.
There are basically two types of people who relocate overseas in retirement: those who are running FROM something (local politics, relationships) and those who are running TO something (better weather, improved quality of life). While both types can find new lives as expats, those who are running TO something tend to have better results.
Mike points out that there are many things to consider when moving overseas. The language barrier can be a big problem for some people, as can living with various economic classes close together. Many people find it very difficult to be faced with the poverty that surrounds them in Latin America.
Cultural differences are also big. Mike suggests that the most important thing to remember when travelling overseas is humility - "We don't know what we don't know".
Mike offers his Consumer Resource Guide to assist people in making this transition. The guide contains information on how to prepare for relocation, including a quiz to gauge your preparation level. It also contains information on each of the Latin American countries in which ECI has developments.
Download the Consumer Resource Guide by visiting ECI's website at:
