There are four types of people who should pay serious attention to Colombia this year:

We don’t always have the vision to jump when opportunity presents itself. Imagine if you had bought in Costa Rica in the mid-1980s… in Ireland in the mid-1990s… on Ambergris Caye, Belize, later in that decade… or in Panama City 10 years ago…

But I recognized the opportunities in all these places at precisely those points in time. And I urged readers and friends to take advantage.

I see that same potential again right now, in Medellín.

Admittedly, the values in Medellín jump off the page when looking at Colombia…

But Medellín is just one destination of several that are attracting the North Americans in large numbers these days…

Take Cartagena, for example.

Most people know Cartagena as Colombia’s #1 tourist destination, but it was actually Colombia’s first major expat haven, too… and it’s still growing in popularity today.

Considered the exotic jewel of Colombia’s Caribbean coast, Cartagena is a popular beach resort city that has been drawing expats for decades.

Its main attractions are the beach and its Old City, particularly the inner walled district, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cartagena is chock full of history with its colonial architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, and homes with overhanging balconies and shady patios… giving the city an Old-World beach feel and making a romantic out of just about anyone.

But it also offers a wide range of lifestyles. The city has many modern amenities, including a growing number of high-rise condos with spectacular water and beach views in addition to modern shopping centers.

Enjoy the history and luxury of El Centro in the Walled City… or base
yourself by the beach of Bocagrande…

Get a taste of the bohemian feel of the restaurants and shops in Getsemani… or the more residential beach ambiance of Castillogrande…

No matter what your personal dream calls for, Cartagena will likely offer a lifestyle and a price-point that can be cheaper than many other Caribbean beach resort areas.

Just over 140 miles up the coast from Cartagena is the colonial city of Santa Marta.

Founded on July 29, 1525, by Spanish conquistadors, this is the oldest city in Colombia.

This is a much more affordable option than Cartagena, despite offering the same sandy coast, calm waters, excellent diving, and energetic culture.

Fifteen years ago, Santa Marta was a work in progress, rough around the edges in some areas and downright seedy in others.

Today’s Santa Marta is a different story…

Its downtown has undergone a restoration effort that has revived its Spanish-colonial parks, churches, and homes to their former glory.

New elements have been introduced, as well, and the city now boasts an attractive seafront park, excellent seafood restaurants, cafés, boutique hotels, and even a cruise-ship port.

The beaches here are longer, wider, and better-kept… all with a small-town feel.

You can enjoy the boardwalk lined with palm trees where people come to walk, exercise, and take in the views. The energy picks up in a big way after sundown, with live music and people of all ages out and about.

Despite my comparison before, Santa Marta’s allure is altogether different from that of Cartagena.

Colombia’s sister coastal cities share a similar aesthetic, but Santa Marta is less than half the size of Cartagena and has a natural backdrop that few places on earth can match—the Caribbean to the north and west, Tayrona National Park to the east, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range to the immediate south.

For the architecture buff who likes cool mountain weather, meet Popayán.

One of the world’s best-preserved Spanish colonial cities, this historic gem offers a small-town feel along with an “eternal spring” climate similar to the world-famous weather in Medellín.

Even the streetlamps and the accents and signs match the overall color scheme, which is maintained consistently throughout the historic center.

The city sees some tourists, which explains the presence of a fair number of nice restaurants and hotels. But, by and large, Popayán is off most foreigners’ radar…

That means it’s a bigger bargain than Medellin, but you also won’t find the same big-city trappings here.

Whether you decide on Medellin or Popayán, keep in mind these and most inland cities in Colombia are more reserved and tranquil than their dance-the-night-away sisters on the Carribean.

Indeed, Colombia offers up an abundance of opportunities and options for whatever your taste…

Whether you’re looking for the best of city life…

The best nightlife in the Caribbean…

An affordable hideaway on the coast …

Colonial living in the highlands…

Colombia will have a world-class destination for you.

Colombia is a solid, stable democracy… one that’s on the move.

The country is on a strong, economic footing these days, showing impressive growth… boasting a powerful industrial base… and enjoying an energy surplus, thanks to its abundant natural resources.

These ratings opened the door to an even greater flood of institutional foreign investment.

The old Colombia stereotypes have fallen… and it’s rapidly becoming the hot destination that I predicted in 2008.

Today’s values won’t last long… they’ll soon be tomorrow’s retail buys.
And what took Colombia from “timely” to “urgent” is the exchange rate.

Today’s extremely favorable exchange rates can change quickly. And when they do, the window will have closed on the best buying opportunity we’ve seen.

I bought here myself. I’ll be spending part of my retirement here… and I’m investing here. So I’m behind Colombia 100%…

That’s why I’m inviting you now to join my team online for our 12th-annual Colombia event…

Get to know each of your best options for living well in Colombia… from near-private islands to bustling cool-weather mountain villages…

Discover where you can tap into affordable health care, with excellent facilities and English-speaking doctors…

Find out how you can save thousands—tens of thousands—by living in certain off-the-radar places…

See examples of comfortable apartments you can rent for less than US$300 per month…

Learn where the best investment markets are… and what you can and can’t purchase as a foreigner…

The people of Medellín are rightly proud, for theirs is a city of delights. There’s no shortage of things to do in this town; both outdoorsy and more cerebral.

On any given day, you could go hiking or bike riding. You could visit a museum or one of the seven shopping malls. You could see a tango show or an opera.

Come evening, dance the night away… sample the local rum in one of the outdoor bars… or enjoy a fine meal and white-glove service at one of the many elegant restaurants.

Medellín is an economic and financial center for this country, but it’s also a literary and an artistic one. Newspapers, radio networks, publishing houses, an annual poetry festival, an international jazz festival, an international tango festival, and an annual book fair—all have chosen Medellín as their base.

It’s a major educational center with over 32 colleges and universities… plus an aquarium, a planetarium, botanical gardens, and sculpture gardens.

Each summer sees the five-day Festival of Flowers with its procession of horse riding, music, and of course, beautiful flowers. The Flower Festival is the highlight of the year, along with the Lighting of the Lights at Christmastime. Both draw people from around the world.

Medellín is sophisticated and cultured in a way that is uncommon anywhere in the world, but especially in Latin America.

A couple decades ago, Medellín was named “the most dangerous city in the world” by Time magazine. The impressive turnaround this city has made in the last couple of years has not gone unnoticed…

A few years back, Medellín received an international Smart City award for its social urban, and cultural transformation. The recognition given out by Netexplo (an international digital area trend observatory sponsored by UNESCO), states that technology and innovation are at the heart of Medellín’s enormous transformation.

One concern you might have if you’re considering a move to Latin America is that you’ll have to give up Western-standard luxuries…

This couldn’t be further from the reality in Medellín, where you can actually enjoy a higher quality of life.

While Colombia itself has a huge variety of climates—from the heat of the Caribbean to the cold peaks of the Andes—the weather in Medellín is just about perfect…

The average high temperature in Medellín is a comfortable 79°F (27°C), and the average only varies a handful of degrees throughout the entire year. The average low is in the low 60s (about 17°C) so it’s great for sleeping.

The bottom line is that you’re always comfortable at home, and you won’t need heat or air conditioning.

Medellín’s prime residential area—El Poblado—is lush with green, tropical plants and tall trees, thanks to the almost-nightly rains. This abundance of natural water feeds the many rushing streams that tumble down the mountainside through the neighborhood.

And the most unusual aspect of the city is that there are virtually no bugs.

Here’s a story from my friend Lee Harrison, Latin America correspondent and a fellow resident of Medellín:

Here are three things that should grab your attention:

Low real estate prices, in absolute terms. Medellín offers a safe, elegant, first-world lifestyle that beats the competition. Yet real estate prices in its most exclusive neighborhood are lower than in Panama City… Montevideo, Uruguay… or Fortaleza, Brazil…

Potential for appreciation. Costs of real estate have been risen about 5% a year over the past three years in Medellín, and a little less than that in Cartagena and Santa Marta. These are steady, healthy gains… but not a bubble…

Double-digit yields from income-producing properties. Short-term furnished rentals can earn 10% in good neighborhoods, while longer-term furnished rentals can reach 8%…

Again, though, when it comes to returns, you’ll want to keep your profits in Colombian pesos in the short term. That’s because the big currency exchange advantage that has led to such low prices can put a dent in your profits if you convert back to dollars or euros.

Otherwise, these are almost-perfect conditions for real estate investing.

Of course, when thinking about retirement or relocation, cost is crucial, both cost of living and cost of real estate. Living anywhere, the biggest part of your budget will be given over to housing—either the purchase of a home, or to rent.

This is another way Medellín shines.

You can buy in El Poblado, the top end of the market and the best location in the city, for as little as US$1,700 per square meter. Medellín properties cost as much as 48% less than its “competing” cities, such as Santiago or Montevideo.

Or you could rent a nice, modest apartment in a good neighborhood for US$500 a month… or less.

Let’s hear from the experts who have already invested here.

Listen to what international property investor Lief Simon has to say:

Our Latin America Correspondent Lee Harrison has also chosen Colombia as his current overseas retirement and investment destination.

Here’s what he has to say about why he is so focused on Colombia right now:

Legendary real estate investor Sam Zell has made billions with his savvy. He’s smart. He’s tough. And he’s famous for his great timing. Zell sold his Equity Office Properties Trust in 2007 for US$39 billion, right as the real estate market in the U.S. was peaking.

From the northern Caribbean coast and its resorts to the Andes Mountains and the Tatacoa desert, there is so much to see and experience here.

Where is his timing telling him to invest now?

Colombia.

“Colombia is the next star of Latin America,” Zell says. His company has already invested US$75 million in a mixed-use development. And where Sam Zell leads, others follow…

Also, the world’s richest man, Carlos Slim, recently decided to “increase his investments in Colombia because of the country’s liberal oil exploration policies, along with its mineral assets and expanding middle class.”

Prices are low, the supply of premium rentals is low, and demand is increasing.

Colombia has also enjoyed significant political stability and security, including peace deals with its infamous guerillas. This has attracted even more foreign investment and has led to a growing economy, which is part of the reason the real estate market is so steady and stable…

That’s a combination you can’t beat.

We’ll have several experts on hand at the Access Colombia Online Workshop to explain it all and to answer your questions…

Colombia’s excellent medical system is also one of the best in Latin America and highly respected internationally. The cost of procedures can be 30% to 90% lower than for comparable procedures in the United States.

Because of this, Medellín has become a center for medical tourism. Cosmetic treatments, dentistry, and eye surgery are the most popular services. Medellín offers eight of the best hospitals in all Latin America.

You will find that their standards often exceed those in the United States.

In fact, according to a study by América Economia, Colombia boasts 23 of the top 58 hospitals out of all the 33 countries in Latin America—that’s nearly half of the best all in one country!

Colombia is a beautiful country with a colorful history and a rich and diverse culture. The variety of its geography has resulted in a rapidly growing tourist industry.

From the northern Caribbean coast and its resorts to the Andes Mountains and the Tatacoa desert, there is so much to see and experience here.

In recent years, Colombia has enjoyed some of the highest rates of growth of any Latin American country.

And with GDP growth of 7.5% last year, it continues to out-perform the old, traditional powerhouses like Brazil, the United States, or Europe.

This is due to many factors, including the country’s increasing peacefulness.

I can’t stress strongly enough how great the window of opportunity is right now in Medellín.

Remember, I’ve seen this many, many times before, over the 30 years I’ve been covering this beat. I recognize the potential that Medellín is offering, for both the investor and the retiree.

And today’s exchange rates make this a particularly important time to pay attention.

The New York Times placed Medellín high on their list of “Places To Go“, as did the AARP and numerous other outlets.

So the mainstream is on the way.

On one hand, this is a very good thing. As Medellín and Colombia become more recognized for the investment and retirement havens that they are, it will become ever easier to invest and retire here… more user-friendly.

On the other hand, as more and more investors and retirees discover what Medellín and Colombia have to offer… the more costly it will become to get in on the action and to enjoy this enviable lifestyle.

So the time to act is now… while Medellín and the rest of Colombia still qualifies as an emerging retirement haven… and prices are correspondingly, absolutely low.

However, getting in now, ahead of the pack, means that the right advice and support are even more critical than it typically is. You have to act ahead of the crowd to gain the big advantages. But jumping in without the right knowledge can be a costly mistake.

You could waste months, even years trying to figure out on your own how best to invest and get things done in Colombia. Not to mention the thousands of dollars you could lose by taking some all-too-common missteps.

At the Access Colombia Online Workshop we’ll make sure you that doersnt happen to you…

There are strong reasons why everyone (including my husband Lief and I) are paying serious attention to Colombia right now, specifically to Medellín.

We’re intrigued, even infatuated by what we see in this city…

But we’re not fools. We know the good, the bad, and the ugly of day-to-day life and of trying to do business in a new city.

No place is perfect. Anywhere you go, you will find pros and cons… and Colombia is no different.

For example, English is not spoken by most of the locals. Though you can find it spoken at the larger hotels, restaurants and businesses, this is not the rule everywhere. But we can introduce you to the best places we know to study Spanish, to smooth out this rough spot.

Another downside right now is that things like opening a bank account and moving money are not straightforward. It’s possible to do these easily—once you know how—but you’ll need help learning the ropes… before the fact.

You’ll need connections… and introductions.

And, at the Access Colombia Online Workshop, you’ll meet people who can make it happen for you.

This is an emerging retirement haven… not, at this point, an always very user-friendly one for the English-speaker.

But like anywhere in the world—knowing what you’re getting into in advance will allow you to make well-informed decisions and smart choices… that will protect you from any potential downsides.

That’s the driving agenda of our Access Colombia Online Workshop: To prepare you…

To help you understand your options. This is why we take a “tell-it-all” approach in everything that we do.

Certainly, you will make your own choices about where you spend your time and your money.

Our objective is to make it possible for you to make those choices as wisely as possible.

An important part of our agenda at our Access Colombia Online Workshop, therefore, is to show you the downsides… and then show you how to navigate and overcome them.

And to this end, you’ll hear from expats who have already chosen to re-launch their lives in this special country. They’ll show you first-hand, how they overcame the obstacles to make things happen.

Information, contacts, connections, and real-world insights. That’s what we promise… and that’s what we deliver.

So please, save yourself the heartache and the hassles…

Join me and my team for this unique event.

The people you’ll hear from at the Access Colombia Online Workshop can make the difference between giving yourself a plan for a delightful adventure… or missing out completely and losing your shirt.

During this action-packed day, you’ll meet everyone you’ll need to know to launch your new life in Colombia. We’re opening our personal Rolodex for this event…

At our Access Colombia Online Workshop, we’ll introduce you to:

Kathleen has covered the live, retire, and invest overseas beat for more than 35 years and is considered the world’s foremost authority on these subjects.

She has traveled to more than 75 countries, established businesses in 7, and invested in property in 21. Thanks to these adventures abroad, Kathleen has been able to assemble an unparalleled network of global contacts, colleagues, friends, experts, resources, and advisors.

Kathleen has moved children, staff, companies, household goods, and pets across three continents, from the East Coast of the United States to Waterford, Ireland… then to Paris, France… and, then to Panama City, Panama. Today, Kathleen and her family officially divide their time between their homes in Paris and Panama… but are most often on the road, traveling the globe and spending time wherever life takes them.

Kathleen also writes regularly for U.S. News & World Reports and Forbes and is regularly quoted by The New York Times, Money magazine, The Economist, the AARP, and beyond. She has appeared often on radio and television and has written innumerable books (including her Amazon best-seller, “How To Retire Overseas,” now in its Second Edition with Penguin Random House), reports, and essays on where and how you can escape the retirement-tromping economy at home and live like royalty on a modest budget… invest for profits overseas ahead of the crowds… and secure your dream retirement in the world’s best destinations.

Lief Simon is Live and Invest Overseas’ resident real estate investing and offshore diversification expert. His twice-weekly free newsletter, Offshore Living Letter, covers both topics with direct and easy-to-understand language.

Lief has lived and worked on 5 continents and traveled to more than 50 countries. His real estate investing experience began around 20 years ago with a multi-unit building in Chicago.

After selling that building for a leveraged total return of more than 1,800% in 2 ½ years, Lief began to diversify internationally. In the two decades since, Lief has purchased more than 45 properties across 21 different countries. He has developed land, managed rentals, and flipped pre-construction buys.

Lief has more experience buying and profiting from real estate around the world than any other individual investor you’re likely to find.

In addition, Lief specializes in offshore diversification, asset protection, and tax mitigation. Over the last 20 years living and doing business around the world, he’s built a network of reliable and expert contacts he trusts on such matters—attorneys, bankers, tax consultants, and other advisors, both Stateside and in the jurisdictions where he spends time and money.

You’ll get to meet many of these trusted contacts, alongside Lief, during the Access Colombia Online Workshop.

In 2014, Darren and Wendy Howarter left their rural, small-town life in Northern Illinois, USA, and full-time careers to start a new adventure in Colombia, South America.

Since settling in the city of Medellín, they now enjoy a semi-retired lifestyle in the City of Eternal Spring. Darren tracks and trades the U.S. stock market while Wendy is pursuing her passion for writing.

They will be on hand this year to share their overseas trials and tribulations, along with tips about moving to Colombia.

He’s the Foreign Investment and Business Law Director and partner in Gutiérrez Márquez Asesores, a legal, accounting, and financial advisory practice in Medellín with more than three decades of experience helping foreigners and companies new to doing business in Colombia or looking to retire/relocate.

He and his staff speak fluent English and know how to solve problems.

Juan Dario and the Gutierrez Group will be available to answer your questions

Angela specializes in the financial field thanks to her 18 years of experience as a Financial Advisor in Alianza plus 10 years of experience as Manager of one the biggest Colombian banks—Davivienda.

She has led her team in advising clients in national and international investments for over 20 years. Simultaneously, she has worked to optimize a permanent investment portfolio for them.

Angela works with clients seeking foreign investment in Colombia and helps them transfer their money safely to the country.

You’ll be able to ask her all of your questions regarding investing in Colombia during the Access Colombia Online Workshop.

A true world traveler, Adam understands the benefits of travel insurance.
“Our most loyal customers are those who have used their international insurance policies—they see it works,” he says.
Adam is a graduate of the University of Central Florida where he earned his business degree.

Andrew Straus is the Co-founder, General Partner and Chairman of the Board of Consinfra. For more than five years, Andrew has been responsible for the company’s real estate investment portfolio and its risk management.

Andrew is a Passive House certified builder and studied at the Private Equity Institute in New York, holds an Economics and Philosophy degree from Brandeis University, and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He completed a post graduate certificate in Real Estate Finance from Middlesex University in the U.K., and participated in the Generative Leadership Program™(GLP) of the Institute for Generative Leadership.

Andrew is just one of the investment advisors that will be available to you during the event.

George Gonzalez is a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and U.S. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who provides international tax consulting services to individuals and small business clients.

Prior to opening his own tax consulting practice, he worked for a Big Four public accounting firm and later a multi-national financial services firm. He has worked in the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, the Dominican Republic, and Canada, where he currently resides. George is a professor at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, where he teaches courses in tax and accounting.

Dr. Jeffrey and Heather Raheb are from St. Petersburg, Florida, living here together since 2003.

Dr. Jeffrey is a chiropractor and earned his Doctorate degree from Life University in Atlanta, Georgia. Heather earned her bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education of Social Sciences at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.

They put their education, experience, and skills together to open and manage a chiropractic office. While serving the community on health and wellness, they also had a dream to eventually live in and explore another country. They both have a love of travel and learning about other cultures. After learning about Medellín, Colombia, and making a few visits in 2014 and 2015, they decided to make a move in March 2017.

Their boots-on-the-ground experience will available to you during the Access Colombia Online Workshop.

And that’s just a start… you’ll hear from more than 15 experts, expats, and retirees…

The 2023 Access Colombia Online Workshop has been designed to give you the expert information and insider access that you need to make the most important decisions about your new life in Colombia.

Whatever your goals, you’ll come away with the locations and insights you need to start your journey…

The insights and wisdom you need to sidestep the usual mistakes and challenges…
And a support system that could very well be critical to your success and happiness in Colombia.

The cost of this year’s Access Colombia Online Workshop will be US$395 US$295.

This cost includes full access to the interactive workshops and presentations…

Every research guide… the complete rolodex of experts… and the post-event package of video recordings.

Plus, you’ll get access to the chatrooms and forums where you’ll get to mingle with the experts as well as like-minded readers considering Colombia.