More Articles | Free Reports | Premium Services Charles' Note: I thought I had an adventurous life and was living the Freeport ideal.
I live in Lima, Peru for most of the year. I take long bike treks through the foothills of the Andes. And I recently ran into a pod of dolphins while kayaking in the Pacific Ocean with my daughter. They were close enough to touch.
Then I met Ronan... and I realized my life is boring by comparison.
Part Warren Buffett and part Jimmy Buffett, Ronan McMahon is an international real estate investor who scours the globe looking for opportunities.
When the world was melting down in 2008, he was in northern Brazil buying up pristine beachfront on the cheap. And then when Europe sank into crisis in 2010-2012, he went on a buying spree in the hardest hit regions.
Next week, I'll be chatting with Ronan about where he sees the best bargains in today's market. But in the meantime, let's take a look at the emerald isle.
Ireland's pubs are in crisis. Younger people drink less beer, and smartphones and Netflix have turned us all into homebodies. Plenty of pubs have closed their doors over the past decade.
And herein lies an opportunity...
Ronan shows below how you can turn a struggling pub into a profitable boutique hotel or Airbnb. When you buy a quality asset in a quality location at a great price, the opportunities practically present themselves.
At the Freeport Society, we spend most of our time hunting for stocks. But in the Age of Chaos, it's nice to have an escape from the constant churn and volatility. And it's even better when that escape is a natural inflation hedge, has tangible value (you can live in it!) and pays income to boot.
So, join me for a pint!
Over to you, Ronan... |
By Ronan McMahon, Real Estate Trend Alert Every crossroads had one.
So did most town squares.
There's nothing more synonymous with Ireland than the Irish pub. They were a place where the community gathered to tell stories or play music. To wake the dead and welcome the newborn. To celebrate victories and drown sorrows.
The pub was at the heart of Irish society.
Today, the Irish pub is a ghost of its former self... crushed under the weight of strict driving-under-the-influence laws. Professional floor slippers drove up insurance costs. Tastes broadened to include more ethnic food and wine. Young people drink more at home. With a few exceptions, pubs need to do excellent food to have a business.
The Irish pubs business model was drowning before COVID-19. Social distancing and the lockdown were the final nail in the coffin.
But that's not all...
Most pubs in Ireland have accommodation above. Typically the publican and their family would live above the premises.
Now they're being sold at fire sale prices. Kitchen equipment, the bar, the living quarters upstairs – all going under the hammer or offered for sale.
Many are in convenient locations on the main streets of town, or just off main arteries. But who would want a building like this?
Families want homes in a community with a garden and kids nearby... or space and privacy in the countryside. There's little demand for new pubs.
Retail in general is decimated. There isn't a line of clothes boutiques looking to transform pubs to retail space in small town Ireland.
Essentially, these are now a category of real estate without a use. With that comes no demand to buy or rent. At least, no demand until the price hits the floor.
That's why, today, you can buy a pub with four to six bedrooms upstairs and separate living quarters for between $150,000 to $250,000.
At between $35 and $60 a square foot, that's a lot less than the price of a regular home in these areas (which go for between $100 and $150 a square foot).
Take this beauty for example... Recommended Link | | | A mysterious financial figure — called “one of the most important money managers of our time” by national media — has issued a scathing economic warning. His controversial video exposes how an invisible force is rewriting the rules of wealth creation. The question everyone’s asking: What’s really going on right now? Click here to find out. |  | |
Overlooked Today, Useful Tomorrow This Irish rural town is located on the Ring of Beara, along the coastline of Bantry Bay in West Cork. This is an area of pristine natural beauty. 
The rugged and beautiful coastline of West Cork is part of the Wild Atlantic Way... It's an extremely popular tourist locale.
Now, I love finding overlooked value.
For example, a home with a big garden that can be sold off in lots to recoup the purchase price giving a free home gets me excited.
But there's no point buying real estate that has no use.
The key to this play is to figure out how to repurpose this real estate into something useful.
So I spent three weeks traveling the length and breadth of Ireland identifying overlooked real estate we could add huge value to by repurposing and converting into a high demand use.
What could we repurpose a pub like this into?
What's a growth and high-margin market we can serve with this overlooked and deflated real estate?
Short-term rentals!
Convert the pub into a place that would be rented to AirBnB groups.
Accommodation upstairs for 12 or more people. Downstairs there's plenty of space.
A group might rent it for a company retreat... friends on a hiking trip... a family reunion... a party.
Turn the DUI rules in your favor and make a party destination where you stay overnight.
The rooms could also be rented individually on Airbnb or to digital nomads.
The bar area would be an attractive place to work. Help yourself to coffee, or even a beer... just like the office space Google created before the "go to the office" model broke.
As we dug a bit into this idea, my research team and I found we weren't the first to think of it.
Pubs are already available on Airbnb as destinations...
For instance, take this pub rental in County Tipperary. It's booked up for months...
One of my team, Paul O'Sullivan, was out scouting last weekend and found a pub for sale in County Roscommon for €150,000. It's got five bedrooms. 
Here's a photo Paul took of the Croghan Bar in County Roscommon. But the West Cork pub stands out for me... given all the space, the stunningly beautiful surroundings and strong tourism in the area.
Now, obviously, you're not going to make a major real estate investment based on an article you got in your email from a man you've never met... and one with an Irish accent on top of all of that!
You should always do your own homework and ideally give the property a good looking over before you seriously consider investing. And perhaps running an Irish pub isn't for you.
But if you're looking for opportunities a little off the beaten path or just like the idea of diversifying your stock portfolio, then consider international real estate. And consider joining my Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) group. Apart from learning about international property investments, RETA members also get access to off-market exclusive deals.
Developers offer us unbeatable pricing because it's a win-win deal. They secure quick, discreet sales before going to local markets at higher retail prices. And we get deals at prices no one outside our group can even dream of.
And that's not the only benefit of joining our group.
As an international real estate scout and investor for nearly two decades, I've cultivated an extensive network of brokers, developers, attorneys who understand RETA's reach and buying power.
From the day you join our group, you can use this network of contacts as your own. That's an invaluable asset when it comes to scouting real estate and doing your due diligence.
Of course, this kind of club isn't for everyone. So, if at the end of one year you don't feel RETA is a fit for you, just call my team. We'll refund your entire membership fee. No questions asked.
Follow this link to learn more.
Regards, Ronan McMahon
Editor, Real Estate Trend Alert |
