Notes from the Field is your insider guide to the world’s most compelling international real estate opportunities.
Hosted by global real estate investor Ronan McMahon—founder of Real Estate Trend Alert (RETA) and a pioneer in overseas property investing—the show takes you inside emerging markets, lifestyle destinations, and under-the-radar locations where smart investors are buying before the crowd arrives.
Drawing on decades of experience and more than $1 million invested annually in global research & scouting, Ronan shares boots-on-the-ground insights from places most investors never hear about until it’s too late.
Each episode explores the trends shaping international property markets—from luxury resort developments and infrastructure projects to lifestyle-driven migration and the “path of progress” that transforms overlooked places into world-class destinations.
Along the way, you’ll discover:
• The places Ronan is researching right now
• How global wealth is reshaping real estate markets
• The lifestyle destinations attracting investors and expats
• What drives property booms—and how to spot them early
• And the strategies Ronan uses to identify opportunities before prices surge
Whether you're looking to diversify your portfolio, find a second home overseas, or simply understand how global real estate markets evolve, Notes from the Field offers a rare look behind the scenes of international property investing.
In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon shares his biggest insights after spending more than a month on the ground in Cabo, Mexico—one of the most dynamic real estate markets in the world today. Broadcasting from Guadalajara, Ronan reflects on four and a half weeks exploring Los Cabos, from the wild Pacific beaches of Cabo San Lucas to the charming historic streets of San José del Cabo and the rapidly evolving neighborhoods overlooking the city. Along the way, he explains why C...
12 Dec 2025
Scouting Coastal Real Estate An Hour From San Diego
December 12, 2025
17 Oct 2025
Our First-Ever Deal in San Jose del Cabo
Broadcasting from Cork before heading back to Portugal and then on to Mexico for the winter season, Ronan uses this episode to step back and reflect on Cabo not just as a market, but as a place that has shaped both his lifestyle and investment strategy over the past decade. He explains why Cabo has become his preferred winter base despite the distance from Ireland and Portugal, and why its unique combination of weather, accessibility, luxury amenities, food, and surrounding destinations has m...
1 Oct 2025
Scouting the "Next" London
Broadcasting from Madrid after two full days on the ground, Ronan opens this dispatch with his first impressions of a city that has surprised him. Long viewed through the lens of Spain’s post-2008 economic crisis, Madrid now looks very different: vibrant, walkable, architecturally grand, economically resurgent, and increasingly positioned as a major global city with strong rental potential and long-term upside. Ronan reflects on why Spain may be especially well placed in the years ahead—from ...
26 Aug 2025
Caminha, Lifestyle Investing, and the Power of Relationships
Episode Summary In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon shares an on-the-ground update from Portugal after time spent on the Silver Coast and in Caminha—one of the most compelling lifestyle markets on his beat. But this dispatch goes beyond market fundamentals. Using his own home purchase in Caminha as the case study, Ronan reflects on what has made the investment successful so far, the mistakes he made earlier in his career, and why relationships—not just numbers—can make all ...
10 Mar 2025
Scouting a Historic Gem in Spain
March 10, 2025
20 Oct 2022
Profit in Portugal
In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon reports from Lagos on Portugal’s Algarve coast, where rising demand and tightening inventory are driving a powerful real estate boom. Broadcasting from a three-bedroom condo overlooking the Lagos marina and the Atlantic Ocean, Ronan shares his latest boots-on-the-ground research into one of Europe’s most desirable lifestyle destinations. From growing international demand to shrinking resale inventory, the forces shaping the Lagos market a...
21 Mar 2022
Málaga, the Costa del Sol, and Spain’s New Opportunity
Broadcasting from Málaga after several days on the ground, Ronan reflects on a city that has undergone one of the most striking urban transformations on his beat. Once known primarily as a gritty port city, Málaga today has become a polished, vibrant, highly desirable destination filled with culture, food, walkability, and lifestyle appeal. For investors who got in during the post-crisis years, the results were exceptional. Ronan revisits the original Málaga play: buying small condos in or ne...
9 Mar 2022
Transformation & The Era of Scarcity
For decades, abundant land, cheap capital, and rapid development kept supply flowing across many of the world’s most desirable property markets. But that dynamic is changing. Today, a combination of rising construction costs, tighter regulations, infrastructure constraints, and surging global demand is making prime real estate increasingly scarce. Ronan explains how this transformation is already playing out across international lifestyle markets—from coastal destinations and resort communiti...
18 Oct 2021
Silver Coast Living, Algarve Momentum, and a Search for What’s Next
Episode Summary In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon checks in from Portugal’s Silver Coast with a broad update on where things stand across his Portugal beat—from Lagos and the Algarve to Porto, the Douro Valley, and his own evolving plans on the Silver Coast. Along the way, he shares what he’s seeing in rentals, where the strongest investment momentum still lies, and why some markets now belong more in the “dream home” category than in a pure profit-driven RETA portfolio. ...
13 Sept 2021
Algarve Luxury, Lagos Scarcity, and the Search for What Comes Next
In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon checks in from Val de Lobo after a week on the ground in the Algarve, where he’s seeing the opportunity not just hold—but strengthen. From the luxury end of the market in the Golden Triangle to rising scarcity in Lagos, overlooked value in Silves, and emerging potential in the eastern Algarve, Ronan shares where the market is moving now—and where he’s already looking for the next big story. Episode Description Broadcasting from his condo ...
14 Jun 2021
Algarve Scarcity, Lagos Momentum, and What Comes Next
Episode Summary In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon checks in from Portugal’s Silver Coast before heading to Lisbon, sharing fresh observations on both his own property and the accelerating opportunity in the Algarve. From stronger-than-expected rental demand on the Silver Coast to rising scarcity, soaring values, and tightening inventory in Lagos and the wider Algarve, Ronan explains why this market feels increasingly urgent—and why access to the right deals matters more t...
19 Apr 2021
Why I'm More Bullish Than Ever on Cabo
In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon checks in from Cabo with a broad market update after two weeks back at his base in Baja California Sur. From surging rental demand and tightening inventory to delayed but increasingly compelling deal flow, Ronan explains why he’s more bullish than ever on Los Cabos—and why the wider region, including Todos Santos and La Paz, continues to gain strength. Episode Description Broadcasting from Cabo as the sun rises over the Pacific, Ronan use...
11 Mar 2021
BIG Costa Rica Discovery... It Could Be Huge!
March 11, 2021
11 Oct 2020
Algarve Foreclosure Plays, Luxury Demand, and Why I Still Love Lagos
In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon checks in from the central Algarve after more than three weeks on the ground in Portugal, sharing what he’s seeing across Lagos, the Golden Triangle, the eastern Algarve, and beyond. From booming luxury demand and bank foreclosure plays to strong rental fundamentals and overlooked opportunities on the edges of the market, Ronan explains why the Algarve remains one of Europe’s most resilient real estate stories—and where he believes the sm...
2 Oct 2020
Costa Rica’s Southern Zone, Supply Constraints, and the Next Opportunity
Episode Summary In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon reports back from an extensive scouting trip through Costa Rica, sharing what he found in the Southern Zone and how the market is evolving. From rising costs and full hotels to tightening supply, restrictive permitting, and the continued strength of the right developer-led opportunities, Ronan explains why Costa Rica remains compelling—but also why selectivity matters more than ever. Episode Description Broadcasting from h...
24 Sept 2020
Portugal's Silver Coast
September 24, 2020
30 Mar 2020
Our Upcoming Surfside Deal
March 30, 2020
17 Feb 2020
Why Tulum’s Next Great Opportunity May Be Homes, Not Condos
In this episode of Notes From the Field, Ronan McMahon shares why he believes Tulum remains one of the strongest opportunities on his beat—and why the next major phase of upside may come from a very specific kind of product. Drawing on the track record of earlier gains in Tao Tulum, Akumal, and Grand Tulum, Ronan explains why this new opportunity stands out: detached homes designed around privacy, nature, livability, and broad appeal in a market where those qualities are becoming harder to fi...
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