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RETA: Notes from the Field
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.
Episodes
19 episodes
Inside Cabo's Real Estate Boom
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 Gua...
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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 ...
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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 differen...
Caminha, Lifestyle Investing, and the Power of Relationships
Episode SummaryIn 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.
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 ov...
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, v...
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 regulation...
Silver Coast Living, Algarve Momentum, and a Search for What’s Next
Episode SummaryIn 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,...
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 G...
Algarve Scarcity, Lagos Momentum, and What Comes Next
Episode SummaryIn 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 Alg...
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 incre...
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....
Costa Rica’s Southern Zone, Supply Constraints, and the Next Opportunity
Episode SummaryIn 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 co...
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.Drawin...