Tree-Huggers Get More
No one could accuse me of being a “tree-hugger.”
I like to shoot guns, and I like five-star luxury—all the modern conveniences…
My parents were hippies… and, well, you know what they say about kids going the opposite way from their parents.
A simple life, in tune with the land and communing with nature… that was never my dream.
I was ambitious… I worked two jobs in high school and college. I was always striving hard to make it in the world, and make money.
At 18, I promised myself I’d be a millionaire by the time I was 35. And I achieved that.
The Value Of Land
So, I ain’t no tree-hugging hippie… Let’s get that straight.
But I do understand the value of land… and the value of trees.
Let me explain…
As they say, land is the one thing they’re not making any more of… Buy in the right places and you can make a killing.
That was my original plan when I bought a piece of land on an island in Nova Scotia, Canada, many years ago.
A German guy had originally bought this 100+ acre island… then he went home and told his wife about it. Pretty soon it was on the market again.
It was subdivided into lots, and a bunch of us bought 7-acre lots with the idea that we could flip them and make a profit as developable land became scarcer in the area…
At the time, there were rumors of a new ferry route from Maine to Nova Scotia that would bring more tourists or American weekenders to our land—all of them looking for nice log cabins to stay in, and enjoy the windswept beauty of Nova Scotia…
That ferry route never happened.
The plot didn’t appreciate as I’d hoped… but it could still end up being an important piece of land for my family.
I’m actually heading there next month with my son, Jackson, who wants to build a cabin. He might live there or spend some time there, or maybe it could be rented out…
We’re hoping to find the 7 acres packed with pine trees—the wood is so valuable, we’re hoping nobody has snuck in and cleared the land while we weren’t there…
We tried to visit last year, but left it so late to book, all the accommodation in Nova Scotia (literally, all of it) was booked out during the spring and summer months… We went to Vegas instead, and had a good time.
1,267% ROI
So, this Canadian land that I thought I’d flip and make a few (relatively) quick bucks… Instead it could turn out to be an important legacy property for my family. Nice when that happens. I’ll let you know what we find in Nova Scotia next month…
This week, however, my thoughts and plans are turning to another kind of land… and another kind of tree.
If you’re looking for a big return on investment, investing in productive land, agricultural land—as opposed to holding idle land and hoping it appreciates, like my plan in Canada—can be a major winner.
Invest in the valuable commodities produced on the land and even a small amount of money can grow into a nice nest egg…
The trick here is that only a relatively small amount of money is needed upfront to plant commodities like teak, but as the wood grows and is ready for harvest, it becomes a highly sought-after commodity—meaning big returns for the small investor…
Tomorrow, at 11 a.m. EDT, I’m hosting a special webinar on an opportunity we have to invest in teak planted in Panama. Just click here to register.
You can get in on this opportunity with an investment less than US$7,000… which is set to grow to become a US$94k payout. It’s an incredible 1,267% ROI.
Not many options like that exist in the world…
Why Teak?
Known as the “Gold of the Timber Market,” teak is a highly coveted hardwood prized for its beauty, strength, and durability.
Teak boasts remarkable features as it’s rot, fungus, termite, water, and fire resistant.
All of that ensures a high demand in a wide range of applications, from building material and yachts to countertops and high-end, all-weather furniture…
Teak has always commanded a high price on world markets. (We’re looking at an asset that increased in value by 9.5% even back in 2008, when world markets were tumbling.)
Take a quick look online, and you might be shocked at the prices for a set of garden furniture made of teak… (A teak double chaise set retails at US$3.5k.)
At the same time, natural teak forests grow in only four countries on Earth.
And the landscape of the global teak industry has changed significantly in the past number of years… The sustainable supply of teak from natural forests has diminished due to overlogging and deforestation.
Buyers are now turning to managed plantations in Latin American countries such as Panama, Ecuador, and Colombia…
The Panama Advantage
The specific teak plantation I have in mind is in Panama, where growing conditions are ideal…
And where the government has been supporting the teak sector with tax incentives for some time now.
This is a well-established plantation growing vast hectares of quality teak and replanting new trees after any harvest.
Here, we can own a parcel of land planted with teak trees at varying ages, from new-born to 17-year-old trees…
A 1/4 acre of newly planted teak costs US$6,880, plus titling and fees. You can expect to see a US$94k payout when the trees are fully grown and ready for harvest… As I’ve said, a massive 1,267% ROI.
But you also have options… A larger upfront investment (for teenage trees) can result in a quicker payout.
Join tomorrow’s webinar to learn all the details. It’s free. Simply save your spot by clicking here.
“Timber Gold”… And A Golden Visa
There’s another, little-known advantage to this Panama teak investment…
The “Gold of the Timber Market” can be your path to a Golden Visa in the world’s #1 offshore haven.
You can apply for a Golden Visa as a forestry investor with an investment of at least US$100,000 in teak (plus US$2,000 for each dependent).
This route gives you a two-year temporary residence permit; after that, you can apply for permanent residency.
An investment of US$350,000 in an approved forestry project will get you near-immediate permanent residency.
Best of all: there is no time-in-country requirement for permanent residents of Panama.
(Expect it to take at least three to eight months for your first residency card to come through.)
The developer I’m working with has put together a package of resources to walk you through this process, should you wish to apply for residency in Panama.
Panama consistently ranks among the World’s Top Retirement Havens. I live here myself, and I’ve invested more here than any other country in the world…
This country has warm weather, a low cost of living, and first-class health care, including a Johns Hopkins affiliated hospital.
It has a foreign-resident-friendly tax system, and the biggest banking system in the region.
It’s a stable, peaceful country backed by a solid economy thanks to the Panama Canal, its giant copper mine, and the presence of many large international corporations.
Getting informed could be the smartest move you’ll make all year. You can do that at my free webinar tomorrow at 11 a.m. EDT. Register now by clicking here.
You see… Trees can be a very powerful asset. That’s something I can embrace.
Stay diversified,
Lief Simon
Editor, Offshore Living Letter