RETA: Notes from the Field

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...

December 12, 2025

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...

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 lon...

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...

March 10, 2025

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...

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, th...

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...

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...

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 w...

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 e...

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...

March 11, 2021

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 t...

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 c...

September 24, 2020

March 30, 2020

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...