Completely agree, Alex, when I say "I'll tell you what can be gotten" I'm referring to my own personal criteria and goals. Sorry, should have added that.

having said that, the area, budget, country etc sometimes dictate what sort of strategies can or can't be applied. If someone approaches me and asks for my help establishing a capital growth based portfolio in Japan, I'd probably refer them to your blackjack table too, we're a purely (high) cash flow environment until further notice. Similarly, if someone asks my opinion on how to establish a zero management, remote controlled, hassle free portfolio, I probably won't send them to flip houses or buy and renovate a SFR by themselves in the US, etc.

Nice to read a down to earth, balanced account with no spruiking, Pete, and also to read about all this wealth of experience in international investing from everybody in this thread – normally its only the US that gets the attention here (and my insistent blabber about Japan ).

read an interesting article about Panama City on REI wealth mag (http://reiwealthmag.com/ subscription only, but they have 3 month passes on their Facebook page, from memory) – the author was basically saying the market's a bit saturated with foreigners atm, and that one should wait for prices to drop a bit. Do you feel this to be the case? 

Mattsta- so you spruik Detroit properties, but never purchased in the US personally?

No idea, pure speculation, but the one trick pony economy and bunkering in china (and I don't believe for one second their "growth forecast upgrades" on the eve of leadership changeover) have to take their toll, and Australia, Pre or post GFC v.1, is as one-tricky as they get, plus heavy in household debt like there ain't no tomorrow. All those job and empty mining town losses will have to ricochet somewhere. Hope I'm wrong, but a continued boom or anything beyond modest, barely profitable growth, is not a given, far from it, in my opinion.

Still going ahead with that Melbourne purchase, ezachar? (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/realestate/news/melbourne-property-prices-take-another-tumble-in-october/story-fndcv32g-1226508321671)

that could, of course, mean its the perfect time to buy, too…still, the rest of Australia is possibly due for a bit of bubble burst when the current mining cycle fizzes out, or so offshore analysts say…

Sure you're not mixing "best cashflow" with "biggest amount"? If you're getting 100 on your 1000 investment it doesn't actually beat getting 30 on your 150 investment, etc. just appears that way…

Blackstone have been crowding the Asian market as well (http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20121031000006&cid=1102)…they, like most big funds etc, move in just after the market starts picking up again. been feeling them in Japan too, but they fire up the market, and stay away from the "diamonds in the rough" types that we go for. They prefer safer, go for potential over cashflow, and don't mind compromising on yields. Don't really bother us, personally.

sorry to hear that its not the first time it's been reported on these sort of forums too…one of the main reasons we prefer to operate in Japan. Vandalism just doesn't exist, and crime is a very rare thing, at least as far as residential property is concerned. 

Thanks Qlds007. The price of the unit is not an issue. I just want my investment to be profitable. So if I invest millions of CAD I expect to get the way more cash back!

unfortunately, that's not always the case. Profit and cashflow don't always go hand in hand with asking price…sometimes the more profitable properties aren't the priciest ones, even the opposite.

Just liquidated my own Melbourne property since I stand to make x3.5 the cashflow, x20-30 the diversity and hedging in Japan. (With 5% of the portfolio as holiday/short-term lets, so possibly higher).

As for capital growth, in melb. it’s been growing at app. 2.5% p/a for the last 3 years (which is superb, all things considered, but its in a superb location and has land attached, so not like yours). Age same or older than I’d get in Japan to keep yields high (mid-80s)

Will report what I got for it in Japan when I do.