What can $250K buy in real estate around the world? [PICS]

By Candice Walsh On November 15, 2010 · 33 Comments

With the economy supposedly getting better and house prices starting to level off, what will $250K get you these days?

The global economy is slowly (but surely!) rebuilding itself. In my part of the world (Newfoundland), $250K will buy a one-room shanty on the outskirts of town… and that’s a bargain. If you’re considering becoming a homeowner, why not turn your sights abroad? Here’s where you can get the most bang for your buck.

(Note: All prices are in USD and are approximations).

Fernhill, New Zealand / $250k / 3 bed, 2 bath

This place is large and modern and has a balcony with epic views of the lake. It's the kind of home I’ll swap my dingy townhouse rental for in a few years, when I want to start having babies and settling down. We’ll probably have a golden retriever named Jasper.

Diani Beach, Kenya / $250k / 5 bed, 5 bath

This property is a villa near the coast, part of a group of eight set among tropical gardens with over 200 different types of plant. There’s a huge pool with an underwater sound system (underwater aerobics, anyone?), massage jets, waterfall and waterslide. It’s pretty much a water-world dreamland.

Thasos, Greece / $250k / 3 bed, 2 bath

This residence has a fireplace and air-conditioning, a private garden, and an outdoor deck to die for. I can totally see myself curled up there with a bottle of bourbon and a good book. It’s also part of a complex, so you get all the sweet extras like a tennis court and pool. Oh, did I mention it’s in an olive grove?

San Ignacio, Brazil / $250k / 4 bed, 3 bath

This property is actually TWO buildings: a main two-storey house, and a smaller, one-storey building suitable for rentals or office space. The main house comes with air conditioning, a balcony, and a landscaped garden with one hell of a swimming pool. There’s also a two-car carport with remote control gate.

Atenas, Costa Rica / $230k / 3 bed, 2 bath

This house is brand new and comes with a large garden, a pool, and mad views out over the valley.

San Pedro, Philippines / $164k / 4 bed, 3 bath

This home is in a gated community which includes swimming pool, club/party house, hedge gardens, and manicured lawns. It’s also been renovated twice!

Pattaya, Thailand / $223k / 1 bed, 2 bath

This furnished top-floor condo already comes with all the appliances, and includes high speed Internet and a large balcony. The building has a laundry room, pool, gym/spa, 24 hour security and car parking, and a great view of the ocean. All you have to do is move in.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / $250k / 3 bed, 4 bath

Villa near Rio with view of the ocean. Has a pool and sauna, and a separate caretaker house complete with resident caretaker - leaving you free to concentrate on the sunsets.

Naxxar, Malta / $243k / 2 bed, 1 bath

Built in the 1700s, this two-storey home has a roof top terrace for you to catch some rays, and a very open living area. Sadly, Hobbits not included.

Davutlar, near Kusadasi, Turkey / $169k / 4 bed, 2 bath

This villa is part of a village complex, not far from somewhere called Paradise Beach, and with a view of the Dilek Mountains. It's decked with marble, has an open fireplace for the winter, and a rooftop balcony with barbecue for the (long) summer.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico / $250k / 2 bed, 2 bath

Newly built condo in the center of Puerto Vallarta with private balcony, and pool.

Nova Scotia, Canada / $246k / 3 bed, 2 bath

This coastal property in the town of Mavillette sits on 3 acres of land and overlooks the beach and Cape St. Mary. One of its best perks for the environmentally friendly folk is the on-site windmill, providing 75% of needed power required for the household.

Cairo, Egypt / $217k / 3 bed, 3 bath

Whoever decorated this apartment has got some mad skills. By far my favourite piece of property on the list, how could I possibly get bored in a “Four Seasons” themed apartment? Details are sparse, but I don’t care. There’s a freaking purple couch.

About The Author

Candice Walsh

Candice is a travel writer and blogger currently stationed in St. John’s, Newfoundland. When she’s not shooting whiskey and hitting on men, she’s eating nachos and dreaming about her next big adventure. Check out her blog, Candice Does the World.

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http://expatheather.com Heather

Wow. I really like the Malta house.
Melanie S say

As I suspect is the case is most places around the world, it depends where you live. You might pay 250k for a shanty just outside of St. John’s, but in rural parts of the island there are plenty of beautiful houses that didn’t cost nearly as much. I bought my 3-bedroom last year for 60k.

http://matadortravel.com/travel-community/candicew86 Candice Walsh

Melanie, I was exaggerating. Great property in rural NL for sure.

http://metalchick.net/travel Lindi

Candice, all these need are scantily clad men to wait on my every want and need and I’d be set. I can totally see myself in that Canadian home with a ski school set of friends. Sounds like a blast. This is awesome!

Richard

I’ll be your scantily clad man if i get to live in an awesome house!!

deal??

http://www.photojbartlett.com Jeff

That isn’t a house in Canada. Its located in Truckee, California. I just checked out the link because I’d never heard of a town called Truckee in BC and it seems that I don’t need to brush up on my geography.

On another note, that place in Greece looks spectacular

http://matadortravel.com/travel-community/candicew86 Candice Walsh

Thanks for pointing that out, Jeff! My bad. Agree with you on the Greece property.

Michael

Hey, I have a Golden Retriever named Jasper… haha!
Jason K

That NZ property is an auction, and there’s no way it’s going for anywhere close to 250K. Yes, it shows up in a $200-300K search. It also shows up on a $500-600K search. Were you rushed because of a missed deadline, or just lazy?

http://matadortravel.com/travel-community/candicew86 Candice Walsh

Hey Jason, thanks for the comment and yes, I did do my research. You’re right, the property is up for auction. There’s no way to know exactly how much it will sell for; however, it’s still listed in the USD $250K price range.

Julie

Hey Candace, just found this on digg.com and thought it was interesting (I’m a real estate agent in St. John’s). When I clicked on it I realized you’re living here too! Interesting coincedence! I liked your article, although 250K in St. John’s and especially in rural NL can you get quite a nice home. I’d like to see 250K in other parts of Canada and US too!!
I’m bookmarking your site to see what other articles I can look forward to reading!

http://matadortravel.com/travel-community/candicew86 Candice Walsh

Hey Julie, nice to see a fellow islander around here! Like I told Melanie, I was exaggerating about NL homes…although downtown/university area of this city isn’t the best. Hope you visit again!

http://www.myitforum.com Shaun

Where are the houses in Tokyo, NYC, London… yeah its nice to know that in small 3rd world countires you can get a lot.. but where is the rest of the world where 250k gets you next to nothing?

Mike

Ahh.. none of these are really third world countries, haha.
Olivier

I know that in and around the Paris region houses that have around 3 bedrooms easily range above 500k €, you really have to be far away from Paris to find anything with this price range and size.

High_Interest

In Sydney Australia you try hard might get 36 square metres of apartment http://www.domain.com.au/Property/For-Sale/Apartment/NSW/Sydney/?adid=2008664395
CaptainObvious

uh, the house in Truckee (Lake Tahoe) California is $250,000 for a WEEK of ownership every year. That might be the worst deal in the world, the only ‘steal’ going on there is the theft of your money for falling for such a scam. Apparently you didn’t even bother reading the listing.

Someone needs to do better research.
Caleb

The house in Truckee, California, USA looks like the house from Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 in the outdoor level with the cabin up top.
Kasper

This is Denmark, Copenhagen,
way out of the city:
http://www.nybolig.dk/maegler/PrivatBolig.jsp?csref=boligsiden&fromsite=boligsiden&sagsnr=a7375&forretningsnr=103457
in the city:
http://www.edc.dk/Sag/?Pid=11328860&cid=s01m05
Gary

LOL at that house in New Zealand going for anywhere near $250k.
anonymous

would be interesting to see what 250 000 will buy you in London or Tokyo in comparison
Blake

The “shared ownership” house in Truckee, CA is $250k for one week a year. How is that a fair comparison with the other homes listed? You own the house for ONE WEEK a year…not a deal or a steal in any sense of the word.

http://matadortravel.com/travel-community/candicew86 Candice Walsh

(& Captain)

Thanks for the comment, seems there was a mistake with that one. We’re checking with the broker to make sure, because that amount of money is absurd. If so, we’ll replace with a new property.

http://www.zentastic.com/ Shannon Larratt

To be honest, I think you can find much nicer places than this for $250k… Although it’s crazy how much the options have shrank in the last decade. Ten years ago you could buy Caribbean mansions in this price range — I sure wish I’d have bought the house I looked at in the British Virgin Islands back then… To say nothing of having sold my house in La Paz.

Anyway, I wanted to back up what Candice and Julie are saying. There are INCREDIBLE options out in the Canadian Maritimes. For this price you can get some really stunning oceanfront homes. Along the same vein, there are many impoverished parts of the United States, generally rural, that you can find similarly amazing deals.
L to the K

Candice, you are much too nice in your response to deliberate assholes. HATERS like Captain and Jason K are just upset bc they would never be one of the guys picked to adorn the beautiful homes you listed . Dudes – point out the mistakes; that’s fine. But do you need to call her lazy and be such a snatch about it?! Just because no one knows you on this does that make it okay to be a complete douche?

http://matadortravel.com/travel-community/candicew86 Candice Walsh

Hehe, thank you for your comment, L to the K. No worries, however, it’s all part of the job.

http://johnlscott.com/billhu Bill Hupfer

Blake, thanks for the referral to these properties. I like the one in Mexico. Not to big, not to small, and a great view of the Pacific Ocean.
http://www.texasrealtypros.com texasrealtypros.com

You can get a great house here in Houston for $250,000… I sold a 5000sqft home with a 8000sqft lot that was built in 2009 for 245k just recently. In a great neighborhood and to a great family… If you need a home feel free to give me a call.

Sonny Jimenez
Real Estate Broker
TexasRealtyPros.com
713.320.0122 Direct / Mobile
800.508.2939 Fax
TexasRealtyPros@Gmail.com

By the way I am never too busy for your referrals, in fact that is the highest compliment you can give me.

Our Facebook Fan Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Houston-TX/TexasRealtyProscom/265946835599
http://www.georgianhotel.com Stella

Ummm… Im moving to Rio… That view is amazing!
http://www.balisignaturevillas.com deputu

I look the Diani Beach, Kenya building. I’t almost same with Balinese building style. Great post and thank you for sharing.
heidi

interesting but who has $250,000?! I don’t even have 150,000 but reading that article next!!!
http://www.seattlestravels.com Seattle Dredge

Wow, they are all pretty amazing. I think I’d like the Cairo house!

What can $250K buy in real estate around the world? [PICS]

Fernhill, New Zealand / $250k / 3 bed, 2 bath

Diani Beach, Kenya / $250k / 5 bed, 5 bath

Thasos, Greece / $250k / 3 bed, 2 bath

San Ignacio, Brazil / $250k / 4 bed, 3 bath

Atenas, Costa Rica / $230k / 3 bed, 2 bath

San Pedro, Philippines / $164k / 4 bed, 3 bath

Pattaya, Thailand / $223k / 1 bed, 2 bath

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / $250k / 3 bed, 4 bath

Naxxar, Malta / $243k / 2 bed, 1 bath

Davutlar, near Kusadasi, Turkey / $169k / 4 bed, 2 bath

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico / $250k / 2 bed, 2 bath

Nova Scotia, Canada / $246k / 3 bed, 2 bath

Cairo, Egypt / $217k / 3 bed, 3 bath

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