***QUESTION***

Dear Team Ivey,

For years, I've been making great money abroad, moving up the ladder, enjoying the career opportunities… but there was always this nagging downside that I couldn't shake:

Unlike if I were back in Canada, I wasn't building up equity in a property over time just by living in it. That part really stung. I mean, here I was, earning the “big expat bucks,” but every year felt like I was missing out on what all my friends back home were stacking up by default.

Buying in Dubai never made sense to me—I don't have permanent rights here, there are all these conditions, and at the end of the day I'll be moving back to Canada anyway. That's home. That's where my family has an unconditional right to live.

So when I finally took the step and invested back home, it hit me:

I immediately became a property owner.

And this wasn't some fuzzy “maybe one day” benefit—this was tangible, right now. The second the deal closed, I had something real. No matter what happens with the market in the near future, that fact is locked in. I actually own something that will grow with me.

Here's my question: What should my focus be on over the next year as a new expat property owner? Should I be looking at growing the portfolio right away, or just let this first property do its thing for a while?

—JM, Dubai, UAE



***OUR COMMENTS***

This is exactly the kind of realization we see all the time with Canadian expats.

Notice how he didn't wait for the “perfect time” in the market… he focused on the one thing he could gain instantly: actually becoming a property owner. That certainty is something no market movement can take away.

To your question: The first property is the foundation. It gives you leverage, credibility with lenders, and—most importantly—peace of mind that you're not “missing out” year after year.

Whether you expand right away or wait a bit depends on your income and goals, but the big win here is that you've already crossed the threshold that keeps most expats stuck on the sidelines.

If you're reading this and you've been putting it off, the smartest move you can make is to take that first ownership step. From there, everything else gets easier.

 

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***P.S. If you'd like to send us your own Success Story, Question, or Comment, here's how to do it:

1) Keep it short and real. Two paragraphs max.

2) Tell us what insights you've had about your expat story before you ask your question. (Yes, we love hearing “this was really great” — but the specifics matter more. That's what helps other expats see what's possible in their own situation.)

3) If you have a Success Story, write “Success Story” in the subject line of your email. Those are the ones we read first.

4) At the end of your note, drop your initials and where you're currently based (always fun to see where these are coming in from).

Send it to us by just hitting “reply” to this email.

Thanks,
Ivey Investments