The pioneer spirit that drove people westwards through the United States in the 19th century was born of a need to own land. It was an intangible urge to be in possession of the soil of personal blood, sweat and tears. The 21st century is not so different from the 19th in that land remains a commodity that can't be mass produced. It can only be divided and subdivided until what was once acres of open space becomes small plots in overcrowded towns and cities. The overseas property market is a continuing example of this quest for possession of foreign soil and it is the part of the American continent that lies south of the US border that now represents one of the modern-day frontiers for the British second home buyer.
 
It all started with France and Spain and, as the masses followed, the more adventurous pushed onwards into the remainder of Europe. After this came the Caribbean and parts of Africa, and now we have reached countries such as Mexico, Brazil and Panama. Clearly, overseas buyers are rejecting the safe option and are instead opting for the road less travelled in their search for more riches. One of the things that has stopped buyers considering Central and South America as an option in the past was undoubtedly the fear of the unknown. Now, as the home-buying pioneers push on, the many misconceptions about the bottom half of the continent are starting to disappear with each second home or investment purchase bought in these less-familiar lands. One after another people are moving in that direction and passing on the stories of the riches they have discovered. This time, however, it isn't gold in them there mountains that they seek, it is the rich, lively and interesting cultures, cheap property and stunning landscapes as far as the eye can see.

Mexico: Much more than Cancun
Spiky cacti, poncho-adorned 'banditos' slowly swigging tequila and a swooning mariachi taking a siesta in his hammock are all images we may have of Mexico. Like something out of a Hollywood western we picture deserts disturbed only by the tumbling tumbleweed as it rolls through empty frontier towns. In reality, Mexico has one of the most diverse landscapes in the world. Yes, there are deserts and small cattle towns, but it is also home to two remarkably different coastlines, the world's largest city, industrialised working towns, rainforests, mountain communities and the ruins of many an ancient civilisation. The diversity in Mexico's landscape is matched by its diverse property market. Whether it be a beachfront apartment in the Yucatan, a celebrity mansion in Baja California, a colonial house in Guanajuato or a self-built bungalow in Oaxaca City, the options are endless.
 
The country has been popular with American property investors for some time now. Despite this, it has only really become a lure to British investors since it became a popular tourist destination in the UK a few years ago. Coastal party towns such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen have helped to boost the country's profile in the property market with their pristine beaches, luxury hotels and fun-loving lifestyle. It is these areas on the Yucatan Peninsula that have gained the most interest from British buyers. However, the recent destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Wilma will have had an adverse affect on property sales in recent months.

The promising news is that the clean-up operation is well under way and tourists have already started to return. Because of the importance of the area to the economy the Mexican government has pumped large sums of money into the affected areas. Overall, the Yucatan is far from being the spectacular place it once was, but there is no doubt that it will once again reach and possibly surpass its former glory.
 
The Yucatan has been popular with the Americans for some time now but it is only in recent years that the Europeans have started to catch on. Cyndi Ader moved from Pennsylvania to Cancun 13 years ago and set up Cancun Properties. She said, "Most of my clients are Americans and Canadians, they seem to like the similarities between Cancun and Miami. It has a very fashionable feel and there are some great restaurants and bars – people say it is like Miami 30 years ago. However", says Ader, "Europeans definitely prefer Playa del Carmen, and we are seeing more and more of them. I think it appeals because it has a pedestrian area and everything is right there. It's a more low-key resort but is becoming incredibly popular." Cancun has suffered substantial damage from the hurricane but, luckily, the money already invested in the area means that, of all the major attractions on the Yucatan, it is certain to recover quickly and effectively. In Cancun, property prices are generally much higher than in other resorts and a two-bedroom beachfront condo will cost around £250,000. Golf resorts are common in this area and new developments are springing up on a weekly basis to keep up with demand. Ader comments, "Prices really began to rise in earnest around two years ago, before that it could take a while for things to sell. We've seen rises of between 15 and 30 per cent a year and now an average two-bedroom apartment will cost you around £200,000."

Providing it can fully recover from the impact of the hurricane then Playa del Carmen is a very lively up-and-coming resort town. If it continues to develop at the same speed witnessed the last ten years then it won't be long until it is competing with Cancun as a major worldwide tourist destination. In Playa del Carmen, two-bedroom beach-front apartments can go for around £80,000 but real bargains can be found If you are willing to look a little further inland.

The other top spots for property on the Yucatan Peninsula include the Island of Cozumel, just off the coast of Playa del Carmen. Here a three-bedroom home with a swimming pool will cost you around the £100,000 mark and a fully furnished two bedroom with a pool around £78,000. Surrounded by reef the Island is the top diving spot of the Yucatan and as such is a big tourist pull. It is home to a number of upmarket hotels and some stunning white sandy beaches.  The other areas with thriving property markets around Mexico tend to be dictated by what is fashionable with Americans. Baja-California – the peninsula in the north-west corner of Mexico – is home to some of the most expensive properties available in the country. Its close proximity to the US has driven prices sky high and buyers should expect to pay through the roof for a slice of the glamorous lifestyle associated with the area.

Tijuana has developed an impressive international profile and receives 36 million visitors a year. Some of the property isn't the nicest available but nevertheless prices are also rising at a rapid rate. Prices range dramatically depending on the location and style of development. A traditional four-bedroom townhouse can cost under £150,000, but a purpose-built retirement villa in a gated community can cost a great deal more.

Further down the Pacific coast, Acapulco is another favourite place for property investors but in reality there are far nicer and more reasonably priced areas all the way down the coast. The city of Costa Vallarta is one such place. It sits on one of the largest natural bays in the world and has been nicknamed 'the world's friendliest city' because of the reputation the locals have for being incredibly welcoming. A two-bedroom home close to the ocean will cost around £50,000 but it is worth bearing in mind that prices have risen threefold in the past 15 years and are likely to continue to rise as the resort gains popularity.
 
Finally, if you are one of the few people happy to live away from the coast then you could do much worse than finding yourself a house in Guanajuato. Set in the centre of Mexico about six hours north of Mexico City, it is a beautiful example of a colonial settlement. The colour and vibrancy of this small university town is incredible and at the weekends there is arguably no better place to be out and about in the whole of Mexico. A four-bedroom multi-family home in Guanajuato will cost you around £50,000 and should be well worth the money.

Panama: Not just a canal
Straw hats and a very important canal are about the only two things most Brits can claim to know about this country but, believe it or not, it is said to be the place for Central America's next property boom.
 
Panama is one of the world's undiscovered paradises. It has fantastic weather, political stability and all the modern amenities you would expect from a developed country. Best of all, though, it has a low cost of living and inexpensive property. At the moment it's all a bit quiet on the European front, but Americans are buying up property in Panama in force. In recent months a few Spanish and UK-based agents have picked up the scent and European overseas homebuyers are starting to pay attention. Pauline Scrace, director of UK agents International Horizons said, "the thing about Panama is that people who go there get an inescapable feeling that they're in on a secret the rest of the world has yet to discover. Rafters can ride 20 sets of rapids in a single day, wildlife abounds in the scarcely visited national parks, and a person can snorkel in the Caribbean Sea and swim in the Pacific Ocean – on the same day! To be honest, it's no wonder the locals boast that Panama has much more to offer than nearby, traveller-soaked Costa Rica." According to Scrace, the spots to look out for in Panama all depend on what kind of lifestyle you are looking to live. If you are looking for a beach retreat then you are in luck because Panama has over 1,400 miles of coastline. "Coronado, with its large equestrian centre and seaside golf course, is an affluent community that has long been the preferred location for a second home for some of Panama's wealthier families. Otherwise, the Pacific coastline has beaches with black sand or white sand. There are few hotels but the beaches are easily reached from the town of David. Playa Barqueta is a black sand beach, and borders a wildlife park with an abundance of nesting birds.

There are also a number of islands where the most stunning beaches can be found. The Pearl Islands and Bocas del Toro have been in the spotlight recently as the choice location for a number of Survivor television programmes. Crystal-clear waters, coral reefs, rainforests and coconut palms set the scene for these places. Finally, there are the mountains and highlands which are fast becoming some of the hottest spots for adventure vacations, with world-class whitewater rafting, kayaking, hiking, and rock climbing topping the bill. Prices in Panama range from as low as £39,000 for a two-bedroom apartment in Panama City to £175,000 for a three-bedroom managed apartment on Red Frog Beach on the Bastimentos Island in the Caribbean.

Brazil: The land of the Samba
Brits have started to recognise that some of the traditional second home locations in European coastal resorts have become overcrowded and overpriced since the property boom in the UK gave so many people the capital they needed to buy abroad. In the past the Western views of investment in Brazil have tended towards the negative. The average Brit looking to buy property abroad would, in most cases, ignore it as an option and opt for the safety of Europe. However, over the past few years, these views have started to change. Brazil is shedding its negative image and has become the current South American property hotspot. The economy is on the up, the government is stable and sensible regulations make investment easy and relatively safe. People are now looking further and further afield to find the lifestyle they are looking for and Brazil is coming up with the goods for many of the more adventurous trail finders. Brazil is now said to have the one of the fastest growing economies in the world and according to the Brazilian Embassy: "With a population close to 180 million people and a per capita income per annum of around US$4,000, Brazil has the largest domestic market in Mercosul (the South American free-trade area) and indeed in all of Latin America, one of the factors making Brazil the region's best location for current and prospective investments."

Brazil covers nearly half of all South America, covering four time zones – each with a different climate. Most of the country lies in the tropics but the majority of the population choose to live in areas that have either been cooled by altitude, sea winds or polar fronts. This means that some of the main property areas experience sunshine for most of the year without the heat ever becoming too unbearable. Coastal cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Salvador can get pretty hot at times but plateau cities such as the nation's capital Brasilia and Sao Paulo have mild climates and the southern cities of Porto Alegre and Curitaba experience a climate similar to that of southern Europe.

Rio de Janeiro is renowned for its world-famous carnival and multi-ethnic mix of friendly, fun-loving people. It is also fast becoming a property investors dream as more and more overseas buyers become interested in the market. In particular, the city has become attractive to British retirees who have a little more time on their hands and don't mind spending 12 hours getting to their place in the sun. The city also has a reputation as a bit of a playground for the rich and famous and has many a glitzy hotel and palm-lined beach along with some of the best plastic surgeons in the world. Ipanema and Leblon are the best known celebrity spots, but even in those exclusive resorts, beach properties are available for relatively low prices. Here, £150,000 buys a decent sized two- or three-bedroom apartment in a concierge building on the beach. Prices can, however, rise into the millions if you want something a little more spectacular.

The country-club lifestyle that places such as Ipanema and Leblon offer mean that prices tend to be vastly inflated compared to other parts of Rio where you can pick up some fantastic bargains. Up-and-coming spots in Rio are mainly located on the beachfront and include resorts such as Angra dos Reis, Buzios and Ilha Grande. Beachfront properties in these areas can go for as little as £40,000. But, If you really want a bargain, it is certainly worth compromising a little on the location. Everyone buying in Rio wants a property that opens up onto the beach, but if you are willing to sacrifice a sandy front garden for a property located a few hundred metres inland, you are likely to pay next-to-nothing.

Outside Rio, the word is that the Brazilian government has been pumping money into the state of Bahia. The most obvious and well-known spot in Bahia is the city of Salvador. Within the city you can buy a fully furnished apartment for around £30,000 but if you go looking for property in the surrounding suburbs you are likely to get more for your money. Away from Salvador it is the coastal areas of Bahia that are most attractive to overseas buyers and as with most hotspots, beachfront properties command the most interest. Praia do Forte, Porto Seguro and Itacimirim are all spots that are fast-becoming popular with buyers. All of these places are up-and-coming tourist destinations and prices range drastically depending on the size and location of the property but, as with the rest of Brazil, bargains can be found extremely easily.
 
The State of Ceara also has a growing property market. The city of Fortaleza has some of Brazil's best nightlife and is growing in size and popularity at an astonishing rate. Just outside Fortaleza places like the small fishing village of Cumbuco offer a slice of traditional Brazilian life in a quiet, tranquil and absolutely stunning setting. The village is soon to be the sight of the coast's first golf course and a number of developments specifically designed for the holiday home buyer. Dick Dawson of Dream Properties Brazil says, "Cumbuco is situated on some of the best beaches in Brazil, development in the area is low-key, so the village has lost none of its charm. Its cost of living is as low as anywhere in the world and the Fortaleza area has seen a 100 per cent increase in property values in the last ten years and a 20 per cent rise in the last year alone." Prices for a beachfront property in Cumbuco with Dream Properties start at £74,000 for a two-bedroom apartment.

As the property-buying frontier gets pushed ever further, more and more of the Americas south of the US border is likely to be opened up for tourism and the inevitable property boom that follows it. One country after another is reaching a level of political stability that is making it easier for Europeans to make the most of the beautiful landscape that this area of the world can offer. The question is, how many will have the courage to turn their back on Europe and face the unknown?

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Article first published in January 2006