343: Austrian Investor Bets Big on Paraguay—And Wins – Markus Amann
Spotting opportunity in an emerging market before the crowd rushes in takes a special kind of vision—and a willingness to take risks. That’s exactly what today’s guest, Markus Amann, did when he left Austria and planted his flag in Paraguay nearly two decades ago.
In this episode, Markus shares his incredible journey—from his first eye-opening trip to the Chaco region to becoming one of the earliest foreign investors in Asunción’s booming real estate market. We discuss what it takes to succeed in a frontier economy, how he secured prime land years before the boom, and so much more.
If you’ve ever dreamed of getting in early on the next big opportunity, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Enjoy!
TODAY’S CONVERSATION WITH MARKUS AMMAN:
- Tune in to hear how a fateful trip to Paraguay as a university student completely changed Markus’s life and career.
- Hear Markus’s wild story about a life-changing accident that forced him to leave Paraguay—only to return years later with even stronger determination.
- Learn how Markus became one of the earliest foreign investors in Asunción’s real estate market—at a time when most locals didn’t see the potential.
- Find out how mentorship played a crucial role in Markus’s success and why having the right business partners can make or break an investment in emerging markets.
- Discover how Paraguay’s evolving business environment has shifted over the years, from a closed-off society to a hotspot for international investors.
- Find out why Paraguay’s stable tax and immigration policies made it the perfect place for long-term investment.
- Listen as Markus shares how he identified Nueva Asunción as a prime investment opportunity long before the bridge was even discussed.
- Get an inside look at the real estate boom happening in Paraguay and why Markus believes the country’s best years are still ahead.
TAKE YOUR PLAN-B TO THE NEXT LEVEL:
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About The Host, Mikkel Thorup
Mikkel Thorup; the host of The Expat Money Show, has 20+ years in continual travel around the world, visiting more than 100 countries including Colombia, North Korea, Zimbabwe and Iran.
His goal now is to help Expats just like you to generate additional streams of income, eliminate your tax bill, and take advantage of offshore structures so you can travel the world freely and never have to worry about money again.
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Mikkel and Markus,
Thank you for sharing the information and the journey that Markus took to establish himself in Paraguay. The podcast was vey interesting and informative.