Beyond that, real estate is largely local; in my market we are not seeing anywhere near those numbers.

Most of the ones I bought had existing tenants and almost all were paying below market rents and way below market rents.

What happens in a market "crash" when people are loosing there homes?

Utilities included.Fully rented.For sale off market.

My husband and I purchased our first Costa Rica property last year and were advised by our agent that in almost 6 years of working in that market he had only ever seen 1 American Couple successfully obtain a mortgage in Costa Rica and it was from Scotia Bank. 

Investing in the market that you have knowledge of and the economic factors that support it is necessary. 

By year 5 we had around 55 people.We did hire a marketing person but frankly marketing wasn't our strong suit. 

It comes with guides on how to ride the tubes, a crash course in local customs, places of interest, places to avoid, and holly cow it looks just like what they had in there heads of what a London "flat" would look like, so charming and so "Brit"..... 

Or did they crash into a zoo full of endangered species?

But honestly I don't care how many courses you take you must have a local team or you will crash and burn.