The area is so similar to the bay with the tech boom/lack of room to build on because of the water.  

The whole of Dallas-Fort Worth is booming price wise.Even my old house puchased at $72k in Plano just appraised at $170k.  

None of that is reflected in the last recorded deed or tax collector ownership records.  

With time you will find a suitable opportunity.There is currently a property boom in Cape Town and the Western Cape area.

They have not had the boom many areas did.

Can this money be used better if invested somewhere else.In the heyday of the real estate boom, people believed that they can do no wrong and appreciation would outweigh any mortgage product.

Anyway...If I where in your shoes... landlords I would rent to someone that keeps a clean home over credit, if they sold a home short or foreclosed etc...If a guy makes 4-5 x's the rent and can prove it and has never missed a payment on anything in his life other than his home that he lost his tail on in boom times I would rather have a renter that would keep my place in perfect cond over a possible slob with a 780 credit score (Just saying) Anyway looks like my house has an offer as of last week, just waiting for the slow as molasses bank to do it's thing.

I did call the Tax Collector's office and she said that it's only a $10 fine for not transferring title on time.

Highly leveraged "owners" of rental properties are functioning as rent collectors for the lender.

However, the prices are still very low in Tulum, where we own our property, and where real estate is starting a real boom.