Freedom and Lifestyle by Design: Investing & Living in Portugal and Beyond

by | May 23, 2025 | Podcast, Real Estate, Real Estate Investing | 0 comments

Are you building a real estate portfolio that supports your lifestyle or one that traps you in hustle mode?

In this episode of Where Should I Invest, Kelly and Sarah chat with Fernando Nunes, a business development coach, investor, and speaker who’s rethinking what financial freedom really means.

Fernando shares how his investing journey led him to self-storage, boutique hotels in Portugal, and a lifestyle-first approach that focuses less on “owning more” and more on living better.

We talk about why simplifying your financial goals might get you to freedom faster, what international investing in places like Portugal actually looks like, and how to stop letting traditional thinking box you in.
If you’ve ever thought about living abroad, building passive income, or finding more peace in your business, this episode is packed with fresh insight.

What You’ll Learn:
  • How Fernando moved from Ontario rentals to U.S. self-storage and European properties
  • What investing in Portugal actually looks like (yes, it’s more doable than you think)
  • How lowering your cost of living can accelerate your path to freedom
  • What it means to create a “lifestyle by design” and how real estate supports it
  • How to shift from working in your business to building a life with your business
  • Tips for building trusted teams in foreign markets
  • The mindset needed to pivot when the market (or your life) changes
  • Why coaching, simplicity, and values matter more than ever in entrepreneurship
Fernando Nunes is a real estate investor, business development coach, and speaker with a passion for helping entrepreneurs create lives they don’t need to escape from.

After investing in Ontario multifamily properties, Fernando pivoted into U.S. self-storage and international investments, specifically in Portugal, where he’s building out boutique hotel assets.

With a background in corporate leadership and over 25 years in business, Fernando brings a grounded, thoughtful, and systems-driven approach to both investing and coaching.

His current mission? To help other entrepreneurs simplify their lives, focus on what matters most, and use real estate as a tool, not a trap.

This episode is a reminder that freedom doesn’t have to be far away; it just takes clarity, strategy, and a willingness to think differently.

Contact Fernando Nunes here:
Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/fngoodlife/
Website: 
 https://www.fngoodlife.com/ and https://www.madesimpleinvestments.com/
Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/fngoodlife/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nunes-fernando/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fngood

This episode has been brought to you in part by:

Dalia Barsoum, Streetwise Mortgages – https://streetwisemortgages.com
US Properties – https://www.usproperties.ca
Mid Term Rentals – https://midtermrentalproperties.com
Inspire Beach Resort – https://inspirebeachresort.com
Jamil Rahemtula – https://jamilrahemtula.com
Do you need help or ideas for your own real estate investing business? Reach out and let us support your journey www.sarahlarbi.com or email sarah@sarahlarbi.com

To get in touch with Sarah to book her as a speaker or
ask more about real estate investing