Off-Grid Living Isn’t Dropping Out... It’s Levelling Up

Hey guys, Mikkel here, 

We’ve arrived at the exact right moment to have this conversation. 

You see, I’ve spent my entire adult life thoughtfully travelling the globe and along the way, meeting people who are pulling away from the systems that no longer serve them, and something extraordinary has become clear: going off-grid is no longer about “dropping out of the world”…

…it’s about living in a better one.

Everywhere I go, whether I’m walking a site in Brazil, having dinner with developers in Panama, or just talking with members of The Expat Money Community, I hear it more and more often: people just like you are done outsourcing their basic needs to brittle, corrupt, and incompetent systems.  

They want their water to be theirs. 

They want their food to be close to home. 

They want to have their power under their own control and use it as they please. 

They want like-minded neighbours and a life that’s resilient against the coming systemic fallout without having to go to extremes.  

If you go off-grid the right way, you’re not stepping away from the world; you’re stepping away from the noise, the fragility, and the bureaucracy that’s come to define so much of modern life.

The people I meet in this space aren’t interested in hardship; they’re interested in freedom.

They’re people who understand that you can have renewable power without sacrificing comfort, who know that local food isn’t about scarcity but about quality, and who realize that thinking about the coming (manufactured) global water crisis doesn’t make you a conspiracy theorist… it just means you’re informed.

They’re building lives where they can look their children in the eye and say, “we are secure, no matter what happens out there.”

Now, tell me this… does this sound like a downgrade or a leap toward a better way of living? 

If you’re wondering how to start thinking about this for yourself, here’s what I’d tell you: first, understand that the off-grid living boom isn’t a fad or a trend.

It is a real alternative to modern living, and its prominence is only accelerating.

It’s not just me predicting that this entire industry and way of living is going to skyrocket in popularity in the years to come, either.

There are signs and signals I have spent years uncovering through my boots-on-the-ground research, and inside this newsletter, you will see what I mean…. 

Off-grid living today is being driven by a very specific type of person… and it’s probably not who you think.

This movement is being led by high-net-worth individuals. 

They’re not paranoid, they’re prepared. 

…and they’re not waiting for things to completely collapse before making a move. 

They have money, they have foresight, and they’re asking a new set of questions:

They’re not looking for a log cabin in the woods.  

…they’re looking for insulation from 21st-century turbulence. 

That’s the shift in thinking we’re seeing right now. 

Creating and implementing economic Plan-Bs is the backbone of the work I do for my clients at Expat Money, and in today’s world, having one is an absolute essential.  

A second passport, bank accounts abroad, corporate structures and diversified offshore real estate holdings are how you and your loved ones remain safe and secure against governments that want you under their strict control, and crumbling systems that would otherwise bring you down with them.

But now?

The threats on the horizon extend far beyond excessive taxation, inflation, capital controls, or restrictions on movement. 

Now we’re talking about blackouts, water shortages, supply chain breakdowns and growing authoritarianism that is being packaged up and shoved down our throats under the guise of “safety.”

This is where including an off-grid element in your Plan-B comes in.

I am talking about owning land that provides for you and your family.

I am talking about being able to live freely without being impacted by corrupt systems or governments that are more reminiscent of criminals than public servants.

Make no mistake, having an off-grid property inside your Plan-B portfolio is not about living in fear.

It’s about having options.

It’s like having a “livable hedge”.

Including an off-grid element within your existing Plan-B (or forming your Plan-B with the off-grid element as the focal point) is the logical evolution for many of you reading this right now.

At Expat Money, my team and I continually search for the best and most effective ways for families like yours to remain safe and secure, and I can firmly say that including an off-grid property inside your Plan-B is one of the more surefire ways to remain bulletproof against the types of threats that are coming down the pike.

The people making the shift to the off-grid life, be it as their new primary residence, vacation property or just as an escape hatch for when the day comes when it's safer to be there than in their home country, ARE NOT leaving modern life behind. 

All of the “creature comforts” that one would expect to have in a “first-rate” city like Toronto, for example, can now be found in places like Panama or Costa Rica. 

What exists today is a far cry from the “minimalist style living” that many people still associate with going “off-grid”.

There is an entire ecosystem of businesses, services, and innovations that are emerging and advancing to serve families and individuals who choose to live prepared. 

Companies are building modular, prefabricated homes that can be dropped onto remote land and fully powered within days. 

Firms are designing next-generation battery storage systems that blow past the limitations of old-school lead-acid batteries. 

Entrepreneurs are creating waste recycling systems, food co-ops and even delivery networks designed to serve off-grid communities.

…and beyond the technological innovations that are making the off-grid lifestyle possible, there has been a boom in education-related services that are making it easier for families to embrace an alternative way of living.

Online schools and homeschooling networks are becoming increasingly accessible, allowing families just like yours to educate their children in a manner that is far superior to what is mandated by state-run educational systems.  

The world is waking up to the fact that “off-grid” families aren’t fringe types that are overly concerned about the future…

…they’re just early to adopt something that in my view is going to become more and more “normal” in the coming years.

Here are just a few of the signals that are driving savvy, forward-thinking people just like you to seriously consider the off-grid life as a real alternative.

I want you to remember that, in my view, the issues I am going to discuss are not directly related to the climate itself, nor are they simply the outcomes of incompetent management at the highest levels of government.

It is calculated evil.

They want you trapped, hungry and scared.

They want to see you become so reliant on them that you become compliant.

“Wack… thank you, sir, may I have another?”.

So, make no mistake: all that I am about to discuss in this newsletter today is manufactured to force you to become one of their little rats in a cage…

…a little slave they can push around, if you will.

In the U.S., water reservoirs such as Lake Mead and Lake Powell are “drying up”. Arizona is limiting new home construction permits due to a lack of groundwater. In California, droughts have become chronic, not occasional. Meanwhile, in Canada, the prairie provinces are facing unprecedented strain on freshwater systems, and rising demand from agriculture is putting pressure on long-term supply reserves. I’ve heard it mentioned that people “will turn on their neighbours” after 72 hours without access to basic necessities… I’ll leave it to you to sum up what this means for you when the access to water is more difficult than turning on a tap…

Between 2000 and 2023, the number of major blackouts in the U.S. more than doubled. Texas, California, and New York have all experienced multi-day outages in recent years. Heat waves, cold snaps, and aging infrastructure are a dangerous mix… and it’s not getting fixed. Grids are underfunded and overworked, and thus, entire regions facing blackouts or emergency usage restrictions are no longer a rarity. You have seen how competent (evil and heartless) government-backed service providers are… do you think they aren’t doing this as part of their big sick plan? They want to and will ration your “energy allowances”. “Hey kids, make sure to charge your phones before 7pm because it’s our turn to help the planet”. It’s truly sick.

In nearly all major cities across North America, violent crime has surged. In 2023 alone, cities like Portland, San Francisco, Toronto, and even Ottawa experienced double-digit increases in assaults, home invasions, rape and property crime. In many places, prosecutors are no longer enforcing the law. Police budgets are slashed, and families are being told to simply “be aware of their surroundings.” You’d think in exchange for nearly half of your annual earnings, your government would do something to ensure the safety of its citizens. Nope, just keep your head on a swivel, leave your car keys on the front porch for the thieves and try to avoid public transit networks. Nice.

Test scores across the U.S. and Canada are at historic lows. Teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms are the norm… and even scarier is the fact that ideological agendas are taking center stage. The numbers don’t lie - more and more people are pulling their children out of the state-run education system entirely in favour of better alternatives. Ask yourself: when you put your child in the school that just so happens to be within your district, do you really think they’re getting the best of the best…?

Since 2015, Canada has welcomed over 6 million “newcomers” into the country… many, if not most of whom entered under rushed or poorly managed programs. Combine that with record-high costs, and you get a crisis: the cost of living is exploding, waitlists for everything from schools, hospitals, and other basic services are years long, and the dream of owning a home is slipping out of reach for most.

Add to this inflation, new taxes, censorship, political polarization, and cultural erosion continue unchecked, and it’s a total mess. 

If you still live in a major city and feel uneasy, it’s not in your head.

It’s not in your head… 

Cities are losing their grip.

The infrastructure is cracking.

And the pace of decline is accelerating.

That’s why people with foresight, resources, and resolve aren’t waiting for a full-blown collapse to start thinking about options.

They’re acting now. 

By the time it’s obvious to everyone else… the best land is gone, the systems are stressed, and your “Plan-B” becomes a mad scramble instead of a confident move.

Don’t panic, but certainly prepare. 

This is about having the courage to leave before you’re forced to.

Now, if you’ve been reading my other newsletters, like Brazil Beachfront or Paraguay Potential, this next part won’t come as a surprise.

Every edition of the Off-Grid Plan-B newsletter will feature a very special readers-only offer… also known as THE DEAL OF THE WEEK.

A real opportunity I have handpicked - something vetted, and available right now for the kind of person who reads something like this and says, “I’m in.”

If you’re already one of those people… you’ll know exactly what to do.

I’ve come to learn that the people who read my newsletters are serious action takers. 

The types of people who see where the world is heading, feel the urgency in their gut, and know they can’t afford to wait for systems to collapse before making a move.

For those people, the Deal of the Week is the bridge that will take you from consideration to reality.

What I will bring you twice-monthly aren’t listings opportunities you’ll stumble across on a real estate website: these are deals that come from being on the ground, working directly with partners, and putting my own capital in play. 

Every week, I’ll highlight one opportunity, and I will invite you to secure a deal I have personally evaluated and deemed too good to ignore. 

Starting with this very first edition, we’re including a DEAL OF THE WEEK.

And if you’re not there yet? 

That’s okay too, just make sure to stick with me over the months and years to come, and when the timing is right for your personal situation, you’ll move accordingly. 

But for those who are ready to get their hands on something real, something off-market, something aligned with the vision we’ve laid out in this edition, you’re exactly where you need to be. 

Now, without further ado… allow me to take you into the highlands of Panama… 

Veritas Panama is a flagship luxury off-grid community in the highlands of Panama designed for freedom-oriented individuals who want secure futures for themselves and their families without sacrificing the comforts of modern life. 

What my partners have designed and are creating is the complete opposite of some “back to the land” hippie outpost. It’s a luxury master-planned development built for freedom-minded individuals who want the security of independence without sacrificing the comforts of the modern world.

I am talking about a place where you and your loved ones can achieve true resilience, all while being conveniently positioned just 20 minutes from all the amenities you’ll ever need.

I personally own a sizable plot of land within this community and plan to start construction on my home here soon.

Veritas is just about an hour and a half from my home in Panama City, Panama, so I will treat my place at Veritas as a “cottage”… the type of place my family and I will go to on the weekends to enjoy nature as well as to be surrounded by a community of my fellow freedom-lovers. 

My family and I will spend quality time together here, but most importantly, I secured my plot of land and will build a home here so we have a place to go if the need arises. 

Just to be clear, I don’t envision Panama becoming unlivable, hence why I live here; however, I would choose “safe over sorry” 10 times out of 10 when the health and safety of my family is on the line.

It needs to be made clear that Veritas is not just a bunch of cabins on a random plot of land; the master-planned community is packed with amenities. Gyms, tennis courts, walking trails, theatre rooms, co-working spaces and much, much more.

When you secure a plot at Veritas, you will be joining a vibrant community of like-minded professionals and small business owners who share your values and want to remain protected in this crazy world without having to give up the modern luxuries.

At Veritas, water is drawn from a 400-foot-deep well. The well has been stress-tested both internally and by government inspectors… and it passed with flying colours.

That water feeds into a 30,000-gallon water tower, which is nearly double the required size for a community of this size. We don’t do “minimums” here. Full stop. 

The water is filtered and treated with UV light, which means it’s clean and safe without chemical interference; however, if you’d like to add extra chemical treatment, that is your decision, and you’re free to do so.

Personal choice is paramount within Veritias, as it should be everywhere, I should add.

…and because redundancy matters, we have even added a secondary well on site.

Plus, as an additional “fail-safes”, we are tied into the municipal water supply and have a year-round creek that runs through the property, a “last-resort source”.

When it comes to accessing water, Veritas community members ARE NOT dependent on outside providers whatsoever.

The same independent approach applies to energy inside Veritas. 

Every home at Veritas is powered by a fully off-grid solar energy system.

No grid tie.

No reliance on outside power companies.

Depending on the home model, each system comes with 30 - 60 kWh of battery storage, matched with solar panels that are large enough to keep it fully charged.

The power is delivered through high-quality inverters that create a cleaner, more stable delivery of power than what you’d get from most national grids.

Now, while these systems will run your home on their own without issue, backup generators can be added for even more redundancy. Plus, the systems are designed to expand, so if you want to run an energy-heavy lifestyle (mining crypto, welding, or anything else power-intensive), scaling up is not a problem.

The point I am trying to make by telling you all this is that life inside Veritas isn’t about scraping by or living on less.

You’ll have reliable water. 

You’ll have reliable power.

You’ll have the ability to live fully independent of fragile systems… without sacrifice.

I know we haven’t yet touched on our approach toward food, farming, or gardening, but I assure you, we will soon have that discussion because it demands to be had.

Now for THE DEAL OF THE WEEK itself…

…this week, one particular lot is up for grabs, and I have secured an incredible discounted rate for you guys.

LOT 2 INSIDE VERITAS, PANAMA (CORONADO): 2,164 square meters (just over half an acre)

ORIGINAL PRICE: $266,900 USD

SPECIAL PRICE FOR OFF-GRID PLAN-B READERS: $240,210 USD

I want you to consider everything I have discussed today and think about what owning such a sizable plot of completely livable, self-reliant land would mean for yourself and your family.

This is enough space for way more than just one estate-style home… you could build multiple if you wanted to.

This lot is large enough for you to build multiple homes of varying sizes to serve your unique needs and desires.

…homes that your children or grandchildren could live in, if needed, for example.

You can do as you please here, but I am just trying to make it clear to you that with a plot of land of this size, there are various ways in which LOT 2 could serve you and your loved ones over the years and decades to come.

…one of you reading this right now will act on this special offer, and to do so, all you have to do is send an email to my partners at [email protected].

Building & Timeline

This is the perfect and clearest path for you to secure a base of operations in Panama’s highlands. 

It’s a way to join a community of like-minded individuals who are thinking ahead, not waiting for collapse to dictate their options.

…and with the discount in place, you’re locking in below-market pricing at the exact moment when momentum is about to surge forward. 

By the time the permits are finalized and construction ramps up, the premier lots will already be gone… and what remains will be more expensive.

That is just how things work - if you lock in your plot of land early, before the entire vision is complete, the price you pay will be far lower than it will be at a future date.

If you wait until everything is finished and the master-planned community is fully developed, you will pay much, much more… this I can assure you.  

Now, I want to make it very clear that Veritas IS NOT to be just treated as a “product” or an investment vehicle, so to speak.

The people who will own, live, or vacation at Veritas will do just that.

This community is intended to be enjoyed and utilized by the owners.

There are a finite number of plots inside this masterplanned community, and the demand for property here speaks for itself:

Out of all 87 available plots at Veritas, only 25 remain.... with half of those units having been purchased by members of the Expat Money Community.

Ask yourself: when the grid buckles, when water shortages hit, when cities become unliveable… do you want to be scrambling with everyone else, or do you want to already have your base of operations secured?

To speak with my partners and learn more about Veritas and LOT 2, all you need to do is send an email to [email protected] right now.

Yes, this first edition featured an opportunity to secure land in Panama…and for good reason.

It’s where I planted my flag both personally and professionally, and above all, it’s one of the most freedom-friendly places in the world to start living off-grid without sacrificing a damn thing.

However, if you think this newsletter will only be about Panama, you’d be mistaken.

What we’re doing here at Veritas spans across some of the most bulletproof regions of Latin America. 

Costa Rica. El Salvador. Nicaragua. Argentina….

…countries we’ve hand-picked for specific reasons pertaining to the effectiveness of their legal systems, climates, food and water security and beyond…

Stay tuned for the next edition of Off-Grid Plan-B, and with time, it will become more and more clear to you that self-sufficiency without sacrifice is more possible than ever before. 

If you’re thinking long-term and ready to live on your own terms in places where freedom still means something, I’ll see you right here in two weeks.

Speak soon,
Mikkel