It is possible to handle the letting yourself, but if you do call in a managing agent, it is likely to cost about 15% of your rental income.

BBC: Buy-to-let - the pros and cons

Buying agent Jo Eccles, managing director of Sourcing Property, says she's skeptical about creating new residential districts from scratch.

WSJ: A Diplomatic Breakthrough

"The thing is that most of these places come unfinished and unfurnished, so you have to factor those costs in too, " said Brett Miller, the managing director of Rangoon-based commercial-property agent Scopio Services.

WSJ: Steve Finch: Burma's Boom Time Property Crunch