Any trip to Belize sparks fantasies of owning a beach villa or jungle resort. There are many Americans in this former English-speaking English colony.
Belize is known for its reef, the second largest in the world, and the fantastic diving that goes with it. Even beginning divers have heard of the Blue Hole, a famous dive spot. Ambergris Caye, “La Isla Bonita” in Madonna’s song, is the main tourist spot.
Along with the tourist shops and t-shirt shops, there are real estate shops on the dusty roads of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Prices in Belize can range from $5-10,000 for a beach lot in Corozal Town, a sleepy border town, to much higher prices for properties on Ambergris Caye. Southern resorts like Placencia fall somewhere in the middle, price-wise.
There is plenty of online support available. The gringos resell their properties and the locals sell to the gringos, often through real estate agencies. You can contact a local real estate agency when you are in Belize, or simply check listings online.
If you keep the old tale of “buying swamps in Florida” in mind, you’ll realize that you simply MUST visit and see for yourself ANY property you buy. You’d take $2,000 because for a test drive and kick the tires, right? So why would you make a $100,000 purchase, without seeing it?
Often the most important part of a purchase like this is YOUR enjoyment – you can buy solely for investment purposes, but you’ll get an added bonus of sun and relaxation if you LIKE the area, WANT to travel there and VISIT your property to keep a look at it. or stay in it.
As more and more Americans travel, and with the ease of getting to Belize and its more secure English-speaking roots, more people will want to retire and visit Belize. This should be a continually appreciating investment with good rental prospects, if you do your home work!