 The
word is is out: “Nicaragua is the new Costa Rica” but with prices 35-55%
lower than its southern neighbour. Nicaragua is well and truly bouncing
back from its troubled and often misunderstood past and beginning to transform
into a sought after investment and tourism destination.
Misconceptions still persist, but in many ways that only increases the
opportunity that Nicaragua offers. Nicaragua's democratically elected government
is showing a great capacity to reform in line with its commitment to a
free-market economy. The country is booming and tourism is now the number-one
industry, increasing by over 19% in 2005 even considering a record-breaking
year in 2004. There is a real buzz in the air for this land of opportunity.
Whether you are looking for a retirement or vacation destination, a place
to start a business or a place to invest for the future, Nicaragua is definitely
worth considering. How much is good real estate information worth? Market
knowledge based on fact and base trends, rather than exaggeration and hype
(in both directions) can make the difference between a good investment
and a great one. The aim of this article is to capture the essence
of the successful real estate investor in Nicaragua. - Insider
secrets to investing in real estate in Nicaragua By Claudia Gonella |
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 EscapeArtist.com
Real Estate Marketplace Real Estate In Nicaragua
- Current Listings - Nicaragua offers great investment and life style opportunities.
Nicaragua is a country of many different landscapes, the city of Grenada
provides colonial living at its finest, Nicaragua offers a wide range of
ground floor investment opportunities and good value abound - beaches glimmer
with waterfalls and clear mountain rivers. |
| Real Estate
In Nicaragua By Province |
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 San
Juan del Sur: Ex-pat Life In A Sleepy Nicaraguan Fishing Village
- San Juan del Sur is a sleepy fishing village on the Pacific coast near
the border of Costa Rica. It is small enough that you would never
need a car. All of the hotels, restaurants, stores and homes are
mixed together in this tiny fishing village. The entire town consists
of four streets back from the beach and four streets along the beach. A
larger grocery store called Pali is just on the outskirts of town.
Visitors can stay in Hotels such as the Colonial or the Gran Oceana for
around $50 per night or spend $350 per night for the best room at Pelican
Eyes resort up on the hill with a spectacular view of the cove. You
can eat at the five star restaurant or out by the infinity pool.
Then go visit the monkeys on-site in their sanctuary. But we aren’t travelers.
We prefer living internationally. Outside of town, you can rent a
four bedroom three bath house up on the hill with a full time guard and
a swimming pool for $2,500 per month. |
 Expat
Living in Central America: A Primer - I love
Central America! - Many people choose a Central American country for their
final ex-pat destination. But there are several basics you really
need to know before you take the plunge and move to Central America to
join the hundreds of thousands of other American ex-pats already living
here. Central America is the region between Mexico and Panama and includes
Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. All
six countries have large ex-pat populations. Each has it’s advantages
and disadvantages. In general, the further South you go, the more
services exist, but also the higher the cost of living. All of the Central
American countries speak Spanish as their primary language, but you will
find English speakers very easily. Many people (myself included)
settle down in a Central American country without knowing any Spanish at
first. If language is a concern though and you would prefer to not
learn Spanish, then I would recommend any of the following three destinations: |
 Sight
Seeing in Nicaragua – Top Ten Volcanoes -
Nicaragua
is known as the land of lakes and volcanoes and when you look at a map
it is easy to understand why. Lake Nicaragua is one of the largest
in the America’s and there is a long chain of volcanoes running the length
of the pacific coast From Honduras to Costa Rica. One the most enjoyable
and rewarding things you can do while traveling in Nicaragua is to climb
a volcano. There are many volcanoes to choose from and it can
be a daunting task. Here are the Top Ten: Volcan San Cristobal – 1745 meters
- This is the tallest volcano in Nicaragua and that is only one reason
it has earned the number one spot. San Cristobal
is still active and a smoke plume can be seen puffing from the top most
days. How many people can say the climbed an active volcano? The
climb is arduous, and after you get above the tree line it feels
like your climbing a post-nuclear moonscape. For every two
steps up, you slide a step back in the volcanic sand.
If the noxious gases clear you can see easily to the Gulf of Fonseca and
Honduras and El Salvador. If you leave from the coffee plantation
in the saddle before first light you can be back down to eat your gallo
pinto lunch before 11am. |
 Cultural
Dimensions of Living and Working in Nicaragua
- “Cultural Dimensions – Nicaragua” is written for the expatriate or seasoned
traveler who wants to understand the interface between their own culture
and the culture of Nicaraguans, gaining insights that will make their adjustment
to living in the country, or their time spent in country as a traveler,
more productive and rewarding. Here are just a a few samples of the kinds
of insights and perspectives that the reader will gain from browsing and
studying “Cultural Dimensions – Nicaragua” “Many expats have had
the frustrating experience of going down to a Nicaraguan shop or office
to get some object which was promised to be done, only to find that the
work was not done or even started. After the second or third fruitless
trip they have been even more exasperated. They often label this characteristic
as Nicaraguan “unreliability”, or the “manana attitude”, or more negatively
as insincerity or even lying. It is often seen as simply an extreme case
of the lateness phenomenon, but it is actually based on something else:
a difference of values. |
 Granada
- Nicaragua’s Grandest City - Why Granada?
- One more thing: If the old Spanish colonial structures in Granada
appeal to you as much as they appeal to me…you can buy one for $80,000
to $100,000 (it’ll need a lot of work)…or you can spend as much as $200,000.
A few years ago, these places sold for $40,000 or $50,000, or less. The
trouble is there aren’t many of them. The city burned in 1856 and was rebuilt
according to the same plan. Most of the colonial-style houses are 150 years
old. You can count on your fingers those that date back more than 400 years.
A city with little streets for meandering, neighborhoods for exploring,
and style. The people dress better here than in Managua or elsewhere. The
buildings are painted bright blues and greens and reds. The women walk
proudly to and from the market balancing baskets on their heads, smiling,
and holding hands with each other. The children ride bicycles in the main
square. |
 Nicaragua
- Central America’s Hidden Treasure - When
I first visited Nicaragua two years ago, there were placards at Sandino
Airport boasting of its future development. I must say that upon arrival
I was pleasantly surprised by the new terminal’s modernity and brightness.
Half of the airport is complete, while the other half is under renovation/construction.
There are several car rental agencies to choose from just outside the Customs
area (I can say from experience that Hertz, although pricier, offered better
quality vehicles and had better customer service than the others). Although
the roads in Nicaragua are improving, you may want to seriously consider
an SUV if you plan to explore the countryside. Most roads in Nicaragua
are riddled with potholes, and dirt roads are common, even in some parts
of the city. And speaking of SUV’s, you definitely want to make a reservation
at least 24 hours in advance to secure one of these hot commodities. If
you prefer to use a taxi, play it safe and use the “radio” taxis and make
sure their license is posted inside the vehicle. |
 Nicaragua:
Dramatic Like Big Sur, Relaxed Like Baja... and the Best Real Estate Potential
in Central America - If you fantasize about
a private retreat that sits perched on a rocky cliff overlooking a roiling
ocean… a place where you can stand on your deck with a cocktail in hand
and watch the sun set pink and orange beyond a watery horizon… …then
you should know that two hours from Houston, Atlanta, or Miami -- along
an unspoiled coast -- that dream can be yours… for less than you'd pay
for a run-of-the-mill ranch in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And you should know, too,
that your piece of Pacific Coast paradise would be poised to skyrocket
in value… because right now in Nicaragua, you'd be getting a foothold at
the cusp of a boom… The New York Times recently described the atmosphere
of excitement in Nicaragua, saying, “…most pervasive is the sensation that
the place is changing at a head-spinning pace.” Earlier this year, the
Miami Herald wrote, "…the stream of American and European citizens who
are moving here and turning Nicaragua into the latest retirement and investment
hot spot in Central America.” |
 The
Working Geezer's Guide To Nicaragua - In Ometepe
- I discovered as much after a week subbing at a friend’s real estate agency
in Nicaragua, in the colonial city of Granada, a favored tourist hangout
on the gigantic Lake Nicaragua and gateway to the country's finest beaches:
My proprietor friend Gerry hung out his shingle on the main square there
three years ago when he began to anticipate, correctly as it turned out,
that the region was primed for a real estate boom. By the time I arrived,
however, Garry and his Nicaraguan wife had been swindled, prosecuted, convicted,
and sentenced by a criminal court – all in absentia and ex parte – and
without actually having committed a crime or appeared before a judge. Unthinkable?
Perhaps in Canada – but down here it’s downright commonplace. It all stems
back to the revolution (doesn’t it always?) Shortly after winning it, the
Sandaninistas began dismantling the fincas, those vast ranchlands belonging
to the former landbarons. Thanks to revolutionary zeal and good old common
greed a lot more land got confiscated than could be properly accounted
for. Subsequently, some of it is now in the process of being given back
to its rightful owners. |
 Exploring
The Undiscovered In Nicaragua - “Nicaragua?
Why Nicaragua?” The question’s been asked over and over by everyone I’ve
come in contact with since I returned from vacationing and investigating
investment opportunities at a new development called Rancho Santana in
this economically down-trodden Central American country. A year earlier,
I’d have asked myself the same question. Now, my response would read something
like this: “Because I see a good opportunity there, and a country abundant
with untapped natural resources and beautiful coastline that’s been compared
to the likes of California in its infancy or more recently, an up and coming
Costa Rica.” And still they would ask, “But what is it about Nicaragua?
Isn’t it dangerous?” The worst appears over; there’s a conscientious
new government in place determined to rebuild and restructure; there’s
an economic upswing on the horizon; there is neighboring country support;
there’s a great potential for a boost in tourism; and above all, Nicaragua
still offers one of the few commercially unspoiled locations that’s reasonably
affordable for new people interested in buying or living overseas. |
 Road
Trip: From North Carolina to Nicaragua - Mexico and Central America
- There are many people who say they want to drive through Mexico to Central
America, but few people ever make the trip. If you've talked about doing
it, but never have, then this is your chance to read about what you have
been missing out on. Police, driving habits, hotel billing and road condtions
are important things to know on this journey south. Those behind the steering
wheel beware: the further South of the border one gets, the more freestyle
driving becomes. However, whether you believe it or not, you’ll quickly
adjust to the rhythms of driving in Latin America. With a month to spare,
my husband and I set out in our 1992 Toyota Tercel for Nicaragua, where
we planned to relocate and live. As a social worker, I was used to working
out of my car, and so moving there by means of our vehicle seemed like
a logical choice for us. Although, I had traveled extensively by land throughout
South America, I had never so much as set foot in either Mexico or Central
America; that made me all the more curious to see what was out there. My
husband, however, had driven the same trip a couple of times, starting
when his family moved from California to Nicaragua when he was twelve,
and he, too, was eager for me to experience the adventure. |
 Memories
Of Cuapa Passing Through The Interior Of Nicaragua!
- Some experiences are hard to explain. I remember, shortly after my first
trip to Cuapa, I tried discussing it with some friends at Lario’s. It occurs
to me that Lario’s itself might need an introduction to a few of my readers.
In certain towns, for no particular reason, a certain place will become
a meeting point for intellectuals. Just as no history of Paris, France,
in the 1950’s and 60’s would be complete without a description of the cafes
of the Left Bank, no history of San Marcos, Nicaragua at the dawn of the
21st Century would be complete without a discussion of Lario’s restaurant.
When the intellectual history of San Marcos is written, I’m sure there
will be at least one chapter on Lario’s. Come to think of it, that might
constitute about half of the book. In the rainy season, the roof would
leak, to the point where it wasn’t worth taking your umbrella down, and
one time, the sewers overflowed on the street outside. |
 Progress
Backwards - On the sun-kissed shores of Nicaragua, your editor enjoys the
view...but cannot help but contemplate its cost
- The invention of corrugated tin roofing changed the look of the place.
Where once the traveler only saw graceful old houses with their clay tiled
roofs...or hovels covered with palm fronds...he now sees cinder blocks
and rusty tin. Everywhere he looks, he sees tin in various stages of decomposition.
The tin is meant to be galvanized, of course, resistant to rain and weather.
But in this climate, Galvan's process seems to do little good. Rarely do
you see a piece of tin in good condition; it is almost always brown from
rust. Perhaps some day, rusty tin will be regarded as quaint or picturesque.
But for now, like leprosy in a Siamese brothel, it corrupts the beauty
of the tropics all over the world. Another friend has taken it upon himself
to become the Freddie Mac of one little corner of Nicaragua. "You ought
to require tile roofs," we suggested. "I put $5,000 into a building fund,"
he had explained. "I told the staff that it was available to anyone who
wanted to build a house. I just did it to try to help these people. I don't
really care if I get paid back or not." |
 Talking
about Nicaragua - Investing in Nicaragua -
What he has created on the site is his dream house. It is appealingly
designed and substantially complete. There is a large dining room and inside
living area, small kitchen, and a central courtyard which feeds into the
large master bedroom. The master bedroom opens up onto a round patio
overlooking the ocean featuring a 20' high conical thatch roof. Sitting
at one of the six cane chairs assembled around the substantial 6'
diameter stone pedestal table, the view is 180 degrees to the ocean and
all you see is water. Or maybe a visitor would prefer the hammock?
There is a breeze blowing every day of the year. Screens and glass
in windows are unnecessary. The owners are approximately 90% completed
with two additional bedrooms (good sizes) and another bathroom. There
is an adjoining office which is also complete. The entire property
is walled and secure. |
 How
To Bank Offshore - Banking Offshore - Forming Offshore Corporations - Anonymous
Banking Secrets
- Why Bank Offshore? - The Governments of the world are out of control
. . . and broke. They need your assets to make themselves solvent.
That they squander those assets is forgone. We live in a world where personal
sovereignty, privacy and individuality are under attack. The right to privacy
is more than an abstract necessity, it is also a psychological necessity.
If we do not have the right to privacy, we do not own the rights to our
own lives. Individuality entails making value judgments independent of
political, religious or social dogmas. In making value judgments
we make choices. In today's world, if the choices we make differ
from the status quo then we come under pressure to 'toe the line'. There
is no line to toe. We live in an intellectual vacuum, where short
of the logical choices we make in our own behalf, there are no other values.
Our Magazine & Websites stress privacy and living our life by our own
standards, protecting what is ours from those who have not earned
it. - In today’s technological world, millions of individuals are subject
to privacy threats. Companies are hired not only to watch what you visit
online, but to infiltrate the information and send advertising based on
your browsing history. People set up accounts for Facebook; enter bank
and credit card information to various websites. Those concerned about
Internet privacy often cite a number of privacy risks — events that can
compromise privacy — which may be encountered through Internet use. |
 Fears
About My Children Returning From a US Vacation as Bitter Expat Kids
- I’m nervous and scared. Okay, I said it out loud. I’m
feeling pretty vulnerable, second-guessing my decisions, which definitely
is not a natural state for me. My in-laws have recently, very generously
bought tickets to fly my kids, ages 10, 8 and 6, back to the US on a direct
flight for a six week vacation. In the two years since I have moved
my family down to Argentina, we have never been back to the states for
a visit. So, for a lot of obvious reasons, this is an amazing opportunity
for my kiddos and all of the extended family which I should be completely
grateful for, and in many ways I am. I get 6 weeks without kids,
(which has never, ever happened in my ten years of being a mom!!).
Six weeks of space, six weeks of quiet, yummy me-time. I have the
chance to do some solo traveling through Bolivia that I have wanted to
do for a long time, channeling my inner gypsy that has been screaming to
get out for a while now. My kids get 6 weeks hanging out with aunts,
uncles, cousins, grandparents, great-grandparents, getting completely spoiled
and loved on beyond belief…and this is where I begin to think maybe way
too much… |
 Privacy
Is A Psychological Necessity - We live
in a world where privacy and individuality are under attack. The right
to privacy is more than an abstract necessity, it is also a psychological
necessity. If we do not have the right to privacy, we do not own the rights
to our own lives. Individuality entails making value judgments independent
of political, religious or social dogmas. In making value judgments
we make choices. In today's world, if the choices we make differ
from the status quo then we come under pressure to 'toe the line'. There
is no line to toe. We live in an intellectual vacuum, where short of the
logical choices we make in our own behalf, there are no other values. Our
Magazine & Websites stress privacy and living our life by our own standards,
protecting what is ours from those who have not earned it. - In today’s
technological world, millions of individuals are subject to privacy threats.
Companies are hired not only to watch what you visit online, but to infiltrate
the information and send advertising based on your browsing history.
People set up accounts for Facebook; enter bank and credit card information
to various websites. Those concerned about Internet privacy often cite
a number of privacy risks — events that can compromise privacy — which
may be encountered through Internet use.These methods of compromise can
range from the gathering of statistics on users, to more malicious acts
such as the spreading of spyware and various forms of bugs (software errors)
exploitation. |
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Is A Good Idea |
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 Medical
Tourism In Nicargua & Central America
Safe Overseas Medical Tourism Offshore Medical Tourism WorldWide. Find
Safe Clinics, Read Reviews, Active Discussion posts. Members and providers
can communicate directly and exchange information freely. Medical Tourism
EscapeArtist.com |
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 Read
“The United 'Bankrupt' States of America” By Harry S. Dent, Jr.-
Niall Ferguson, author of The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the
World, has been commenting lately that the U.S. government should be hearing
alarm bells, given the rising debt and stimulus programs. In contrast,
mainstream economists like Paul Krugman have been saying that if the U.S.
doesn’t stimulate more quickly and aggressively, it will fall into another
depression or deeper downturn. - From
Escape From America Magazine |
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 Self
Service shipping to Nicaragua - Ubox we ship
- Save over 40%! on international shipping. Door to door , Door to
port , Port to port. Professional services with discount prices. Call today
for a free shipping quote 866.566.9350 |
|
 Offshore
(& Online) Securities Broker Private Asset Management
- Thales Securities has been on our website for almost a decade and in
that decade we have heard nothing but positive reports about their service.
Founded in 1998 Thales Securities is a leading investment brokerage based
in the Republic of Panama. |
 Advertise
Your Real Estate, Product, or Service on EscapeArtist
- Wow! We're growing, we'll soon have videos on our real estate marketplace
site, our magazines have over a half million readers, and those readers
are looking for real estate abroad. Find out about advertising on EscapeArtist,
or becoming a partner of EscapeArtist. Join one of the fastest growing
sites on the internet. |
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.jpg) Mexico
Magic DVD - Dru Pearson writes about her experiences during her
first year living in Ajijic. Mexico Magic, drawn from the writer's e-mails
and journals, provides a behind-the-scenes look at daily life in a Mexican
village. A memoir brings a country alive in a way guidebooks only wish
they could. |
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 Driving
the Pan-American Highway to Mexico and Central America - The Only
Guide Book on the Subject - Exclusive - of Driving the Pan-American Highway
that is shown on this page is an EscapeArtist.com exclusive available only
here and only in eBook - The updated eBook version of this guide is the
must have guide for anyone who is thinking of driving through Mexico to
Central America." |
|
 Mexico
- More Mexico eBook Special Reports - Several popular special reports
on living in Mexico, retiring in Mexico, and traveling in Mexico; including
Cozumel - The Complete Guide, Mexico Magic, Retire In Mexico, The Pleasure
of Life in Baja Sur and more. If you want to consider living in Mexico
these reports are essential. |
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 Panama
- Three Special Reports on Living, Retiring & Buying real estate in
Panama - Panama has it all - Panama is affordable, modern, good
climate, stable, has great real estate and is only two and a half hours
by air from Florida. North Americans, Canadians & Europeans
are welcome in Panama - Find Out About Living & Investing In Panama.
Live in Latin America's most overlooked tropical paradise for less than
you dreamed possible, live the good life and enjoy all of the amenities
of home. |
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 Guatemala
-Two Special Reports on Living, Retiring & Buying real estate in Guatemala
- No tour of Antigua is complete without a visit to the beautiful Casa
Santa Domingo. True to form, this five-star Guatemalan hotel was built
around the ruins of the Monasterio Santo Domingo, thus preserving the integrity
of the ancient structures while incorporating new lush gardens and scenic
walkways. It seems to me that while we in the U.S. landscape around our
buildings, other countries have captured the art of incorporating their
structures into the landscape. The entire property is educational and eye
pleasing. Craftsmen and artisans work in small studios within the complex,
and I was in museum heaven! There is an Apothecary Museum, a Museum of
Contemporary Arts, a Museum of Pre-Columbian Art and Modern Glass, a Colonial
Art Museum . |
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 Native
Natural Tobacco - Learn to cultivate pure, natual Tobacco
and begin producing a cash crop with roots in antiquity. He explains how
to obtain seeds for free to start your crop, how to cultivate, cure and
even flavor it safely and profitably. A prodigious cash crop like pure,
natural Tobacco can spell revival for a seemingly hopeless rural American
dream, and for the dreams of those who have left this country to seek a
sustainable life elsewhere in this beautiful world. |
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 Costa
Rica - Five Special Reports on Costa Rica, a very popular expat nation
- Costa Rica’s natural beauty has been attracting tourists for years. Now
retirees and investors are flocking to the country. It seems that almost
everyone who moves here becomes enamored with Costa Rica and wants to own
a piece of paradise. Because of this Costa Rica was voted one of the top
five real estate markets in the world in 2006. However, in order to invest
profitably and safely in Costa Rican real estate everyone needs to have
the correct information about the process and proceed cautiously every
step of the way. See: Christopher
Howard’s Guide to Real Estate in Costa Rica |
 Where
to Own Gold – Asset Protection Planning
- Owning precious metals seems to be the only protection from governments
racing to devalue their currencies to cover their debts. Although this
is likely not a revelation to you, the markets have brought you dozens
of ways to begin acquiring through financial instruments, futures, and
allocated or unallocated physical storage. |
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 Moving
Money Offshore By Jay Butler Asset Protection Services Ltd
- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers all income reportable regardless
of the source or location derived and most assets held offshore are reportable,
however some are not. When looking to preserve your assets it is important
to understand the difference between taxable income and reportable assets.
Here are 3 ways to legally move money offshore without any requirements
to report it to the United States government, the IRS or international
regulatory agency. 1.) Opening an Offshore Bank Account - >
> > MORE |
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 List
Of Offshore Banks - An offshore bank is defined
by its location, or 'jurisdiction'. An offshore bank is usually located
outside of the depositors country of residence, typically within a jurisdiction
that levies very low taxes, or no taxes at all. Each jurisdiction
varies in its degree of taxation, its degree of privacy, and its services.
Offshore banks located in politically and economically stable jurisdictions
provide a safe-haven for assets that may be at risk in the nation in which
the investor lives and holds residency. |
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Expat
Taxes - Offshore Tax Information - Foreign Earned Income
- Individuals have been leaving their own land to seek opportunities elsewhere
since the dawn of mankind. But it has only been since the development of
the modern nation-state, and its taxation of the worldwide income of its
citizen-residents, that expatriation has taken on significant tax consequences.
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 How
to Maintain Asset Privacy Within the US By Bobby Casey, Global Wealth Protection
- With asset protection planning, anonymity seems to be the number one
concern for people these days. And rightly so. Any 11 year
old with a laptop can easily do an online record search and find your bank
accounts and their balances, your vehicle registrations, your real estate
assets, your credit report, your residence history and even your driving
record. Many clients are interested in anonymity and asset protection.
In some cases clients confuse the two. They think that anonymity
is asset protection. It is not, but anonymity does have benefits.
When forming an FLP (family limited partnership) or an LLC (limited liability
company), the strength of the entity is dependent upon the state of formation,
the quality of the operating agreement and the business purpose of the
entity. -
> > > MORE |
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 Hedgefund
Manager’s Report from China - I am writing
this from the back of a taxi in Hong Kong’s Central district. My meetings
with assorted bankers, hedge fund managers, Taipans, and the press stretched
on longer than expected, with the result that I am now stuck in rush hour
traffic on the way to the airport. So I might as well use the time productively
and sum up my thoughts on my recent trip to China. When I first cajoled
my way into to the Middle Kingdom in the early seventies, it was in the
back of a broken down truck carrying bags of wheat, no doubt destined to
a thriving black market. We drove down a heavily potholed single lane road
that had not seen serious maintenance since the thirties. -
> > > MORE |
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