| Belize:
Top Ten Places |
| The Top
Ten Places to Live in Belize |
| By Lan Sluder |
| Many North
Americans and Europeans have a dream of living where the water is blue,
the air is warm, the rum is cheap and the living is easy. Belize may, or
may not, live up to your expectations in those regards.
Many
who do make the leap to Belize end up frustrated, unhappy and broke, so
investigate thoroughly before you decide to move to Belize. Expats in Belize
are now clustered mostly in San Pedro, Placencia, the Belize City suburbs
and near Corozal Town. Here are our own picks for the best places to live
and buy in Belize.
# 1
Corozal Town/Consejo
Most visitors
to Belize either never get to Corozal or pass through quickly en |
|
|
|
|
|
route somewhere
else. But the Corozal Town area and nearby Consejo offer a lot for those
staying awhile — low prices, friendly people, a generally low-crime environment,
the beautiful blue water of the bay, and the extra plus of having Mexico
next door for cheap shopping.
# 2
Rural Cayo District
Cayo has a
lot going for it: wide open spaces, cheap land, few bugs and friendly folks.
This might be the place to buy a few acres and grow oranges.
# 3
Hopkins/Sittee Point
This is what
Placencia was 20 years ago, almost as pretty and even friendlier. If you
want a place on or near the beach, prices are still relatively affordable
here, but as anywhere in Belize, do your “due diligence” before putting
out cash.
# 4
Ambergris Caye
This is the
most popular, but most expensive, place for expats to live in Belize.
For some, it’s too touristy, but others love the fact that there are other
North Americans in residence. North Ambergris will eventually be
the hot spot here, though that’s a bridge and several years off.
# 5
Toledo District |
|
|
If you can
stand the rain and the mosquitoes, the far south of Belize has some of
the lowest land prices and nicest people in the country. When the paving
of the Southern Highway is finally completed, it will open this area up
to a new blush of tourism and development.
# 6
Placencia Peninsula
Placencia
has boomed and busted before, but this time it looks like the boom will
continue. Lots of lots being sold; few homes yet built.
# 7
Rural Orange Walk District
Orange Walk
Town isn’t such a wonderful place, but out in the district, around August
Pine Ridge or beside a lagoon, you may find your little piece of isolated
paradise.
# 8
Sarteneja
If you don’t
mind being near the ends of the earth, the Sarteneja peninsula is a beautiful
area. |
|
|
Offshore Resources Gallery
|
|
|
# 9
Remote Cayes
The days of
buying your own private island for a song are long gone, but if you have
money to burn and the willingness to rebuild after the next hurricane,
one of Belize’s 200+ remote islands could be yours.
# 10
Caye Caulker
Corker’s fans
are legion, although property here is tightly controlled and rarely sold
to outsiders.
Five Questions
to Answer Before Moving to Belize
# 1
“Do I really know what it’s like?”
Come down
for a long visit before making a commitment; rent before you buy.
# 2
“Do I really know what it costs for me to live in Belize?”
Like most
countries, Belize has not one but several costs of living, depending upon
your lifestyle. Spend some time in Belize on a trial run to see what
your actual living expenses will be.
# 3
“Am I willing to always be an outsider?” |
|
|
Most expats
in Belize are never fully integrated into Belize life — culturally, politically
or otherwise.
# 4
“Do I know what precautions to take against crime?”
As a “wealthy”
outsider (in the eyes of most Belizeans), you’re fair game for all types
of scams, ripoffs, robberies and worse. The police usually do their
best, but their best may be just to take your report after the crime. You’ll
have to be proactive to protect yourself and your property.
# 5
“What will happen if I get sick?”
Belize has
some excellent doctors, dentists and other health care professionals, who
will treat you at lower cost than what you’ve probably been paying, but
they’re stretched thin, and supplies and modern equipment are often lacking.
If you become seriously ill, what will you do? Go back home?
Are you prepared to accept Belizean standards of care, go to Mexico or
what? |
|
|
Offshore
Resources Gallery
|
| Five Questions
to Ask about Belize Real Estate
# 1
“What is the Belizean price?”
In Belize,
there’s usually a Belize price and a foreigner price. The story is
often told that one’s second house in Belize is twice as nice as the first
and costs half as much.
# 2
“Can I ever sell it?”
It’s easy
to buy in Belize but sometimes hard to sell. Remember that the local
Belize market is thin, and you’ll most likely have to sell to a foreign
buyer. How many of them are there?
# 3
“What will happen when the next hurricane comes?”
It’s not a
matter of if there will be a hurricane, but when. Is your property
likely to be seriously affected?
# 4
“What will happen to my property when I’m not in the country?”
Unless you
buy a condo, you can’t just lock up and leave. You’ll likely come
back to a house stripped of everything that can be moved. You’ll
need to hire a caretaker. Even with a condo, if you’re not there
to take care of things yourself, you’re at the mercy of a management association.
#
5 “What happens if the Belize currency is devalued?”
You’re buying
with hard currency, but your real estate asset is valued in Belize dollars. |
|
Article
Index ~ Belize
Index ~ |
