[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Giving me a specific town is perfect, Mike.

Here are a few other rental company options:

– Corozal – http://www.abicasabelize.com/Corozal1.htm; http://www.consejo.bz/property/rentals.html. You can also check http://www.rentalhomes.com.

– Placencia – http://www.facebook.com/groups/495138017228251/; http://www.nikolaisplace.com/rates/.

Note that at times FAcebook pages are the preferred approach to advertising in Belize.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Good luck, Ken, with your search.

IN terms of mosquitoes, they tend to live where there is standing water. So they can be inland and near the sea, especially by freshwater lagoons, during wet weather. There are few mosquitoes during the dry season on the coast. But during the rainy season, when we have standing freshwater ponds, we get our fair share of these pests.

My favorite season is the dry season, February through May, when there is hardly ever any rain, and the water table is low, so mosquitoes can’t hatch. The season is similar for sand flies. But in the remote cayes I’ve experienced sand flies at all times of year, but not sure why. That is why it is so important to live someplace before buying.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Mike,

Yes, it is much better to rent initially, to get a feel for a country and area. There are a variety of property managers in Belize, in the major expat towns. For instance, Ambergris Vacation Rentals, on Ambergris Caye, manages longterm rentals, as does Caye Management. Realtors aren’t usually as focused on property management and rentals. But you didn’t mention where you want to rent.

IN terms of water taxis, they leave from Belize City. But the international airport is in Ladyville, which is a 40 minute taxi drive away from the water taxi terminal. The cost for a car taxi ride to town, form the international airport, is about $25 US. And the water taxis stop running around 5:30 PM since it would be dark before arrival for any later. So depending on when you arrive at the international airport, it might be tight to make it to town to grab the water taxi. And the water taxis at the end of the day tend to be crowded so it would be wise to buy the ticket ahead of time, to lock in your spot.

YEs, you can definitely take a water taxi from San Pedro to Caye Caulker. They run regularly and the ride takes only 20 minutes. That’s the preferred way to travel between islands. The air flight is costly compared to a water taxi. But a water taxi from Belize City to Ambergris CAye takes almost 90 minutes. So even if a flight is more costly, it is much faster.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Yes, there are sand flies in Belize, and mosquitoes. They seem worse to me on Roatan, for some reason. I had an awful experience with sand flies there during one visit at a dive resort. But sand flies are common in most sandy beach areas on the Caribbean. The resorts rake the beach each morning to break up the sand fly eggs, which keeps them from reproducing. IN the developed beach towns of Belize I have only noticed them at dusk and dawn at some times of year, at the same time the mosquitoes are active. So we tend to stay inside during those times, or to spray before going out. But in Roatan sand flies seem to be out and about at all times, depending on the time of year.

I used to be very sensitive to sand fly bites and would have welts for weeks. But after a while I built up an immunity or resistance to them. That’s what happens to most people. But if you or your wife are allergic to them, that could be a problem for you in the beach areas of Belize. I haven’t had any sand fly bites up in the higher elevations, such as in San Ignacio. You didn’t mention if your goal is to live on the beach.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Here is another current mortgage option in Belize. Atlantic International Bank is currently offering mortgages at 9.75%. They are willing to finance up to 60% of the cost of a home. The Amortization period is 15 years, with a 5 year balloon payment. Or you can refinance at the end of 5 years. So you can do this three times, up until the 15 year period. There is no penalty for early prepayment. Their advertisement says that it takes 3-4 weeks to process the loan.

I can’t vouch for the length of time it takes to get one of these mortgages. But years ago my husband and I did get a mortgage from Atlantic International Bank on one of our properties and we paid a similar rate at that time.

Atlantic BAnk is located at branches throughout Belize, including Corozal. I assume that Belize Bank also offers similar mortgages, in this price range. At times Scotia Bank has offered lower interest rate mortgages, but I haven’t heard about their process.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Laura & Mike,

Crime is a very sensitive topic, so your question is pertinent, especially the way you explained how we North Americans can at times have a skewed perspective that is based on our limited cultural experience. Belize often gets a bad rap for crime because the crime statistics for Belize City are high, compared to the rest of the country. We do have our fair share of petty crime here, as the country is poor. Most crime is from items being stolen, such as phones, cameras, IPads and computers. They can easily be resold for quick money. Violent crime is still quite unusual. And when it occurs it’s typically between Belizeans. You will hear about a very few violent crimes against expats. Most that I’ve heard of involved a relationship gone bad, or some type of drug deal.

Crime varies between towns and neighborhoods. For instance, on Ambergris Caye, where we live, crime is lowest on the south side of the island, where many expats live. The expat community formed and funds an effective neighborhood watch. Some of the locals neighborhoods have more home breakins. So do ask about the local neighborhood watch. More of them are being formed these days.

And, on the island, all of the condominium complexes have guards that patrol the area, as do the resorts. I assume this is the case in Placencia, as well. Home break ins are quite unusual in those communities with guards. But if you were to buy a home located in an isolated area near the border with Guatemala, there would be the possibility that bandidos from Guatemala would come across the border and break into your home. I’ve heard of this happening, so I would not recommend living in an isolated area near the border with Guatemala.

I grew up in Detroit and lived in Oakland, California for over 20 years, so am not too phased by crime in Belize, as compared to those cities in the USA. I walk around in Belize City by myself when I fly or boat over there for a dentist’s appointment, or to shop. But I don’t wander into the dicey neighborhoods. Nor do I wear much jewelry. So just use common sense and you will be fine in Belize. Most of the areas where expats live are pretty safe, especially when compared to an urban city in the USA.

But be sure to visit and talk to a lot of expats in those areas where you will consider relocating. Read the on-line forums, like http://www.ambergriscaye.com, for the regions you are interested in. The participants talk about crime and many other topics that are sensitive. You will see some extreme positions from a small group of expats who often no longer live in Belize. But, overall, you’ll get a broad view. Then come, visit, and talk to as many people as you can before you decide where to move in Belize.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Many owners are wiling to take back a mortgage here in Belize, since the bank fees for mortgages are over 10% and it is not fun to go through the process of applying for a mortgage in Belize. So talk to the realtor and ask her to focus on propertie’s whose owners are willing to work out a mortgage arrangement. Usually they will ask for 40-50% down, though, to be sure you are serious.

The other option is to rent until your property in the USA sells. Rents are pretty cheap in Corozal. And if you rent you will have more time to check out the local area and neighborhoods and get a feel for where you want to buy. International Living typically suggests that our readers rent before buying. Once you buy there is no guarantee you’ll be able to sell quickly, or at a profit, if if you have a change of heart, or run into some family issues that require you to return back home.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

These days, it seems that most hotels and resorts prefer to go through a service company so that their staff don’t have to spend a lot of their time on the phone. You will usually find lower prices offered through these on line services, so that’s where I start. If you viisit Belize n the off season, however, you can just walk in and cut a deal with hotels that aren’t full. So, for instance, you could book for a night or two, scope out the area, and get a better deal at a hotel that you like. Of course, that takes some precious time away from your visit. But if you are staying for a few weeks this is a good way to save. The low season is May through November.

Personally, I usually start out on Trip Advisor, to check for recommendations. Trip Advisor then transfers me over to whatever discount brokers the resort is using, like hotels.com. I think that’s the one that reserves your spot without actually charging you, which is a great feature.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Bill,

Sorry that you are having problems navigating this forum. It is relatively new, but I’ll pass the info on to the web developers if you can give more specific examples of the problems you have had.

Yes, you can buy a fairly inexpensive phone and then sign up for Digicell or Smart. Digicell uses the SIM card technology and Smart uses GSM technology. Both companies also sell phones. You can then buy “pay as you go” service and add minutes to your phone when you run out. There are also businesses in towns like Belize City and Ambergris Caye that sell only phones. Digicell regularly has double up and triple up Fridays where you get double or triple minutes for the normal price on your pay as you go account.

I am not an expert on phone technology, but my experience has been that phones brought into Belize need to be “un-locked” in order to work here. Most cellphones in North America are sold “locked”.

The other option is to find a business where they can modify a SIM card as needed to fit your phone, if necessary. I bought a new IPhone last year that has a very small SIM card slot. I had to have my existing Belize SIM card cut down to fit into the newer version IPhone card slot.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Good insights, Vicki.The town of Corozal, where most expats live, is very different from Orchid Bay. Orchid Bay is quite far from Corozal. It’s a great property for tourists to visit, as a resort. But it’s too far from town to easily live there. From what I’ve heard, during the winter the road from Orchid Bay to Corozal becomes impassible. That would make it difficult to go to town for supplies, other than on a boat. In the wet season, that’s not a fun trip…

Corozal has a pretty active expat community and there are a lot of social events and volunteer groups there. It’s much less expensive to live there than on the cayes. So for expats living on their Social Security paychecks, even if they prefer the cayes, their pocketbook dictates that Corozal is most likely a better fit.

When considering where to buy, it really helps to come a few days early and take a look at a variety of properties before attending a Chill Weekend, so that you can compare the prices and offerings with comparable properties in the region. The sales people who lead Chill Weekends seldom show or mention any other properties other than those they are selling at their development. Their goal is to keep their visitors captive and show them a very good time so that they won’t wander off and hear about better deals in the area. For those who are coming to invest in a fantastic deal (such as some of the ones Pathfinders writes about), and have already done their homework, it makes sense. But for expats who want to actually live in a community in Belize full-time, it is best to first get a broad perspective of what’s available in the area of interest before committing to buy a home. That way they can learn, before the Chill Weekend, which neighborhoods are safest, have the most potential for property appreciation, which HOAs have a strong track record and are reasonably priced, etc.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

I just heard back from the Menzies representative. He informed me that the exit fee is $22 US when traveling across the border from Mexico to Belize, by land, at Corozal. But the assumption is that is for a person who is in Mexico as a tourist, for longer than a single day. It makes sense that they would not charge an exit fee if you only spend the day in Chetumal to do some shopping and then return home to Corozal later in the day.

Once you become a full-time Belize resident you’ll no longer be required to pay the $37.50 fee. But QRPs still have to pay, as we are considered special status residents.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Glad I could help. Expats who have lived in Belize for a while are always amazed to learn that some of the newbie expats we meet bought a home on their first trip here, before they did their homework. We know that a year or two down the road, when we get to know some of these folks, they’ll be telling us a sad story and asking for advice and sympathy…

When you rent and live here for a while you will hear, through the grapevine, which developments, developers, and contractors are reputable, and which have a history of problems and controversy. You will seldom find this detailed info on line, and few realtor will disclose each properties problems, since their goal is to sell real estate. And, as you mention, hiring an attorney to do your title search, and to review any outstanding legal problems, is the most secure way to go. The cost is well worth it, so you’ll be sure to get a clear title when you purchase, and to know before hand if there are any outstanding lawsuits or back tax issues.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

The fees for entering and leaving Mexico have changed frequently since we’ve been going. They seem to depend upon how long you are in Mexico before returning to Belize. The last time we went to Merida, in August of 2014, we were charged an extra fee on our exit from Mexico because we stayed 8 days. They told us that if we had been there less than 7 days, we wouldn’t be charged the fee… Of course, we are never quite sure if we are being charged an “extra” fee… But we crossed the border with a service, Menzies, and they helped us, since we hadn’t taken the Corozal border route in ages. The Menzies employee explained that the exit fee is charged if you stay longer than one week in Mexico.

If someone else has recently had a different experience, crossing the border, I’d love to hear their input on this forum.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

If a developer is primarily selling lots of land in a development it’s difficult to force an owner to build right away, so it can seen as if nothing is happening. That doesn’t necessarily mean the development is bankrupt. But Orchid Bay is out of the way, far from the town of Corozal. Visiting tourists at times buy at a place like Orchid Bay, without realizing that it would be difficult to live there.

Some of the developments in Belize are owned by outsiders who had no experience in development, but thought they could make a quick buck at it in Belize. They have little to no experience prior to trying to build a development here. Some fail based upon their lack of experience and funding, or because they do not know how to effectively work within the country of Belize. But that is not related to the real estate market, which is currently very strong.

Another interesting development that is controversial is Sanctuary, located in a remote but beautiful area between Hopkins and Placencia. Once the expat who buy a lot figure out, much later, that the development is really far from shops, doctors, banks, etc., they try to sell. I recently met several expats who are going thru this dilemna with their property at Sanctuary. They now live in Placencia and are trying to sell their lots. Once they realized that it would take them an hour to go shop in the closest town for groceries, they realized that it make little sense to build on their lot in Sanctuary. It will be many years before there is a functioning community at Sanctuary. Now these expats are having no luck selling their lots. The developer is not motivated to assist them…

I haven’t been to Orchid Bay and can’t directly speak about the status of that development. We IL “correspondent writers” steer clear of getting involved in the financials of developments and we never “recommend” developments. Our goal is to give you a general overview of the trends and show example properties. But you could contact the Pathfinders managers to ask, as they used to represent Orchid Bay, years ago, but are no longer involved with them. They may have an opinion but our paths seldom cross.

IN 2008 the overall real estate market downturn did impact Belize. At that time many developments could no longer sell units, so stopped building. Many went belly up. But the real estate market has been very strong in most areas of Belize during the last few years. Prices have been going up and some new developments have done very well and continue to expand. Examples on Ambergris Caye include Grand Caribe, Coco Beach and Hol Chan, which have been expanding for several years.

These days expats are, fortunately, much savvier than 5-10 years ago. They now understand that it seldom makes sense to buy “pre-construction”. Pre-construction buys are very risky, since you don’t get a title for a long time and the developer often changes their plans and approach without the buyer having any input at all. It is much safer, albeit a bit more expensive, to buy what is already built, and has a valid title that can be immediately transferred.

The realtors around the country of Belize (other than in Punta Gorda) have told me that they have had several outstanding years. The property on the coastline on Ambergris Caye is being bought up and individuals are building their own homes these days. I just drove south on the island last Sunday and there are many new homes going up. That’s also true of the Placencia Peninsula. There aren’t that many pieces of property left in the more popular expat regions that are large enough for a development. It seems that those expats who can afford it prefer to build a home, rather than opt into a risky pre-construction development. There seem to be more expats with money coming to Belize and building their own homes these days. Others are buying existing homes or condos and spiffing them up.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Hi Terry,

Between this forum, and the IL Belize Community Forum, many of your questions will be addressed and you will possibly meet some kindred souls. You can definitely find a place to live on Social Security if you receive a reasonable amount each month. But SS is a bit slim to live on the cayes. Keep in mind that the Qualified Retirement Program requires that you deposit $2000 US/month. You can get by on less on the mainland, but it’s difficult to do so on the very popular cayes, which are near the reef. It isn’t impossible, but it is difficult, if you don’t own your own home. Rents tend to be higher in the resort areas of Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker and Placencia. To be within a 30 minute boat ride of the reef, you would need to live on a caye. So you will need to lower your expectations in regards to the time it takes to reach the reef to scuba dive unless you have enough income to live on one of the cayes. It takes over an hour to get to the reef from most mainland areas.

Opening an organic cafe with coffee and baked goods could work if you locate in an area where expats hang out, if they are willing to pay the higher price for organic coffee. You would need to do research and visit other cafes and look at the prices being charged, then decide if you could compete financially. Most areas now have cafes, but few have “organic” coffee cafes. I’m not sure if there is enough of a market here to make it work yet. And, in truth, I’d bet that the much of the coffee bean supply coming from nearby Guatemala may be organic.

If you want to farm, you will be giving up your goal to be near the water and the reef. The farming areas tend to mainly be in the interior of the country. So you have many good ideas, but they are competing with one another. But it’s fun to dream and figure it out!

Have you come to visit as of yet? It sounds like you have not seen too many areas of the country. So now that you are starting to think about what you would do here, it’s time to come and visit and check out the various areas of the country. We also have a lot of data, including cost of living details, for the main areas expats settle. So be sure to spend time on the Belize Insider website.

Good luck!

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