http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/4-and-a-half-steps-to-selecting-where-to-buy-your-dream-vacation-home.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/4-and-a-half-steps-to-selecting-where-to-buy-your-dream-vacation-home.html Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600
As with all major investment and lifestyle decisions, take time to evaluate whether it’s the best choice for you. The great thing is this -- part of your evaluation includes play. To make a good decision, you need to experience the location of your dream vacation home firsthand.

I’m going to use Belize as an example of a country you might choose for your vacation home because of my familiarity with it. But these same principals can be used for choosing a vacation home in the mountains, major city or in a desert location like Arizona.

These four and a half steps will help you decide whether it meets your lifestyle:

1. Explore Belize from Afar

Become an avid armchair traveler. A great place to start is on the Internet. Dozens of email newsletters, websites and blogs regularly provide helpful, detailed information.

You can read today’s news online, as told by Belizean newspapers. You can get the current weather forecast, both for the shore and inland. And you can explore the country via online maps.

Round out your armchair travels with guidebooks and travel DVDs. And talk to people who have spent time in Belize. Find out what they liked and whether they’d go back.

2. See Belize Through the Eyes of a Tourist

Taking a vacation helps you get a taste of the culture, geography, climate, economy and politics. Consider an excursion that gives you an overview of Belize. Explore the Mayan ruins. Kayak through caves. Go bird watching in the jungle. Snorkel and dive among the coral reefs. Or, if you already know the type of area you prefer, such as the coast, create a travel itinerary that focuses on that area.

Do you like what you see? Are you enjoying the experience? If so, go to step 3.

3. Enjoy an extended stay in Belize.

An extended stay of at least a month gives you the opportunity to experience the rhythm of daily life. While there, think of yourself as a resident. Venture beyond the tourist attractions and gated communities.

Buy groceries, cook meals at home and get to know your neighbors. Read the local papers. Listen to what people are talking about on the streets, in the stores and at the library. Attend a church service, public meeting or festival.

Start visiting master planned communities and other real estate options for your vacation home. Be sure to find out the legal requirements for property ownership and which residency regulations you qualify under. For example, Belize offers an attractive retiree incentive program that permits U.S., Canadian and United Kingdom citizens to establish official residency in Belize -- and free of most Belize taxes.

If time permits, have extended stays in Belize during different seasons and at different locations. I have a friend whose parents spent several winters near Bonita Springs, Fla., in a rented apartment before they ended up buying a villa in a new development. From their time there they were able to decide on what kind of home they wanted, what activities their lifestyle would revolve around, and where they wanted to be located in that area.

During your visits, ask yourself these questions. What do I love about being here? What bugs me? Can I get used to that, or will it make me miserable?

4. Back Home, Reflect on Your Visits to Belize

From the perspective of your current turf, ask yourself these questions over a period of time.

• What do I remember most about my experiences in Belize?
• What stories do I tell my friends and family?
• Am I eager to return?
• Do I dream of living there?

The topics and tone of your answers will quickly reveal whether Belize and you are a good match. If the answer is yes, …

4.5 Return to Belize, prepared to select your vacation home.

Now the next stage of fun begins. This time your focus is on selecting the home location. From your previous visits, you already know what type of setting – coastal or inland -- you prefer. And you already have an idea of which properties you want to evaluate in depth.

Enjoy the process!


--
Boris Mannsfeld

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/five-reasons-to-retire-in-belize.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/five-reasons-to-retire-in-belize.html Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
We decided to boil it down to five reasons to retire to Belize. So here you go:

1. The Most Obvious … the Place is Beautiful

Belize is a gleaming gem of the Caribbean which until recently has been give little attention. Its sun baked white sand beaches would make great scenery for any Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

How big is Belize? Its size is approximately 8,866 square miles; the mainland is approximately 180 miles long and up to 68 miles wide. Belize also consists of more than 200 cays (islands), ranging in size from a few hundred feet to 25 miles long and four miles wide. Most of the cays are located inside the 200-mile Belize Reef.

Belize has hundreds of miles of undeveloped beaches which are perfect for fishing, diving, scuba diving, yachting and more. Belize also has ruins of the ancient Mayan civilizations with excellent tour services. There are also tropical mountain ranges which offer spectacular hiking and birding activities.

2. Living Belize is Relatively Inexpensive

Belize’s government recently has enacted a retiree incentive program that permits U.S., Canadian and United Kingdom citizens to establish official residency in Belize and to live there free of most Belize taxes. Under the new program, retirees can’t work in Belize, but income from outside Belize isn’t taxed, and retirees can bring in household goods -- cars, boats and even an airplane -- without paying import duties.

The overall cost of living is generally lower than the United States. The average Belizean makes less than 6000 USD a year.

3. Belize is a Safe to Live

Belize is a parliamentary democracy and a member of the British Commonwealth. The country has a tradition of democracy and free elections. Belize has a constitution, which includes a bill of rights. Although no place in the world is completely safe the crime in Belize is relatively low in comparison to other Central American countries.

4. Belize is a Good Long-Term Investment

The country of Belize has no capital gains taxes and has a well-established offshore banking system similar to Cayman Islands and Switzerland. Full property insurance is available and underwritten by Lords of London.

5. Belize is Easy to Get To

Belize lies on the eastern coastline of Central America, bordered on the north by Mexico, on the west and south by Guatemala, and on the east by the Caribbean Sea. It is separated by sea from its neighbor to the southwest, Honduras.

The Belize International Airport is offering direct flights from major U.S. cities. Direct flights are available from many major cities in the United States and more are being added. Belize international airport is currently expanding the runways to accommodate direct flights from Europe. Right now major airlines including American, Continental and Taca (El Salvador) offer direct flights from major U.S. cities, including Dallas, Ft. Worth and Houston.

So you see, Belize is beautiful, safe, inexpensive and easy to get to. For those interested in a place to retire or have a second him, it is ideal. You’ll fall in love with this country, as I have in my many travels there. There isn’t a better time than to invest in real estate in Belize.


--
Boris Mannsfeld is the managing director of Sirob Development and the project manager for The Villas at Cocoplum, a Belize real estate development offering premier a Caribbean oceanfront condos that is set to open in Spring 2008.

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