°µÍø½ûÇø

There are a few builders in Belize.  Some well established and very pricy.  Others not so much and not reliable.  Have friends who chose among the very few available and lost a lot of money when they disappeared.  It you are honest and not too expensive, you should do amazingly well.  Have to figure out how to get work permits.  Good luck!  Wish you had been there when we were living in Belize.  Carolyn

Hi, I'm buying in Sanctuary Belize(2 1/2 years of payments). They have their own builders who have to be owners in the community. Prices are very reasonable and they are very reliable because they are vested, You might want to go on one of the tours and talk to John Usher or Luke Chadwick. This development has great potential and the people are all wonderful It is worth your time to check it out.

teamheisler:
I too am a residential construction contractor and about 5 years ago I purchased a couple seafront lots in the Corozal District.  My hopes were to find someone there in Belize who I could pay just to assist me with the procedures and building codes.  Now, as time as gone on and I am close to wanting to retire, I am thinking of just hiring a builder to do the whole job.
Let me know if you end up venturing into the building business in Belize.

Sandi

A born and raise Belizean that is more than willing to help.... Feel free to contact me if any questions should arise......keasbelize@gmail.com

Sandi, I will, thanks!

I, too, am very interested in travelling to Belize for at least 3 weeks to check out the lay-of-the-land there (and also in Thailand) and have a Travel Agent looking for pkgs so that I can accomplish this over the few months.

I  have spent the past 4 winters in Cuba and elsewhere and I never had used a Travel Agency before but I was forced to this route as I could NOT find any travel pkgs (flight, hotel, all incl) at all, NONE, for Belize.

Are there any out there

There are °µÍø½ûÇø builders in Corozal, you haven't met them?

Plus I understand the Mennonite's will put up a pre-fab house for you also.

I am a woman and I do my own construction.... I hire men to do the building but I buy the materials..... It is possible and nothing hard to manage....in my opinion there is a building boom in the city, not sure of other districts and it might be because the banks are not paying a good interest.... Email me at keasebelize@gmail.com or feel free to call at 501-610-4161

So you are also an Architect and furnish the design work also?

So we are headed down that way for a visit in about two weeks. Can anyone recommend a reliable car rental company? We plan on checking out Corozal, Hopkins, & Placencia. It will only be about a week long trip first, then hopefully followed by a more extended stay.

Also, we would like to meet any °µÍø½ûÇøs in those areas, so if you are interested in seeing a new face, let me know! Wouldn't hurt to receive some guided insit while we re there thanks!

Shoot me a note when you arrive, I'd be glad to hook up. I'm in Corozal

I should mention, I'm every bit a patriot, so I'm a gringo...not an ex-pat

teamheisler - Before we bought our own vehicle we rented from Budget for many years. I would recommend them. Check insurance sticker in the window to make sure it won't expire during your rental. We used to check for spare and jack, conditions of tires, test signal lights etc. After the first leg of travel, we'd always check fluid levels as well. We don't buy windshield washer fluid but instead use plain water with a bit of white vinegar.

Thanks!
Any recommendation for lodging in Corozal Town? Hotel maya?

Dates confirmed for Corozal! We will be there the 18th thru the 20th. Any goo °µÍø½ûÇø get togethers then?

Just got back I hired a truck from Crystal they have an on line offer untill November about 10% off when booked on line. Got a F150 truck less than 30000 on the clock and it nice and  clean. They loan a free cool box very useful if traveling longer routes, and a free Cellphone that you can buy minutes for from virtually any store. Also very useful as the Roaming charges on US phones can cost more than your holiday.
Nice touch when you return the vehicle there ia a one hour grace period so you are not rushing to avouid that extra day. Usually I allow for $100 a day when I have used the usually places Budget, Avis etc. but including the extra insurance you have to take if paying with Visa (Visa rules not hire co) this worked out undr $80 per day. Will use them for all future visits, and they are Local so keeps the cash in the Belize economy.

Looking forward to hopefully meeting some of you!

What amount of money would you suggest be had prior to moving to Belize? I'd like to have a substantial amount to cover the start up costs.

chollett....   what are you planning to do after you get here?  Your plans dictate your costs. 

I suggest that you bring a few thousand in $20's in your wallet and be very careful about where you stow it and showing it.  Have $20-30,k in a checking acct with a debit card access from your US bank.  You can use your debit card to get cash from at least 3 banks here in Corozal.  almost all transactions are in cash here in Belize.   If you buy a new Kia truck here, plan to spend about $25,000 US.  To rent a house is first, last and damage.   To buy a house is infinite.  depends on which of your choices for residency, QRP is about $4000 US, Work permit is $2000 and mo to mo is $25 /mo for the first 6 mo and then $50/mo US   to ship goods from the USA depends entirely on where you are located and how far from Miami or Houston.  Miami ships containers by sea (2500$) and HOuston trucks overland via Mexico.  Depends if you ship and you are not in the QRP program you will pay to ship plus duty.  Duty is not predictable.  Some things such as customs and immigration require an expediter for efficiency, who will charge a fee and there are some extra fees from time to time in varying amounts.  If you want to bring in more than $10k cash you have to notify the USA feds.   These people (DEA, TSA & NSA) all think everyone who uses cash is money laundering & planning a bomb factory, so I suggest that is a poor option even if theoretically legal.  all is flexible depending on your own decisions.  If you are reading this blog, notice that EVERYONE suggests renting for a year and thoroughly exploring the country and the housing options before committing to a land or build purchase........   Even if you decide to stay in Belize the districts vary markedly in terrain and climate.  so your first choice may not be the choice you would make in a year.  Plz take your time, be careful with your money, and Welcome to Belize.  most of us love it here.    Best Luck.  Kris

Kris Thank you for your reply to Chollett this is very helpful information...Linda

We already plan to rent for at least a year and we've narrowed down our choice of places to three areas. As for a big bundle of cash, I think we will pass on that as there's no insurance that I know of that would cover theft.

Have some cash.  I understand the fear of losing it, but after 11 years in Belize I have never had anyone steal cash from me.  Just be smart about it.

You need some american cash.  Although the Belize dollar is pegged to the US dollar, the US dollar still favored for large transactions.  If you go to guatemala or Mexico, they won't take your Belizean cash (and vice versa.)  Lots of vendors give preferential treatment to people with US cash because they themselves need to go over the border to buy their stock, building supplies etc.  Often these people are asking each customer "Do you have US dollars?"  This even happens at the resorts.

Pulling everything from the cash machine can get expensive.  There is a conversion fee plus each bank takes a cut.  There is also a limit on how much cash you can pull out out one time, equivalent of $250 US and for that amount you will pay about 11 dollars in fees,  Some banks are cheaper than others, Atlantic bank ATMs seem to give the best rate.  Charging anything, 4 or 5% will be added to your bill.  If you need say 1000 for a transaction, it can be difficult to pull it all out the same day and it will cost you.

Travelers checks are also pretty worthless.

You may want to think about what would happen if your children grow up and do not want the "simple life" you are about to choose for them. The education system here is under-resourced and the level of high school and university graduates is low.
Also whatever idea you may have of "simplicity", the fact is that life is usually just as complicated anywhere so you had better come and put your feet on the ground before making any final decisions; and be sure to remove your rose-coloured spectacles because simplicity may be a mirage and you could be simply replacing one set of issues with another.

Prestonia wrote:

Have some cash.  I understand the fear of losing it, but after 11 years in Belize I have never had anyone steal cash from me.  Just be smart about it.

You need some american cash.  Although the Belize dollar is pegged to the US dollar, the US dollar still favored for large transactions.  If you go to guatemala or Mexico, they won't take your Belizean cash (and vice versa.)  Lots of vendors give preferential treatment to people with US cash because they themselves need to go over the border to buy their stock, building supplies etc.  Often these people are asking each customer "Do you have US dollars?"  This even happens at the resorts.

Pulling everything from the cash machine can get expensive.  There is a conversion fee plus each bank takes a cut.  There is also a limit on how much cash you can pull out out one time, equivalent of $250 US and for that amount you will pay about 11 dollars in fees,  Some banks are cheaper than others, Atlantic bank ATMs seem to give the best rate.  Charging anything, 4 or 5% will be added to your bill.  If you need say 1000 for a transaction, it can be difficult to pull it all out the same day and it will cost you.

Travelers checks are also pretty worthless.

You have been here 11 yrs...everything you said is not true. You can draw 800.00 belize from an ATM everyday, which is 400.00 American. It costs you a few dollars belize. My bank Chase in America takes 3 per% of all money I draw out in Belize then charges me 5.00 dollars for using their atm.

Good luck finding a better deal?

I am describing the ATMs in Cayo -- you are nitpicking the amount.  The point of the post is the same -- you need some american cash if you are going to buying anything major or want to be given preferential business treatment.

Scotiabank
Maximum withdrawal allowed: BZ$800
Bank fee: BZ$4

Belize Bank
Maximum withdrawal allowed: BZ$500
Bank fee: BZ$3

Atlantic Bank
Maximum withdrawal allowed: BZ$750 (used to be BZ$1000)
Bank fee: 2

IF, I do  mean IF, one is willing to pay a bit more, ther have been times when I went inside Atlantic bank, stood in line, (this can be lengthy) pay a fee and get $3000 +.           For a bank here in Corozal, we are leaning towards the Credit union which has all around better service,   ---- our opinion.  check it out for yourself.   For now, like Hawk, I have my income direct deposited into a USA Chase bank.

Our move has been postponed for health reasons but I am interested in starting an account on our next visit. Is the process at the Credit Union the same as the banks?

I think I'm going to switch to withdrawing from the Atlantic Bank's ATM- I didn't realize that the bank fees varied so much.
I'd rather pay $2 than $4.

If you do need US cash, without the bank costs - an option is to go to the money changers at the Corozal border with BZ cash. They give a straight up 2:1 and you can buy US from them. They also trade peso's if you are coming from Mexico.
I know that is not practical for most of the country to do that, but it is a good way to promote tourism up here - Come to Corozal for a Free Zone and money exchange holiday.

re the Credit Union in Corozal.   My husband recently opened an acct at the credit union and reported that it was routine.  show your passport, something to prove where you live etc.

Hi all,

Some off topic posts have been removed from the thread for info.

Thanks
Armand

Armand wrote:

Hi all,

Some off topic posts have been removed from the thread for info.

Thanks
Armand

Armand how will I ever get to 22000 posts if you keep deleting me....lmao....have a great day buddy

A friend told me sometimes you must tell people they are idiots to make them self aware...its a service I provide....

Travel update: we made it to Belize and back! It was a whirlwind of a trip, given we had time constraints due to work schedules here in the states. We flew into Cancun, and drove down to Belize. The rental car company failed to provide us with insurance documentation, causing us to have to leave the vehicle at the border. No problem.

We stayed at the Seabreeze, ate at Patty's, and enjoyed the nice breeze coming off the bay. We headed off to San Pedro to conduct banking business in the morning. Although it is the off season, San Pedro was still bustling with activity, maybe in preparation for Independence Day? While San Pedro does have some feels of a tourist town, it also was full of life that belongs to the Belizeans. It did not feel sketchy at all which of course is always comforting when traveling to a new country. We walked around all over the island, staying out until around 10. We stayed at the Coral Beach Hotel, having good conversations with the hotel owner!

We stayed the next day on the island, renting bicycles to cover more ground. We then went back to Corozal on the Thunderbolt, a nice ride! We stayed at the Hotel Maya, again, a nice establishment. We walked around Corozal that night, and stopped in for some food at Mai's Fast Food. It was quite good!

The next day was a travel day back to the border,then a long drive back to Cancun. It was a short trip, but worth it to finally put boot to ground in Belize. Overall, Corozal was very quite, and a little slower life than I had thought. This is not a bad thing. I enjoyed the island as well, seemed like a good place to set up business? Since we are in the building industry, and construction materials as well, I noticed more activity on SP than Corozal. Maybe I didn't notice it as much, but since we are a young couple, we still need a way to generate income once there.

Simple life for us, rose glasses removed, Belize was inviting and we look forward to moving there quite soon. We are a homeschooling family so we are not worried with the education system. All we are looking for is non major corporations owning and running everything, dictating what we can and cannot do. We do not want to go to Belize, live like kings while others starve. I know there is need in Belize. We want to come and help where we can, while providing a simple life (freedom from big government, etc) for our children.

Well, I thought you were going to at least say Hi! while you were here.

teamheisler wrote:

The next day was a travel day back to the border,then a long drive back to Cancun. It was a short trip, but worth it to finally put boot to ground in Belize. Overall, Corozal was very quite, and a little slower life than I had thought. This is not a bad thing. I enjoyed the island as well, seemed like a good place to set up business? Since we are in the building industry, and construction materials as well, I noticed more activity on SP than Corozal. Maybe I didn't notice it as much, but since we are a young couple, we still need a way to generate income once there.

Simple life for us, rose glasses removed, Belize was inviting and we look forward to moving there quite soon. We are a homeschooling family so we are not worried with the education system. All we are looking for is non major corporations owning and running everything, dictating what we can and cannot do. We do not want to go to Belize, live like kings while others starve. I know there is need in Belize. We want to come and help where we can, while providing a simple life (freedom from big government, etc) for our children.

Take a look at the building permits.  I say this because you can get a good sense of where the houses are being built and the places that you could likely find work.



Consejo outside of Corozal is the development building the most houses -- 25 in the last 4 years.

Another busy area is in Ladyville, which is outside of Belize city.  Look up Vista del MAr -- Another 25 houses have been built there too since 2009.  You might find that that area has what you want -- far enough out of Belize city, but close to building supplies (cloe to every kind of supply and right by the airport -- no more long treks to cancun.)

The big boom in San Pedro was really 10 years ago.  That's my opinion, but people have told me on other boards that the real estate prices are actually in decline there now.  I have seen many people defaulting on some pretty expensive homes


San Pedro also is expensive because everything has to be shipped out there -- building supplies will cost a lot more.

for team Heisler.......   there is a blog about building a house on San Pedro.  a blow by blow account of the building process as well as the builders etc.   John Scofield has written each day for over a year.  He also occasionally posts here as John Henry...   his house looks to me to be about $1 mil  that is just my estimate, since he does not include anything about prices.  This blog is probably worth the time it will take to review.

Hawk- sorry! It was a really short trip and mostly business next time!

Thanks for the other info you guys! We really just need a suitable place to be our jumping off point and a home base at first. Belize is a wonderful place, just need to see what place is best for our two very young kids

TeanH, well I'm glad you had a safe trip, I'll be here when you get back....seeya then :>)

To everyone who offered to meet up, I am sorry that we were not able to! This was such a short trip, but next time around..... Well next time around. We will be moving there!