Belize and Nicaragua Offer Beautiful and Affordable Property

Real estate investors, retirees and those who will soon retire are all considering where to invest in property, either for a long/short term investment or for a vacation or retirement residence. Two markets to seriously consider are the Central American countries of Belize and Nicaragua. Tourism in both these countries has been growing steadily over the last decade and where tourist and leisure money goes, so should real estate investments.

Nicaragua is a country emerging from a troubled past with a democratically elected government that is committed to having a free-market economy. Tourism is now Nicaragua's major industry. Nicaragua real estate prices are considerably less here than in Costa Rica and Panama. The cost of living is very affordable. The country is experiencing a buyer's market and the region is on the brink of a real estate boom on the back of new tourism arrivals, low prices and infrastructure improvements. Most property purchases here are in cash so a real estate foreclosure is extremely rare, a factor providing the market with considerable stability. For retirees or soon to be retired folks who have watched their dream of retiring in Florida become unaffordable in recent years, the real estate potential in Nicaragua offers a real alternative lifestyle.

Belize is a part of the Commonwealth of Great Britain and the only English speaking country in Central America. The legal system is based on British law and as such is more familiar to investors from North America than the Napoleonic system prevalent elsewhere in the region.  Belize is also experiencing great growth in tourism, and the real estate market offers no barriers for foreign investors. Property taxes are just one percent and Belize real estate has no capital gains and no inheritance tax.  Fee simple property titles are available and perhaps best of all, prices are far lower than more established parts of the Caribbean.