Caribbean Islands Realty
Gales, Tales & Rales from 35 years in the Caribbean. Real Estate Agents you will love to write home about!
Apr
13
    
Filed Under (News, Real Estate, Resorts) by Jim Walberg on 13-04-2008

South Beach - Belize is perfectly positioned for the explosion happening with European investors in the Caribbean!

Article By Poyel Nelson:  “The headline on the International Living Magazine in December 2007 is straight forward: ‘Belize: Buy Before The Europeans!’ 57-belize-reef-photo.jpg(Remember my last posting about South Beach - Belize?) Amongst the financial crises triggered by the real estate market woos in the US caution is advisable over such a bullish statement. So, what are the reasons for such a headline?

“Direct flights from Europe to Belize City will be launched by late 2008. This is major news for Belize and its real estate market. Europeans, armed with their strong currency, will most likely start to travel to this English speaking country in greater numbers. Transit though the U.S will no longer be required for European visitors. They will come for the classic Caribbean experience, the world class diving, the jungles and rainforests, the Mayan ruins, the waterfalls and rivers. And some will want to stay or retire here; hence real estate dollars are likely to follow close behind.

“We could observe this effect of new flight routes on real estate markets before. 57-belize-dock.jpgWherever Ryanair (Ryaniar is a major European low cost airline) has started flying, the Irish and the British have followed and real estate markets have prospered. This is now called the ‘Ryanair effect’.  Rumor has it that direct flights to Belize from Canada might also start soon. Real estate is all about timing and right now could be the time to focus in on this stunning country in the Caribbean. Property prices are still well below regional benchmarks. Let’s look at some of Belize’s characteristics to further elaborate whether the above proposed demand really is valid:

“The Belize River flows through the middle of the country. With a Caribbean coastline, the Belize Barrier Reef and the Maya Mountains, there is a diverse countryside with plenty of outdoor recreation. The longest living barrier reef in the western hemisphere, and the second longest in the world, attracts divers from all around the world to Belize. This Central American country is a former British Colony also known as British Honduras and 57-belize-barrier-reef.jpghas adopted English as native language. It is considered one of the most stable Caribbean governments with a Parliament as their ruling body. Retirees in Belize can apply for a special status that provides tax breaks on retirement income and extends easy import of household items and furnishings.

“Belize has the lowest population density in the Central American Region, and one of the lowest in the world. There is room for many people in Belize.  Adding to Belize’s attractions is the cultural and ethnic diversity. There appears to be almost no friction between the harmoniously blended cultures and races. Belize is home to a wide range of ethnicities including Mennonites, Chinese, Mayan, Spanish, Lebanese, and East Indian. Culture, economy and geography make Belize a desirable place to live. With this Caribbean country becoming more accessible through air travel it seems to be positioned well for significant growth in its economy, in general travel, and eventually, its real estate market.

Poyel Nelson certainly supports our interest in South Beach Belize.  Remember, pre-construction prices are well below regional markets with lots starting at USD$99,950 to USD$6,913,000 for 36-unit boutique hotel/restaurants. This may be the project to act upon NOW. I will keep you posted as I continue my real estate detective work in the Caribbean.  Contact me anytime.  Until next time…



Comments:
5 Comments posted on "Caribbean Real Estate: Belize Is One Of THE Top Hotspots!"
Tom McPeak, Ph.D. on April 13th, 2008 at 8:28 pm #

Jim:
Thanks for the update on the increasing convenience to Europeans of travel to Ambergris Caye/Belize/South Beach Belize, which is near to my heart. You may remember from a previous conversation we had about my “Sixteen Criteria” for the ideal Caribbean development location (http://www.caribbeanislandsrealty.com/real-estate/criteria-to-consider-for-caribbean-island-developments/) that one of them was “direct flights from major U.S. airports”. I probably should have just said DIRECT FLIGHTS, since one can almost feel that the vacation has started when the plane is boarded, if you know when you wake up that you will be there! The article also points out another of my criteria which is a low population density. Not only does this favorable density exist in Belize as a country, but it is also true on Ambergris Caye, which has only about 8,000 people on a 25-mile long island. Also, 88% (7,000 out of the 8,000) live in San Pedro, which provides the critical mass needed for boutique shops and an array of excellent restaurants. Thanks for sharing your findings with the rest of us!

Jim Walberg on April 13th, 2008 at 11:19 pm #

Dr. McPeak, it is always enlightening when you show up in the comment section of my blog. I do believe that your group has hit a home run with South Beach Belize. It will be very interesting to see if Ryanair completes their contracts for direct flights from Europe. Let me know if you hear any more rumblings about this possible event. Until next time.

Jerry L. Wallace on April 14th, 2008 at 3:08 pm #

Jim:
I would like to comment as the U.S. Sales & Marketing Manager of South Beach Belize: European interest in excellent Caribbean resorts such as South Beach Belize on Ambergris Caye will certainly be positively affected by increased travel efficiency. It is also positively influenced by the continuing strength of the EURO relative to the dollar. I believe another factor driving Caribbean real estate appreciation is the uniqueness, relative to European resort opportunities. Let me explain: (1.) Many of the new European resorts are in traditional second-home locations, where the markets are mature, and prices are relatively high. There is therefore not a high value to cost ratio. (2.) Some of the less traditional but more affordable new resort locations such as in Eastern Europe have begun to experience declining values. (3.) The second-home investment opportunities for Europeans in their own region do not provide as great a climactic and natural-environment contrast to their primary residence as does the Caribbean region, which is widely regarded to be among the most pristine and beautiful on the earth. Do you know anyone who does not warm to the thought of blue seas, blue skies, white sand, and waving palms? It’s the image a lot of people keep on their computer desktop!

Jim Walberg on April 14th, 2008 at 4:26 pm #

Jerry, you have again hit a bulls eye on the factors driving the world to the Caribbean; exotic, climate, adventures, value of the currency used to purchase properties (Euro), ease of travel, and…is viewed as one of the safest places in the world to travel and own real estate - a BIG factor given the political climate of the world. Stay tuned, I have more discoveries in the Caribbean to share with you. As always, thank you for your thoughtful comments.

[...] Caribbean Real Estate: Belize Is One Of THE Top Hotspots!57-belize-reef-photo.jpg Amongst the financial crises triggered by the real estate market woos in the US caution is advisable over such a bullish statement. So, what are the reasons for such a headline? … [...]

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