BELIZE MAKES THE TOP 3 FOR INVESTMENT AND RELOCATION

Belize has become a very popular destination for ecotourism and relocation by Americans.  It is not only tourists who come here to learn new practices.  There are expats who choose Belize because of their feelings about ecology.  Belize is not yet paved over, and with only 300,000 people in the Country, this shall be the way it is for a LONG time !

My feeling is that Belize has it all- it is English speaking, two hours from Houston or Miami, Fresh fruits and vegetables grown organically and locally, Caribbean ocean and barrier reef and Mayan ruins.

When travelling to Belize, you will be amazed how friendly the locals are and welcoming. So whether you come for a trip, or to stay, you will know why Belize is tagged as “ UN-BELIZABLE !! “

Contact us at  Rainforest Realty as we home away from home in Belize — whether you live in-country or not.  We’re here to serve you and are dedicated to your needs.  We’re a real estate enterprise, relocation experts, and serve as an informal community center for expats.  We extend our hand of welcome to you !.  So take advantage of our ethics, expertise, and outstanding reputation and let us help you see why Belize made the top 3 !!

BELIZE IS IT FOR YOU ?

I love butterflies and what a joy it is to visit the Blue Morpho Butterfly Facility.  And for you orchid lovers, don’t forget they grow wild and glorious here all year long.
Do scenic waterfalls that tumble down lush mountainsides thrill your heart?  Mine too. There are endless ones to be found here.  And how about the sport of caving?  Belize is well known to serious cavers and the San Ignacio region has its share of huge cave systems — which are extensive throughout all of Belize.

Like to canoe and kayak?  You’ve got plenty of company and plenty of rivers and waterways available inland.  Horseback riding? Birding? Biking? Hiking?  This is an environment that provides it all.

And now to those stunningly haunting Mayan ruins so close by where I live.  Tourists love to journey here to experience them.  You can do that to your heart’s content while living in San Ignacio or thereabouts.  The beaches may be a beautiful place to meditate and contemplate Mother Nature but so are the wilds of the jungle!

Here’s an outstanding home and property for you to consider.

http://rainforestrealty.net/belize-hot-properties/415-listing-c19910bt.html
To view these wondrous ancient ruins, to experience yourself among them, and ponder the fate of the Mayans is deeply moving  and thought provoking.  Many experience intense spiritual journeys in the jungle.

As you may know, archeological activities in this region are ongoing and more is being discovered and uncovered all the time.  There are constant articles being written about new theories of Mayan development and history.  If you go to the bookstore in the U.S., you’ll find them in magazines.

Or — you can hear about it firsthand!  You can be on the scene here discussing the latest finds with archeologists from all over the world.  You can pick the brains of archeologists and find out what’s going on!

Here are several more excellent real estate listings very reasonably priced which my company has available near San Ignacio.  You’ll be able to explore Mayan ruins any time you feel like it.

http://rainforestrealty.net/belize-hot-properties/398-listing-r090910si.html

AND

http://rainforestrealty.net/belize-hot-properties/306-listing-r12901se.html

Let me know how I can help you here !!

BELIZE AND WHY ?

I’ve been so excited to let you see some of the wonderful real estate values available here in and around San Ignacio.  But now let me back up a bit here and tell you more about San Ignacio itself and why I think you would enjoy living here — just like me.

It is situated on the banks of the Macal River and the Mopan River, about 72 miles west of Belize City (get out your map) and 22 miles west of the country’s capital of Belmopan. San Ignacio is a very convenient 9 miles from the Guatemalan border (beyond which lie exquisite Mayan ruins).

San Ignacio is called Cayo locally and that’s how we refer to it.  There is also a sister city of Santa Elena situated just across the Macal River.  The Hawksworth Bridge joins them. It is the only suspension bridge in Belize; it has one lane and was built in 1949.  These two towns in the western interior make up the second largest urban area in Belize.

It’s so lovely here!  I chose to live in San Ignacio because of the always stunning vistas of mountains, jungles and rivers.  I also love the town market!  You’ll know where to find me every Saturday picking out the choicest fruits, meats, vegetables, and crafts brought in by farmers from the surrounding towns.  You’ll also see me busily chatting with my neighbors because going to market is a social event for the community.  Come on over, grab a local brew, and join us!

The population in San Ignacio is largely Mestizo (Spanish Maya) and Kriol with some Lebanese and Mopan residents also.  But remember, language is no barrier as English is the official language here.   Interestingly, San Ignacio also boasts a fairly large Chinese group, most of whom emigrated in the mid-20th century.  And surprisingly, a sizable farming Mennonite community resides near San Ignacio also. The Mennonites are very much in evidence with their extensive selection of produce at the market.  There are also smaller ethnic groups of Garifuna and East Indians.

According to the 2000 census, the combined population of these two towns was 16,400 people.   As for local government, San Ignacio is currently presided over by a Mayor and Town Council.   They are affiliated with the United Democratic Party (UDP).

Who lives here — besides me!  Well, there are peace corps workers, archeologists, lots of U.S. retirees (looking to stretch their pensions), adventure seekers, and those like me —– who visited and fell completely in love with Belize and packed up and moved in.

See this video that shows Belize and Why we have moved here ~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDiKKNXQuLo&feature=related

New Year PURSUIT OF THE GOOD LIFE IN BELIZE BY THE REVEREND MACARENA ROSE

So —- how would you like to become my neighbor in San Ignacio. I’d love to see you here and you are most welcome!!  My company, Rainforest Realty, has outstanding properties available here right now for excellent prices you can afford.  These are values you may not want to pass up.

My “new home town” of San Ignacio is a beautiful place to live.   We are in the western part of the country.  I know, I know.  You are thinking but what about those gorgeous beaches on the east coast and all that clear blue water and those protected reefs so perfect for diving.

They’re world famous and always there for you but there’s so much more to Belize.  Who knew!  And I’d like to share some of magnificent inland Belize with you.

Of course, Rainforest Realty has superb listings on the coast in your price range and we’re always happy to show them to you.  I will be discussing them in the future, but I thought that here I would concentrate on San Ignacio and its surrounding area.  They offer so much!  Not just in good real estate buys at very affordable prices, but in the dreamy, ethereal aesthetics that are part of the allure of Belize.

Consider enticing jungle trails overhung with exotic vines, orchids and bromeliads.  Let your imagination soar as your photograph and paint – and breathe in the clean air.   Can you handle hearing the calls of toucans and parrots and many other animals every day (that you thought lived at the zoo in the U.S.)?  You have a good chance to spot many different types of animals and plants here.  They’re considered exotic in other parts of the world, but here — they are just part of your everyday world.   From jaguars to the roaring howler monkey, their natural habitats are here in western Belize.

So Belize is for me, is it for you ?

BECOMING RESOLUTE IN YOUR PURSUIT OF THE GOOD LIFE IN BELIZE

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you have enjoyed a delightful holiday season with your loved ones.

So here we are in a wonderful New Year of possibilities ——– with those recent resolutions you made still fresh on your mind!

Did yours include one about becoming an expat? About making a long held dream come true? Could the moment have come…….

Now —– are you ready to do yourself a huge favor and explore the possibility of relocating to Belize. If your stress level in the U.S. continues to increase due to financial worries and/or a concern with quality of life in the fast lane — then maybe it’s time to bring your favorite fantasy to fruition.

You know the one I mean! Yes, you too can join us here in Belize and become an expat in what many consider paradise.

My personal motto has always been JUST DO IT. (But only after you’ve done your homework and checked things out!!). Come to Belize and INCREASE the power of your pocketbook and enjoyment of life while you DECREASE your stress and blood pressure readings!

Real estate industry House price statistics December 2009

Main points
Average prices of homes passed through Finn.no in December 2009 was 1.4 percent lower than in November. Adjusted for seasonal variations were prices 0.7 percent higher than in November, and the “underlying” price developments is thus positive. The fact that the actual price change is less than the seasonally adjusted means that prices in December normally develops
weaker than in an average month.

14.6 percent higher than in December 2008.
1.3 percent lower than in the peak months in August 2007. Adjusted for
inflation, prices are now 8 percent lower than they were in August 2007.
202 percent higher than in the previous peak year of 1987. Adjusted for
inflation, prices are now 72 percent higher than they were in 1987.
332 percent higher than in the base year 1992. Adjusted for inflation is
prices are 203 percent higher than they were in 1992.

Preliminary figures: The statistics produced 2 working days before month-end. All figures includes information about the last month are therefore preliminary. The figures for the second last month reviewed monthly so that we get with the observations for the last two
working days. Normally you do not audit store outlets in the figures. Size: statistics include properties that are advertised on Finn.no, ie between 1 / 3 and 1/2-parten of all dwellings sold in Norway within a year. Area: Even in December 2007, we have used Housing Area (BOA) NS 3940 as arealmål in the statistics. From January 2008, more and more homes have been sold and registered with the Primary Space Area. This target area has now virtually taken over completely.

Belize had it all

If you live in San Ignacio, you will become very familiar with Burns Avenue and its adjoining streets.  Here is a busy, bustling area for you to walk in (and burn off some of those fat/sugar induced pounds from all that fast food in the U.S.!) — filled with shops, hotels, restaurants, bars.  It’s a very friendly, hospitable place — enjoy.

Belize is keen on education for its children.  You will find three main colleges here.  Sacred Heart College of Catholic denomination is the biggest and largest institution with both a high school and a junior college division.  Eden Seventh Day Adventist High School and Saint Ignatius High School (Catholic) educate many students also.  Galen University opened its doors several years ago and is located at Central Farm, a couple of minutes away from San Ignacio.

If you require medical attention, the local facility is San Ignacio Hospital.

Here’s another real estate listing that may be the answer to your New Year’s resolution!
San Ignacio and its surroundings are very popular with tourists.  Some of the nearby  local attractions include the ancient Mayan ruins of  Caracol, Xunantunich, Cahal Pech, El PIlar, and Tikal (Guatemala, just over the border close by).   For cavers, there is the cave Actun Tunichil Muknal.  And for all you hikers and animal and plant enthusiasts, Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is right here.

You’ll be busy with all these activities while enjoying your new home and property!

Belize has become a very popular destination for ecotourism also.  It is not only tourists who come here to learn new practices.  There are expats who choose Belize because of their feelings about ecology.  Belize is not yet paved over!

Should you wish to visit and take a look-see at properties, one pleasing place to stay is the Cahal Pech Village Resort, very conveniently located in San Ignacio town, the heart of the Cayo District, approximately 75 miles west of Belize City.  You can also use this hotel as a base to visit all the nearby archaeological parks, caves and nature reserves.

The resort is wonderfully situated above the Macal River Valley and has spectacular views of the rainforest and wildlife to be found there.

But, of course, you can also visit all of our property listings online and email us anytime with your questions.  We love them!  Rainforest Realty is your home away from home — whether you live in-country or not.  We’re here to serve you and are dedicated to your needs.  We’re a real estate enterprise, relocation experts, and serve as an informal community center for expats.  We extend our hand of welcome to you 24/7.  So take advantage of our ethics, expertise, and outstanding reputation and let us help you find the home of your dreams!

Rainforest Realty – Your Home Away From Home

RainForest Realty – Your Home Away From Home

Belize Its just within your reach!!

We here at RAINFOREST REALTY are renowned for our ethics, our expertise AND our hospitality —– please consider us your home away from home —- and it doesn’t end there. We are always available to you to answer your questions about relocating to Belize and buying land and/or a house here, should you choose to do so. That’s our mission!

While we at RAINFOREST REALTY are greatly honored to be winning awards for our benchmark ethical standards in home buying in Belize, we are also pleased to serve as a community center and clearing house for expats. We love it! Before, during and after the sale — and even if you don’t buy — we weclome you to share our fun, friendly, and informative environment!

The Road to Becoming An Expat

You know my story. Now I’m wondering about yours. Are you already an expat or thinking about becoming one? Do you, like me, wonder what expats experience when moving abroad? Are all experiences pretty much the same or do they widely differ? What makes for success — and what about failure.

I plan to further explore these issues in the future, but here are a few thoughts.

The Expat Path

From my own observations, most people in the U.S. seem fairly glued to their fast food restaurants and tv remote controls. Most of us can related to the necessity of earning a living and getting totally caught up in the daily grind of getting by. This is very understandable. Been there, done that. And heaven knows all we read about is how exhausted Americans are by nightfall. And then they can’t sleep!

So what has to happen —- what kind of intervention takes place — to set one on the expat path. What process begins that has someone heading off for the wild blue yonder —- in another country and culture. We read all the time how immigrants from other countries will take many great risks to get to the United States. They are willing to risk their lives to become expats here.

So why are U.S. citizens headed out the other way —– and making their way to live abroad. Is there something we don’t know? Is the grass always greener? It certainly makes one pause to think about it, contemplate and speculate.

Activating the Expat Factor

I myself like to muse that there is something, a spark within all of us —- that when activated, gets us going! Over mountains, across oceans and deserts — and even into outer space! Human beings are amazing in how once an idea is generated —– they pursue it so singlemindedly. And have chosen the expat life for thousands of years — as archeological discoveries constantly remind us!

Off We Go to Belize !!

Its a very Big leap But a very Fruitful one !!

Off We Go to Belize !!

So we loaded up, took off, landed in Belize and I have never looked back. It was the right move at the right time to the right place! I consider myself most fortunate to now reside in Belize and greatly enjoy life here. I’ve been greatly welcomed and made to feel at home. Belizeans are like that —- very friendly folks!

I felt so comfortable here that I even started my own business enterprise.

Yes — I opened RAINFOREST REALTY to enhance YOUR REALITY here and make home buying a safe, ethical, rewarding experience for YOU, the expat in residence.

RAINFOREST REALTY helps guarantee a safe and rewarding REALITY for you in Belize!

Reality of Owning Real Estate

I thank the kind client/friend here who says one of the reasons he is pleased to be an expat in Belize is the “low cost of purchasing wonderful property with the aid of a great realtor”. My company and I like to please our customers!

This same person says he also appreciates “actually owning property with a deed”.
This is what we at Rainforest Realty strive to provide and have worked so hard to achieve. We are very proud of this accomplishment!

Another client/friend says, “The upsides to Belize over Mexico and a lot of the Caribbean were the land ownership laws. You get clear title to your land in Belize [thanks to the pioneering efforts of Rainforest Realty] and also there are no punitive taxes on the purchase or sale if you are a ‘foreigner’.

Plus you are pleasantly surprised every time you go and pay your land taxes, and also the ability to pay them up to ten years in advance is a real bonus”.

Hey, if you’re interested in owning land in Belize, what’s not to like!

Stretching Your Dollars in Belize

We can’t ignore the hardcore reality of what it takes to live a middle class lifestyle in modern day America. So I would say that for many, financial considerations are a major motivation in choosing the expat lifestyle.

And if you’re a retiree — whoopee! Those hard earned pensions stretch further in a country like Belize and let you live and buy land and have something left over too.

I think all of us are appreciating this fact more than ever, given the uncertain status of the U.S. economy today.

It is my own personal theory that the lessening of economic stress contributes greatly to personal happiness and probably leads to better health and longer life!

My Own Journey Continues

I know what happened to me —- and you do too if you’ve been following my tale. I’m the lady who was living very comfortably in Florida with my children and dogs. Who went to Belize on a mission with my church. And got the strongest “calling” you can imagine — to come back and live life in Belize!

One Big family knows how to stretch their dollar!!

I listened to my inner heart and took a chance on life. I took the kids and dogs and off we went. But ONLY, of course, after I had done much soul searching and extensive internet searching too —- to find out everything I could about living in Belize. To prepare myself so I’d know what to expect.

(Please remember my mantra and advice which I am always dispensing –- DO YOUR HOMEWORK FIRST! MOVING ABROAD REQUIRES EXHAUSTING RESEARCH ON YOUR PART! CHECK IT ALL OUT!)

Feel free to contact me at: macarenarose@gmail.com

Also- you will want to check out www.expatbelize.com for more Belize info !!

www.rainforestrealty.net

www.macarenarose.com