Sunday, March 22, 2009
Top Retirement Real Estate investment
The Wall Street Journal Calls Roatan "the Region's Next 'It' Spot"
Listed on CNNmoney.com's "Hottest Foreign Second Home Markets"
Why Roatan?- not Mexico, and other places south?
I am often asked this question by people looking to relocate to Roatan or invest in the island for vacations or future usage. Why Roatan? Why not Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize?
Obviously there are pros and cons to all places. I could go down the line here doing an evaluation of each country or place but there’s really no need. It comes down to a couple of things as far as I am concerned.
First of all, Roatan is a Caribbean island; none of the others are. Islands have a certain "lure" about them, a mystique and a seduction which conjures up the same image in everyone’s mind – warm, clear water and soft sand between your toes. As a practical matter, islands also have the advantage of cooling breezes from the sea during the heat of summer, (yep - you are a heck of a lot closer to the equator here). Roatan is only 2-3 miles wide which means that the air is approximately the temperature of the water. So when the air temperature wants to be 100º the breeze can easily make it in the 80º's. Very nice.
Geographically, it is like comparing Florida with eastern Caribbean Islands; tough to do. Florida is a nice place; warm climate, nice beaches…..a good spot. But when you think of Cayman. BVI, Bahamas... is Florida in your thought process? I wouldn’t think so and often neither are the pricing structures. I believe the same comparison can be made when looking at Central America versus the Bay Islands. Central American countries have warm climates; have beaches and certainly pluses to consider. None, though, are islands. The Bay Islands are mainly English speaking. To some people that may not make a difference, but to many that is a big deal, especially if they are coming from North America. Purchasing property in a foreign country is a cultural difference to begin with, but now throw in learning a new language to boot? English speaking is a real plus for most comfort levels.
Other points to put in your decision-making hat: Honduras is a democratic country, has tropical islands which are mostly English speaking, reasonable prices, white sand beaches, aqua blue waters, direct flights from the states and seasonally from Madrid, Rome, Milan and Canada, low taxes, many pluses..................... elements sure do add up on the plus side of the evaluation process in favor of a place like Roatan.
Listed on CNNmoney.com's "Hottest Foreign Second Home Markets"
Why Roatan?- not Mexico, and other places south?
I am often asked this question by people looking to relocate to Roatan or invest in the island for vacations or future usage. Why Roatan? Why not Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize?
Obviously there are pros and cons to all places. I could go down the line here doing an evaluation of each country or place but there’s really no need. It comes down to a couple of things as far as I am concerned.
First of all, Roatan is a Caribbean island; none of the others are. Islands have a certain "lure" about them, a mystique and a seduction which conjures up the same image in everyone’s mind – warm, clear water and soft sand between your toes. As a practical matter, islands also have the advantage of cooling breezes from the sea during the heat of summer, (yep - you are a heck of a lot closer to the equator here). Roatan is only 2-3 miles wide which means that the air is approximately the temperature of the water. So when the air temperature wants to be 100º the breeze can easily make it in the 80º's. Very nice.
Geographically, it is like comparing Florida with eastern Caribbean Islands; tough to do. Florida is a nice place; warm climate, nice beaches…..a good spot. But when you think of Cayman. BVI, Bahamas... is Florida in your thought process? I wouldn’t think so and often neither are the pricing structures. I believe the same comparison can be made when looking at Central America versus the Bay Islands. Central American countries have warm climates; have beaches and certainly pluses to consider. None, though, are islands. The Bay Islands are mainly English speaking. To some people that may not make a difference, but to many that is a big deal, especially if they are coming from North America. Purchasing property in a foreign country is a cultural difference to begin with, but now throw in learning a new language to boot? English speaking is a real plus for most comfort levels.
Other points to put in your decision-making hat: Honduras is a democratic country, has tropical islands which are mostly English speaking, reasonable prices, white sand beaches, aqua blue waters, direct flights from the states and seasonally from Madrid, Rome, Milan and Canada, low taxes, many pluses..................... elements sure do add up on the plus side of the evaluation process in favor of a place like Roatan.
Labels: Caribbean Escape, IRA, retirement investment, Roatan Honduras Golf Black Pearl Pete Dye Course, Tea Party, vacation homes
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