AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Chat Area SHOULD I RETIRE IN BELIZE?

I am living in CA and am currently doing my research on many possible areas to re-locate. I want to purchase a lot and build, a small home, or condo... any property must be reasonably safe, must give me a place for my two dogs to be confined, and must be near or on the beach. I hope to hear from some people... past visitors, locals, or anyone with another great idea of a location to consider. Thanks, Rick

SHOULD I RETIRE IN BELIZE? single choice

looking to purchase a lot and build (17%, 2 Votes)

OR looking to purchase a small home or condo (83%, 10 Votes)

Total Votes: 12 Voting on this poll ends: 0 seconds ago

Plenty of retired gringos here and more coming every day. You will find those features here, if you can afford them. This isn't the cheapest place to settle but many think its the nicest. You need to come check it out for yourself. No one else can do that.

definately check it out first... take a small vacation there and scope out the place for potential living spots... it'll give u a better feel of what u'd be getting into!

desert.:. since ur writing in other threads about re:ur thread... i'll just answer here!! SP is beautiful... beach life is amazing! water is warm... the island is fairly safe and the closest city is Belize City! just think Caribbean... but honestly its a beautiful spot that i have no complaints about!

My choice!! Lived all over the world including Ca. Too beautiful for words but what makes this place so special is the people! Love them! Loads of choices for condos, from $105 to ...... Houses are harder to find but there. Don't have to learn a new language..still don't speak spanish. Too old. If you can stay here for a month, and you feel at home, move down!

HGTV featured Belize on "House Hunters International", it will air again:
• November 03, 2006 10:30 PM ET/PT
• November 04, 2006 2:30 AM ET/PT

Not the same as a visit - but it's a start!

Come stay a couple months and then decide. A vacation is not long enough to get a feel for the place.

i bought my house on my first trip down.

everyone is different. if you know yourself well, have thought it through, you will know if you need to visit.

i love my island, i love my house, i am making great friends, and i am happier than i have been in a long time (tuna issues aside )

I am not sure I agree but perhaps it is not my place to speak since I am not a gringo.
Most gringos come down and say that but the true test is those who make it more than one year.

Observer, you do have a point too. Have seen people come and go. I think it also depends on what your expectations are when you come. Many come hoping to start a business, or think it is less expensive than living in the States. Usually those are the people who move on. If you are coming to retire it is certainly a great deal easier. Have had our house for over 20yrs. and wouldn't be anywhere else. Like everyone else, love the people and friends we've made over the yrs. Every time we think of exploring other options, we look at what we have here and just say , Nah.

what's retire mean? If you want to go live there, and contribute...of course...if you want to just add to the confusion...no

A strange proposition...living a decent, honest life in Belize is not enough...yah need to contribute? The great thing about retirement...no guilt!!!

Vacationing here is easy. Living here is totally different. You need lots of patience, a sense of humor, an easy going personality and low expectations. If you have all these, you can not be dissappointed.

outta curiousity... patience for what?!?!?

patience for everything! When someone says to you 'right now!', they really mean 'eventually'. Patience for BEL to turn the power back on when the electricity goes out every single night (as it has been all week). Patience when you're waiting in line to pay for something and 3 people butt in line infront of you. Patience when you're driving along and have to wait a couple minutes for the guy ahead of you to finish his conversation with the guy in the other car. Patience for the rain to stop when it seems it will never end so you can get out of the house before you kill your spouse... I could go on....

haha... that the island life for u... ppl are very laid back well i've noticed anyway!

but that does make sense what ur saying like if ur not a patient person... learn to be!

What a question!! Should you retire in Belize?? Amazing.. If you don't know, who would know?? A band of strangers to you?? I just find it amazing that anyone would ask something like this, everyone need to do what feels good in their gut in order to feel good about their choices, not what everyone else think is good..

Now if you asked how it is to live in Belize it would put things in a different light.. that is easy.. do you have all the time and patience in the world, respect for others, an open mind, without all the 'must have' ideas, economy to pull it off, a good part of commonsence toghether with an understanding and empathy for the ones that doesn't and believe you have what it takes to live on a small island it is wonderful, if not, it is terrible..

My grannie used to say; listen to the advices of others, reflect over them, throw away the ones you don't like and make a decision from what your hart tells you to do... the times I have followed her advice things has worked out to the better...

Good luck!

i think u just contradicted what u said...
he's getting advice from others on this board... and sometimes getting an opinion from strangers is better than well no opinion... and from there he'll make a decision...

sorry just mho...