3 Main Concerns of Relocating to Belize

Hi Sharon - Great question!  We have not relocated there YET, but hope to within the next 2 years.  My top 3 concerns would be:

1. I have read that dogs are not treated very well there.  I am an animal lover, and I will have a problem seeing any kind of animal cruelty.

2.  Bugs.  I am ok with snakes and mice, but I have a bug phobia, and may have to use hynosis to get over it! 

3.  Lack of infrastructure.

None of those things is enough to make us change our minds though!

Lorinda

Thanks for these, Lorinda.  I'll be writing responses to all of them either on my website, wealthships.com, or my fan page, facebook.com/wealthships so stay tuned.

I'm curious, what do you mean specifically by infrastructure?  Would love it if you could expand so I could properly address the concern. Thanks for participating!

Sharon

Hi Sharon - by lack of infrastructure, I'm referring to a lack of government resources.  Electric service is expensive and unavailable in some areas.  There is also a sketchy fire service in San Pedro.  Now it sounds like i'm putting down my future home. Honestly, we are ready to completely dive in and make San Pedro our home, even with our concerns.  Thats all part of the adventure, right?   What fun would it be if it were exactly like back home? 

The only reason I mention fire service, is that we both work for firefighting agencies, so it's something we think about.

my 3 main concerns when moving to Belize would be an a low cost but clean Aparpment located within walking distance of a market or store availability of medical care  and phone service to call back to the states that is not to costly. 

                                       David1946

that is an excellent question. i guess my 3 main concerns would be:

the over populating of ex-pats! kinda takes away from the experience if you are living with people from the country you just left.

the consequences of over building and population on Ambergris. i can only hope that Belize's focus is maintaining it's precious reef, marine and land life.

that things will slowly turn Americanized. that is probably my BIGGEST concern.

My three biggest concerns:

1. Crime - worried about being burglarized mostly
2. Finding out we don't really fit in even though we love the country and the people we've met, but vacationing and living in a place are not the same thing.
3. Getting bored, not enough to keep us occupied.  We hope that is not the case, but many people that question us about "Why Belize" seem to imply that it might be.

Thank you for asking!  A very interesting discussion indeed.

Thanks everyone for your questions. Please keep them coming.  Today on my blog, wealthships.com, I answered David's questions to the best of my ability and experiences.  You may want to consider subscribing to the blog via e-mail so you'll know when my answers to your questions come out.  Take care, Sharon

My main concerns?

1. Having enough monthly income to live comfortably.  I wouldn't mind working eventually but if it takes me a while to locate a job I want to make sure I'll still be ok.  Any ideas what a safe monthly income for a single person living on the mainland should be?

2. I'm a little worried about living in Belize as a single woman--will I be safe?

3. I want to make sure travel back to California is not only convenient but also relatively affordable.

My 3 concerns were the same as CaribeGal.

1.  Crime-but I realize you have to take precautions in certain areas at home just like abroad.  Some areas at home I would not go, the same as in Belize. 
2.  Leaving my friends and not fitting in or finding friends.  I am not sure why I would worry about this..I have never had a problem having an endless amount of friends where ever I go.
3.  Getting bored- my husband always said we would retire in Key West..and I definitely felt I would get bored there.  So I guess Belize would be an upgrade.  There are plenty of surrounding Central American countries I would like to visit.

I've been there 3 times but haven't lived there yet.  I plan to move there within 2 years.  The last time I rented a car and drove all over the north & western half of the country for 2 weeks just to get a feel for the place.  Then I spent a couple weeks in Plcencia for Lobster fest and diving.  I think Belize is the place for me for about 50 resons but the top three concerns I have might be:

1-Crime in certain areas and not others. Belize City for sure, San Agacio, Placencia., Belmopan and Corozol are not a concern.  You just have to be smart and get connected within the expat community whereever you are.  I felt safe everywhere I went.

2- From an investment perspective Guatamaula has always wanted to re-claim Belize and/or another global meltdown will hit tourism hard and that would hurt the Belizean economy.

3- If I buy I will need to have someone house sit while away as the locals are notorious for looting if you leave your home empty.

We are both retired and looking for a warm safe place to retire.  We have thought Florida, but as Canadians we can only live there 6 months which means the expence of 2 homes.

My 3 concerns in Belize would be: We only have 2....

1st is the crime rate, statistics put it at the 7th worst in the world per capita.

2nd is medical, I am a type 2 diabetic, no complications as yet as I keep the sugars under contol. But i would need to find a general practitioner so that i can be followed and get presciptions and lab. tests etc.

These are really the only concerns we have.

Thanks very much, your blog is very pertinent for future expats.

Tony

My wife and I are coming down in April on a fact finding vacation in April and have few question we hope you can answer.
1. Buying a condo vs house vs villa.... I know each has it's own advantages and disadvantages (Example: Most condos appear to be right on the shore and not too many are away from the shore or inland.  I see many houses for sale with security bars: ie higher crime/bigger targets?) I'd like to hear your take on it.
2. Activities on the Island:  I have heard that the mainland expat communities in the Corozal area have extensive activities.  I do not know much about island activities beyond scuba diving, nightlife and the fitness clubs.
3. Any unique "Bumps" in your process moving to the islands? things that might be good to know?

KevinF

Hi,

I am new to this forum and my husband and I are planning to visit in May to check out the possibility of moving there. We are doing tons of research and love the ocean and the mountains, so haven't decided where to focus our attention yet.  We will rent first to try out an area, but still have a few things we are worried about.

1)  Safety- statistic imply a high crime rate per capita and the neighboring countries also have a high crime rate.  How safe is a 'Gringo' who would be perceived as wealthy compared to locals?

2)  Hurricanes-  coming from Houston, with the emergency evacuation plans and such, how prepared is Belize for natural disaster?  Where does one go to escape if living on the coast?

3)  Ability to support ourselves-  Although 45, my husband does not have a pension or annuity.  Unless there is some other form of money that is allowed to qualify for QRP, he would need to continue to do web developing and I would need to run our website [Moderated]   Is it possible to get reliable high speed internet in Belize?

I guess those are my main concerns, although the mosquitoes and sand fleas sound a bit concerning too. LOL  We are excited to come and check it out.  Our friends who moved to Placencia said they love it, but it is not for everyone. )

Thanks for any feedback!

Hi everyone, my husband and I have been down twice now, rented a car and drove down south.  Stayed in Hopkins village (and when I say village, I mean village)  although poor,we were helped with whatever we needed.  Treated very nice by everyone we met.  We have purchased property off of the coastal road in a development called dreamscapes of belize.  we drove out and walked around the land, came across workers, asked and recieved answers, directions and such.  we never felt afraid even though we were in the boonies by ourselves.  I am so ready to get back.  Plan to begin building in a few years.  My biggest concerns are also healthcare and crime.  But the research Ive done so far seems very positive on both aspects.  You have to use common sense just like we do here.  Belize city I hear has its bad side.  The most negative stuff Ive discussed with others living there already,  is that poeple that have been hired to work, are the ones that have stolen from them.  How sad, but it happens everywhere, huh? hope this helps and its great chatting with you all.

Hi Vidor.  I've been to Hopkins as well and it is a very, very small village in Belize.  Quite beautiful tho.

There is mostly petty theft crime in Belize, due to the high poverty level.  Belize City is by far the worst.  I feel much safer here in Belize (lived in San Pedro and now San Ignacio) than I did in the States.  Just use common sense and you'll be fine. Also get a dog or two.

Health care is a bit more challenging.  Private medical doctors are available for about $25 USD a visit.  Most prescriptions are available for about $10-50 USD depending on what it is, but some medications are very hard or impossible to find.  You may find you have to go to Mexico to get them.

The San Ignacio hospital didn't even charge me for my doctor visit or prescriptions, but they misdiagnosed me too.  If anything major happens to you, you can go the big hospital in Belize City (Karl Huesner), but you should never get any major surgery there.  They also don't perform MRI's anywhere in the country.  We had to go to Merida, Mexico for that, and the surgeons there were great!

You may want to consider getting health care insurance and taking the 2 hour flight back to Houston, but in an emergency, that can be risky.  I hope there health care improves in the near future.

Also, in San Pedro, if you have a medical emergency, there is no way to get off the island at night.

Hello!  I'm new to this forum also and my husband and I are thinking of possibly retiring to Belize in the near future.  We're planning to vacation there for 10 days in May to look things over.  We're going to stay in Placencia and may try to get to Corazal for a few days also.  Has anyone been to either town?  I know they are very different.  We love the looks of Placencia from what we've seen online but I believe Corazal is larger and closer to Mexico if healthcare is needed.  My husband is concerned with crime, I believe it's just as it is here, there are areas you stay out of and things happen even in the best neighborhoods.  You just have to be alert to what's going on and take whatever precautions you can.  Any info anyone can provide that might make our visit go as well as it possibly can is greatly appreciated since my husband is taking some convincing on this move.  Thank you in advance.

Hi wealthships, thanks so much for the info.What kind of health insurance do you suggest down there. ive been looking at stuff, but of course they can't give us a quote for several years down the road.  I guess if you were going to fly back to states on a couple times a year, you would probably want to have an international policy of some kind.  I assume they cover both countries, but not sure about this.

Hi All.  Would like to began the process for the Belize "QRP."  Could anyone who have successfully completed the process give any advice, do's and don'ts, and how they did it.  Thanks

Razorblade, please visit my website, http://www.wealthships.com, and see my 2/21 blog about my experience w/ the QRP. I hope you find it helpful.

Sharon

Wealthships wrote:

Razorblade, please visit my website, http://www.wealthships.com, and see my 2/21 blog about my experience w/ the QRP. I hope you find it helpful.

Sharon

Hello Sharon I have looked and not found that blog, although I do not know anything about them, would you be so kind as to post it here.
Donna

Hello DonnaMC and welcome to Expat.com!

Regards,
Harmonie.

Sure, Donna, here's the link:

http://www.wealthships.com/2011/02/21/t … o-not-qrp/

Hope you find it helpful!

Sharon Hiebing

Our main concerns are;
    Can we really live there on $2800. to $3000. a month in something other than a shack?
    Can we find good medical and dental care without coming back to the states?
    I guess fitting in is third.
Thanks to wealthships for asking and many thanks to those on the blog for the help and info we have received so far.
Email: [email protected]

Hey Ardee - it's been my pleasure.  So when you say can you live on $2800-3000, are you speaking USD? Or some other currency, like Belize?  Let me know.

Also, to everyone, I'm going to be getting serious about answering each and everyone of your questions to the best of my ability based on my experience.  When I created this question, I had no idea how popular it would become, so I apologize I haven't done a better job "keeping up," that will be changing.

So make sure to keep an eye on my blog and/or facebook fan page so you can see when the answers to your questions are posted.

And feel free to keep them coming.  Off to the Placencia Lobsterfest this weekend - can't wait!!  Take care all!

Sharon Hiebing

As I read all of the posting, I believe my concerns are right in there with the other members.

You read about crime and yes it is everywhere.  I do notice alot of homes with gates and walls.

The laid back life style is probably good for all of us.  We could all use some good old fashion down time.

I believe the lack of transportation and infrastucture to explore might be a problem after awhile, but being on a boat 24/7 would help with that.

Health concerns would rate right up there too.

See..............  same as most.

Leaving from NJ next Friday for the Chill Weekend at Orchid Bay.  We will see!

John Huster  [email protected]

Sorry, Forgot that detail. I am talking USD.

Thank you for all your valuable info.  We visited Placencia in May and I fell in love with it, plan to explore the northern region and San Pedro in the fall.  We are very interested in possibly retiring there soon and know there's still a lot of info we need.  I did read your book Anti-Love at First Sight and found it very interesting and useful.  I can't wait for your next two and would like to know when to look for them.  Since I was so in love with Placencia, I thought I should look into your advice, I feel so much better about my feelings about the little village.  It's not just it's so nice to vacation there, it's what I've been longing for as a retirement home for the rest of my life.  I've had big homes, lots of "stuff" and what everyone here would think is a wonderful life, and it has been, but I am looking for something very different for my future.  I want a "back to nature" life where all the stuff doesn't mean anything and people and this beautiful world do.  I want to spend my time exploring nature instead of cleaning the house and shopping.  I'm also very apprehensive about the way things are going here in the US, I think we're going to see very hard times for a very long time. 

I'm not kidding myself that everything is perfect in Belize but I do think it's much more what I want.  Thank you so much for your help and I'm looking forward to reading more of what everyone has to say.

having made an exploratory visit to Belize 2 months ago, my concerns are:
1. Over-paying for property because I'm a 'gringo', or possibly having foreign-owned property confiscated and nationalized.

2. Availability of quality emergency health care.  If I get injured or sick I can take a boat or car to a hospital, but if I have a heart attack that won't be an option.

3. Crime.  I realize you can put bars on your windows and a fence around your property but then it would feel more like a prison than paradise. 

Incidentally, these concerns are not unique to Belize.  I would have them regardless where I consider retiring - even in the States.

Russ

Hi Cseliak - thanks for reading my book - I'm glad you found it helpful.  The next two will be out within the year - I'll be announcing it on my facebook fan page, so if you haven't liked the page yet, you may want to.  Placencia is one of my favorite spots - it sounds like your goals and needs align nicely with what it has to offer.

Russ, I answered the crime issue on my blog (wealthships.com) a couple of weeks ago - if you can't find the blog, let me know.

In regards to overpaying for property, I also wrote a blog on that too, but yes, you have to be very careful when buying here. That's why I recommend waiting 6 months to a year because you'll be much more educated about values since there is no formal MLS system here.  Also, highly recommend using a buyer agent and not dealing directly with a seller yourself.  Confiscation by the government is quite rare, but there is a big scandal right now with the land title department, so I'd be very careful before buying anything in Belize.

I'll try to write a blog on medical soon - it's a big expat concern!

Adree, hopefully you saw my blog on cost of living. Thanks all!

Sharon Hiebing

Found your blog and have subscribed!  Thanks.

Thanks, Russ! Might want to fan my Facebook page too since I do all sorts of fun daily Belize tidbits there - ok, enough promoting for today (sorry).

Hi Sharon, I did indeed see it and it did put things into a better perspective for us. I am very grateful for all of the advice and help. We will be in Corozal Aug 28 for 3 days. we want to come to San Ignacio while we are there. The Cayo area looks more and more like what we want and the cost of living info is right in line with our needs as well. Thanks again!!

1.  Security

2.  Medical

3.   Closest place to safely hanger an airplane.

ringnecks4ever wrote:

1.  Security

2.  Medical

3.   Closest place to safely hanger an airplane.

Hi and welcome to Expat.com.

You are posting on an old thread. What is it exactly you are looking for. Could you please give some more information so that members can perhaps offer information. Thanks.

Hi Polarbearva
Your concerns are very real On the issue of overpaying for property , having a reputable real Estate agent may help. Consulting Expats may be a good idea.
Most of the medical Emergencies  can be handled by Hospitals in Belize city . But Stroke and  MI  (Heart attack) are going to be difficult to handle. Best way to avoid such a catastrophe is prevention. Have a check up when you are in US  (Ultra sound  scan with contrast stress test  if needed a cath). Take medication that may help minimize chance of MI. Heathy life style ,which is desirable any where is even more important when your health care options are limited. I am more of a defensive and cautious driver in Belize. It is desirable to have an insurance for air lift to US in case of an emergency.
Price for such insurance is reasonable.

I forgot about the burglar bar . I have it in my house. I have made it pretty and put it from inside of the windows (not the usual style in Belize),
I can send you pictures

Spiceman39 - email me at [email protected] relative to our visit this week.
Thanks.

Hi Karenjoe
I should be in Belize on 21st sat around lunch time.
Any time next week should be good for visit. First few days are always busy  getting everything in order.
Please e mail me or call  or both  so that I can expect you. Right now BTL phone is not working. I believe lightning fried the box. Our Smart phone is 670 1338
Managers have 600 0475 (Faustino)
622 4888 (Chico)
See you
Tom Mathew