Final thoughts...

I ultimately let Mike, my realtor, know to pull my offer on the San Pedro condo.  After going over the numbers I came to the conclusion that this deal just won’t work for me now.  I need to sell my current house, downsize and move so I can better control my financial picture before committing to such a purchase.  I remain interested in San Pedro, now is just not the right time to make a purchase.  I am also interested in the Corozal area, but the rest of the country does not have the same appeal as far as a long-term residency is concerned. 

I like Belize.  Granted this is my first visit to the country and clearly more research and visits need to be done before a final decision is made.  But there are aspects of Belize that appeal to me in a way I doubt many other countries could.  There are facets of Punta Gorda, Placencia and Dangriga I thoroughly enjoyed as a tourist – I wouldn’t want to live in any of those towns for the reasons I have already covered, but I will go back as a sightseer.  Belize as a whole has a combination of qualities that few other countries can match:

·     Once you buy a place to live the actual monthly costs are pretty low and rent is inexpensive if you decide not to buy.

·     The country has a slower, simpler life style I find very attractive.

·     If I decided to, I think there are good possibilities to start a new business.

·     Fresh vegies, fruit, fish and meat are readily available and mostly raised on small farms.

·     The meats I ate were good enough to turn any vegetarian into a confirmed carnivore (well, maybe not my friend Dean).

·      Belize is just a few hours from the US and when the new airport opens in Tulum next year it will be even easier to get to.

·      World class diving and snorkeling.  I might even take up fishing.

·      As the world economy turns around, Belize has a future that will be increasingly brighter.

·      Universally, the people I came across were very helpful and friendly.

·      Belize is not a country of wall-to-wall attorneys and it shows; there is no nanny state telling everyone how to live their lives.

·      Although helpful, I would not have to learn another language.

·      The general sales tax is high, but property taxes are all but nonexistent and there is no income tax if you don’t earn an income in Belize.  In other words, my pension, annuities and Social Security would be totally tax free.  I would still have to file taxes in the US, but it would be more of a formality except for any interest or rental income I might have.

·      Weekend trips to Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico would be easy and fairly inexpensive.  Even El Salvador and Nicaragua aren’t that far away.

Are there downsides?  Of course.

·     The Barney Rubble internet service is awful.  I have fiber-optic service at home where it takes about four seconds to download an average-sized MP3 file.  That same file would take nine minutes to download via Belize Telecommunications.  The overall communications infrastructure (internet, phone and cable) is antiquated primarily because of a government monopoly, but there are signs that this is changing.

·     Penny told me that veterinary care is basic, at best.  There are two vets in the Corozal area and she goes to the American expat because he has a microscope.  OK…  that’s definitely concerning since I will still have a couple of cats by the time I move.

·     Bribery and corruption are a part of the social fabric and I heard about it from many an expat.  But corruption was rife when I was in Key West where I had to engage the “help” of natives to get building permits and ensure that inspectors did not take an overzealous interest in my property.

·      You can’t drive to Target, Albertsons or Lowe’s to get everything you want.  Some things just aren’t available, would have to be purchased in Mexico or can be had only for an exorbitant price.  Canned goods are generally twice what I pay in Florida.  A bottle of Barefoot wine (not that I would ever buy this label) sells here for about $5.99 and goes for $22.00 in San Pedro.  I would probably have to give up wine and exist only on rum and Belikin (hmmmm… maybe this belongs in the list above).

·      While getting to and from Belize is easy, on average it is nearly twice as expensive as flying into Cancun.

·      While everyday health care needs and minor emergency care is readily available at an inexpensive price, I would probably have to go to Chetumal or at least Belize City for more specialized care.

There are plusses and minuses no matter where you go and many of the items above in my “plusses” list can be found in countless countries… just not in the combination that meets my needs.  This trip forced me to face certain realities and I learned some things about what I am looking for in a retirement location.  I discovered that life in a really small town like Sarteneja has a certain allure.  I really, really miss living on or close to the water.  You would think that living in Florida would be enough, but to live on the water in Florida is outrageously expensive.  Waterfront property prices in Florida are through the roof.  I pay almost $5,000.00 annually for my homeowners insurance because the majority of that is for windstorm coverage… and I live over a mile away from the water! 

No matter how much you read about living the expat life there is nothing like putting boots on the ground, walking the back streets, talking to the guy behind the counter at the hardware store and driving around the country.  The pitches made by developers and professional expats may make some sense in the abstract and look good on paper, but when you are there you can do a gut check to see if this is where you would want to put down roots.  I loved the view from my room in Punta Gorda, but I know that I hate incessant rain and that area gets totally waterlogged for five or six months of the year.  On the other hand I knew immediately after driving into Corozal Town that this was a place I could live.  You can’t get those impressions by looking at the pretty pictures online or reading guide books.

I hope to return in either late August or early November.  August would be better since it will be important to be there during hurricane season.  I would like to fly into Cancun and drive down to check out the ease of making the border crossing and, at the same time, check out the Costa Maya area south of Tulum including Xcalak and Mahahaul.  However, for the time being I am concentrating on paring down and taking care of loose ends here.  Once those items are off my “to do” list I can concentrate again on finding a new place to live in retirement.  I also think I will enjoy the hunt more without other issues nagging at me.

I hope my writings have proven useful and/or entertaining.  If you are a future expat like myself and have questions, are in possession of information you think I would find useful or have comments, by all means please feel free to click on the comment box located at the end of each post. 

That’s all for now.  I have to get started on today’s Spanish lesson.

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