Hopkins Realtors a Little Sketchy

Ivana H wrote:

I definitely feel like a sense of community is an important aspect. Is there less of an ex-pat population in Hopkins that would contribute to that lack of a community vibe from your point of view?

I really don't know,that is why I asked the question here.

Perhaps it was bad timing on my part in not making any contact. There just were not that many people out and about, and the few restaurants and businesses seem to be spread out a lot more making a walking tour difficult. BTW I am making these comparisons to Placencia Village where it is easy to walk into many places and strike up a conversation.

sittee4 wrote:

The road along the coast south of the marina is unmade, and of variable quality!! Ditto through phases 1 and 2. Lots in phase 4 are 75' wide with access to beach and canal. Beyond that is phase 5 with different sized lots. That's the end of the road.  Newly opened Mangos beach bar in phase 4 is a welcome local watering hole where plenty of residents gather. Next time you are in the area, drive down and take a look.

Thanks, next time I will, perhaps buy you a brew.   

1) What are lots/homes going for in the area you referred to.
2) What are the social gathering spots in Hopkins, if any?

wmiller77 wrote:

Don't be so quick to judge.  Realtors here and everywhere have lives outside of real estate.  Sometimes there are health issues, sometimes family problems and other times just a lot on our plates.

You are correct, everyone, everywhere has problems. However true professionals do not let personal problems interfere with their chosen profession. In north america the real estate industry is heavily regulated and regulations are actually enforced. Here the newbie buyer is at the mercy of the character of the agent they happen to pick. I always suggest also hiring your own real estate attorney when buying or selling property in Belize.

Negotiate the contract with the real estate agent as well as the deal on the property. These are two separate contracts and the savvy buyer/seller has a lot of room to negotiate fees, commissions, who pays for what, etc. if they are firm in asking for it. Never let the over used phrase, "we always do it that way" get in the way of common sense.

wmiller77 wrote:

If it's really important that you connect with a realtor keep trying.  Likely they are not ignoring you, just dealing with their own issues.

If an agent has that many issues, then pick a different agent.

wmiller77 wrote:

It doesn't make us sketchy.

Perhaps, but things like trying to get the buyer or seller to pay the 12.5% general sales tax (GST) on an agents commission sure does. When I mentioned this to agents in the US, they laugh and say, WOW if I could get my clients to pay my Federal/state income tax for me, I would really be well off. 


In my experience, not responding to email is a very common thing in Belize no matter the business. Same goes for voicemail. Just keep calling but make sure you have the correct number as almost no one puts their name onto the voicemail message. Over the years I only recall one time where the voicemail message was not "you have reached the voicemail of xxx-xxxx"  rather than a name.
It is just a "feature" of Belize, and nothing personnel.