Construction/Planting visit Nov 4 thru 11th

Are you building a house?  What sort of materials are you using?

I plan on building a house in the next year or so and wondered about building a house out of wood for a location in the rainforest.  Not sure if I should worry about termites or mold.  Any advice appreciated.

@moxie847
Ton of concepts behind your question.  I'm just going to jot down bullets

We are going concrete and cinder

Actually recommend you don't build unless you already bought the land
Do you want to retire and relax or build a house
You will lose money, don't think of it as an investment.  Not enough buyers
Buy someone else's dream house and change it to your tastes.  If they ask $300,000 offer $200,000.  Money is king. Keep making offers until someone accepts
Have the realtor show you the oldest listings first. Don't look at new listings


AC go concrete and block
No AC go wood and elevated for airflow both underneath and thru building
Wood work takes more upkeep
Try not to use drywall down here due to mold
Spanish look go with concrete and plaster
Jungle go with wood
On grid or off?
Stay in your type of house before you buy or build
Expensive. Stay two nights at Blancaneaux. Get the wood jungle fill
Stay at the lodge next to the hospital in San Ignacio. Palapa style rooms. Casa del canalizations blanco
Check out how they cool. Big control. Water catchment for off grid jungle
Figure out scorpion, tarantula, snake control if living on first floor.
Grid. Can cost $20,000 to come three or four poles down the road.
If your building don't trust anything you or the contractor says. Take the time and “show” each other what you want. Example. Which is the best way to lay floor tile?  From the middle outwards or the sides inward? Do you want your sewer line on top the ground or in the ground?
Put some Kilzall in your paint for mold
Put old motor oil on any exposed boards along the ground

Key is rent first for a year in the type of place you want.  Learn about living there.  In the meantime look for a great deal.

The first place you build is the caretakers cottage. Unless it is a gated condo place, you must have a caretaker.

Got back from Belize last week.  Stayed at Banana Bank Lodge.  A little far out, but was great.  Had a Jaguar out my front door.  And parrots over near the main house and eating area.  They are known for horses.  In the general area of Young Gal road/Teakettle and Belmopan you are looking at.  In that whole area, make sure it does not flood.

You might stay at that location a few days and get to know the people.  I picked it, even though it is out of the way where we are building since the owners have Teak trees which I am interested and also the wife is a "Really Great" artist.  World Class. If you get a chance see the art gallery and Mayan collection. Wanted to talk with someone with a creative eye.  Invited them over to our location we are building and they gave some input on setting up our place.

Looked at a Gorgeous 25 acres off the western highway on Society Hall road.  It had an offer on it.  I have looked from the road several times at this property and thought it was okay.  The gate was open, so I drove to the back of the property and to the top of a 100 foot plateau or hillock.  Gorgeous view below of the property.  Across to the mountains.  Been on the market for about 3 years.  Line of sight with Internet tower.

My point is check out a lot of properties.  Especially ones that have been on the market.  The owners are willing to work with the price more.

Wish I knew how to attach pictures.  Can't figure out how to use the mountain button above and attach.

This trip was mainly for doors.  Travelled all the way to Orange Walk to get pictures of a metal security door, I had noticed.  Got to "Maracas" for a meal.  Great, Great restaurant on the river.   Metal shop near us will build them and the frame for about $400 USD each.  Also decided on a Wood shop to build our exterior and interior doors.  They are in a small village Duck Run 2.   Solid Mahogany (kiln dried) for $300 USD each.  It is actually cheaper to get things custom made than imported due to Import Tariffs.

Checked out some of the top end furniture makers.  Really elegant designs but relatively expensive.  Cheaper than the US made like Stickley, but about $2,800 USD for a bed stand.  Not ready to commit to that much.  They are going after resorts and Expats.  Plus the Village builders can make similar furniture for about $900.  My contractor can build nice straight forward for about $200 plus material.

Currently we are plastering and priming the entire inside of the building.  Had a wall and a ceiling paint color picked out; and painted in two rooms.  They look great, but don't come across on Cell phone pictures for my wife to see back in the states.  We will plaster and prime everything.  Then do the final paint when see comes down next.

Getting custom windows made in Spanish Lookout.  A lot of places all over Belize make windows.

Our third floor is being left open with a Roof above.  Met with local welding shop to do aluminum guard rails around the top and stairways/outside balconies.  Thought about doing wood rails, but a lot of upkeep.  Or Stainless steel cables, but also upkeep and people would stretch by putting their foot on the cables.

Teak trees are growing beyond crazy.  About 25 feet in 13 months.  Had to buy 1,000 more to finish planting.  Also did about 800 of the local Cedar trees.

"My point is check out a lot of properties.  Especially ones that have been on the market.  The owners are willing to work with the price more."

Exactly how did you do that .. realter? land agent? locales?

@davidsbrenchley
First pick an area your interested in.

Drive around and see which realtor has the most signs up.  The locals who are selling will know the realtors better than anyone.

Google their websites and listings.
a.   Look for something your interested in.  Check out how long on the market.
b.  Tell the realtor what your interested in and look out for it.  Tell them properties your interested in and have them ask.


Non Realtor approach:
1.  Keep doing business at the same places.  Whether vegetable stands.  Taco stands.
Chinese store.  Hardware store.  Hotel.  Restaurants.  Workers.  Get to know them.  Talk to them all.  Let them know you are looking for land to buy.  All of them will come back to you with land for sale.  The locals have no problem selling land without a broker.  Usually the person you are talking with, is trying to get a commission.  There is no Real Estate licensing in Belize.  Anyone can do.

2.  Still go through a realtor as your Buyer Broker.  Titles and land ownership can be very peculiar in Belize.  Make sure the Title is verified before moving forward.

3.  Look for run down or unmanaged properties.  Then find the owner.

I would say that as many properties as you see on the internet you can find twice that many asking locals.  But be careful on Title research.  Remember there is the Expat price and there is the local price.  Don't worry about buying too cheaply.  It's a fortune to them.

There is far more land in Belize than the number of people.  The government gives away or leases land due to political favors.  Not all of these people want to or can live on those properties.  No, I'm not talking about Beach or Island property.

The key is to go slow.  Rent for 6 months or a year.  Or make several trips down over a couple of years.  Get out of the US real estate mindset of 1 property has 40 bidders.  A property in Belize could stay on the market for years.  Or it might pop up when a local needs a new car, wedding, hospital bills, college, etc.

THANK YOU Sir ..

We were in Country in July and basically did that. Our heart is set on Cayo at this point. Ideally we'd like a couple of acres with frontage on the Siban/Stann Creek but will consider Barton Creek. My hope is to be off grid w/ Solar/Hydro power. Saw one property we absolutely loved off the Hummingbird but it was under contract with Rain .. $$$ I got the impression they're trying to take advantage of ExPat's and their buying power. Locals I spoke with had large tracts they weren't interested in parceling .. hoping for resort buyers. Appreciate your advisories

@davidsbrenchley
Check out Chiquibul road off the Western Highway.  Near Seven Mile or Progresso turn which is the major road to Upper Barton Creek there is a property for sale.  I did not check it out. 

What "might" be appealing.  Great view, as its up on a hillock.  The first 10 miles of this road till you get into the Pine ridge land, to me is very similar to Hummingbird highway.  Not very settled.  They just put in a very nice paved highway to support the Mayan ruins and all of the tourist destinations along this road.  Value can only rise.  This area is "Out" in the country, but very near to Belmopan, Spanish Lookout, Twin Cities and tourist destinations.  If that property doesn't work, then have a realtor knock on some doors.

TY Sir .. we likely looked at it. We were all over Pine Ridge till we discovered most property is owned by a holding company. We inquired .. they chuckled. We also looked at upper Barton, leastwise as far up the road we were comfortable driving a rental on. I and the wife liked the area until we drove to Placencia.

I sense there are a lot of unknown opportunity's requiring patient research as you noted.

Truly  appreciate your feedback.

I am going to describe my current plan and if anyone sees problems, please let me know.  No offense taken.  Trying to avoid making big mistakes. 

I bought 11 acres near Burrell Boom.  Friends of mine, 2 other couples, bought adjacent lots of 11 acres so we have 33 acres in total in the rainforest.

I am planning to have an 800 sq ft "Mennonite style" wood house built by Premier Builders in Spanish Lookout and the house will be trucked in.  It will be off grid.  Solar, septic and well.  My realtor already bought a lot nearby, built a cabin and got his solar, septic and well set up with no problems.

I plan to have the house set on concrete to elevate the house up 9 feet with a screened in porch along the front, measuring 10 ft by 40 ft.  I will have to figure out what direction for the house to face to maximize the air flow for nice breezes.

I do not intend to sell the house.  My plan is to have a place for 1 or 2 months in the winter (I'm from Michigan) and maybe offer it up on airbnb for when I am not there.  I do not yet have anyone to manage and/or clean the house when I am not there.

I am unsure whether I should install security bars.  My thought is that I could put bars around the screened in porch.  Hopefully I can come up with something decorative.  The only steps up to the house would be to the front screened in porch so I see no need to put bars on each window.  The bars would also add stability to the porch in case of windstorm and flying trees. 

I will be in Belize in various areas from 12/18/21 - 12/28/21 if anyone would like to meet up to exchange advise/ideas.

Thanks,

Margaret

Hi,

I am new to Belize but I have visited a lot and now live here. I worry about your property being unmonitored. I am not putting anyone down, I am going by stories local people told me and some losses we experienced while not living here. I think the idea is awesome, but maybe work with your local support system on the security (bear in mind- I am no expert on that neighborhood). I think of total lockdown with our place. Bars or some sort of greater design plan to prevent entry. I am interested to see what other people suggest...

Ana

@moxie; the very first thing you need is a Caretaker. Don't build until you have a caretaker living on site.  The only thing that will be left of your house will be the concrete.  If you're not going to have a caretaker then build with cinder block and concrete.  Burglar bars.  They will still break in, but won't steal as much.  Would not do Airbnb if they come to this situation.  Don't plan on having security cameras and text message alarms back to you.  The police won't get there in time.

If you have to, build a small Shack off to the side for your caretaker to live in.  Then buy some dogs to tie up at night at your house.

Ask the Realtor if they plan to live at their place or sale it.  Ask them what their plans are for a caretaker.

I really appreciate the advice.

Can you give me a rough idea what it would cost to hire a caretaker?

Around $6,000 for a place to live

Pay will be all over the board

Free housing, water, electric?
Free housing?

Do they do chores? Could be tied to your Airbnb.  Will need someone to maintain the property and plant trees and landscaping. Could share the cost with your neighbors

Right now minimum is Bzd $3.33 going to $5.00 per hour.

Or half that if providing living quarters and parttime work. Tell them they can't have additional family live there unless you agree or you will end up with a lot of people. 

Again cost share with your neighbors.  Ask your realtor to find someone for you.

We are on our third caretaker.  Talk to references.