Realizing the Dream: Buying Property in San Pedro, Belize

I have been received lots of emails over the past few months.  Lots.  And I have answers for most.  My opinions about hotels, restaurants, about my move to the island….this information I know.  But real estate is pretty new to me.I hate not having answers…so I sat down with a friend and expert (and am going to continue to do so) to get some new information.  This blog has afforded me the opportunity to do and talk about lots of things that I wouldn’t normally.  And hey…maybe one day, I too will own a house on Ambergris Caye.  Though I’ve rented all my life, it is not totally outside the realm of possibility.

My number one question is “What can I get for my money?”  What does $150,000 USD buy me or $500,000?  Can I buy something for less than $100,000?  Here are some of the answers I found.

I’ve included a condominium, a stand-alone house and a piece of naked land in each of my categories.  Hopefully this answers some of your questions.  And if you have more, let me know.

So, for all of you who are home freezing and day dreaming, let’s start with:


$150,000 or less:

Condo:  A ground floor studio unit at Caribe Island Resort (2.5 miles south of town and right on the beach).  Furnishings, appliances and full access to all of the resorts amenities.  Pool and ocean views.  $79,000USD.  (This one sounds perfect for a single gal like me…I might want to set up a paypal account for donations.)

Here is Caribe Island, pretty in pink.

And this morning’s sunrise over their dock.  Cute sign:  Leave Only Footprints.

Home:  Small beach front home located in the Palm Bay Club 22 miles north of town (only 6 miles south of the Mexican border.)  The house measures 20’x20′ and has a large cistern.  This is one for the person who really wants to get away from it all!  $125,000USD.

Land:   54 feet of beachfront property located 4.5 miles south of town in an area called Club Caribbean (I learn a new area every day!).  There is both a road and great boat access.  $139,000USD.

$300,000USD or Less:


Condo:  A 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom garden view unit at beautiful Las Terrazas Resort.  Fully furnished in a first class setting with concierge, spa, bar and restaurant, pool and pier with active water taxi schedule.  2 miles north of town.  $249,000USD.

Home:  Spacious garden home in Tres Cocos area (1 miles north of the bridge and a very nice “suburban” neighborhood with lots of walking access to bars & restaurants).  Patios on both ocean and lagoon side with a sunset deck overlooking the lagoon.  2 minute walk to beach and community pier.  $295,000USD.

Land:  Beachfront lot located about 3.75 miles south of town in the Boca Ciega neighborhood.  75′ by 100′, this property is complete with electricity, city water, cable, phone, Internet, garbage pick-up and great road access.  $275,000USD.

$500,000USD or Less:

Condo:  At Pelican Reef (a pretty luxurious spot), it’s a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom second floor beachfront unit.  Granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, beautiful furnishings.  A pool, an ocean view, a grotto pool bar, on-site management, a dock.  This property is 2.5 miles south of town.  Sigh…$399,000USD.

Home:  3 bedroom, 2 bath home on a canal on the San Pablo area – about a mile south of town .  Mahogany cabinets, hardwood ceilings and floors.  This 50×100′ lot has a privacy wall, seawall and boat parking.   $425,000USD.

Land:  Mata Grande subdivision lot 100 feet of beach front by 200 ft deep.  (This area is up around Rojo Lounge/Azul Resort…not a bad local joint!)  White sandy beach, turquoise water and great elevation are just a few important attributes.  4.5 miles north of town, it is already an established residential area.  Pier permit is included.  $445,000USD.

There you go – a tiny fraction of real estate for sale on the island .  I hope you find this information as interesting as I do.  If you have questions that you would like me to cover in future posts,  or questions about this post or just any questions in general, continue to send me emails.  [email protected]