Today, I want to briefly discuss the process of buying land. This topic is very popular. Many people reach out to me asking what I should do when buying land in Belize. I thought I would just briefly cover the main points. Will arrived in Belize more than ten years ago and has since acquired extensive knowledge about the country. Belize Secret Beach Property has assisted hundreds of clients to find the perfect investment property while also being involved in many deals in this area.
Localization
Location is number one. What is the location of it? The value will be determined by the location, just like any other property. The price and value are important, but it also matters what you as a buyer want.
What island are you looking for? This is specifically referring to Ambergris Caye or the Cayes. Belize is a country. This is not the case for Ambergris Caye, or San Pedro, as it is also known.
Where is the land? You can look online at various real estate listings, and you will see that the prices vary widely. The reason is that the location will determine the price. You will pay more for anything that is right on the water than you would anywhere else. Right? These are your most expensive lots, whether you’re directly on the ocean or a few miles back.
Title to Land
The title to the property is another consideration. I am from the U.S., so if you are buying property in the States, it is important to have what’s known as a clear title that can be sold. This basically means that the owner is allowed to sell you a title free and clear from liens, encumbrances, and other cloudy titles.
You want to make sure that you get a clean title, and also that the title is correct. Two types of titles are available in Belize, and I believe one is better than the other.
One is a Land Certificate. This is your most secure type of title.
A land certificate is required for any land purchase. This will give you the best protection and most ownership rights.
Road Access
Road access is the last. Let’s now talk about road accessibility. I will talk a bit more about utility access later, but for now let’s just focus on road access. There is a lot of land available on Ambergris Caye, but it’s also very difficult to access. It’s swampland, so you can’t even get there. It’s not accessible by road. In some cases, it’s almost underwater. You need to be careful about how much access you have.
Sometimes, if you deal with a Belize realty agent, or someone who wants to buy your land, you will see that they send you information. You’ll also see a map showing the road access. It’s essentially a survey road. Based on a survey map, it proposes a road to the site. In reality, however, there is no road to it. This is why you need to be careful when purchasing this type of land.
Utility Access
Utility access is another thing you should consider. If you didn’t know, the utility access is another thing to consider. The east side of the island has power, while the west side doesn’t. This is the secret beach on the west, and it is becoming increasingly popular. Secret beach is a great place to build a home or start a business. However, you need to consider the cost of a generator or solar system. There aren’t any electrical utilities in that area.
Although it is possible that it will in the future, it is not yet feasible. You’ll need to purchase a solar system or other alternative energy.
