Here Is Why Belize Real Estate Is the Most Popular Choice for Your 2nd Home
With a balmy year-round climate, short flying distance from the United States, and favorable tax laws, more and more people are choosing to invest in second homes in Belize.
Located just south of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on the Caribbean Coast of Central America, Belize is the only English-speaking country in the region, meaning you’ll never have to rely on wonky translation apps to speak to people, read documents, or understand contracts.
Once an undeveloped backwater difficult to get to, Belize is now served by all of the biggest airlines in North America, including Delta, Southwest, Air Canada, WestJet, American Airlines, and United. Non-stop flights from major cities across North America arrive daily in Belize in just 2-5 hours’ flying time.
As a former British colony, Belize has a well-developed and stable parliamentary democracy and judicial system.
Belizean law gives foreign investors equal property rights as locals, including the unrestricted ability to buy, sell, and rent property. Furthermore, Belize imposes absolutely no capital gains taxes, and property taxes are assessed at just 1-1.5% of the undeveloped value of the land. And with a currency permanently pegged at 2:1 to the U.S. dollar, there’s no risk from volatility or unexpected downturns in the local economy.
Belize’s northern Corozal District on the Mexican border has become the top destination for expats and retirees. Nestled on the edge of the vast Chetumal Bay across the popular tourist island of Ambergris Caye, Corozal is an idyllic combination of small town life and pristine nature. Other nearby attractions include the ancient Maya ruins of Santa Rita and Altun Ha.
Corozal is strategically located just a short drive away from Belize City, the largest municipality in the country. And Ambergris Caye is the gateway to the Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Teeming with colorful fish, playful dolphins, and vast schools of sharks, the reef is a mecca for scuba diving, sailing, snorkeling, and fishing.
In the past five years, Belize has reported record numbers of tourists with impressive double digit year-on-year gains, including cruise ship visits. Many foreign investors find that owning property in Belize is a great way to earn rental income. Belize also allows foreigners to establish International Business Corporations that can legally own property, a safe and secure way to protect hard-earned assets.
Orchid Bay is an excellent place to buy a second home in Belize.