DrummerPete
3/8/2017 04:03 EST
Please bear with me b/c we are not quite ready. I am simply curious about possibly "retiring" at Belize
I've done some reading, so am looking for answers to other, not so typical questions as found on articles circulating around the web.
My wife is more typical than me, in that she is employed in LA law firms as an office administrator etc. At age 61, retirement is four years away in terms of SS benefits. But a looming inheritance may change all that, so...
As I stated, please bear with me. I just want to know if I'd enjoy Belize at all. I've only been to Carib once, a short two day stay on a gig playing at Nassau, Bahamas for, of all things, an NAACP convention awards ceremony.... I'm white, but this happens often where I'm the only white guy in the band, in that case I was practically the only white guy in the entire hall! LoL
My handle on this site is DrummerPete, but actually I'm a pro pianist/keyboardist more often. I'm also a percussionist/drummer but not so often professionally. I've played with several celebs on tours etc. I'm from Hollywood, born n raised.
I don't need to find suitable work as a musician in Belize b/c this is about retirement, particularly for my wife. However, I wouldn't mind, that is, I never mind playing music. I am very relaxed about all that, jamming etc, being the old hippie I am. Mostly, however I will spend my time at home with my personal music (orchestrating, classical music practice etc). So, a bit of a retirement for me as well. This is, of course, the point of moving to a quiet paradise. We are also considering buying vacation property & possibly letting to acquaintances during other times of the year.
So, the first burning question: do you have hurricanes? I've read countless articles on Belize, yet somehow nobody ever talks about the weather. I guess b/c it's obvious to everyone that the weather is beautiful. But, don't forget, here you are speaking with a weather brat, as I'm from LA. So I might be somewhat more picky than others. Anyway, that's easy enough to find out.
More importantly, what are the price ranges for property in areas that are safe & convenient for shopping? Actually, that's easy enough to find out, too. But I'm really looking for personal opinions of specific areas, personal experiences of members on this forum in order to get a clearer picture than can be found from real estate websites.
I would like to live near the sea, given there is no danger of flooding from storms. What about infrastructure? Is water safe to bathe in? Is electricity affordable & consistent? Do dwellings normally provide gas for stove cooking? Have there been any disease epidemics in recent years? Are there mosquitoes? What about large bugs? I absolutely despise spiders & ants. Honestly, if I visit & discover the place is swarming with large insects, I will not consider this to be a place I could live at.
We are looking for the best value for the price. Obviously we don't want to get ripped off. So there are some things we appreciate & others aren't so necessary. Makes no sense to pay for things you don't appreciate. right
So my wife is an experienced catering chef who claims she is too old now for that biz. Nonetheless, I benefit from her talented home cooking. So a priority is to have a lovely kitchen in which she may indulge her innate culinary talents. Is a luxury range so rare there? More specifically, does desiring such an amenity as gourmet kitchen appliances mean that we will be forced to live in an overpriced neighborhood? Is it impossible to get such appliances repaired when they break? What is the best way to own such things when living in your jungle? Does it make more sense to have them shipped in from the states than to pay a high price for a dwelling which provides them? Do you have a thriving middle class? Or is the atmosphere & spirit of Belize devoted to extreme class separation? Because if the latter is true, that is definitely a downer IMO. Racism (condescending whites toward natives) is also absolutely out of the question for me.
We of course love shopping at open produce markets & fresh beef from local farms (from what I hear is available there) is also desired, if not actually a priority. As to local stores, an excellent bakery is a high priority for us. Much more than, say, a shop which sells high quality surf boards. We already understand about no big boxes etc & are prepared to reduce lifestyle accordingly. Embrace the beachcomber, I say.
Furthermore, neither one of us is very sociable., just a nice, quiet couple. For example, my wife, also born/raised in LA, used to be a prestigious producer/set designer for film productions & merchandiser for famous rock bands. But she has never been obsessed with ambition, like so many who work in the industry. Rather, she found herself working in the biz only b/c she was hooked up from a young age as a result of growing up in Malibu. Actually, she is a quiet personality & her favorite activity is sculpture & things like taking old furniture & sprucing it up to look more artistic. So you see, she is likely a perfect fit for the beachcomber life. No? But she has simply never been in a position to reward herself with such a quiet life, even though she has certainly always deserved to live quietly in a paradisaical setting.
So both of us are quiet, artistic types. I like to wander around on a bicycle or on foot. I'm not by any means a serious naturist. I wont be considering scuba diving or even swimming much in the sea. Just have always enjoyed wandering about in the sunshine, wherever I might find myself, such as on tour in some place or other.
So, we are laid back personalities at heart. Absolutely fed up with how crazy overpopulated our hometown LA has become in recent years. Oh my god, traffic. A nightmare!
But we also understand that reduction of a nation/city's financial status means there is a possibility of hardship in one thing or another. Obviously in a place with a smaller population like Belize, which depends on tourist trade for its income, will be a huge switch from LA. We suspect some basic amenities will be much more expensive. We don't drink rum. But we do like to brush our teeth with toothpaste & I personally like to use fine, mild soap when bathing. Clean fresh water for drinking is a must; we currently buy bottled water. Even a golf cart requires minor repairs & that means oil, tires & other auto parts may become necessary to purchase & install. So if such basic necessities are very expensive at Belize, it would certainly help if reports on the web would admit to it.
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terrific
3/8/2017 15:05 EST
Actually if you look through the back archives on this forum a lot of Questions will be already answered. But the real answer is you have to visit Belize. It is a pretty unique place. It is Caribean and latino and Maya indian, Garifuna and Mennonite. All of these cultures with some areas being dominated by one or other and some areas being complete melting pot.
Simple answer does Belize have Hurricanes YES hurricane season is May to end November. Last July a category1 ripped through the country East to west. a rare trajectory, do not usually get that far inland, but on average big storms do hit every few years. Most things are
available in Belize if you search them out and have the cash. If you visit and then decide not to retire here at least you will have a great vacation.
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5allan1
3/8/2017 15:15 EST
Having lived in Belize for 5+ years and worked in the health care field most of that time I can try to reply to your concerns.
Weather: hurricanes are not common but I lived through Dean and it was a mess. But the climate is hot and humid much of the time.
The infrastructure sucks. This is why it scores poorly on the IL retirement index along with weak amenities/commodities. Electricity is expensive and internet is slow and costly. This data is easy to confirm. Bugs are everywhere. Mosquitos carry Dengue fever, there are fire ants that leave itchy pustules on your feet, and sand fleas in Hopkins, and I have removed a couple of botfly larvae from expat heads. The shopping is pathetic with poor quality products and most expats esp from the north can be found in Chetumal Mex at Home Depot, Sams or Walmart.
Being ripped off and "thiefed" is the national pastime. Health care beyond basic is not reliably available and requires a visit to Guatemala City or Chetumal/Merida Mex.
Be careful of accepting opinions from expats with a commercial investment in Belize. I have none.
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mgammo
3/8/2017 15:45 EST
If you go down there, do not forget a tube of prescription strength cortazone cream....Don't wear flashy jewelry and don't flash a big wad of cash..It is wise to have a Belizean friend do your haggling for you or you certainly could be thiefed or chanced as they say. It is a cool place, you just need to figure out how to navigate the waters so to speak. The roads and shopping are beyond lousy that is a fact....The medical care is basic to say the least.. A wheel chair in the local hospital was a plastic lawn chair tied on wheels if that gives you sort of the gist..Just go scope it out and draw your own conclusions....
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terrific
3/8/2017 17:38 EST
Allan has no investment in Belize nor do the people that have answered your question so far. Unless you count as an investment Living in Belize and loving it.. Some hospitals do have real wheel chairs, honest. but health care is OK at a basic level but if you have an ongoing medical problem within the family that could be a problem. Hospitals are not in every area, some only have what in the states would be described as a Medical center. doctor visits are inexpensive and there is quite a good network of GP's in some areas the majority of doctors are Cuban so speaking spanish would help.
A lot of medcines are available over the counter and considerably cheaper than in the US. For certain drugs you will need to supply a doctors prescription and the pharmacy either has it in stock or can get it for you the cost will be significantly less.
Alan is a Doctor and seems to have been confined to one area for the majority of his 5 years, that of Corozal and since he left he believes it is his moral duty to put any one off settling in Belize. He has a long list of alternates if you find Belize is not for you.
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destiny56
3/8/2017 21:05 EST
It's always amuse me to see people who are from United States, and Canada expect to find the same way of living in a third world country. Seriously, after reading your auto-bibliography where stated that you are not a sociable couple, you seem to be somewhat very narrow minded. I think travelling abroad, or making a move to a new environment require one to be open minded, sociable, lay back, and easy going, Above all, we must be respectful of the people's culture where we moved to. I am in Canada and thinking of moving to Belize in the near future, lots of people in this forum do not seem to get it when they compare third world countries to North America, United States, and Canada are infested with crimes, thieves, infrastructure problems...I think we need to be real here after all, if life is that great at home why move to a third country for?
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OutaHereIn2017
3/8/2017 22:48 EST
"The probability of a hurricane making landfall in Belize in any given year is 17%. A hurricane hasn't hit Belize in August in well over 100 years, but the prime storm season arrives in Belize and the Western Caribbean region in September and October. Of the 20 hurricanes that have made landfall in Belize in the past 117 years, 17 or 85% have arrived in September and October."
https://www.chaacreek.com/belize-faqs
In a four-night stay last month, I didn't observe any mosquitoes (though I know they were there). I did see a monster beetle about three inches long, but I didn't trip over it so no harm.
Every native Belizean I spoke to denies that racism is a problem in Belize.
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toddwinston
3/8/2017 23:00 EST
…in the US internet and electric I assume are pretty cheap.
What I pay in Canada for electric and internet is actually a bit more than what I pay at our house in Belize.
We rent out one bedroom apartments in Corozal. Each apartment has its own hydro meter. It works out to about $15USD month for electricity for each one bedroom apartment….double if there is air conditioning being used. In my mind that is cheap. My home electricity bill in Canada works out to about $200USD a month (I am in Ontario where there is huge mismanagement)
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bradinbelize
3/8/2017 23:17 EST
Seems like lots of hate here. I have live both on the mainland and in San Pedro (Ambergris Caye), and have traveled to all of Belize, It is a FRIENDLY, nice, easy-going place with many things to do and a variety of cultures and activities.
Maybe some here havent traveled enough. I have been to more than 30 countries around the world. Is Belize America, NO (which is why makes it charming in my opinion). Is there a Home Depot, a McDonalds or a TGI Fridays - NOPE! Again, hurray for Belize on that - there are NO CHAIN STORES here at all. Do we have a Mall - NOPE!
If you want to live like you do in America, the simple answer is LIVE IN AMERICA. Belize is a third world country, albeit with many (and increasingly more) first world amenities. I write this from my living room couch, using a wireless keypad while looking out over the water and feeling a nice tropical breeze blow through my house, so how bad is life, really?
If you want the same lifestyle you have in the US, it wont happen. If you are an unhappy person most of the time in the US, you will be here (probably more so), but if you are open to a new adventure, a more care-free, laid back lifestyle and super-friendly people, then BZ might be the place for you. Tomorrow I will wake up, ride my golf cart into town for breakfast with some friends, get some fresh squeezed juice for $10 BZD ($5 USD a gallon) and then come home, work a few hours and then lunch and some time in the pool, Around 5:00 we will go to a wine social with some friends and see a dozen other friends there (hows that compare to a regular Thursday in the US?) - it's a TYPICAL Thursday for many people here, Life is what you make of it - and this is a great, friendly place to make it and enjoy (it is not for everyone, but definitely worth an exploratory trip to see if it might work for you). That is truly the only way you will ever know.
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bradinbelize
3/8/2017 23:17 EST
Seems like lots of hate here. I have live both on the mainland and in San Pedro (Ambergris Caye), and have traveled to all of Belize, It is a FRIENDLY, nice, easy-going place with many things to do and a variety of cultures and activities.
Maybe some here havent traveled enough. I have been to more than 30 countries around the world. Is Belize America, NO (which is why makes it charming in my opinion). Is there a Home Depot, a McDonalds or a TGI Fridays - NOPE! Again, hurray for Belize on that - there are NO CHAIN STORES here at all. Do we have a Mall - NOPE!
If you want to live like you do in America, the simple answer is LIVE IN AMERICA. Belize is a third world country, albeit with many (and increasingly more) first world amenities. I write this from my living room couch, using a wireless keypad while looking out over the water and feeling a nice tropical breeze blow through my house, so how bad is life, really?
If you want the same lifestyle you have in the US, it wont happen. If you are an unhappy person most of the time in the US, you will be here (probably more so), but if you are open to a new adventure, a more care-free, laid back lifestyle and super-friendly people, then BZ might be the place for you. Tomorrow I will wake up, ride my golf cart into town for breakfast with some friends, get some fresh squeezed juice for $10 BZD ($5 USD a gallon) and then come home, work a few hours and then lunch and some time in the pool, Around 5:00 we will go to a wine social with some friends and see a dozen other friends there (hows that compare to a regular Thursday in the US?) - it's a TYPICAL Thursday for many people here, Life is what you make of it - and this is a great, friendly place to make it and enjoy (it is not for everyone, but definitely worth an exploratory trip to see if it might work for you). That is truly the only way you will ever know.
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Mikxx
3/8/2017 23:40 EST
Sometimes I had to smile reading your posting. There is only one way to find out: Board a plane and come here.
I personally think Belize is not the place you are looking for but good luck!
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5allan1
3/9/2017 05:52 EST
As I said be careful accepting cost estimates from commercial expats. The verifiable data is..
Electricity: Electricity in Belize will run you .52 cents per KWH. This is outrageous compared to .10 cents in USA and 18 in Canada. An itsy bity apartment can get by on under $200 bz electricity consumption a month. Add ac and appliances and 400bz is more like it.
Internet: Canada 50 mps is 67$
Belize: 16 MB BZ $700. (U.S. $350) Its a little nuts to pay this for a 16MB download.
For comparison TELMEX has 10MB ADSL for U.S. $39. a month. If your business or peace of mind depends on reasonably priced Internet access, Belize may not be the place for you.
Beer: 1.75$ usd and up. 2$+ on SP and 1.25$ in Mexico. This is why in Corozal the locals smuggle in Modelo available at corner homes most everywhere.
Mexico is 30% less costly overall, roads and amenities are better as is cheap first class medical care. You dont need to stay in NA to enjoy warm breezes, and inexpensive living. So this common arguement is fallacious ie why move,stay in Canada /USA etc
Belize is attractive to expats with bottomless bank accounts who are too linguistically challenged to learn basic elementary Spanish.
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Mikxx
3/9/2017 07:32 EST
Allan you forgot another key advantage of Belize over Mexico. They do not have taxation on worldwide income which Mexico has unfortunately.
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belizelenny
3/9/2017 07:35 EST
There was no problem with wheel chairs. Shopping..not sure where you were but we have no issues shopping in Belize. We are close to Chetumal Mexico here in Corozal but rarely shop there. Maybe you could not find the cookies or your brand of ice cream.
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toddwinston
3/9/2017 09:37 EST
…allan;
in Ontario yes hydro is around .18 But they add a delivery charge ($154 on my last bill) plus a regulatory charge, plus a debt retirement charge for Ontario hydro… that is why I said our hydro is cheaper in Belize than in Ontario.
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chenierkmer
3/9/2017 09:55 EST
Contact me : chenierkmer@gmail.com
Forget about Belize , Thailand is the only way to go trust me on this for details hit me up for a private conversation.
Health Care , safety , beaches , transportation, housing is much better than Belize . Just a whole different world much , much cheaper .
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chenierkmer
3/9/2017 09:55 EST
Contact me : chenierkmer@gmail.com
Forget about Belize , Thailand is the only way to go trust me on this for details hit me up for a private conversation.
Health Care , safety , beaches , transportation, housing is much better than Belize . Just a whole different world much , much cheaper .
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