olympicairways
10/25/2016 09:53 EST
Hey guys!
My girlfriend and I want to leave Germany for a few years and move to Guatemala (Lake Atitlan to be precise). We want to live modest and don't need much anyways. We are still not sure whether to buy, built or rent our new home but tend to either buy or build. We've seen nice real estate on the internet for around 100.000 dollars, which roughly is the budget for our new place to live.
But considering that you can get REALLY nice lots for around 25-30k and we've heard that building is very cheap in Guatemala, I'd like to ask you HOW cheap exactly it gets.
Let's say we already had the lot ... what could say 50-60k build us there? I'd love to hear any experiences about building in Guatemala.
And another thing: What legal costs/requirements await us if we're really going to build in Guatemala?
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armandatitlan
From: Guatemala
10/25/2016 10:56 EST
Hi there send me a PM I 'm a realtor and builder in lake Atitlan I will be happy to share with you my experience
I have lot for $ 15K and you can build a nice house for sure for $ 50K requirements are building permit and environmental study impact as the lake is a protected area with special laws
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FrancescaW
10/25/2016 12:47 EST
Hi - We too own a real estate business and have a fabulous house in Pana ready to walk into for $110,000, fully furnished, papers all in order. Just send me a pm and I can send you the link if you are interested.
But to be honest, don't go buying anything without having spent some time down here, in particular at the Lake area as each village and area is so different. The very best is to come and rent for several months to get the feel and lay of the land.
We are happy to help now as well as once you get here.
The Lake is a truly amazing and magical place - you won't regret moving here!
Best, Francesca
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AdamL
10/28/2016 16:03 EST
Hello!
First off... I am NOT a realtor or anything close to it. But I would have to agree with the last reply. You really want to come spend some time here first to understand all of the dynamics of the local communities. You can definitely buy or build something on par with "Western" living standards for well under $100K but you will most certainly spend less money if you take the time to do the more detailed research in person. Use caution when buying any property through online channels as the prices have a tendency to be inflated. "OLX Guatemala" is a good resource for getting a general sense of prices but there are many people in the area that sell their land without a realtor or the internet, they simply just have a sign on the property stating that it is for sale. Those scenarios are almost always a better option. Also, on the topic of building, you have a couple of options... you can pay a building company to design/build (I do not reccomend this) or you can find individual professionals for each particular part of the project; a engineer/architect, cement, plumber, electrician, etc... this will save you a lot of money and likely yield a living space that meets and exceeds expectations. The formal stuff (permits,etc) is actually fairly easy. Feel free to reach out to me for further discussion if you would like. ElGringoGuate@hotmail.com
Cheers,
Adam
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armandatitlan
From: Guatemala
10/28/2016 18:10 EST
Interesting points of view...
I'm a realtor, a professional builder and a private owner as well...
If you have time on hand and you understand Spanish I agree you should come down and check for yourself.. But please try to find out what it is real as many have personal experiences that because of the lack of law enforcement have been able to do their project but in total illegality..
For example .
Building in Lake Atitlan .. because it is a protected areas you need an environmental permit before even starting, plus a building licence from the city you depend and maybe a lease from the government if you are lake front..
So yes 10 years ago maybe 5 years still you could do it and expect not to be cote but these days and because lake protection is big issue watch out..
OLX.. watchout there are a lot of scam going on , people buys things that are not real.. if you don't speak spanish.. double caution... always better to hire a realtor to make sure all the angles are covered.. and a Licensed one.. yes Realtor needs a license in Guatemala
Building... I have seen several expat.. doing their own project.. and get overpriced total cost, being sued for labor law infrengement...not having the proper license... Again if you don't speak spanish better a professional with serious references that you can contact and check than the adventurous met on the street soon to be contractor.. Always work with people that give facturas.. first of all any services you hire must be billed with factura second if you have an issue that will be your proof of professional services.. in case you need to sue the contractor, carpenter...
As I say if you don't speak spanish better contract professionals (real ones ) it will save you money times and stress... feel free to PM if needed
and if you do it yourself , there is people that have done it.. I don't say it is not possible.. just be patient...
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olympicairways
10/28/2016 21:28 EST
Thanks Adam for the reply. Nice to hear different points of view. First of all, I've been to Lake Atitlan before (even if it was just for a little more than a week and I didn't visit all the villages). And I definetely wouldn't buy some land because there are a few nice pictures on the internet. I am very cautious when it comes to my money, I even triple check before I spend 30 bucks on a new pair of jeans. ;) Right now, my girlfriend and I just want to have a rough outline for what our money is worth to plan a little ahead. Also I speak Spanish well enough to make a few local friends first, who know their way around over there. But I will definetely come back to all of you when I have decided what to do. Thanks for your answers so far.
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