About Michaelweb710

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Some Forum Posts:

Nicaragua: Professional Photography:

I'm looking for a professional photographer, preferably in the Rivas area, but as far as Managua would work as well. I need some photos and videos shot of the area I'm building to put on my website. I have a Canon EOS 5D Mark III, but the camera doesn't make the photographer. I'd be willing to let my camera be used, but I would be there learning as well. Anyone who can recommend someone who would be willing to do some photography at a reasonable price, please let me know. Thanks.

Nicaragua: Solar in Nicaragua:

Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone has successfully installed solar in Nicaragua, either using a Nica company or buying it piecemeal and hiring someone to put it together themselves? Any advice on the topic will help. I'm probably putting solar in on my property in Tola and have no idea which of the 3-4 companies in Managua I can trust to do a good job and not rip me off. Thanks for your input.

Nicaragua: Is Is Logical?:

My advice to both of you guys, one of you with $10K and no family, one with $20K and a family. . . Go for it! . . . You won't regret it, ESPECIALLY if you get to learn Spanish out of the adventure. I moved down there in 2012 with about $10K. I was 27 and single. I came down to learn Spanish, chase girls, and surf. Stayed for about 5 months until the money ran out around Christmas. Two biggest things I got out of it. I slowly but surely, with more frequent trips to Nicaragua afterward became fluent in Spanish. Priceless. I was a door to door salesman, now I have my own solar business in California, and we do very well, largely in part for my ability to speak Spanish to the 70% Spanish-speaking population, and training hispanic sales reps. Changed my life. 2nd, I now appreciate how good we have it in the United States and it has made me so grateful to be so lucky as to be born in the United States. Like someone commented, people on food stamps live like kings compared to these people. And it's amazing how happy they are, despite the extreme poverty. I now own 16 acres in Nicaragua, and a couple lots on and near the beach in the Tola region. I'll be building a hotel, developing the property, selling lots, etc. Going to Nica the first time was a stretch for me and gave me a lot of anxiety. Cuz I basically sold all my stuff and jumped in. But it changed my life so much for the better and I don't think you would ever regret it. . . Just be committed to learning the language, and don't be discouraged if you have to go back to the States or Canada to make some money. Good luck!

Nicaragua: Seeking Work:

Claire, I've been here 3 years now, married a Nica, built and lost a business, bought 2 properties and am now developing one of them. This guy Wagsa on here is legit, I've met him, he has a restaurant and a lot of land. There are good people on here who do help other ex-pats, just come and you will figure out who you can trust and how you like it. My wife is from Managua and I know bi-lingual schools here that would hire you, in the wealthy parts of town, and I might know a lady in San Juan del Sur who could hire you. Your boyfriend could take advantage of the canal coming and come help one of the many real estate companies sell land in Tola, or in San Juan - no license required, 10% commission. You can start your own business here for $400, with a lawyer, and you do not have to be a resident. It is definitely more fun and helpful to come here with some money and if you don't have Spanish, you will pick it up fast, hardly anyone speaks English. Also, wages here are low, max salary probably $400-500/ month. So you guys may end up coming for awhile, and having to go back to the States to make some money, no worries, I know several semi Ex-pats who do so. Don't let people on here discourage you. Please message me privately for any other advice or ideas.

Nicaragua: buyer beware:

What areas of the country was this in? . . . I have recently bought 2 manzanas in Tola near Playa Astillero, and was going to buy more in the same area. . . Is there an article somewhere where it explains this in detail?! . . . Thanks in advance for any info you all can provide

Nicaragua: Nicaraguan Baby- American Father, Nicaraguan Mother:

I am an American father, married to a Nica, we met in SJDS in October 2012. . . I looked into my options of bringing her to the States as my girlfriend. . . Your only shot in the dark is a tourist visa, which about 99% get denied, and you have to wait a year before applying again for any other type of visa. . . In hindsight, we should have done the Fiance Visa, because it would have been a lot faster (4-6 months). . . but we actually got married down there, in Managua, August 2013 and then went for the Marriage - permanent resident - Visa. . . (You can find all the numbers of these online, I forget what they are.) The Marriage visa took us from when we got married in August 2013 until December 2014, so 1 year and 4 months, until she was able to come to the US, so I was commuting back and forth during that time, 1 month here, 1 month there. She got her SS card very quickly, but her Green card, Permanent resident card, didnt come until about one week ago. She had a one year old daughter when we met, who is now my daughter and is 4, who I thought once we got mom here, our girl could come to the US no problems. . . NOT the case. We are now waiting for our daughter`s visa, the same way we waited for my wife`s. It is going a little bit faster, because she`s on priority as a minor, but we started in January, and it looks like we MIGHT be able to bring her here by October-November, fingers crossed. For now shes staying with grandma in Nica. Since its probly too late to get your girl here before she has the baby, I would say do the Fiance visa, which gives you 90 days to get married in the States, but at least it gets her here. You have to jump through more hoops when you get here, but it will be faster. Any questions contact me directly at michaelweb710@gmail.com.

Nicaragua: Nicaragua Real Estate:

JGitaldez, I have land on the other side of the Nature Refuge from you, a little south of Astillero up on the hill overlooking Punta Conejo. . . I'm curious, how much did you pay per square foot? did you contract an established group of builders that work for another extranjero or did you simply assemble a group of your own? . . . I was going to start construction this winter - Oct-Dec, but I was just going to hire a group that is already established in the Rancho Sentana/ Guasacate area (run by gringos) and I was worried about getting ripped off and not getting the steep discount on labor that I know is readily accessible. . . If you want to email me in private to discuss numbers my email is michaelweb710@gmail.com

Nicaragua: Money!:

I'm interested. I've gone back and forth about 12 times in the last 2 years and I've always thought about it. Call me, I go back to Colorado on Sunday to work for 3-4 weeks. Mike 8265-3805

Nicaragua: Buying property in Nicaragua:

Dave, I'm curious, what beach were you considering to buy/lease property on? Because in a few weeks I'm most likely going to be buying/leasing land close to or on the beach at Playa Guasacate, about 200 yards from the river that separates Playa Guasacate and Playa Popoyo in Tola. Of course I will have a lawyer review the title and make sure there are no back taxes owed or other claims to the land, besides the current owner. If you take the river out, (which you can wade across) its about a 3 mile long beautiful beach with 3 surf breaks, to me, definitely worth the risk. I lived in Hawaii a couple years and the same type of land would go for a half million dollars and up. And I´m going to get it for around $15-20K. From what I've been told by all the people who actually own property in the area, all that land is technically owned by the government and as long as you pay your taxes you will keep your land and whatever you build on it. Daniel Ortega isn't stupid, he wants to bring in the tourism money to Nicaragua just like Costa Rica has done for the last 15 years. To those beaches in particular there is now a brand new road that basically didnt exist a year ago. There´s an $880 million dollar resort, Guacalito de la Isla, that´s close to being done, and currently the road, continuing on past Guacalito, is 10 times better than it was 6 months ago, paid for by government money. If he starts taking land back from foreigners who own land in Nicaragua, I'm sure he knows the bad publicity worldwide would hurt the economy in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is just starting to be featured International Living magazine and other such magazines, and I don´t foresee them doing anything to hurt their reputation. To me if its a great deal, its definitely worth the risk, but to each their own. Mike

Nicaragua: How to bring my girlfriend to U.S:

I'm a US citizen and am in the process of making my Nicaraguan wife a visa right now. We've been together since October last year, got engaged in April 2013, and at the time I went to the Embassy in Managua to ask if I should do the fiance or wait to do the marriage visa. They told me wait, get married, do the marriage visa, because the process is quicker, 4-6 months rather than 7-8 months, and more guaranteed. Well, we got married Aug 31, I had all the paperwork ready to submit in the 2nd week of September, translated and everything, brought it to the Embassy again before I sent it off to my parents in the states to send to USCIS - cuz it has to come from the States - and they told me itll be 8-9 months for the marriage visa. Its been 4 months now and all we've received is a receipt that they got our application, about 2 months ago. About a month ago I went to a USCIS in Denver, CO and they basically just told me its a long slow process, theres no way to speed it up, you just have to wait. When the baby is born, hate to say but probably going to be here in Nicaragua, that will help your case to prove you guys are together. So make sure you get your name on the birth certificate and good luck. Oh and whatever you can get started first, do it, if you have an extra $400 to blow its worth submitting the fiance and the marriage visa from everything I've heard and experienced.

Date Joined:

1/6/2014

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