I have never been to Ambergris Caye, yet I have been doing a little research and I found this site. If anyone would like to share some info. I would be greatful. Like, About how many american expats are living there, how is the real estate market doing, where are some spots I should check out for a place to live/retire/fair value investment/ is the crime/corruption rough on americans living there? is the community working together and helpful to eachother. Are there other place in Belize you like and I should check out... Stuff like this I would love to have a little insight into from people that have been living there for awhile. Thank you.

Come here.

You will need to visit to get a true feeling of the place, but to sum it up;

About how many american expats are living there,
Lots. along with Canadians and Europeans

how is the real estate market doing,
Recovering

where are some spots I should check out for a place to live/retire/fair value investment/
All of Belize is nice, depends on what you like.

is the crime/corruption rough on americans living there?
Crime/corruption is hard on everyone in the community when it happens. Americans are not singled out.

is the community working together and helpful to eachother.
Definately!

Are there other place in Belize you like and I should check out
Everywhere is great with the exception of Belize City.

which is where he lives, supposedly.

I've never been in Belize City for more then an hour, how bad is it???

Its just a city, Take a cab where ever you go.
Use your head and don't walk down lonely streets, etc.
and you will be fine. But why go there at all?
The vacation paradises are places like ambergris Caye/San Pedro,
Caye Caulker and in general the little islands off the coast.

I had a lawyer in Belize City, just off one of the main streets on quite a busy side road. They had an armed guard inside a locked door, with a communication system to ensure they didn't open the door to anyone they didn't want in. When I left I was going to walk a short distance (1/2 mile) to another business but they said on no account was I to walk - FAR too dangerous. They drove me instead. It isn't JUST a city!

That why I'm not a lawyer.

holy cow...........

Every time I'm down (usually every month) I have errands I run in the City. Usually get a taxi for the time I'm going to be there, mostly for convenience of making multiple purchases and having a place to put the stuff. However, I also walk around the main drags in the downtown and haven't been bothered. Be very aware of where you go and avoid places that don't look so nice. The same awareness you would use when you walk around a city you know nothing about. My attorneys have either an armed guard nor do they ever offer to drive me anywhere and there offices are right downtown.

I like Belize City for a day of business or shopping. My attorney does not have an armed guard. I hire a cab because I can't find my way on the one-way streets --- so I go, I ride, I shop and the taxi man puts my goods in the car. The Belize City museum is fantastic. Mirab is great. Mikado has a huge array of fabric, super helpful staff and groovy music. Some of the old buildings echo a remarkable era of architectural beauty - fading and falling apart but still there if you look. Perhaps BC is not for a novice traveler and for sure not for a person showing bling, but still there is something about it that begs to be refurbished and enjoyed.

Ditto Ron and Diane the taxi method isn't that expensive and I do that as well. Hes waits and is a great place to leave the shopping bags. Its a city and a lot of cities have the same characteristics,
you could get mugged easy if you don't act smart.
For me Belize City has a charm but its buried under a lot of filth.

I've lived in Lagos, Nigeria in the 1980's and BC is clean and sweet smelling.