Strange remark from a US realtor. It is absolutely usual in the US for a developer to buy hundreds of acres for a huge development and find all the permits will take many years or forever if it trashes the environment.
I am a developer.
We took one look at the plan and saw the likely outcome right away.

The Tarpon Bay development which consists of however many homes at this point has No water, No Cable, No electricity. Considering at least one home started construction more than 2 years (a home of that kind should be completed in 6 months) ago, it is not encouraging.

What you see is what you get Never Ever purchase property or anything else here based on what people tell you is going to happen. Hospitals, Golf courses, Casinos, paved roads and airports being built that will greatly increase the value of the property is simply a sales pitch. When you hear that pitch pack your things and RUN!

TravelinMan1....

So that first blue home has been standing for over 2 years?

From the ACCSD website (www.accsdbelize.com). Work started on the first of the 4 houses in May 2010.

Interesting... Well that would explain why it looked a little worse for wear. I will definitely be interested to see what happens down south.

There are lots of things happening down south. New homes being built, new developments under construction and property sales are as good if not better than most other places on the island.

South Ambergris Caye is the safest place to own a home on the island especially if you are going to be an absentee owner.

There are more affordable east coast beachfront lots (starting from $107,500.00 USD) than anywhere else on the island. The area is ideal for low impact residential development (single family homes) for environmentally conscious people who want to blend into their surroundings and not transform them.

How expensive is property on the beach north of Portofino compared to South AC?

Lot cost aside you might inquire about construction costs, and then ongoing costs associated with location such as boat, dock (permit moratorium?) etc for the northern areas.

Travelinman1....Very well stated.....A perfectly accurate account of the area.

It keeps out the riffraff ;-)
About the dock moratorium, not! its been an urban myth for years on the island , no moratorium, myth going around for twenty years plus..I just recently got one and the docks are going up with regularity always have been, but you can hear that dock moratorium fable any time you want.
When I decided to be North of San Pedro (across the river on the Island) in 1986 the decision was and still is based on the obvious problems that San Pedro would be having, over crowded, crime, poverty, etc. The North is quiet , peaceful and not crowded.. I attribute most of it to the fact its not easily accessible.
Property on the beach North of Portofino is exactly where I live and its considerably cheaper than South Ambergris Caye.
http://www.owninbelize.com/listing-beachfront-property-south-ambergris-caye-76.html
and the lots described here on the South end for a quarter million US dollars are tiny!