I wonder if anyone can offer some input...for the past year I have been looking for property to buy in Belize with my focus primarily on Caye Caulker. A friend of mine recently spent some time on Ambergris and had a 'proper' tour of the island and suggested I also look there. I do love Caye Caulker but over time I'm not convinced it's the right choice for me. It's a bit small (which can be both good and not so good) and there hasn't been much choice in terms of available properties for sale. But when I look at real estate in Ambergris, I'm lost. I don't know where any of these places are, what's a good deal and what isn't (as opposed to what agents claim to be a good deal). Also, I'm wondering if I can find and/or create in Ambergris the kind of lifestyle and vacation home I envisioned on Caye Caulker. Mainly, I'm the 'wood house, barefoot in a sarong type' (no condos please). I don't want to be in a unit where everything is rented out and hear other people's party noise. I want to hear, see and be surrounded by nature. I'm looking for a sanctuary and privacy, peace and quiet. Is that possible on Ambergris, where would I look in terms of area/neighborhoods, and are there any trusted agents someone can point me to so I can check out the island properly when I return. I'm not looking to re-create a North American lifestyle, quite the opposite, and don't want to be part of a 'development'. I am not looking at living on either island full time right now though I have my own business and could work from anywhere, but I am in Belize a couple of times a year at least and would like a second home there. Any advice would be very helpful and much appreciated.

There are various types of properties for sale on AC - many that sound like your type of digs. Check out the Real Estate link on the front page of ambergriscaye.com there are several reputable real estate companies with listings. Good luck, and hope you find something to suit you!

Hi iluvbelize, I have done that, but again I just get more overwhelmed and so was hoping to have more 'insider' info. Any particular areas to look at and ones to avoid that are maybe being sold as newly desirable but aren't (!) maybe. Thanks for assuring me I can do the 'laid back' nature thing in Ambergris though, that's good to know. I just keep hearing how built up Ambergris is and all I've seen is the main strip...and I don't want to buy somewhere that will be crammed full of development in five years time. If that makes sense....

Go for a vacation visit - you'll find what you are looking for, but you need to go see for yourself in person. You'll surely have a great time either way.

I would look at properties far north of San Pedro Town, Far south of San Pedro Town, or on the West coast. Anywhere close to or around town is going to be busy and noisey. I would also suggest, if you can afford it, to buy a very large piece of property. You never know when or what someone will build right next door to you and the larger the piece of land you have, the bigger buffer zone you have.

Just my thoughts...

And, for a reputable realtor.... www.mlsambergriscaye.com

investinbelize.com sold us our property on the south end of the island. They are great and can give you honest advice about the location that best fits what you want.

Really helpful advice everyone. It took quite a few visits to Caye Caulker to get the lay of the land and making a a few friends who could warn us about the 'swamp land' so I'd like to avoid some of those issues if I'm starting to look all over again somewhere else!

I suggest you look at the MLS Ambergris Caye website - the 6 premier, established, local real estate brokerage firms are listed there. Full disclosure is guaranteed.

www.mlsambergriscaye.com

Hi, thanks Amanda. I have checked that site and many others. And a few people have pm'd me which is great. I guess, apart from hearing what agents people have used that they are happy with, is whether or not life can be as laid back on Ambergris (realistically). And are there are good, better or bad spots to be looking on the island. I just feel the more research the better before talking to an agent. There's nothing like an 'insider's point of view.

i don't live there, i'm just a tourist. but based on what you say you're looking for, if i were you, i'd have to agree with jzb - north of the cut by at least 2 miles, 3 miles/+ south of town, or the west side.

at that point, you'd have to think of how far from town or how remote you want to be. even tho you're familiar with belize and cc, you really do have to go and spend a week or two on AC to get the lay and feel of the land. i think each area possesses unique charms.

and of course, yes, use a reputable realtor - there are several well-recommended ones available there.

Cancon08 - As someone that has been going down to Belize for the last decade, at least once, and sometimes several times a year, you sound a lot like me. I looked on the mainland, AC, CC and Placencia extensively. I finally purchased on AC in the Tres Cocos area which is about 1 mile (give or take a bit) north of the bridge. I have gone literally all the way to both ends of the island, and there are lots of great areas, all depending on what you're looking for. As a typical gringo, I wanted ocean front, not only for the view, but mainly for the tradewinds. After MUCH searching, I decided on the TC area for several reasons. It's both close enough and far away enough from town for me. Even more important, the golf cart ride much further is brutal, extremely bumpy in dry season and swimming with your cart in rainy season. You can easily overcome that obstacle with a boat. The further north you get, the more isolation and better wildlife you'll get. I like the neighborhood feel and security of TC, where you have your own space, neighbors are not nosy and are extremely helpful if and/or when you need it. Turned out to be the best of everything I was looking for. Some seclusion, wildlife, outstanding views of the water, excellent neighbors, close enough for shopping and nightlife when I want it, etc. I looked long and hard at the south end of town as well, and there are some great areas there as well, but again, for me I love the north end for lots more reasons than the south end. And for a real estate agent, my highest recommendations go to Sunrise Realty, Amanda or Chris. Best of wishes in your search. I think you'll love it as much as the rest of us do. :-)
Feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat in more specific detail.

1 mile north of the bridge is out of many people's price range and there is very limited availabilty in that area. "Seclusion" and "wood housing" are not terms I would associate with that area.

Although the south end is developing at a much slower pace than the north end, there is not a tremendous selection there either if someone is seeking "seclusion".

The west side has tons of available property, plenty of "seclusion" but............it's on the west side.

It may still be considered Caribbean Sea front to some folks but I personally think it's more like "bay" front.

Prices on CC are far below prices on AC.

It all boils down to how deep are your pockets?

I own way down south because that is what my pockets would allow.

If I had the deep pockets to be closer to town then I would be. Close to town reef side either north or south are both great!

gabby - LUCKY YOU! tres cocos is really lovely and far more lush than town - its perhaps my favorite area on AC. if i had any money (which i dont) that is where i would like to be.

that said, i don;t think of it as being particularly secluded. that was why i suggested 2+ miles north of the cut (or at least north of Palapa Bar).

*sigh* i wish....

If your goal is to be on the beach Tres Cocos does not have much in the way of options (available options). South does have many options and offers some things that you just can't have on the north side such as City water, and a road that has access to town via taxi, golf cart and or bicycle. No bridge and no fees.

I live south and work in town and I can tell you that when I leave town I am happy to get home where in some cases I will not see a sole for several days. The waterfront on the south is more disconnected and so you don't get any traffic at all on the beach. This is also true to some extent in Tres Cocos but beyond Tres Cocos you will get several hundred people a day walking, riding and driving in front of your home. This is not always a problem but if you are looking for peace and quiet that may hamper it.

The north side other than Tres cocos has resorts every few hundred yards to that will also increase the traffic.

as a realtor my advice is speak with a realtor from MLSambergriscaye.com, make arrangments to come down and have them give you the tour by boat and by road. This will allow you to experience what each of these areas has to offer.

Once you are comfortable with a realtor then they will do all the work and find and show you properties that are in your price range and that offer the characteristics that you are looking for. Any of those realtors will point you in the right direction.

What I am saying is you need to come down and have someone show you around!

Good luck.

I suggest renting for a little while in several areas before buying property.

There is a big difference between Caye Caulker and San Pedro in many ways other than pricing and location. It seems to me that you need to decide what you want in a place, then you look for it. I'm just about finished building a house on the north island of Caye Caulker but it took quite awhile to decide that was where I wanted my house. The south island has more amenities than the north island, Ambergris Caye has more and San Pedro even more. They also have different levels of seclusion. I'm sure that the same can be said for other sections of Belize. Before buying I spent time in both CC and SP and also was down in Placencia and Dangriga. All of these places have both good and bad realtors. Once you find the area then you can find the realtor. Its hard for a realtor to find you a place if you don't know what you're looking for. And make sure you know how much money you want to spend. If you want a house that is yours don't rent while your not there. This also means you need to have some sort of caretaker especially if you're looking in a secluded location. As others have said you have to go pretty far north to get sanctuary and privacy, peace and quiet. That also means boats to get back and forth and most likely having you house built by a Belizean contractor in a place very difficult to build. Remember the more isolated the property the harder it is to build and the most costly. Just building on the north island of CC added a considerable amount to the building cost, including providing my own power and water. Good luck.

I'd buy used and leave the many headaches of building to others. That way you know exactly what you're getting.

Buying is easier but you still need to figure out where you want to live. And the more remote the location of that house the more expensive it'll be. Someone had to pay to get the materials to the site to buiuld the house.

I would agree if you were talking lagoon front, but the west peninsula is actually very beautiful. It has some of the best beaches on the island and I would buy out there in a second if I could afford it, and if there were electricity. The view is nothing like a bay. You are looking upon wide open sea with a few spotted islands in the distance. Beautiful.

Really, really helpful everyone. That's exactly what I needed to know - can I find peace and quiet and where. I think I"m getting a better picture of the lay of the lay land there and that I'm looking for is doable so I need a proper, longer visit next time. We don't have a huge budget and have investigated building instead of buying finished. We had put an offer in on a house on C.C. but it fell through earlier this year.

I don't want to be a hermit but we are nature lovers and want to hear and see it with the option of course of seeing friends and going out for some great food and drinks.

Really good points made on here and I really appreciate your help.

Good post full of information. As you can see we all have our preferences. I purposely did not want beach front as I do not want to be responsible for keeping it clean and I did not want the bicycle traffic. I wanted to see the sea but I also like to see the lagoon. I found my ideal lot for sale by owner and we both agreed on price. Together we went to Belmopan and did the title transfer - it was a piece of cake. I got 2nd row back, fronting on the road with only one lot across the road on the lagoon. So, I have a view of both.

I am just north of the Palapa bar and there are still many undeveloped lots in this area. Many people call it Tres Cocos but it is actually El Torsoro (the treasure). Just yesterday I learned that one of my neighbors is seriously considering selling a house and the lot next to mine has a for sale sign on it.

We have lived on the south end for about 23 yrs. I agree with Travlin Man, not a lot of traffic on the beach. An occassional bicycle, but no golf carts go by. Most of the beach front houses are far enough away from the main road that it remains very quiet. While we do use our cistern most of the time, it is definitly very nice to have city water as a back up during dry season or if you have guests who like to take epic showers.
The town board has paved the road just past Victoria House and it makes driving to town much better during heavy rains. I have gone over the bridge on rainy days and find it really jarring. Being able to have things delivered or just running to a grocery for milk is also a plus on the South end. We have many resturants within easy walking distance as well. The North end also has wonderful resturants of course. A lot depends on what you want in your life style, but sometime "convenience" can be a god send in Paradise.

OK, we're checking flights! When does rainy season start? Had no idea there was so much more to S.P. There are some really interesting points to consider. It's nice to hear all the different sides and points of view.

Everybody's giving good advice. One of my favorite things to do on the island is look at real estate. I bike, golf cart, and boat ride all over. It's a relatively small island. If you meet with one of the reputable agents mentioned above, at some point they'll probably give you a map of the island that has areas like Tres Cocos, Basil Jones, etc. (areas whose names you'll see mentioned) labeled. Then after going up and down the island, you'll quickly get a sense of the areas, and soon get a better idea of where you might like to buy.

Hi Cancon08,

I own property in Mata Grande, 2nd row off the beach. The area is absolutely pristine in my opinion. You have Rojo lounge (extremely cool and the view is incredible off the dock), Mata Chica (Phenomenal Massages and Mojitos) tranquil and beautiful. The area is very secluded but at the same time owned by very caring and prominent owners. I feel the 2nd and 3rd row lots are the "Deals" on the island if you don't have "Trump" cash. But either way I feel very blessed to be the proud owner of 2nd row 5 miles from the cut and feel that it is one of the most tranquil spots on the island. (Although If i had the money I would buy all of Tranquility Bay area.)I find it the absolutely most beautiful on the island, bar none!!

Great input guys. Can anyone send me us a map that shows the areas such as Tres Cocos, Basil, Jones, Mata Grande, and all the other areas mentioned by others on this post? We'd be fine with 2nd row from the front if we could catch the trade winds, have a view of the water, close access to the water and not be looking right into someone else's window. I like the sound of 'deals' right now. And some cool eating places and other benefits of civilization nearby without having to go into 'town' would be ideal too.

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Ahh, it's all starting to come together now. Thank you!

So, here's the next question...I'm seeing how vast the island really is, I'm hearing about sewage locations, rainy season roads and the issues it causes for transportation...what should we be expecting and avoiding in terms of location or at least be aware of so we're prepared? We don't want to be near sewage at all, not smelling it and not swimming in it. Also, are there areas of the island that get washed out so that it's hard to get to stores for supplies at certain times of the year? The appeal that CC has is the ability to get anywhere by walking, bike, and golf cart as a last resort. It's a great way to stay fit too. Is a car going to be the only option in some areas (four + miles from town) if we buy in AC? We've done the boat thing already (a water access only cottage) and that does not appeal to us any longer as the primary mode of transportation. Presumably it is not always necessary to go to 'town' for everything one needs anyway?

Also, some properties we are investigating are not on the grid so to speak. Does anyone have good suppliers for solar and water and sewage systems, as well as builders to recommend or has this been posted already? We are thinking Menonite and I know there are posts here on the pros and cons but if anyone has builders they can recommend can you post or PM us so we can start sourcing out costs if we buy a lot and build? Again, we like the wooden houses on stilts style. The house we almost bought last year was well water and septic but the well smelled of sulphur so rain water was going to be hooked up. Thanks everyone!

It seems that you have been able to glean quite a bit of information from the message board.
Your best bet at this time might be to retain a buyers agent on the island that would primarily represent your interests in any deal. Keep in mind that the listing agents are the sellers representative in Belize. Further, retaining a good lawyer is VERY important to guide you through the methodology of acquiring property in Belize. In the end, protect yourself and your investment before acting.

You're going to have to revisit to sort all this out. Difficult and risky to try to do it remotely.

It sounds as if you're going to have to be quite near town, which in practice probably means south as far as Victoria House, maybe a couple of miles' range. That's as far as the hard-surfaced road goes. The house I mentioned to you (which has now been sold, incidentally) was way further than that and some form of motorised transport would effectively have been essential.

You need to see all of this for yourself.