Cotton,
I am 32 and semi-retired (I'll have to go back one day). I just took the downpayment I had been saving for a house, and jumped in with both feet. I had never been to Belize before I moved down here. I just put all my stuff in storage, loaded three suitcases and flew down. I stayed at Ruby's for about 6 days while I looked for a place. It wasn't hard to find. There seem to be many decent apartments around. I think there are even some in my building. I got a decent one-bedroom, furnished with A/C, a microwave, T.V. and cable for $350 U.S.
Do as much research as you can. Though I've found that the island seems to be changing almost daily so some of the info is bound to be outdated. If you have the money, a golf cart is definitely the way to go but I would check out the island before you buy. Some people prefer electric, while others like the gas kind. I don't know anything about them myself, but there is at least one dealer on the island.
I really haven't had to get to my money yet, but I figured that since I will only be here 6 months, I can just transfer as I need to.
If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer. You can email me at:
[email protected]Hope you love it here as much as I do.
Kelly