There are some competent and honest real estate people in Belize, but keep in mind that basically anyone in Belize can set himself or herself up as a broker, without any training or licensing. It's not like the U.S. Caveat emptor.
Real estate in Belize can be a good deal, but I'd recommend you ask yourself these questions before you buy:
* Are you getting the Belize price or the foreigner price? Most property in Belize has several prices, depending on who is buying. (This is less true on Ambergris Caye, where most buying and selling is by expats.)
* Are you willing to put your money in an illiquid investment? What happens if you buy and then you want to sell? Who will buy? For most parcels, basically there is no local market, since few Belizeans can afford today's high prices for real estate -- most buyers are other expats and international investors. What happens if there is a serious recession in the U.S. and Canada?
� What happens if the Belize dollar is devalued or loses value?
* What are you going to do with the property? Buy for investment? Live there? If the latter, have you spent any time in Belize to find out what it's really like?
As to where in Belize to buy, it's like anything else -- everybody has an opinion. My own preference is the Corozal Town area. It has a friendly, small-town Belizean-Mexican atmosphere, safer than most areas in Belize. It's close to Mexico, for excellent, inexpensive medical care and a variety of shopping. The climate is relatively dry, with only about 50 inches of rain. Prices are far lower than in San Pedro or Placencia. Seafront land in some areas is higher lying than farther south, a plus during hurricanes. There are relatively few bugs.
Other than Corozal, I like the Hopkins area, Punta Gorda, Cayo and rural Orange Walk district.
--Lan Sluder
Belize First Magazine
http://www.turq.com/belizefirst/