What's the price of a home, condo or apartment in Puerto Vallarta?
Armando Contreras - Galvan Real Estate and Services
The prices of real estate here in Puerto Vallarta differs depending on the house’s location, age of the property, and the utilities. A basic three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,500 square foot house, in a safe neighborhood in Puerto Vallarta proper away from the beach would start at around $250,000. The same house in Lo de Marcos (a small town on the beach about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta) would start at around $150,000.
As an example, one of the...
The prices of real estate here in Puerto Vallarta differs depending on the house’s location, age of the property, and the utilities. A basic three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,500 square foot house, in a safe neighborhood in Puerto Vallarta proper away from the beach would start at around $250,000. The same house in Lo de Marcos (a small town on the beach about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta) would start at around $150,000.
As an example, one of the houses that I just sold recently in Lo de Marcos has a lot area of about a third of an acre. The house is 2,600 square foot with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and it costs $179,000. It is located four blocks away from the beach in a safe area. If you buy the same house in Punta de Mita (a high end area between Puerto Vallarta and Lo de Marcos), it would cost around $300,000.
Generally, you can find anything that you want here in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding areas. There is a huge variety of real estate here from the basic houses in town all the way to the luxury $20-million villas.
(Offered at $105, 000, Casita Estrella is a two- bedroom home in the gated community of Lo de Marcos, near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, pictured.)
I have been to different parts of Belize when it comes to islands and I would say, the most common places that have some very good beaches are Placencia and Hopkins. Most of them are private beaches. Big resorts or big hotels own them and they are restricted to their own customers, I would say.
Let’s say I am going from San Ignacio and I want to go to the beach because here in San Ignacio, we don’t have beaches. We are in the western part of...
I have been to different parts of Belize when it comes to islands and I would say, the most common places that have some very good beaches are Placencia and Hopkins. Most of them are private beaches. Big resorts or big hotels own them and they are restricted to their own customers, I would say.
Let’s say I am going from San Ignacio and I want to go to the beach because here in San Ignacio, we don’t have beaches. We are in the western part of Belize, so I don’t want to pay a hotel because I am coming on a day trip. What I would do is to look for the beaches that don’t have any hotels or any developments. You can find some that are polluted, but I’ve been to islands such as Calabash and South Water Caye, which have some very good beaches. Most of them are reserves, so you can’t really access them. In South Water Caye, there are some tours for eco-tourism, but Calabash is strictly for research. San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye also has some very good beaches, but it is mostly on the places that already have developments.
If you like beaches, Belize would be a good country for you. When we were in a conference in January, we saw some of the presentations and the news. It says Ambergris Caye is one of the top destinations for Belize to come and visit and to come and retire. So that’s one of the most common places, but we also have Caye Caulker and we do have a lot of islands that you can come and visit and stay.
The islands have nice beaches, too. A lot of people say it’s becoming congested, especially Ambergris Caye, but I think there are a lot more beaches available on places such as Hopkins. Hopkins is a very good place. It’s not as populated as Ambergris Caye and it has nice beaches.
(Almond Beach, Hopkins, Stann Creek, Belize, pictured.)
The public doctors in Portugal are not very good because the public health system here is almost the same as the rest of Europe. You have to wait a month to get an appointment with a doctor and once you get one, the checkup is all done very quickly and is not very thorough. They give you lots of medicines because they want to get rid of you quickly. If you need tests done, you have to go to the National Health System and the queue is very long. You have to wait a week to get an...
The public doctors in Portugal are not very good because the public health system here is almost the same as the rest of Europe. You have to wait a month to get an appointment with a doctor and once you get one, the checkup is all done very quickly and is not very thorough. They give you lots of medicines because they want to get rid of you quickly. If you need tests done, you have to go to the National Health System and the queue is very long. You have to wait a week to get an appointment for the test. Then you wait another week to get the results and you have to wait another month to book an appointment with the doctor to show your results. It’s a long process. If you need an operation, you have to wait for almost a year in order to get the operation through the public health systems. This doesn’t only happen in Portugal. It is the same thing for the rest of Europe.
State doctors are state doctors, but private clinics are good. People who have private health insurance go to a private clinic that is covered by their insurance and they are very good. Anything private in Portugal works efficiently and well. I deal with a lot foreigners here in Portugal and most of them are pretty amazed by the service that they get from private doctors here. Even those foreigners who travel here and only stay for 6 weeks, prefer to be treated here than in England because medical care is cheaper and is of better quality here in Portugal.
What are the requirements for me to get a job in Nicaragua?
Juan Carlos Espinosa - Hacienda Puerta del Cielo Ecolodge & Spa
In order to work legally in Nicaragua, you have to be a legal resident. Within reason, I am not aware of any restrictions on what jobs you can have based on you being a foreigner.
In order to work legally in Nicaragua, you have to be a legal resident. Within reason, I am not aware of any restrictions on what jobs you can have based on you being a foreigner.
What do I need to know about living overseas and retiring abroad?
Melanie Lansing - Mexico Insurance Advisors
Yvon Marier is correct about the importance of not "traveling naked". When Snowbirds and travelers come down to Mexico they often neglect to consider what might happen in a Medical Emergency in Mexico.
Here are some important things to consider before you travel:
1. Traveler´s vs. Health Insurance - Which is...
Yvon Marier is correct about the importance of not "traveling naked". When Snowbirds and travelers come down to Mexico they often neglect to consider what might happen in a Medical Emergency in Mexico.
Here are some important things to consider before you travel:
1. Traveler´s vs. Health Insurance - Which is the better deal? - Many people tend to ignore thattraveler´s insurance only covers sudden, unexpected illnesses, accidents, and injuries. It doesn´t cover any medical conditions for which individuals are taking medication or any pre-existing diagnosis (prior illnesses, accidents, or surgeries). For example, an individual diagnosed with hypertension and on heart medication would not be covered by Traveler´s Insurance for a heart attack. It is always better to have full health insurance coverage. Individuals who are outside of their country of origin 6 months or more a year qualify for Expat Health Insurance. Several affordable plans are available.
2. How would I pay for a medical emergency?- Private hospitals in Mexico only take cash, debit or credit cards. You will need to have credit or debit cards with at least a $10,000 USD balance to cover any medical emergency.
3. Will my health or traveler´s insurance pay for my hospital bill? - Showing an insurance card at any private Mexican hospital does not guarantee you service. Hospitals take from 48 to 72 hours to verify health insurance coverage & benefits. Private hospitals, therefore, require payment up front for services.
What's the language most often spoken in Boquete, Panama? Can I get by if I just speak English?
Georgina Chanapi - Lucero Homes Golf & Country Club
In Boquete, you can get by with just English. Many expats who come here have small booklets with basic Spanish words. Before they travel, they know many Spanish words like compra, bano and many other Spanish words. You don’t have to be fluent in Spanish when you are in Boquete because many people here speak English.
Spanish is the national language here in Panama, but you will find many English speakers. If you don’t speak Spanish, you are not...
In Boquete, you can get by with just English. Many expats who come here have small booklets with basic Spanish words. Before they travel, they know many Spanish words like compra, bano and many other Spanish words. You don’t have to be fluent in Spanish when you are in Boquete because many people here speak English.
Spanish is the national language here in Panama, but you will find many English speakers. If you don’t speak Spanish, you are not going to be lost. It is not like when you go to Swiss Park in Switzerland where people only speak German or Swiss-German. It’s not like that here in Boquete because we have many English speakers here. You are not going to have any problem.
But still, I suggest that you try to learn common words like donde (where), como esta (how are you?), hola (hello), bano (bathroom-- that’s important!), comida (meal), adios (goodbye), and gracias (thanks). Expats should learn these basic words before they come to Panama or to go to any Spanish Country.
(A history of the Spanish language worldwide, pictured.)
If you’re like me, you’ve got a song in your head pretty much all the time. Sometimes, you know why it’s there, and sometimes, you don’t. Sometimes, you don’t even know where you heard the song.
That’s exactly what happened to me towards the end of our stay in the Ajijic area, as I was walking back from the corner store with some pastries. If you’ve read my first two stories on Ajijic and the Lake Chapala area, you know...
The first neighbor we met was Moises. He looked to me like a gangster at first glance, and I believe he wants the people around here to think so as well. He usually wears pointed-toe cowboy boots and a black leather jacket with some sparkly studs in a few places. There has been a fashion going for some time where people show their prosperity by having gold caps put on their front teeth. I mistakenly thought they had had dental repairs and had elected the gold caps; I couldn’t figure out...
On a windy day in February three of us ladies drove the hour and forty-five minute scenic route to Boca Chica. Bright as a blue umbrella the sky above us was a vivid blue. Strong winds pushed us down the narrow, two-lane road toward the Pan America Highway. it was definitely time for the A/C in the car! We chatted and laughed all along the way. Donna was making the trip to spruce up and change out her jewelry display at the Seagull Cove Lodge gift shop....