What's the price of a home, condo or apartment in San Miguel de Allende?
Jonathan Peters - Ventanas de San Miguel
The price of a home, condo or apartment in San Miguel de Allende depends on the size and location. A typical home size in Centro San Miguel de Allende would be 3,000 square feet and you'd be lucky to get it for US $700,000. But if you move that house to a good solid area that is not at the heart of Centro San Miguel, the same house could cost $450,000.
In Centro San Miguel de Allende, if you want a home with enough room to breathe and something that...
The price of a home, condo or apartment in San Miguel de Allende depends on the size and location. A typical home size in Centro San Miguel de Allende would be 3,000 square feet and you'd be lucky to get it for US $700,000. But if you move that house to a good solid area that is not at the heart of Centro San Miguel, the same house could cost $450,000.
In Centro San Miguel de Allende, if you want a home with enough room to breathe and something that you'd be proud to show other people, you're probably looking at spending more than half a million dollars. There is also a professional class neighborhood in San Miguel de Allende where the home values are probably $200,000 to $250,000 that are roughly 2,000 square foot homes in a nice area that’s close to the bus line and the supermarket. If you walk to the heart of Centro, it would be a 20-minute brisk walk. The prices of homes in San Antonio, San Miguel de Allende would be pretty similar to what I'm talking about. A typical nice home in San Antonio, San Miguel de Allende would be $250,000 to $350,000. I'm not as up on the market as I used to be, but that's my general sense of things. I once had a listing for million dollar home in Centro San Miguel de Allende but there are also a lot of homes that that price that are a dime a dozen.
(Craftsmanship in the kitchen cabinets in a home in the neighborhood San Antonio, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, pictured.)
What's the cost to rent a home in Cayo, Belize, including San Ignacio and Belmopan?
Jonathan Lohr - Ceiba Realty Ltd.
In the Cayo District and San Ignacio, Belize, there is a large range of rental prices for homes. For example, on the low end, there are little two or three-bedroom homes available for about US $300 or $400 per month, while I have some North American standard homes that are fully furnished with appliances for about $1,200 to $1,500 per month.
Rentals are in short supply in this area, so a lot of times, people cannot find rentals at all because there is just nothing...
In the Cayo District and San Ignacio, Belize, there is a large range of rental prices for homes. For example, on the low end, there are little two or three-bedroom homes available for about US $300 or $400 per month, while I have some North American standard homes that are fully furnished with appliances for about $1,200 to $1,500 per month.
Rentals are in short supply in this area, so a lot of times, people cannot find rentals at all because there is just nothing available, especially during the high season, which is around October to April. There are very few and small apartment buildings. Around Christmas time, everybody wants a rental and there is just nothing to rent.
The market is not that big here in Cayo so it is a delicate balance. If you could find a rental, for a budget of $300 to $400 a month, you will get something more Belizean type home. It may just be a cement floor and not tiled or if it is tiled, it would be cheap tiles. It would have a very basic inside with louvered windows with screens and no appliances, no fans, and no furniture. The people here expect you to bring your own appliances when you rent a house. A lot of times, people do not want to rent for less than a year.
The rental market keeps on changing and evolving because we now get more foreigners who want to rent homes. In the past, it was just the local market and when a local rents a home, they have all their own furniture. They move in, put all their stuff inside and they are good to go. The rental market here is evolving. I predict that in the next few years, we are going to see more turnkey, fully furnished, short-term rentals.
(Rental home with pool in San Ignacio, Belize, pictured.)
When I move to Nicaragua, should I keep a US bank account or open a bank account in Nicaragua or both?
Paul Tiffer - TIFFER & ASOCIATES
If you move to Nicaragua, it would be a good idea to keep both a US and a Nicaraguan bank account. The US account can "feed" the Nicaraguan account by just wiring money. The Nicaraguan bank account can even receive and cash any check the owner received from a US account, so in my opinion is a good idea to have this account.
Best Regards
If you move to Nicaragua, it would be a good idea to keep both a US and a Nicaraguan bank account. The US account can "feed" the Nicaraguan account by just wiring money. The Nicaraguan bank account can even receive and cash any check the owner received from a US account, so in my opinion is a good idea to have this account.
Do I need a second passport if I retire, work, or live abroad?
Jay Butler - Asset Protection Services of America
We know of no country which requires a person to obtain a second passport to retire or work abroad.
However it would be prudent to point out that retiring abroad (meaning the ability to reside in another country) does not in-and-of-itself grant you the right to work in that country should you so wish to do so. Although working abroad may somewhat contradict the point of retiring abroad, you may get a little bored over time or find the need to...
We know of no country which requires a person to obtain a second passport to retire or work abroad.
However it would be prudent to point out that retiring abroad (meaning the ability to reside in another country) does not in-and-of-itself grant you the right to work in that country should you so wish to do so. Although working abroad may somewhat contradict the point of retiring abroad, you may get a little bored over time or find the need to create additional income should your retirement budget prove insufficient in satisfying your desired lifestyle.
For example, Belize offers a "Qualified Retired Persons Program" which, upon approval of meeting their annual $24,000 per year retirement income qualification, allows foreigners to reside (retire) in their country. The same program also offers an optional "work visa" for applicants willing to pay the additional application fees. So, this is an illustration of how a second passport is not required to retire or work abroad and furthers the answer by distinguishing the ability to retire and the ability to work in a foreign country.
So, although the immediate answer to this question is direct and straight forward, I would caution readers to be aware of the difference between a residency or retirement permit and a work visa. Be sure to seek legal advice with regards to the laws of the country wherein you have an interest to retire or work abroad.
Additionally, if you choose to live in a country which currently offers any dual-citizenship programs by means of naturalization or investment, you should be conscious of the laws in your home country too. Some retirement benefits may require you to maintain residency in your home jurisdiction and certain government pensions forbid residing outside the country for extensive periods of time - usually determined to be in excess of 180 days.
Lastly, although you do not need a second passport to reside or work abroad, you still need to ensure your current passport is valid in your home country whenever traveling, retiring or working abroad. Many countries will not even grant entry into their country if your current passport has less than 6 months time remaining to expiration. Whenever possible, it is a good idea to renew your passport as soon as you have entered the last 12 months of its validity. If you are retiring or working abroad you will, at the very least, need to have one current passport issued from your home country.
Surfing in the Algarve is fantastic. Algarve is the second most popular region of Portugal for surfing. The most famous surfing spot can be found north of Lisbon, which is called the silver coast, in the area between Peniche and Nazare. They broke the world record there several times.
The Algarve has a fantastic reputation for surfing on the west coast of the region, between Sagres and Aljezur, and we have a number of famous beaches there such Bordeira and...
Surfing in the Algarve is fantastic. Algarve is the second most popular region of Portugal for surfing. The most famous surfing spot can be found north of Lisbon, which is called the silver coast, in the area between Peniche and Nazare. They broke the world record there several times.
The Algarve has a fantastic reputation for surfing on the west coast of the region, between Sagres and Aljezur, and we have a number of famous beaches there such Bordeira and Carrapateira. We also have other beaches in and around the Sagres area, such as Martinhal and Baleal. They all have long, sandy beaches and very good surf. They have a fantastic swell and very evenly spaced waves. It’s easy to get a ride and get it in without being hammered by the next wave. But the water is cold so you need a wetsuit to go surfing.
There is also some surfing on the southern coast of the Algarve. The further west you go, the better the surf. There are small surfing spots just off the beaches around Lagos and around Praia da Luz. The distance between Lagos and Sagres is only about 25 kilometers so you don’t have to travel far to get to surf.
It’s safe to go into the water in Praia da Luz. The waters there are just like the Mediterranean most days. It is calm with azure colors; nary a wave so it’s very safe.
In the western part of the Algarve, you shouldn’t really go into the waves alone. If you have children, they can certainly play in the shallow water but I wouldn’t be far away because a lot of the beaches in that area are very remote and there are not a lot of people there. They don’t necessarily have protection such as life guards and so on. However, most of the southern beaches do have lifeguards.
The Algarve has probably the largest number of “Blue Flag” beaches in Portugal. “Blue Flag” is the European Union symbol for quality of the beaches, infrastructure and water quality. The beaches in the west coast has big waves whereas there are hardly any waves on the southern shores of the Algarve, so there are surf conditions to love for anybody.
(Swells at the beach at Carrapateira, Algarve, Portugal, pictured.)
Is Volcan and Cerro Punta, Chiriqui Province, Panama safe?
Wee-Yiong Fung - Prestige Panama Realty
It is very safe in Volcán and Cerro Punta because it's a very small town and everybody knows everybody. The outsiders in Volcán and Cerro Punta can easily be recognized but the people in Volcán and Cerro Punta are still welcoming because there are many foreigners who live there. So if you leave your bike outside, no one would steal it.
The people who live in Volcán and Cerro Punta are not, generally, thieves. It's just a...
It is very safe in Volcán and Cerro Punta because it's a very small town and everybody knows everybody. The outsiders in Volcán and Cerro Punta can easily be recognized but the people in Volcán and Cerro Punta are still welcoming because there are many foreigners who live there. So if you leave your bike outside, no one would steal it.
The people who live in Volcán and Cerro Punta are not, generally, thieves. It's just a preconceived idea by Americans that a place with bars on the windows is a very bad area. In Volcán and Cerro Punta, having these bars is just cultural. It's the people's way to let the thieves know that their house is secure.
(Path going towards Cerra Punta, Panama, pictured.)
One of the ways I make my living is on the Panama Expat circuit as an advisor or guest speaker. One of my favorite lines is, “If you want to get in trouble, you have to work at it in Panama.” In my almost 19 years here, I have been robbed twice. Each was basically my fault since I didn't follow my own advice.
In every place I live in, I like to walk around a lot to get the local 'feel'. When I first came to Panama City, it was a boring Sunday so...
Another sunny and breezy day. It´s late in the day and I´m just now ready for lunch, waiting for my grilled tuna sandwich with a tall glass of fresh squeezed pineapple juice! After all, this is the famous “Tuna Coast” of Pacific Panama.
I certainly hope those reading this information about living in Panama can arrange a trip down soon. And see for themselves the beauty of the Azuero Peninsula, the tranquility of the town of Pedasi and the...
North and South America were divided by the sea, until the Isthmus of Panama was created three million years ago. It was the biggest and reportedly the most significant geological event in 60 million years. Prior to that date as the Earth's plates began to join, the Pearl Islands emerged from the sea. Indigenous tribes lived on many of the Pearl Islands, including Contadora, and Pre-Columbian artifacts have been found there. The biggest island in the chain is Isla del Rey where more...