Best Places In The World To Retire

There isn’t really any SCUBA or snorkeling anywhere near Lake Chapala and Ajijic.  There’s the lake, of course, but it is far too murky for any SCUBA or snorkeling.

 

The closest diving or snorkeling would be at the Pacific Ocean.  The closest beach is about four hours away, and Puerto Vallarta is about six hours. You can dive or snorkel there, which is good, but doesn’t really compare with what you would find in the Sea of Cortez (east coast of...

There isn’t really any SCUBA or snorkeling anywhere near Lake Chapala and Ajijic.  There’s the lake, of course, but it is far too murky for any SCUBA or snorkeling.

 

The closest diving or snorkeling would be at the Pacific Ocean.  The closest beach is about four hours away, and Puerto Vallarta is about six hours. You can dive or snorkel there, which is good, but doesn’t really compare with what you would find in the Sea of Cortez (east coast of Baja) or Quintana Roo (Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, etc., down to the border with Belize).

 

 

If you really feel the need to visit awesome snorkeling, you can always fly from Guadalajara International Airport to either of these places for extremely low fares, perhaps around $100 or slightly more round trip either to La Paz in Baja or Cancun.

 

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What are the prices to purchase a condo and homes in Granada?  This is not a simple question, since it varies by location, type of finish, square feet, renovated, age, historical district, for sale by owner. So if you take into consideration all these variables its basically telling you to shop around and analyze. Take note that the real estate market is not transparent as it is in such countries as USA, Canada and others that have a MLS (multi listing...

What are the prices to purchase a condo and homes in Granada?  This is not a simple question, since it varies by location, type of finish, square feet, renovated, age, historical district, for sale by owner. So if you take into consideration all these variables its basically telling you to shop around and analyze. Take note that the real estate market is not transparent as it is in such countries as USA, Canada and others that have a MLS (multi listing service) system.

 

As you notice in some of the posts, people talk about prices but do not provide square foot or size of lot. All that must be taken into consideration, as well as HOA fees and what the fees entail and who holds the money!

 

The picture is of a new spec home being built in Los Balcones, outside of Granada. We are using an architect to design and build, and we are using ADA standard to have wider doors, no steps, and easy access to bathroom. The cost of this approximately 1,650 square foot home with all the upgrades is slightly over US$100 per square foot, which also includes the 6% real estate commission and the lot price of US $40,000. As you can see this is a concrete block home. We will be adding a steel roof structure and roof tiles. There are no HOA fees at Los Balcones.

 

On this 1,650 square foot home, as is the norm here you calculate all the area that's under the roof as the square feer. In some properties, they even add the square feet of the garage or storage, or patio.

 

When we shopped for our home we noticed that the value of homes in Granada were very high relative to what we could buy outside of town with similar square feet and finish. I would say the difference was close to 30-50%, depending on land and home condition.

 

As you can see, I am not going to place a price point but advising you to check and ask around when you are looking for a property.  If you see a price on a home on the agent's website, make sure you confirm with agent prior does the price include the sales commission, which can be anywhere from 5 to 10%. On top of that add another 4-6% for closing costs (attorney fees, registration and taxes) depending on value of home.

 

Land prices are also all over the place and will all depend where you are going to buy and if the property has access to utilities and views of property and if land is in a development like Club Vista Lagos where lots on the rim can be as high as US $80,000 for a quarter acre lot to inside lots go for US $40,000 for a 2 acre lot, Los Balcones where lots are $40,000 for an acre, or you can go to the Mombacho area and pay in the neighborhood of US $30,000 per acre, or you come out to the farm community and you can pay around from US $12,000 to US $30,000 per manzana which is equal to 1.75 acres.

 

Club Vista Lagos' HOA is approximately US $40 per year for security, road maintenance, access to lake and club house (under construction)

 

One item to consider when buying on Laguna De Apoyo is can you get a permit to build. Make sure you have this confirmed prior to buying, prior to signing a purchase contract.  Do not listen to seller or his attorney. Get it in writing that a home can be built. In developments such as Vista Lagos you can build with no issues, but don't assume you can build around the rim or on the laguna, it's not that simple.

 

Best advice we can provide is ask and verify in writing! 

There is absolutely no need to renounce or relinquish your US citizenship if you want to move or live abroad. I don’t have dual citizenship. You don’t have to have dual citizenship when living abroad, but there may be an advantage having one, especially if you’re dealing with a country with lower or no taxation. 
 
I would highly recommend that anyone planning to move abroad speak with their tax advisor or financial planner and get the best advice for the...

There is absolutely no need to renounce or relinquish your US citizenship if you want to move or live abroad. I don’t have dual citizenship. You don’t have to have dual citizenship when living abroad, but there may be an advantage having one, especially if you’re dealing with a country with lower or no taxation. 
 
I would highly recommend that anyone planning to move abroad speak with their tax advisor or financial planner and get the best advice for the changes. This varies in different countries so potential expats need to have the most accurate information to make those decisions.  

 

(Countryside scenery in Ometepe, Nicaragua, pictured.)

The healthcare in Portugal was a sensitive issue for us for many years because until we joined the European Union we were an undeveloped country. We came from the two world wars then we went through a dictatorship then there was a revolution and the Communists took over and that made our country even poorer. As a result, Portugal’s medical facilities were not top of the line 30 years ago. But then we joined the European Union and as we joined the European Union, there are certain...

The healthcare in Portugal was a sensitive issue for us for many years because until we joined the European Union we were an undeveloped country. We came from the two world wars then we went through a dictatorship then there was a revolution and the Communists took over and that made our country even poorer. As a result, Portugal’s medical facilities were not top of the line 30 years ago. But then we joined the European Union and as we joined the European Union, there are certain rules with which we had to comply, and the quality of our medical systems was one of them. At that moment, there were two or three really famous Portuguese businessmen who invested heavily in medical facilities and systems, so today, and for the past 10 years, we are at the same level as any other civilized European country. So we have very good medical facilities at the moment.  We are on par with France, Great Britain, etc.
 
There was a trend 10 years ago when there was a big boom in the construction of private hospitals.  In the last 10 years, the Social Democratic Party took over, and one of their measures was to develop the public medical system, so they built all these new hospitals and clinics. I come from a middle-high class family and I use the public medical system. I compared the public and private system because I have private medical insurance and I have a public hospital near by and I use both. I didn’t used to go to the public system because of it having bad reputation in the old days. But the other day, I had a problem with my son and I took him to the public hospital and I was impressed because I got better service than at the private hospital. I don’t know if it was a coincidence but the hospital was brand new with a very quick reply. I went in and out in an hour and sometimes that doesn’t happen in hospitals around the world. So I am very, very impressed with our public medical system at the moment.  

 

(View of Hospital São José from Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal, pictured.)

Reading responses to this important question, I notice that most are from realtors and tourist-related businesses, both of which have a vested interest in people coming to Panama and therefore play down the issue of crime against expats. Many of the responses, too, are old.

 

I have lived in Boquete, Panama for nine years and regret to report that in the past year this community has experienced a dramatic increase in violent crime, most related to home invasions. A...

Reading responses to this important question, I notice that most are from realtors and tourist-related businesses, both of which have a vested interest in people coming to Panama and therefore play down the issue of crime against expats. Many of the responses, too, are old.

 

I have lived in Boquete, Panama for nine years and regret to report that in the past year this community has experienced a dramatic increase in violent crime, most related to home invasions. A Canadian expat was murdered in one invasion; an American expat was injured so critically in another as to require weeks in the hospital and at least one return to the hospital after her release. There have been several home invasions with less serious but significant physical injuries. All of those surviving were severely traumatized, and many if not most have left the country.  As a result of these crimes, a police checkpoint has been set up on the outskirts of the road between Boquete and David as it is believed these crimes to be the work of gangs in David.

 

This is not to say that the town (Boquete) is in a panic or that folks are walking around in fear of their lives. These crimes were a wake-up call, though, particularly for those who live remotely and those who do not have adequate home security such as fences, burglar bars, cameras, and alarms. Those considering relocation to Panama cannot underestimate the need for adequate security wherever they choose to live. More and more people are renting, and most rentals have negligible security. And, while property outside of town or a established community may have a more attractive price tag for those putting down roots, they also are more vulnerable to crime--particularly those south of town toward David where the new four-lane highway affords criminals and quick exit.

 

It is disingenuous to say that expats are not targeted to some degree. They generally have more money and material goods than Panamanians, which make them more attractive to the criminal element.