Mexican Space Agency to Have Its Base in Caribbean State

Yet another example where Belize is "In the Path of Progress"


CANCUN, Mexico – The headquarters of the Mexican Space Agency will be built in the Caribbean state of Quintana Roo thanks to an investment of $120 million made public on Tuesday by Gov. Felix Gonzalez Canto.
The Space Center will be built in Chetumal, the state capital, on the border with Belize. At the site will be a launch pad, a runway, an underwater training unit and the space museum.
The site was selected because of the similarities it has to the environment at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to a communique issued by the Quintana Roo government.
The state government held a meeting on the subject with Mexican astronaut Jose Hernandez Moreno, who last year participated in a NASA space mission on board the space shuttle Discovery.

State officials feel that the construction of the space center will attract companies in the aerospace industry with resulting benefits for the local economy and the creation of jobs.
The creation of the space agency was proposed by President Felipe Calderon and approved by lawmakers, but the decision has not yet been published in the official gazette. EFE

Orchid Bay on HGTV

House Hunters International Will Feature Orchid Bay on September 7, 2010.

The show highlights how Steve from Arizona selected Orchid Bay and a Casita as his getaway.

Date and time is:
September 07, 2010: 10:30 PM e/p
September 07, 2010: 1:30 AM e/p

Timing Your Investment in Belize

Timing the purchase of international property is critical. To get the most from your investment you need to identify the path of progress and catch a destination on its way to becoming hot, but before prices escalate.

In the Caribbean most locations have already been discovered. Cancun, St. Bart's, and Cayman Islands have peaked in price; however Belize is relatively undiscovered even though it has advantages over all these well know locations.

Real Estate in Belize sells for half the Caribbean average and that will likely change. Property values in Belize are low for the wrong reason – because the country has not been marketed. Belize has the smallest population in Central America (not a bad thing) and therefore a small tax basis for its marketing budget. Belize prides itself as "Mother Nature's Best Kept Secret" but this secret is too good to keep. Today Belize is affordable, its oceanfront is still available, and the environment is pristine with virgin rainforests and the world's second largest reef.

Belize has many advantages over its Latin and Caribbean neighbors. Once this tiny country is discovered your Caribbean dream may suddenly be out of reach. Some of Belize’s advantages include:

- English-Speaking – Only English-speaking country in Central America
- Green – Longest living reef in the world & world’s second longest reef overall
- Accessible – Only 2 hours from U.S. and new flights and airports in progress
- Path of Progress – Billions invested in Mayan Riviera from Cancun to Belize
- Peaceful – No war in over 200 years
- Banking – Strong privacy rights and no capital gains taxes

Within Belize, the Corozal district in Northern Belize has additional advantages. Corozal rests serenely along the Bay of Chetumal, safe from the harsh saltwater air of the islands and protected from tropical storms. Because Corozal is on the mainland the total cost of ownership is lower than the even the Belizean islands. Corozal is the sister city to Mexico’s capital of Cancun’s state. This affords access to excellent healthcare, restaurants, and shopping.

Word of mouth travels exponentially and Belize will soon be a well known destination. The best properties in Belize are still affordable but that will quickly change.

Best Places to Retire Abroad - Belize

The following excerpt is from this month's edition of AARP Magazine.

Let’s fast-forward to Belize’s unique appeal to U.S. retirees: It's the only south-of-the-border country whose official language is English. Until 1973 it was called British Honduras, and was a crown colony of the U.K.; it was granted full independence in 1981 (although Queen Elizabeth II is still head of state). Another goodie: It’s catching up to Panama and Costa Rica's retiree perks. Its Qualified Retired Persons program, known as the QRP, offers benefits and a fast track to residency status.



Squeezed between Mexico’s Yucatan coast and Guatemala to the south, sparsely populated Belize is a Central American paradise, with tropical jungle flora, endless white beaches, an aquamarine Caribbean sea, some of the world’s best reefs for snorkelers, fishing to die for, Mayan ruins, and even casinos. Most expats settle either on the largest island, Ambergris Caye, or in Corazol Town on the mainland’s northern tip. Ambergris Caye has the fancy restaurants and condos, including million-dollar properties. It can be as expensive as South Florida (Leonardo Di Caprio bought an island west of Ambergris Caye). The Corozal district, a few miles’ drive from the Mexican border, is far more affordable. Corozal expats live a laid-back life, with year-round outdoor play (boating, hiking, swimming, diving), but are still only 20 minutes from the malls and cineplexes of Chetumal, the capital of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

After many visits to Belize, Atlantans Walter and Terri Fisher, 55 and 49, built a "concrete ranch house" with a water view for $125,000, including the lot. "The house was finished in 2007," Walter reports. "Last year we sold our house in the States, got off the corporate treadmill, and moved here. I drove down in my truck on my own, and Terri—and five cats—flew down. We're completely happy, though it’s tough being this far from family."

A former educator who moved to Corozal from California, with two of her children three years ago said, "We looked at Nicaragua, but Belize had what we wanted—water all around. We bought a home with one-third of what we got for our house in the U.S. —and it’s three times as wonderful. I'm very blessed to be here."

Tanager Construction

We broke ground on the Tanager for lot 54 this week.
The foundation rests on 25 foot piles.
This home will be 3 bedrooms.

The quiet before the storm

Greetings from Orchid Bay!

Many of you watched this past weekend as Tropical Storm Alex moved across Belize and into the Yucatan peninsula. As you may also know we had a large group here for our Insider’s Tour weekend. First let me say that we are all safe and sound. There was no damage from the storm at Orchid Bay! We have only minor leaf debris and a few twigs to pick up to make the site look as good as it did before the storm.



The location of Orchid Bay has the following advantages:
1) Secluded - The Bay of Chetumal has no commercial traffic.- Orchid Bay does not receive weekend vacationers or "spring breakers" and you can shoot over to the Cayes to participate in tourist activities on your own schedule.
2) Access - You are near the city of Chetumal which has more shopping/medical/cultural facilities than the entire country of Belize.- All major tourism areas of Belize can be accessed with 1.5 hours and most within 1 hour.- Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and the other major destinations in Mexico's Riviera Maya are within driving distance.
3) Storm Protection - Although Belize does not have nearly as many hurricanes as Florida it is still subject to tropical storms and the occasional hurricane. Orchid Bay is more protected than other parts of Belize because the Yucatan peninsula dips in front of the Bay of Chetumal. Also the Bay of Chetumal is shallow which reduces tidal surge.

Orchid Bay is adding another beach!

It's about 1/4 mile long and we would love to hear your feedback.

Below is a 2008 Google satellite photo - the 25+ buildings constructed at Orchid Bay last year are not shown...

See http://picasaweb.google.com/orchidbaybelize for recent arials

Here are the concepts:

1) Walking distance from Seafront Condos

2) Large grassy green space behind beach to help reduce ambient temperature

3) Maintain waterfront trees to create privacy

4) Beach volleyball, swimming pools, and palapas

5) Adjacent wetlands to attract birds and support other wildlife

6) Oceanfront restaurant and pier