-Tourney Winners
As mentioned in last months newsletter Independence Day here on the island is September 15th. The Tourney this year was a large success with 46th boats participating. The Marco Rosales team was the winner of the Tourney and have been invited to the World Championship this year in Costa Rica. Mark it on your calendar for next year folks. A fun time.
-Real estate news
I have been pleasantly surprised this year in regard to real estate sales. Although I am sure that the lower prices, (a 40%+ decrease since the high points), have something to do with it, sales have been pretty fair. Normally sales on the island traditionally are stronger during the ‘high season’ (January through June approx.) but this year it seems we are finishing the year stronger than what I had expected. In the past couple of months there also seems to be a trend of ‘larger dollar’ clients peeking around corners researching higher ticket items and parcels.
I have had several readers, via email, tell be that they are in ’neutral’ so to speak and will be until after the U.S. elections. As my long time readers know I do not do politics in this forum but the upcoming election does seems to have many in that mode. I believe that after we get past that people, in general, will have a better handle on where they stand or at least where they believe they will stand. Overall I am expecting that this coming year will show accelerated sales.
At a recent RE/MAX Convention in Miami, (September 26, 2012), Larry Oberly the V.P . of Global Franchises and Business solution, worldwide for RE/MAX, said that ‘real estate is now and always has been viewed as the most desired or beneficial investment a person can have in their lives and that the best buying opportunity for real estate purchases, world wide, in our lifetime is happening right now’.
According to financial experts, if you are not ‘shopping’, you should be considering doing such. Winter is not very far off, in fact according to what I am seeing on the ‘Weather Channel’ some people in ‘north country’ are already getting a bit ‘nippy’. Is it time to plan your ‘scouting trip’?
One last note before we cover some specific properties. …………RE/MAX International is the largest real estate company in the world. I understand that many of our readers are researching and doing such for places like Belize, Costa Rica and Panama along with your search here on Roatan. If you wish help with any other country in regard to finding a quality Agent. an experienced Agent, a knowledgeable Agent, just drop me a line and I will be happy to help with finding the right person for the job for you. Agents in the above countries along with many others in the eastern Caribbean, Florida and other warm weather locals and I, all cooperate in trying to find the best location for you. We understand that this is a large decision in finding your second home, vacation home or retirement home and I am happy to help you out. Drop me a line and I will put you in touch with a great Agent anywhere you want to be. ‘Relax……it’s RE/MAX’
Now for some properties…………………..
‘Across the Water’
In regard to our office we always are working on improving our business everyway we can. The difficult economic times unfortunately got the best of the RE/MAX office in La Ceiba, (35 miles across the water on the mainland) and our office has decided to represent select listings in LaCeiba.
The Bay Islands & La Ceiba have historical ties over the centuries and while the Bay Islands are more English than Spanish in cultural history, it is visa versa on the mainland. LaCeiba does offer a far different atmosphere that offers the best of the ‘eco’ life including category 4 & 5 white water rafting for those who have the desire.
The Bay Islands are all about the beach, the reef, the diving, snorkeling and the ‘Salt Life’, (mostly English speaking). The mainland tilts more towards the jungle with the over 2000 species of butterflies and moths or the over 700 bird species, (mostly Spanish ). It is pretty neat to have such very diverse ‘worlds’ right next to each other. Besides the diversity it gives options for exploration while living here of visiting here. The Mayan Ruins in Copan are another ‘world’ to investigate on a visit.
If you are curious and wish to take a quick look, click on the links below and check out an inexpensive river front home and lots or a really cool eco home, or a 85 acre that boasts of five of its very own waterfalls.
LaCeiba area-
This link has a virtual tour and a couple of the waterfalls on movie clips-
River front BARGAIN home sites- ALL FIVE LOTS ARE JUST $125,000 U.S. !
River front home- just $129,000 U.S.
A great value on a quality built home with a pool-
On this side of the water, (Roatan), we have some great deals also and would like to feature some of them right here-
This Ocean Front home has recently undergone an exterior renovation which included the main deck, the o bservation deck, pool deck, and waterfront deck!! It also included new entry paved parking space, laundry room and outdoor BBQ. –
This lush, gently sloping parcel offers delightful Caribbean Ocean views to the north shore, and beyond. Situated on the top row of a quiet subdivision, the parcel is ideal for the individual who is seeking the tranquility of north end living, while being just a few minutes from town.
TWO luxury condos situated in the Marina of Parrot Tree, with world class diving minutes away. A 2br/2ba & or a 3br unit both with expansive views of the Caribbean Sea and a large patio with access from living and master bedrooms.
This prime oceanfront lot has some of the most beautiful ‘eye candy’ on the island.
This link will take you to a newer listing of a like new top end home at not so top end price for what you get.
I have a really great deal on a newer home -This is a relatively new 5000 sf home in the private community of Palmetto Bay Plantation. A great place for full time residential living. Originally listed at $895K it is now $385,000. That comes to $77/sf not counting land cost. It could not come close to being built for that. Contact me for details.
-MLS Magazine
The new issue of the MLS Magazine for Roatan is now at the printers and should hit the street by mid November. The RE/MAX pages you can see with this Newsletter by clicking on the below link. There are some really good deals inside. Check it out!
The below link is the latest of a new video series brought to you by RE/MAX about investing in foreign countries this one featuring Honduras. I thought you may wish to take a quick look at it in that it can expand your scope a bit regarding the country as a whole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUUKwo_LjVc&feature=youtu.be
–New Island Businesses to stop by and check out
-Coffee shop –Just east of Jackson Plaza, (Mt. Pleasant where the main RE/MAX office is, is a new coffee shop called ‘El Cafecito’. The new shop is at the top of the concrete stairs above Ms. Lucy’s island food restaurant. They serve a great cup of Honduran high grown coffee and if you are there around lunch stop in.
Miss Lucy’s is also a great spot for lunch if you are in the area and get yourself a ‘plate of food’. (For our non local readers a ‘plate of food’ means you get to buy what they are selling that day, normally a choice of two entrees instead of a large selection off of a menu). This efficient way of being in the restaurant business does not do much for selection but the food is always good and normally quite the bargain.
-Lady Lee- For those who have never heard of ‘Lady Lee’s’ it is a Mainland department store chain and now has a store in the ‘Mega Plaza Mall’ in French Harbor. It is a ‘Sears’ type department store with a little of everything from clothing to televisions and a/c units. Next time you are down that way you should talk a walk in to see what they have to offer as a future reference.
Thanks for reading and we hope you are booking your tickets to pay us a visit.
Larry