RE/MAX April 2017 Newsletter – Roatan & Utila Real Estate
Topics include:
-Real Estate on Roatan Then and Now
-Roatan Author, Melanie Woods
-Cayos Cochinos
-Sail Charter, Blue Rock Vacations
-Small Developments
-Real Estate
Roatan Real Estate – Then and Now
Between the years of 2004 to 2008, the real estate industry on Roatan boomed. Each year, prices soared higher, and then between 2008-2009, much like other places in the world, the bottom fell out. After the crash, real estate prices crept along for several years with some real estate companies closing and others shutting their offices and encouraging employees to work from home. That said, prices on both residential, and vacant land and lots, barely increased.
All of these factors contribute to the increased interest and sales on Roatan now. It is very busy in real estate!
In addition to becoming one of the top-rated cruise ship destinations, the tourism industry on the island continues overall to grow. Magazines, (print and digital), International Living are covering the Bay Islands, in particular Roatan. “In their April 2017 issue, International Living calls Roatan, “The Best-Value Island for an Active, Caribbean retirement” and says, “Roatan is not choked with big-name resorts, condo towers, or large-scale commercial development. It isn’t a place of jet-set luxury. This is the best of Caribbean island life… for less. Daly life, lived well, is affordable on Roatan—a budget of $2,000 to $2,500 a month, all in, for an average retired couple. ”In the May 2017 issue of International Living, there’s a real estate-focused article titled, “Roatan: Own on the Best-Value Caribbean Island from $199,000.”
Here is another “IL” article , “The Many Faces of Roatan” the full article here: https://internationalliving.
HGTV producers have also been active on the island filming new episodes. Buyers Agent Alex Poirier has spent the last two weeks “staring’ in two new shows. You can go to the HGTV site and search “Roatan” for upcoming show times and days.
Roatan Author, Melanie Woods
Author, Melanie Woods is now living on Roatan! Before Melanie’s journey to Roatan, she published three books. All of Melanie’s books focus on traveling over oceans and waterways. If you would like to know what it’s like to travel by boat from Ontario to the Western Caribbean connect with Melanie here.
https://www.facebook.com/The-
Cayos Cochinos
Semana Santa is one of the most celebrated holidays of the year. Often during this week (Holy Week, the week before Easter) hotels are booked months in advance and people flood the island. This week being as busy as it is with vacationers from the mainland of Honduras and cruise ships creates very, very busy islands (both Utila and Roatan). Since my wife, Nancy and I have a more laid back mentality, we usually leave the island and travel to less populated locations during this time. This year, Nancy and I decided to take a sailboat to Cayos Cochinos.
Cayos Cochinos is a small group of islands and Cays (this is pronounced “keys”), about 20 miles off the southwest coast of Roatan. Cayos Cochinos is not at the end of the earth, but you can almost see it from there. Deafening quiet, millions of stars, and all but no development.
Nancy and I first went to Cayos Cochinos for a day trip fourteen years ago. We discovered a small island of native locals living in bamboo-sided, thatch-roofed residences. Local children even traveled to school in dugout canoes. However, on our recent trip, we noticed residents of Cayos Cochinos have upgraded their homes to wooden structures and some even have corrugated metal roofs known here as zinc roofs.
Though a part of Honduras, the Smithsonian Institute managed Cayos Cochinos for over twenty years. Very, very little development happened on Cayos Cochinos previous to their management took effect, and I do not believe there has been any development since. There is only one dive resort there, Turtle Bay. https://www.
In addition to the quiet, another one of Cayos Cochinos’ most stunning features is the water. Visitors to Utila and Roatan marvel at the clarity of the water inside the reefs, especially, in that the reefs filter sediment from the water. In Cayos, the water is some of the clearest water I have ever seen in my life. We floated at 30 to 50 feet depth to the bottom and you could easily see the sandy bottom.
Many markets in the U.S. are now booming where people often get in ‘bidding wars’ when buying a home. That occurs when during the poor times developers stop building, supply goes down and prices go up. That means that they actually end up paying more than the market value for a home. If they keep that property for a fair amount of time the market eventually catches up to them. In ’08 when that happened there it was not until ’09 that it caught up with us here. Here we are not at that stage of bidding, but inventory levels are low. There is a fair amount of building going on by individuals now but there really are no major developers here cranking out the homes. WIIFM ? – What’s in it for Me (you actually)? Right now is a very good time to buy.
Sail Charter
We traveled to Cayos Cochinos via Blue Rock Vacations with Captain John Malthouse and his wife, Deb Bartlett. https://www.facebook.com/
News Worthy of Mention-
Our trip included nice, smooth sailing, and spectacular food. Snacks were not a bag of Cheetos. Instead, snacks included cheese and veggie platters with smoked oysters. Fresh fish, New York strip steaks from a grill, and Eggs Benedict for breakfast. WOW! If you have 3-5 days and want to REALLY get away from it all, book a trip with Blue Rock Vacations to Cayos.
You can see photos in our gallery of Cayos and other fun day trips on the Bay Islands and the mainland of Honduras, (day trip for white water rafting, anyone?). https://www.facebook.com/
If you are new to the country and wonder what there is to do here you may wish to visit our “Things to Do’ link here – https://www.roatan-realestate.
Real Estate Offerings-
Small Developments-
We often advertise properties in larger, often higher end, developments like Lawson Rock, Parrot Tree Plantation or Keyhole Bay. This often is based on the fact that they in fact are large. One that is over 200 acres.
This month I will cover one of the smaller developments that may have appeal to some. I will do this each of the next three months and feature one to help give you a better picture of what is here. These are often small (10 to 20 lots and/or homes on those lots). These also are probably more for the Buyer that is looking to have an all year or at least a considerable length of time here versus the person that is buying a vacation property, investment property or resort type condo.
I would like to introduce you to “Bodden Bight”, (a ‘Bight’ is a Bay) This is a small (11 lot) development right outside of the community of Jonesville on the eastern half of the island. There are both oceanfront and hilltop home sites available and one home for sale. It is far from the hustle/bustle of the western half of the island, mostly tourism. Quiet, peaceful, tranquil. A great little ‘neighborhood’ that you may wish to consider for a lot purchase now, that you build on now or land bank for your retirement or second home.
These small end developments may not have the swimming pools or the community gym or even concrete paved roads but they all are positive alternatives in great little areas. There often are ‘rules’ versus a formal set of CCR’s and are more like a honorable agreement between the buyer and development residents that outlines shared expenses of the electric bill for the pump for the well or grading or adding gravel to the road each year. Almost always have very inexpensive “HOA” fees and have less of a need for security.
Here are a couple of links that will give you a feel for “Bodden Bight”.
Oceanfront home site-
https://www.roatan-realestate.
Bodden Bight Home –
https://www.roatan-realestate.
Upcoming months – Small Developments – “Mariposa”, “Punta Blanca”, “Milton Point”.
Roatan & Utila Real Estate-
Our company has the privilege of having a couple of Buyer Agents, (one on each Island). This month Buyer’s Agent, Alex Poirier has picked what he feels are the best deals on the island right now for homes, condos and home sites. These are not necessarily RE/MAX Listings, just the best deals for our readers no matter which company has it listed. We all want you to get the best deal you can.
homes: https://link.flexmls.com/
Condos: https://link.flexmls.com/
Land: https://link.flexmls.com/
More about Alex right here –
https://www.roatan-realestate.
New Listing – Beachfront home (checkout the aerial virtual Tour!)
https://www.roatan-realestate.
Prime Beachfront Mainland Development!
http://www.
Special one of a kind!! Private two beautiful beach front homes sitting right on the beach of the Caribbean Sea.
https://www.roatan-realestate.
New EXECUTIVE HOME This 3 BR/BA home boasts uncompromising large and open entertaining area
https://www.roatan-realestate.
BEST VALUE HOMES IN WEST END!
If you think about purchasing home in West End, add those 2 houses to your must see list. Solidly build, spacious and comfortable living.
Casa Atocha:
http://www.buyingroatan.com/
Casa Colibri Verde:
http://www.buyingroatan.com/
Purchased together, they would make a great start-up B&B!
Need Some Space? How about a three bedroom home on thirteen acres on West Bay Rd? Recently REDUCED!
https://www.roatan-realestate.
High End Community with a Steal of a Deal Home site-
https://www.roatan-realestate.
NEW LISTING- West Bay Home Site-
https://www.roatan-realestate.
Seller is Taking a $100K loss on this Beautiful Home Site in a high-end Development!
https://www.roatan-realestate.
Here are a some for those of you who just LOVE Utila…..
Over $63K price drop to just $199K as Seller is leaving the island. The Harbor House has such incredible attention to detail and love evident everywhere, you cannot help but fall in love with it!
http://realestateinutila.com/
Best value beachfront bargain $69K for 100 ft of beachfront and approximately a half acre!
http://realestateinutila.com/
Unbelievable value following significant price reduction.
9 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, on 1.75 acres with over 300 feet of white sandy beach front and large private dock. Could be sub-divided or developed as boutique fishing or scuba diving resort.
http://www.roatan-realestate.
Back on the market with price reduction
Secluded 1.84 acre residential lot with 100 feet sandy beach front at Rock Harbor
www.roatan-realestate.com/idx/
One last thing- …….I have a friend here that has a 2br apartment for rent in a very nice area that is a new apartment, (never has been lived in), for a long term rental at only $800/mo. Nice places at this price point are hard to find. If you are interested email me a note for additional details.
That’s it for this month folks. We here at RE/MAX Bay Islands & RE/MAX Western Sunsets wish you the best and hope you join us here in the Bay Islands.
Important Links just for you!
“All You Need To Know” – http://www.roatan-realestate.
Roatan Geography – http://www.roatan-realestate.
http://www.roatan-realestate.
http://www.roatan-realestate.
http://link.flexmls.com/
