Sometimes we ask ourselves… What’s really driving this international real estate boom? The low home prices are now relatively missing from Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico, so why do new homes and condos continue to sell at such a rapid pace?

If you speak with some of the top anti-money laundering bankers (and we have), many will agree that there appears to be a substantial amount of money laundering occurring in places like Panama City and Cancun. Just last week, police in Panama seized an estimated US$135,000,000 in drugs on route to the United States. Keep in mind that only a fraction of the drugs sent each year are seized and that the cash gained from the sale of these commodities must be laundered somewhere.

So, the next time you pay a little extra for that dream home in paradise, keep in mind that prices may be inflated a little more than they should be and you might want to re-think the correct value of that beautiful home. Think about the road conditions, water and power supply, think about how convenient shopping is (relative to your hometown or city) and what the resale value will be in twelve or twenty-four months. Make sure you have an educated and honest Real Estate Broker working on your side and that you negotiate a fair price.

Of course we at MovetoLatinAmerica, Corp. love all aspects of Latin America and know that if you enjoy the charm and ambiance of Central America and Mexico as much as we do, then there is always a beautiful home to be found in “Paradise.”

It is our understanding that the U.S. Congress is considering creating a new law in order to tax Expats and keep more U.S. dollars within the U.S. borders, although few details have been shared at this time.

With the U.S. economy slowing down and with millions or tens of millions of U.S. dollars now being spent in Latin America for the purchase of land, homes, medical & dental tourism, traditional tourism and much more, one might argue that it should be no surprise that the government to may taxing Expats for spending these dollars outside the U.S. economy. Either way, this issue is certainly being discussed as one way to help stimulate the U.S. economy.

We’ll keep you posted as more information is shared on this topic.

Best Regards,
The MovetoLatinAmerica Team

With every major change in life, the first six to twelve months are often the most challenging. Once the excitement of the move begins to wear off, many Expats find their new surroundings very difficult to adapt to. It’s for this reason that planning ahead can make all the difference in the world! First, remember why you’ve chosen a new home in a Spanish speaking country, then make sure you write down your short-term (less than 24 month) goals and your long-term (more than 24 month) goals. Be creative and use several different resources while creating your Top 10 list. Use maps, history books, guide books and more! After you’ve created your Top 10 list of things you’d like to accomplish in and near your new home… be sure to put your plan into action!! Maybe you want to learn a new language, visit the magnificent churches built in Costa Rica or the Bahá’í House of Worship in Central America (near Panama City), a Mayan Pyramid in Southern Mexico or volunteer at a school teaching English. With a well thought out and implemented plan, you’ll have plenty of work and adventure ahead of you! Best wishes and remember to have fun!

This is another great real estate question that many continue to ask! Although we’ve all heard about those dream prices of $75 - $99K, the more realistic price range begins at $150K for a modest two-bedroom Condominium with most home buyers landing in the price range of $175-$349K for a truly beautiful home or condominium! Of course there are many options in the $350K-$500K range and $750K+ categories but it’s safe to say that most buyers will continue to look for that incredible home at a good, lower price. We also note that one can easily find a home with similar value in places (within the U.S.) like Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, etc… but they just won’t have the same charm and ambiance of your new home in towns like Jaco, Costa Rica or the rapidly developing Panama City, Panama!!

If you’re more interested in finding a beautiful new home valued in the $89K-$149K range, and you enjoy an adventure, then you should also consider certain areas within Nicaragua. This up-n-coming country within Central America offers much more at an even lower price. But we’ll chat more about that soon…

For more information about real estate in Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, Cabo San Lucas or Cancun, don’t hesitate to email us at info@movetolatinamerica.com or call us now at 305-984-1868! We’re here to serve you!

Warmest regards,
The Move to Latin America Team!

There are potential benefits to titling your new home in a Foundation; note however, there are potential benefits and it’s important to remember that when you sell your home, the new buyer may not be interested in purchasing your Foundation (for various reasons.) If this is the case, then you are most likely not going to see the tax benefits you’ve been expecting and your Foundation could then be worthless. Unfortunately, this happens, so make sure the way in which your Foundation is set-up is beneficial to both you and any future home buyer(s).

With the recent decline of the US dollar and increase of the British pound, the Euro and Canadian dollar, we expect to see homes sales from Americans slow down in 2008, with the increase of home sales coming from Canada, Europe, and as far away as Russia.

This is definitely going to be an interesting year for those buying and selling homes in Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico. It’s too soon to say how the year will end; however, we do expect to see overall home sales in Latin America to continue to grow along with another strong year of tourism during the ‘08-’09 peak season beginning this November.

This is a good question, because for some it can be enormously challenging to adapt to a new culture and lifestyle and for others, it is relatively simple and a great deal of fun!

The answer to this question lies within yourself. Only you will know your level of patience, understanding and ability to accept and adapt to change. One thing is certain and that is living anywhere in Latin America is much different than in the United States, Canada or Europe. Not that one is better than another. A person can easily argue the pros and cons to each lifestyle; however, it should be safe to say that each individual is unique and you can have fun no matter where you reside! Of course, the level of fun is entirely up to you!

Just be sure to consider this before making major transitions in your life, especially if you are considering selling a home to purchase a home a primary home in Costa Rica, Panama or Mexico. In a case such as this, it’s much better to rent for 6-12 months BEFORE making any major decisions.

Good luck and make sure you plan for fun!

According to many major newspapers like the Seattle Times, Miami Herald and New York Times and major media news channels including CNBC, ABCNews and PBS… thousands of Americans and Canadians have now purchased homes and land all throughout Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama.

The question is… can this trend continue at its current rate?

As one can never predict the future and prices continue to rise in these newly developing markets, there are plenty of changes that can and we expect will occur in the future. Will the trend continue at such a rapid rate? We don’t know the answer to this question yet, but the future appears to be bright!

In Panama, ‘Expat Communities’ (as they are commonly referred to) now exist around Panama City and the more quiet, mild climate regions of Panama including Boquete, Panama (located in the Chiriqui Province.) Another popular area in Panama is the still quiet but developing Caribbean coast region of Bocas Del Toro. These regions, in addition to the NW (Guanacaste) region of Costa Rica, Cabo San Lucas- Mexico, and many more areas to be discussed in the future, continue to grow and develop at a relatively significant pace.

If you have questions about purchasing a home or land in these areas and want to hear more, don’t hesitate to contact us at info@movetolatinamerica.com or call us in the US at (305) 984-1868.

Welcome to MovetoLatinAmerica.com, where it’s our pleasure to offer you quality real estate services with our professional network of Real Estate experts in Costa Rica, Panama and Mexico. We hope you enjoy our blog!

Integrity, Service & Trust, that’s the MovetoLatinAmerica promise!

Warmest Regards,
The MovetoLatinAmerica Team