Dear Live and Invest Overseas Reader,
“I was vacationing in the Caribbean all the time,” Rob explains.
“I was working 50 weeks a year, then I spent every two-week vacation in the Caribbean.
“That meant 14 days a year I was happy.
“What if, I finally thought, I were to move to the Caribbean?
“Then I’d have two days each weekend to enjoy being in the Caribbean. Even without taking a vacation, that’d mean I’d be happy 104 days a year!
“I’m no math wiz,” Rob continues… “but it seemed like a no-brainer to me.”
How is Rob’s new life of white sand, azure sea, and swaying palms working out for him?
“I love the water,” Rob says, “so I spend all my free time sailing, surfing, snorkeling, fishing…
“My wife and I are living much better lives… much healthier lives.
“I lost 70 pounds in the first eight months here. We just eat better, and we naturally get more exercise.
“I can honestly say that I’m happier than I ever was living in the States. I’m a truly happy person now.”
Or Maybe You Dream Of Running Away To A Sweet, Simple Life In The Country…
Perhaps it’s not the Caribbean that’s calling your name…
Maybe you long for wide-open spaces… a simple, sweet life in the country…
This was Tony Lauria’s dream.
“In my previous life in the States,” Tony says, “I was a high-rolling options investor.
“I’m a New Yorker born and bred… but I’ve dreamed my whole life of country living.
“For me, the best part of retirement was the chance to put my frenzied New York City lifestyle behind me.”
And that’s just what Tony has done.
Tony has found a place where the living is uncomplicated… back-to-basics… and super affordable.
“I was able to buy an adorable little turnkey cottage here for US$69,000… fully furnished, fully outfitted,” Tony explains.
“My life here is great…
“I ride my bicycle every day… I tend my gardens… I walk to the grocery store… once or twice a week I go into town…
“And every morning,” Tony adds with a big smile, “you’ll find me on my front porch.
“I start each day on my porch drinking my coffee and watching the sunrise…
“The sun comes up each morning right… there…” Tony says pointing from his porch to the horizon just ahead.
“This is a dream come true for me,” he continues. “This cottage… this community I’ve joined… the new friends I’ve made… it all means a lot to me… I mean really a lot…”
Caribbean Life Or Country Living?
Where has Rob Burrow reinvented his life in the Caribbean?
Same place Tony Lauria has relaunched his!
I’m talking about a beautiful English-speaking land that has been attracting would-be retirees and expats in the know from the United States, Canada, and across the globe for decades.
Welcome To Belize—Your Lifestyle
Home Run
I first alerted readers to the many charms of little English-speaking Belize in 1987.
In those days, it was mainly scuba divers, sport anglers, and independent free spirits who invested or made new homes in Belize.
Back then, Belize was pretty rough around the edges. And both Belizeans and expat residents preferred it that way.
I’ve just returned from my most recent visit to Belize, and, boy, what a difference 30 years have made!
You could say the tides have shifted.
Belize today is attracting people from all walks of life…
Some are famous, ridiculously wealthy public figures, like Leonardo DiCaprio, while others are just normal folks like you and me.
The common denominator I can identify among everyone finding his (or her) way to Belize’s shores today—from scuba enthusiasts and eco-adventurers to missionaries and billionaire investors—is a desire for a simpler, freer, more private way of life.
With everything going on in the world these days, Belize’s back-to-basics lifestyle is almost irresistibly appealing…
And it’s attracting a new breed of investors and expats eager to stake their claims. They come seeking escape from the doom and gloom back home.
They come seeking the freedom to live their own lives and to make their own way. They come in search of privacy, for themselves and for their money…
They come in search of paradise.
And they’re not disappointed.
Who Are All These Expats Seeking Escape And Safe Haven In Belize?
Eve’s story is another great example.
Eve spends five to six months a year living part-time on Ambergris Caye, Belize’s best-known and most-developed Caribbean lifestyle choice.
Every winter, Eve and her husband look forward to escaping the grueling Canadian winter in San Pedro Town, where they own a small condo on the beach.
It’s perfect for them.
Eve’s constantly in town, where she knows everyone. She spends her time volunteering.
There’s no shortage of opportunities to get involved with the local community here, and Eve takes full advantage. You see her everywhere, at every social event, always with a smile on her face.
Ambergris Caye is quintessential Caribbean, offering all the azure water, white sand, and swaying palm trees your island-loving soul could ask for…
It’s also the most expensive lifestyle choice in this country. But don’t worry…
You have many other desirable but lower-cost choices, too. More on those in a minute…
No Translation Required!
Belize’s Official Language: English
Linda is a professional artist who first visited Belize on a sailing trip.
She and her boyfriend had attended a conference in Panama in 2004.
They drove all around Panama and considered settling in that country, but Linda didn’t feel comfortable.
The idea of learning Spanish was just too daunting for her. She couldn’t talk to the locals, so she felt unable to connect with them.
But Belize was a different story from the day they first arrived…
Every day the couple was able to dive, snorkel, and fish among Belize’s beautiful Caribbean cayes, all the while making friends with the local Belizeans.
Being able to communicate, Linda felt safe and welcome from the start.
After her initial visit, Linda worked out a swap with a resort on Ambergris Caye so she could return. In exchange for free accommodation, she completed a number of paintings for the resort owner.
And, during that five-week trip, she made her decision. Belize would be her new home.
Linda returned to her old home in Monterey, California. It took her a year to sell her house and her art gallery and to prepare for the move.
Today, Linda is a fully delighted full-time resident of Belize, where she has opened two art galleries.
She divides her time between Ambergris Caye and San Ignacio and loves both locations and the wonderfully relaxed lifestyle they afford her…
Belize Is Tops When It Comes To A
“Plan B” Or Back-To-Basics…
Belize is a top choice if you’re interested in a “sustainable life”—an opportunity to live off the grid, completely or partially self-sufficient.
By no coincidence, Belize has an active Mennonite community that has been growing since the 1950s.
The Mennonite Farmers’ Markets overflow each week with fresh, organic produce grown locally…
And, if you need something built, whether it’s a rocking chair or a new house, the Mennonite craftsmen will make it better and cheaper than any alternative…
Certainly, it’d be better and cheaper than anything you’d find back home these days.
But it’s not just the Mennonites that have taken up the back-to-basics option here…
Good friends in this country have been living the sustainable life for four decades, since long before it was a fashionable idea.
In 1977, Mick and Lucy Fleming traveled from Great Britain to Belize.
They had but US$600 in their pockets. For Mick and Lucy and Belize, it was love at first sight. They fell in love especially with the country’s Cayo District, a region of rain forest, rivers, mountains, and Mayan ruins.
As soon as they could scrape the money together, Mick and Lucy bought a remote piece of property in the Cayo, on the Makal River. And they lived off the land. The only way in to their property back then was on horseback or by canoe, up the river.
That was some 40 years ago and, today, Mick and Lucy have developed their Chaa Creek property into the most impressive and most applauded rain forest eco-resort in the country, rated the Best Eco-Resort in all the Caribbean by Caribbean Travel & Life four years straight.
A visit to Chaa Creek qualifies as a luxury experience these days.
However, it’s still very possible to have the back-to-basics, off-the-grid experience that first attracted Mick and Lucy to this part of Belize so many years ago.
The Cayo District, your best option for this sort if lifestyle, is now the fastest-growing area in the country.
The lush tropical rain forests you find here, the abundant freshwater rivers, the largest underground cave system in the Western Hemisphere, and the fertile Belize River Valley once supported hundreds of thousands of Maya.
Today, they support 21st-century adventurers and environmentalists looking to escape to a simpler, sweeter life.
But How Much Does It All Cost?
A recent Overseas Retirement Index identified Belize as home to the World’s Best Small Town…
It’s a rain forest escape in the Cayo district where expats and Mennonites live together peacefully and sustainably.
Here, you could settle in quickly and comfortably for around US$850 a month. Take a look at our man on the ground’s latest budget:
A Simple Life Surrounded By
Rainforest And Waterfalls
In my favorite part of Belize, you can live in a safe and welcoming town where everyone knows your name.
You can spend your days relaxing on a hammock or working the land… tubing through river caves with a cooler of beer or four-wheeling through the jungle to hike up Mayan pyramids…
You’re a short trip from the coast, but your costs are a fraction of what most expats in the country pay each month:
Chances are that you’ll spend a bit more… a maid will cost you a couple of hundred dollars a month more, for instance.
You could also enjoy a bigger and better located home, as well as faster internet and your own vehicle…
The key to maintaining a low cost of living is getting to know the local vendors, farmers, and suppliers.
Regardless, the thing about life away from the beach is that it’s hard to spend a lot of money…
Life here is simple—you won’t find big electronics stores or jewelry boutiques or fancy wine shops that you might find on the Caribbean coast.
And, even on the coast, spending a lot of money requires a luxury pad, a lot of imported foods, and maybe a boat…
Or, perhaps, a single day at the casino.
Entrepreneurs Are Most Welcome
Savvy investors looking to keep their investments and their assets safe are finding their way to Belize’s shores in growing numbers…
As are entrepreneurs looking for opportunity.
If I had to choose a single word to describe Belize, it’d be “potential.”
Belize is a frontier. A land for pioneers.
The Belize government is doing its part to make modern-day pioneers feel welcome. Opening a business in this country is straightforward and relatively red tape-free.
And, as I mentioned before, you enjoy significant tax advantages when you structure your business properly.
Remember, all transactions take place in English.
Plus, Belize’s no-nonsense legal system is tied to the Caribbean Court of Justice. This gives many investors and business-owners the comfort of familiarity.
As a result, Belize is enjoying an influx of Americans, Canadians, French, Italians, Brits, Irishmen, and other Europeans, all making their way to this country to stake a claim.
One of the best-known among this group is Francis Ford Coppola, the award-winning American movie director. In the early 1980s, Coppola visited Belize and, like me, fell in love. Like so many others before him and since, he wanted a little piece of Belize of his own. He purchased the abandoned Blancaneaux Lodge.
For more than a decade, Coppola used the resort as a family retreat. In 1993, he opened his tropical paradise to the public.
Mr. Coppola was drawn to Belize by the beauty of the country itself. But, in time, he came to appreciate the advantages of setting up a business here.
And he continues to invest. Coppola bought a second inn in Belize, this time in Placencia, in 2001…
The Turtle Inn, located on a white-sand beach that dissolves into the clear Caribbean Sea, “is a personal joy,” Francis says. “It features any number of original ideas and details, which, I confess, continue to delight me. I made the resort as rustic as I love and as luxurious as I could.”
The open-arms business climate in Belize encourages this kind of innovation and imaginative investment.
In Belize, Both You And
Your Assets Are Safe
Belize is a custom-made offshore haven.
That means low taxes, but also privacy and protection.
Indeed, with their Belize Act in 1981, the Brits built themselves a banking haven. They looked around at the top banking havens worldwide at the time and cherry-picked the best elements of the banking laws in each case.
Until that point, Belize had been British Honduras, a colony of the Crown.
Belize now offers two structures specifically designed to help keep your assets safe. The Belize International Business Corporation (IBC) and the Belize Trust are both solid parts of a plan to protect your assets, including from frivolous lawsuits.
Furthermore, a Belize IBC is not subject to income, social security, capital gains, or withholding tax or stamp duty. Nor to gift, death, estate, dividend, distribution, or inheritance tax. And an IBC is not required to file annual returns.
And keep in mind that we’ll never suggest you do anything illegal or not 100% compliant. My point is that you can create a structure in Belize that is fully legal and compliant… and also rock-solid.
But Where In Belize
Might Suit You Best?
Belize is a tiny country, but it’s one of the most diverse places in the world…
Knowing you want to live here is the easy part.
Indeed, perhaps the biggest challenge is choosing where exactly in the country might suit you best…
What part of Belize calls to you?
Are you drawn to the pristine sugar-sand cayes, the swaying palm trees, and the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean?
Or would you feel more at home amidst the lush rain forests, the mountainside waterfalls, and the rivers that flow through ceremonial Mayan caves further inland?
Maybe the lively and growing communities, both expat and Belizean, of San Pedro Town and San Ignacio would suit you?
Would you prefer a simple, close-to-nature lifestyle, living fully self-sufficient and off the grid?
Or are you more inclined toward an active and vibrant community in a town that has colorful festivals, trendy restaurants, expat-run cafés, and lively beach bars?
Are you an entrepreneur looking for a niche to fill? A work-from-home employee looking to (legally) avoid income taxes?
Or a would-be volunteer, looking to give back?
Are you seeking a low-cost, easy-to-obtain retirement residency… part-time escape… or a second passport?
All these things and many others are possible in this beautiful little country.
So, again… how do you choose how to make the most of all the opportunities Belize has to offer right now?
You Need To Hear From The Experts—And You Need The Truth, Warts
And All…
You can’t determine whether or not Belize makes sense for you as a place until you hear from those who have gone before you…
Until you get the real-deal, honest feedback without the marketing hype.
Better yet, instead of being told everything, you’ll want to ask your own questions so that you get not only the right information, but the relevant advice as well.
You don’t want to run around from banker to attorney… from developer to owner… from agent to broker… from tax advisor to insurance salesman… from visa specialist to customs agent… back to the banker… back to the attorney…
You don’t want to stand in lines… struggle with cultural differences… wait hours for appointments with the wrong people…
You don’t want to wonder if you’re getting a good price… if you’re being presented with all the options…
No, there’s no reason at all to subject yourself to that torture.
Especially when you have a far superior alternative… presenting:
“I was amazed at the depth of information.”
“We were truly blessed to have the advantage experience, networking, business connections, and organization to offer a conference that offered the best and brightest minds from all over the world on a vast number of subjects. I was amazed at the depth of information. The vendors/speakers were generous in their advice. I will continue to use the connections established at this conference. I now have a better understanding of Belize, warts and all, that will lead me to comfortable decisions. Thank you.”
‐‐Barbara Petrohan, United States
“…so many topics covered!”
“Everyone was wonderful in answering all questions and so many topics covered! There was a lot of information packed in the 3 days.”
‐‐Mary Schmidt, United States
Have All Your Questions Answered
Attend this year’s Live and Invest in Belize Virtual Conference and have every one of your Belize questions answered…
And by people who know from firsthand experience what they’re talking about…
- Isn’t Belize really humid?…
- Aren’t there a lot of bugs?…
- Is the government stable?…
- What are the benefits of the QRP residency program? What’s required to qualify?…
- What would life here really be like… on Ambergris Caye, on the mainland coast, in the Cayo?…
- Is there a developed expat community to look to for support?…
- What’s required to open a bank account?…
- What are the options for medical care?…
- What’s the cost for local health insurance?…
- Is Belize City as unsafe as some make it out to be?…
- Where does it make sense today to buy for investment?…
- How much to build a home?…
- What about Guatemala? Aren’t they ready to invade Belize?…
- Where are the best beaches in the country?…
- Can I really get the things I need? I mean… how would I live without Walmart and Home Depot?…
Every question you have—if there’s an answer for it, we can give it to you.
Belize’s top experts will be on hand to discuss it all…
“I Am So Happy I Joined Your Group”
“Thank you to you, your staff, and the professionals who participated at the event. It was a great experience for me and I am sure for all the other participants, as well. I am so happy I made the decision to join the group. I learned a lot about investments, offshore banking, living in foreign countries, and much more. Congratulations for your organization.”
‐‐Janet K., United States
“Everyone willing to meet with you, talk to you…”
“[This event is] Definitely a 10+! Answered sooo many questions in a wide variety of areas. Everyone willing to meet with you, talk to you, answer questions, etc.”
‐‐Leanne Hester, United States
Success Is About Preparation— And It’s About Who You Know…
When you join us for our Live and Invest in Belize Virtual Conference, you’ll learn everything you need to know about moving and living here…
Neighborhoods and regions… lifestyles and investments…
Residency, banking, taxes, health care…
Complete details on the property purchasing and renting process, managing your credit cards, handling mail delivery, shipping your household goods, furnishing your new household…
Helping your children adjust to a new life overseas, staying in touch with your kids back home…
Over the course of these intensive two-and-a-half days, you’ll also meet everyone you’ll need to know to launch your new life in Belize. We’re opening our personal Rolodex for this event… live and on stage.
At our Live and Invest in Belize Conference, we’ll introduce you to:
“Such an informative and well run conference”
“The seminar met my expectations and more. It was engaging and extremely informative. It opened me up to investments opportunities I never considered before. Thank you for such an informative and well run conference.”
‐‐Natasha Harris, United Sates
In Addition, You’ll Also Meet And Hear From:
- Doctors and medical professionals from the local hospitals and health care facilities…
- Our recommended local real estate agents (with long experience helping foreigners buy and rent property in this country)…
- Expat-entrepreneurs running successful businesses that are funding their Belize adventures…
- Current expats and retirees who made the move from North America and Europe… people who have made plenty of mistakes but have also enjoyed great success here…
Plus, at our Live and Invest in Belize Virtual Conference, we’ll also introduce you to the people behind communities in the most appealing regions of this beautiful country… from the beaches to the rainforests, and everything in between.
We’ll walk you through a detailed and fully itemized budget for living in Belize, both as a property owner and as a renter. In fact, we’ll present you with more than one budget, because the cost of living on Ambergris Caye, for example, would be quite different from that out in the Cayo.
“Honest, Tell-It-Like-It-Is Approach”
“I particularly appreciated your information today about the joys (?) of international rental property. What I admire is your honest, tell-it-like-it-is approach. A lot of people have been hurt by nothing but glowing reports about offshore living from various sources. Your honest, direct approach is a real service.”
‐‐Arlean K., United States
“Thank you.”
“Kathleen, I’m sure it will take you a few days to recover from the intense effort that you and your wonderful staff put into the conference. From my perspective, it was an excellent production. Thank you.”
‐‐Arlean K., United States
What About Buying Property?
We’ve been scouting, researching, and performing due diligence on renting and buying for more than a dozen years…
We know who’s doing what… and who’s doing something he shouldn’t be doing.
We know who is building dream homes by the beach and who’s the subject of serial horror stories.
So, who do we want to recommend to you?
We understand that, when you’re in the virtual room with us, every speaker and exhibitor we introduce to you comes with our implied endorsement.
We don’t take that lightly. Our reputation is everything. We want you to be wowed by the quality of this event…
We’re in this for the long haul with you.
But the same can’t be said for all the real estate developers in this part of the world…
We’re careful, because we’ve learned you’ve got to be. That’s why, for this event, we’re inviting but a handful of developers.
These are the guys we want you to know, for theirs are the development projects worth your attention… and your investment.
“You Have Made A Lot of Dreams Come True”
“Thank you for all your hard work. You have made a lot of dreams come true. I am always telling people about you and how you started your publications years ago. In fact, I just today told my banker about how honest and smart you are, letting us know where to go. Wish I had listened to you more years ago…”
‐‐Marlene M., United States
“Highly valuable as a one-step resource”
“Seminar is highly valuable as a one-step resource for accurate information and making personal contacts.”
‐‐William Tallmadge, United Sates
Our Live and Invest in Belize Virtual Conference has been designed to give you the firsthand, on-the-ground information that you need to make the right decision about investing and living here.
And, whatever lifestyle you’re looking for—in the Cayo or at the beach—we’ll have experienced expats on hand to show you what life is really like when you live in Belize.
The price of this year’s Live and Invest In Belize Virtual Conference will be US$595 for access to all 3 days of the event.
But, frankly, there’s no need to pay that much right now…
Today, you can save at least US$200.
This cost includes full access to the interactive workshops and presentations…
Plus, all supplemental reports, guides, and seminar materials…
As well as access to the chatrooms and forums where you’ll get to mingle with the experts as well as like-minded adventurers also looking to make a move to Belize.
“First 50” Discount Now In Effect
If you are reading this message, it means you are one of the first 50 people to register for the Live and Invest in Belize Virtual Conference.
You’re decisive… ahead of the crowd… a trendsetter…
And the recipient of an EXTRA US$200 OFF the going rate for full access.
In other words, you’ll get complete and interactive access to all 3 days of the event, including the recorded coverage of everything, for only US$395.
That’s just US$132 per day and, again, it comes with the complete on-demand program featuring high-video recordings of everything once the event is over…
Along with full access to every expert and the library of guides and reports that every attendee will receive.
Better yet, these discounts are already set up right now—and you can combine them with a subscriber discount if you’re eligible…
In addition, you may be eligible for an even better discount:
- Subscribers of Overseas Living Letter, Global Property Advisor, and Simon Letter will get a US$50…
- Or, if you’re a member of Overseas Retirement Circle, you can double that amount for a full US$100 discount…
- And, of course, All Access Pass members get 100% free access…
* Please note that you cannot combine any of the discounts above.
In order to receive your savings, look for the special link on the registration page that corresponds to your discount…
“More Information Than I Ever Expected”
“I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the conference. Very well organized and more information than I ever expected.”
‐‐Dave D., United States
I Promise You’ll Have No Regrets…
First of all, your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
If you’re not happy with the event (or if you need to cancel), just let us know and I’ll send 100% of your money back to you.
But that’s not exactly what I mean with “no regrets”…
Part of our agenda at the Live and Invest in Belize Virtual Conference is to give you the full story… the pros and the cons.
Did the readers I’ve helped find their spot abroad have their down days?
Of course they did…
One past attendee told me recently that she had the mother of all meltdowns after she and her husband packed up all their boxes and were getting ready to sell their beloved Illinois home. But, the next morning she picked herself up and followed through with her move…
“The best thing about our new life now is that we have no alarm clocks. We take our time in the morning and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. I’ll do some writing in the afternoon and exercise in the evening. There is no routine—and it’s wonderful.”
You’ll never know how wonderful your life could be unless you go and see…
And what about those readers who decided Belize was not for them after all?
I’ve heard from several, and not a single one regretted the experience. In fact, many of these folks told me the only regret was not doing it sooner, when they were younger and healthier.
I urge you to give yourself the best start—sooner than later and in the best company—this February during my Live and Invest in Belize Virtual Conference.
I hope to see you log on.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Peddicord
Founding Publisher, Live and Invest Overseas
P.S. As full-time Belize resident Helena Hess puts it, “We Baby Boomers don’t usually retire, per se…
“We transition. My husband knew I would drive him crazy if I didn’t have something to do after I left my corporate job. I think I am busier now than ever, running the fitness club, setting up a real estate business, teaching salsa aerobics, trying my hand at travel writing… but it is so much more fun and interesting than my previous life.
“There is a real sense of community here in this place that I have never experienced before. Big cities are busy and remote. You never see your neighbor. Now, everywhere I go, I know people. It is a very satisfying way to live…”
This is your chance to discover for yourself what Helena and her fellow expat residents in Belize already have discovered. Belize is a special country holding out particular and timely advantages right now. You should see what I’m talking about firsthand.
I’m very much looking forward to this chance to spend time in one of my favorite countries in the world. I hope to meet you there!
“Accurate, timely, and appropriate information”
“The level of experience, knowledge, and competence is top-shelf. Primarily, I appreciated the sincere and honest approach of the organizers and all the presenters, as well as the obvious desire to give participants complete, accurate, timely, and appropriate information and to answer questions thoroughly.”
‐‐Andrew F., United States
P.P.S. This is the only event of its kind to help you consider, compare, and contrast your options in Belize…
We’re going to help you develop an actionable plan so you can follow through on your move in as little as 12 months or sooner.
Most important, we’ll introduce you to our trusted contacts who can support you through every step of your journey…. both during and after the event.
This is your best shot at finding the life you want in Belize…
I urge you to take it.
or by phone, toll-free from the United States, at 1-888-627-8834.