Best Places In The World To Retire

In Los Cabos and La Paz, it is required to get a building permit and a licensed engineer to supervise the construction of anything. However, there are building inspections along the process that are not that well-done, so you really want to have a known and reputable builder or inspector watching when you build a home here. 
 
There are two types that dominate Los Cabos and La Paz constructions: block construction, which is basically a post and beam construction with blocks...

In Los Cabos and La Paz, it is required to get a building permit and a licensed engineer to supervise the construction of anything. However, there are building inspections along the process that are not that well-done, so you really want to have a known and reputable builder or inspector watching when you build a home here. 
 
There are two types that dominate Los Cabos and La Paz constructions: block construction, which is basically a post and beam construction with blocks as the pillar, the roof usually a structure of a reinforced concrete with Styrofoam insulation which makes the roof lighter; and the other is the W panel which has a couple of different styles, but is basically a Styrofoam sheet laced with a steel bridge so that the bridge protrudes in either side of the Styrofoam by 1- 1 ½ inches. In this case the whole structure is erected, and then they pass over it with 1 ½ inch of concrete on the inside and outside.  The W panel is a very strong building technique, and it’s easier and less expensive.

 

 
Any construction done here in Los Cabos requires having an inspector, whether it’s a builder friend or some architect you hire. I would recommend having a third-party inspector just to make sure the house is properly constructed. 

 

(Concrete home made with Styrofoam insulation, Baja California Sur, Mexico pictured. )

The best place in the world to retire is the place that feels the best to you.  The only way to know that is to rent for 3-6 months and try living on for size.

 

A new country is like a new pair of shoes; it takes a while to know if they really fit or not.   For most North Americans, the geographic diversity of Latin America, and the similar time zones make it a highly desirable place to explore and evaluate.   

The best place in the world to retire is the place that feels the best to you.  The only way to know that is to rent for 3-6 months and try living on for size.

 

A new country is like a new pair of shoes; it takes a while to know if they really fit or not.   For most North Americans, the geographic diversity of Latin America, and the similar time zones make it a highly desirable place to explore and evaluate.   

It is not mandatory to hire an attorney to buy a house in Portugal.  However, and especially if you are a foreigner, it is strongly advisable to hire a lawyer to represent you and make sure that you signed the right contract, that you are buying the right property, and that the property does not have any liens, encumbrances or charges registered on it.
 
The role of the lawyer in the process of acquiring a property is to do a due diligence on the legal documentation of the...

It is not mandatory to hire an attorney to buy a house in Portugal.  However, and especially if you are a foreigner, it is strongly advisable to hire a lawyer to represent you and make sure that you signed the right contract, that you are buying the right property, and that the property does not have any liens, encumbrances or charges registered on it.
 
The role of the lawyer in the process of acquiring a property is to do a due diligence on the legal documentation of the property, assist in the negotiation of the promissory contract of purchase and sale (typically in Portugal the buyer and seller sign a promissory agreement first and complete on the acquisition within 30 to 60 days) and at the end organize and represent you in the signature of the public deed of purchase and sale that is usually done before a notary and with the registration of the acquisition at the land registry office.
 
Please note that all documentation together with the public deed of purchase and sale will have to be done in Portuguese.  Therefore, if you do not speak Portuguese it will be complicated to assure that all your rights are being taken care of.
 
Finally please also note that Portuguese lawyers registered at the bar association in Portugal will have professional liability insurance which assures the payment of compensation to clients that are wrongly advised.

 

(Tiled house  in Alcochete, Portugal, pictured.)

The electricity is a lot more reliable in San Juan del Sur than it has ever been.  We do have brownouts but they are not as frequent as they have been in the past.  There are scheduled maintenance outages that are published in the paper so you can plan your day around them. This happens less frequently than in the past.  Then, there are the storms that sometimes will cause the electric to go out for a short period of time.

 

Most of the business in...

The electricity is a lot more reliable in San Juan del Sur than it has ever been.  We do have brownouts but they are not as frequent as they have been in the past.  There are scheduled maintenance outages that are published in the paper so you can plan your day around them. This happens less frequently than in the past.  Then, there are the storms that sometimes will cause the electric to go out for a short period of time.

 

Most of the business in the village have backup generators as do most of the hotels.  It is an experience with the electric is out because the skies are just beautiful; filled with stars and not a man-made light showing.  

 

Nicaragua is slowly converting to wind generating for the main services.  Progress is being made and will continue to upgrade the electrical services to Nicaragua.

 

There are about seven districts in Belize, which are Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Belize, Toledo, Cayo, and Corozal. Within these districts are major towns. 
 
The towns of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye (pictured, right) and Belize City (pictured below)  are in the north.  Orange Walk, which is the breadbasket of the country, Corozal is the border town to Mexico. The Cayo district is where you will find the mountains, San Ignacio and he capital city of Belize, which is...

There are about seven districts in Belize, which are Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Belize, Toledo, Cayo, and Corozal. Within these districts are major towns. 
 
The towns of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye (pictured, right) and Belize City (pictured below)  are in the north.  Orange Walk, which is the breadbasket of the country, Corozal is the border town to Mexico. The Cayo district is where you will find the mountains, San Ignacio and he capital city of Belize, which is Belmopan.  Down south in Stann Creek is where you will find more of the Garifuna culture, and you’ll find Dangriga, and Punta Gorda.