Belize is an English speaking country, which is also its official language, which means making legal, financial, and daily transactions more straightforward for most international investors and buyers.
The currency used in Belize is the Dollar (BZD), which is pegged to the US Dollar at a stable rate (2 BZD = 1 USD), and US dollars are widely accepted throughout the country.
For investors and buyers in Belize real estate, the annual property taxes are it is noted is low, even for high-end properties, which can be ideal to generate the most income from rentals, plus there is the advantage of no capital gains tax in Belize, which again benefits real estate investors.
Belize benefits from a growing tourism sector, particularly in the eco-friendly and and marine based tourism sectors, which can result in higher vacation rental income for luxury beachfront and jungle properties.
Belize offers a Qualified Retired Persons Program (QRP) that provides tax exemptions and residency benefits to retirees who meet simple criteria, as well as no inheritance tax, estate tax, or capital gains tax.
Belize is a world-famous location for its natural beauty and eco-friendly reputation, has the second-largest barrier reef in the world, lush jungles, Mayan ruins, and abundant marine life.
To obtain a title to a property in Belize it is typically done via a fee simple, similar to the U.S., Canada, and the UK. A 'fee simple' refers to the most secure and common form of property ownership, granting the owner full and absolute rights to the land and any structures on it. This means you own the property outright, with the ability to use, sell, lease, or transfer it as you see fit, similar to ownership in the US and Canada.
Foreclosure real estate in Belize refers to properties that are being sold because the owner has defaulted on their mortgage, and have stopped making loan payments. Once this occurs, the lender, often a Bank, then starts a legal process to repossess and sell the property to recover the unpaid loan balance.
Foreclosure is a legal process where a lender takes ownership of a property after the borrower fails to make mortgage or loan payments.
Properties that didn't sell at a foreclosure auction, and are then owned by the bank or lender, known as REO (Real Estate Owned).
If the the owner is behind on payments, this is called pre-foreclosure, but the property hasn't been taken back yet, but the property could be sold as a short sale.
Properties that are up for 'Auction' are sold at a public auction, and to the highest bidder during the Auction procedure.
Then, if the property doesn't sell at auction, it then becomes "real estate owned" by the lender, usually again a bank which leads to the property being sold through Real Estate Agents.
Investors and individual private buyers look at foreclosures for many reasons including that the property is often below market value, could be flipped or rented out for profit, or the property can if required be renovated to increase the value.
Foreclosures can come with risks and the property is usually sold as seen, and could come with a situation where the purchase need repairs.
Also, the Foreclosure process can involve more paperwork, there may be title issues, unpaid liens, plus foreclosures (like auctions) often require full payment on purchase.
