Anyone who has retired to or bought at La Ceiba Beach Club?

Hi, I have:). What would you like to know?
Darlene

Hello

@geffcken : Please note that a new thread has been created as from your post on the Honduras forum to help you get more visibility and interactions.

Regards
Kenjee

Tell me about your experiences? Do you live there year round? Where do you shop? Do you have a car?  I want TO BUY AND AM READY BUT HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT NEGATIVE REVIEW POSTED LAST MONTH.

Hi Kem
I live here in La Ceiba let me know what questions have and or concerns. I can help been living here approx. 21/2 years
Tim

Thanks do you like in beach club community?

PM me and I'll give you full details

I do not own there , but I have visited there.   Message me if you would like my opinion

honduraschris wrote:

PM me and I'll give you full details

We would really much appreciate if members could share opinions here itself so that future members having the same queries may benefit from the infos.

Regards
Kenjee

Please yes

Good Morning Kem
I see were you mentioned you have been an Attorney. With me being here 21/2  living full time and a developer for 35 years. Here diligent is the key when of course buying anywhere. Use the same guide lines to insure that your getting exactly what your looking for so that you can enjoy the beach life style and enjoy all that Honduras has to offer. If your planning to come down let me know I can help with accommodations and show you around the area. I have outlined questions for any development that you are interested in buy from.
1. References from developer
2.Contact with home owners . They can help guide you with an Attorney here which will be needed. As well as with there info on building or buying.
3. Ask the questions and get full responses and answers'
4. Don't buy with out seeing if possible
5. Get complete understanding of HOA fee's
Let me know if you have any other questions and you can also PM.
Tim

Thanks

There are different areas with different types of properties being offered. There are direct beachfront, ocean view (only 165 ft from the beach), canal and lagoon lots for sale and ready to build on if the lot owner wants. These different areas include different entries, views and a feel. Pretty sure at least one of these locations scattered along a 2.5 mile stretch of beach will be called home to many. Never mind the ones that want a simple land investment.

Having a bilingual attorney is a must. Lost in translation so they say if you have a translator.

Everyone has a budget. Even if the deal sounds good.... As they are in LCBC... And they are for sure. Just sit down and decide what is your budget and what you need to have. Since, most forget or don't know... A direct beachfront home has maintenance .. More so than an ocean view home set back a tad bit.

Tim brought up a point about HOA's. Some are brutal, some are way too relaxed. If you want to be in a community, simply ask what is the deal with the HOA... Or not.

Cheers

Please tell me are you still living at club...how many residences? Need info asap

Phase 1 has 13 homes from over the past 6+ years. There are 5 phases as of now. Phase 5 is the hotspot going on. This location is very nice. Only 4 homes complete with 2 owners living full time. The beach lots.. All sold out with two re sales, ocean view a few available and some canal lots left that are perfect for people with jet ski, canoe kayaks... Phase 5 is a near walk down the beach to the earlier phase with a two story club house, community pool, large tiki hut with hammocks and more. Awesome place for get togethers, parties or the simple meeting grounds many many foreigners already know.

Hi Kem,
I researched Honduras for several years and have purchased multiple lots there. I do prefer La Ceiba as it is a much better location than further East (Trujillo Bay Eco development) as that area is much more remote. LCBC is only 10 minutes from the La Ceiba Airport and even the drive from San Pedro is pretty easy and on good roads. I choose Honduras because of the tremendous value to be found there compared to other Central American Counties. In Costa Rica, you can get a two bedroom villa with an ocean view for $800,000, but in Honduras you can get a 2 story home right on the beach for somewhere around $150,00 to 200,000 US (Chris Barrett and others can help give you the most up to date pricing). The prices in Belize are roughly 3 times what they are on the Honduras mainland. Roatan prices are 3x compared to the mainland as well. Honduras also has more square Km of National Parks and other natural resources than Costa Rica.  I have made some good friends in Honduras and still hope to one day be able to semi-retire there. The medical school I work with has a clinic in Honduras, so I still may be able to work there some of the time.
     I found that the homes I stayed in when I visited LCBC were modern and comfortable. If I was to build there, I would want to make use of solar power.
     I did pick up Giardia, a common and easily treated parasite, on my last trip there, but it is hard to know where I was exposed, as I traveled throughout the country and only became ill after I returned home; the lesson there is you still need to be careful about what you eat and drink when in Central America. My friends that live there buy bottled water and know a few tricks when it comes to food preparation.
     I must say that I found La Ceiba to be friendly and I never felt any safety concerns. I also found I was able to conduct business as needed, even though I don't speak Spanish. Banks and the Cellular phone store all had someone there that could speak English. I did have a problem trying to open up a bank account for my Honduran Corporation, as I didn't have a land-line telephone, and that was something they required at the time (that may have changed). They would have been fine with me opening up a personal account though. I do think it is best to buy property through your own Honduran Corporation, but the process and cost to do this was pretty easy.
     Another negative I found was that, as a foreigner, Honduras requires one to leave the country every 3 months. I think it is just a way for them to collect the tax upon your exiting, and it is my hope that the country will figure out a way to collect their tax revenue without the Ex-Pat having the cost and inconvenience of having to leave the country 4 times a year. Belize has a pretty good retirement package that allows one to bring in a boat or vehicle without having to pay an import tax (Although they want it to be a vehicle less than 3 years old). It is my hope that the Honduran government will see the advantages of making it more attractive for foreign people to retire there, but at this point it is primarily the value in real estate that makes it attractive (All of this in my opinion and to the best of my knowledge of course).
     If you travel to/from Roatan, I would suggest not taking the ferry, as the seas can be rough and it is not unusual for folks to get seasick. There are easy and cheap flights from the Bay Islands.
     I have had some misfortune come my way here in the States this past year with my health, my business, and my marriage. This has prompted me to consider selling one or more of my LCBC phase 3 lots. Please take a look at them when you go down to check it out, as they may suit your needs.

I'm not sure if you are aware , but there is no electricity at the clubhouse in that phase . A friend of mine was just there to look at a house and he said there is no electricity anywhere.  He said he would try to find out what is going on and if there is services at the other developments.

Dr Chris has a few great points. He has purchased multiple properties throughout the years for investments and for retirement.

The value is obviously in Honduras vs all other Central American countries and The Caribbean.

His simple statement about purchasing in the the country (Honduras) and making friends.. Is enlightening. How many people can go to another country and make real friends ??!?? Every one so it sounds like...

I know Chris preset well and his situation is what it is. BTW... He purchased multiple beach properties and if anyone wants to see his properties... I'm more than happy to pick you up and bring you to his gorgeous eyes beachfront and his beach view properties.

If anyone wants a view and a beach breeze... Dr Chris has amazing property. The area is out of the city. Once there... It's like being on an island except that the farcy is you less than 15 minutes from a large city. La Ceiba... You can get whatever you want.. Everything is right there. The La Ceiba airport is less than 10 minutes away.

Thanks for your post Dr Chris. Your properties are awesome !!

I PM'd you the situation. So.... I'll only make a quick post. Phase 1 of La Ceiba Beach Club is 6 years old and some are on PRIVATE electric and the OTHERS are switching over to private vs the HOA pays for electric and divides a monthly bill.

Place up my PM and what I stated. It is what is and post this ?

There are 5 yes 5 phases of LCBC with different entries and views.

Let me know when your friend at night wants to show up to look at property LOL.

If I misspoke , please correct me.  I don't know all of the different phases there.  Someone told me that there was no electricity at the club . So you are saying that there IS electricity at the club and social areas ? If there is , I will certainly pass that along.  If anyone else has information on this , it would be helpful.  I will hang up and listen

Hi Kem, I live at Honduras all my life I really know many amazing places you can retire to. If you need any help don't doubt on asking me.

Hi, I recently purchased property in Honduras, I too inquired in Expat.com and found that there are quite a few members who are builders and real estate agents.  I was looking for objective input so I started speaking with people who live or have lived in Honduras.  Fortunately, I am fluent in spanish.  There are many beautiful places in Honduras, take your time and do a lot of research.  There are plenty of scammers out there so be careful.

Very good advise in taking your time and being well informed to help weed out the scamers and be able to enjoy what Honduras has to offer.

Kem ,

I have had my place there nearly 20 years.

Suggest you rent before you buy. Rent is cheap and it will give you a first
hand observation of living there and in Honduras.

Chance to meet and talk with those who live in La Ceiba.

Anyone know any good builders in La Caiba, I own lot in LBC and an interested in building a home

I have built for my beachfront clients and have done some local developments as well.

Andy, there are a few developers/builders... real estate teams, along with local contractors that can take on a project like yours. Building in a 3rd world country is pretty tough. No matter what a salesman will tell you. All that glitters isn’t gold is one saying. Times are pretty rough these days with the corona virus never mind trying to get something done in another country. Honduras has been a lesson to many on building over the years. You can Google quote a bit. However, Google search isn’t always your best friend.
Considering, I’ve always tried over the years to give my personal own advise from experience to others.... keep on searching even after getting messages from this site and others.
Foreign investors/investments in Honduras is at an all time low. Desperate people do desperate things. Some are good people that just are experiencing extreme hard times !! But, this can affect a person like you negatively.
I wish you luck with your research.
BTW.... after you research just remember this post. The good, the bad and the ugly will be presented. Always 2 sides to stories in life.
Hopefully, Honduras will open back up 100% soon !!
The corona virus has hurt Honduras tremendously. Before the virus The Canadian dollar fell lower than ever expected. Canadians 8 years ago were 90% of my clients. Canadians are selling their Hinduras properties at a record high.
On a positive note..... there are very attractive beach home and beach properties for sale now.
Honduras has always been a great value for property buyers and vacationers.

Be careful about which developer you use in this area, if you choose to build new. If you want to know my opinion of La Ceiba Beach Club, send me a private message and I will be happy to give you my experiences and knowledge.

There are properties in "LCBC" for sale not offered through the developer also, and one beachfront lot left in one of the nicer spots. Only available through me.

TIP - Pretty much everything is for sale in Honduras right now. You can probably find an awesome deal on an existing estate instead of building new, but if new is your thing, give me a shout

Informational purposes only: LCBC “developer” has exclusive rights on the sales and builds in those areas.

I'm moving there and would like to connect to anyone who speaks English.  I needing help and advise on recommendations on locals who can help me build and any other advise that you can give!

Hello,

I am an expat and have been living near La Ceiba for a few years now and absolutely  love the experience.   When are you planning on moving? I would be glad to help you with any questions, arrangements or just a got to person. Looking forward to chatting.

Vivianna

Hello Larry,

Chris has been an acquaintance for 10 years. He has for sale options and many years experience building.

Best advice is to rent in the area for a couple months. Leave for 3 months then come back for a couple of months. By then you will have met enough people and learned the city well enough to make the move. You do not need to speak Spanish. Check out at least 10 places before you purchase. There are lots of deals if you have cash. Some owners will part finance.

As soon as tourism returns to the 2008 level everything will probably double in price.

I have been hanging in Honduras for almost 20 years. For me the best area is Ceiba. I live on the East side of Sambo Creek.

La Ceiba is not the Tegus and San Pedro Honduras you hear about in the news.

Don't go poor, or with your glass half full, and you will have a great adventure.

As someone mentioned, there are a few nuts that have bad things to say about everyone they have a bad experience with. This is mostly because they screw up and need to blame someone.

If you want to know more contact via personal chat.

Steve

Hello,

Mistake. Miss wrote.

Need a glass half full, not half empty.

PS. My wife and I live in the US 1/2 time and Sambo in the winter. I always go back.

Steve

I already purchased property beside Corozal.  I need advice on a local builder who is not expensive. I

Who would you recommend to pour the foundation?

Hi Larry,

You can get local mix on site or normal poured concrete.

Are you considering a wood frame house near the beach. Not a good idea.

Chris already responded here. He has built several housed in the area. Check him out in person. If he is not interested he should be able to tell you who is good.

Regardless of owning the lot, there are lots of great deals in the 150-250K range. Fully furnished.

Steve