With over 350 lots sold since August 2009, we have fielded a host of questions related to the purchase of property in Grand Belizean Estates.  Some questions occur more often than others, and we have tried to compile the most commonly asked topics we have encountered and we have tried to provide comprehensive answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) 

While we welcome your inquiries and are more than happy to answer your questions, we ask that you please read through the following detailed information, where you will likely find the answer to your question already provided.

Subdivision Location

Grand Belizean Estates is located 3 miles northwest of San Pedro Town – 15 minutes by boat, and approx. 30 minutes by road access (once the new town road is completed).  [While it is 3 miles as the crow flies, it will be 4.5 to 5 miles by road depending on where lots are located within the subdivision.]

The dock and beaches of the west coast of Ambergris Caye are located approx. 430 yards from the West Subdivision Entrance of Grand Belizean Estates. 

Grand Belizean Estates is bordered to the north by Colonia San Diego Subdivision (Phase II), and to the west by Colonia San Diego (Phase I) and Ambergris Bay Subdivisions.  To the south of Grand Belizean Estates, the subdivision borders the 3,000 acres of Costa del Sol – a master-planned community currently under development.  The Master Development Plan for Costa del Sol incorporates luxury 5-star branded resort hotels, an 18-hole Signature golf course, and multiple architecturally-controlled residential developments of low to medium density.

Road Access

The Town’s road plan #12039 provides for the construction of a road linking Mata Grande area to the Colonia San Diego area.  This new road provides access not only to Grande Belizean Estates, but also provides long-awaited and much-needed road access to the existing subdivisions and property owners of Ambergris Bay, Colonia San Diego Phase I and Colonia San Diego Phase II.   This east-west road is the first such road on island, to link the east and west coasts of Ambergris Caye.   

The design, planning and construction of the road has involved both hydrologic engineers and civil engineers, and is being done in such as way as to minimize any environmental impact on the surrounding areas.  There is one navigable waterway along the entire length of the road, a 25’ wide creek, and an engineered bridge span is being erected over the waterway so as not to impact the ingress and egress of tidal flow.

This road is being built by the San Pedro Town Council and construction is well underway.  Only the easternmost section of road remains to be constructed and it is expected to be completed with road access open to these subdivisions by February 2010.

Utilities –

Electric:  Electricity distribution is the responsibility of BEL (Belize Electricity Limited).  There service coverage has expanded greatly over the last 4 years, extending to the north of San Pedro Town by more than 12 miles.  The potential customer based fro BEL is tremendous among the properties in the subdivisions of Ambergris Bay, Colonia San Diego Phase I and Colonia San Diego Phase II, in addition to Grand Belizean Estates.

The underlying difference between the aforementioned subdivisions, and Grand Belizean Estates, is that the developer of GBE is installing utility poles for the distribution of service throughout the primary subdivision roads of Grand Belizean Estates.  Negotiations have already taken place with BEL and as soon as the road access to/from San Pedro allows for it, then construction vehicles will install utility poles along the length of the road access leading into Grand Belizean Estates.

Due to the size of the subdivision and the many miles of primary subdivision roads, the quantity of utility poles required proved to be more than could be sourced locally in the Mountain Pine Ridge forest, so utility poles are having to be brought in from Canada to serve the electrical needs of the subdivision.

While it is the goal and plan of the developer to have the necessary infrastructure in place for electrical service into Grand Belizean Estates within the next 6-8 months, it is ultimately at the discretion of BEL as to when they turn on electricity service into a given area and that will be predicated by construction and electrical consumers requesting service within the subdivision.

Septic:  Geographically, more than 90% of the land area of Ambergris Caye is located outside of town water and sewer service.  Consequently, the ACLBA (Ambergris Caye Local Building Authority) and the Health Dept. have specific guidelines and requirements for the installation of septic systems with any new construction on Ambergris Caye.

Your house/site plans are first submitted to the Health Dept. for review.  These plans will show the type of septic system,(self-contained, engineered, etc.), its size and capacity, its location/placement, and the square footage of the residence as well as number of bathrooms.  Depending on what your builder proposes, the Health Dept. may or may not conduct a site inspection.  Once the plan has been reviewed and approved, the Health Dept. will issue a stamp of approval for the plans.  Stamped approval from the Helath Dept. is required before any plans can be submitted for issuance of a building permit from the ACLBA.

Water:  BWS (Belize Water Services) Limited supplies water to the central part of San Pedro Town, but as with sewer, more than 90% of Ambergris Caye (including Grand Belizean Estates) is located outside the service area of BWS.

Most of us outside the town core prefer to drink pure Belizean “Sky Juice” (a fancy term for rain).  Collection is easy, and you can catch as much as you can store.  You will want to plan with your builder for the size and capacity of cistern required for your needs, and then incorporate the plan and construction of your cistern into the foundation itself.  A clean roofing material (not thatch) and gutters leading to a cistern are all that you need.  While pre-fabricated cisterns are available and can be placed above ground adjacent to structures, you will probably prefer to have your cistern built out of concrete block and incorporated into the foundation of the house itself.  The choice is yours.  Water purification filters are available in many sizes for those wary of drinking straight from the cistern.

Property Taxes

Property taxes on the entire 192 acre subdivision have been paid in full from April 2009 until April 2010.  It is estimated, based on property taxes for similar vacant land parcels, that property taxes will be approximately $50 BZ ($25 US) per year.

Building: Covenants and/or Restrictions

As with virtually all subdivisions of land on Ambergris Caye, there are no subdivision covenants or restrictions beyond those of the Ambergris Caye Local Building Authority (ACLBA).  As such, there is no POA (Property Owner’s Association) nor are there any POA fees.

The ACLBA has restrictions on height of construction, and outside of San Pedro Town, 3-story construction is the maximum allowed (no more than 38’ high) on parcels of land of less than 1 acre.  (For properties 1 acre or larger, the maximum allowed is 4-story construction, and no more than 44’ height.)

[Anecdotally, the height restriction of 38’ or 3-story construction, which has been in place for as long as anyone can remember, is thought to have been enacted to ensure that no construction on Ambergris Caye would be taller than a coconut palm tree.]

There are no minimum or maximum square footage requirements, and you are generally free to choose your building materials so long as your plans provide for a storm-resistant structure.  There are 4’ minimum set-backs required, from the sides of the property, as well as an 8’ minimum set-back from the road to leave ample space for parking.  Additional covenants and/or requirements of the ACLBA can be obtained by contacting the San Pedro Town Council or the ACLBA.  (ACLBA is the authorizing body within the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) that reviews permits presented and makes the decision whether the plans should be approved, denied, or if any amendments need to be made.  Other responsibilities include insuring that the other regulatory functions (i.e. Health Dept.) are being adhered to and that those houses/structures that have been approved are following the correct guidelines placed by ACLBA.)

Title

Belize is part of the British Commonwealth and has a legal system based on British Common Law.  Title to freehold property on Ambergris Caye is held in one of (3) ways:

  Deed of Conveyance, Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT), or Land Certificate.

All lands north of the San Pedro Town Bridge, including Grand Belizean Estates, are (presently) titled via Conveyance.  A Deed of Conveyance is the oldest form of title, and it involves the transfer of land by conveyance and registration.  Originally from the British Colonial Days, and used in much of the U.S., this involves a title search in the Lands Regisrty in Belmopan to unearth the chain of title and to uncover any encumbrances.

 Grand Belizean Estates is a new subdivision, and therefore the conveyances for the individual lots are being conveyed for the very first time.  If you would like to see one of the several hundred conveyances that have recently been issued to new lot owners in Grand Belizean Estates, please contact us and we will email you a scanned copy.

 A Deed of Conveyance, which grants free and clear fee-simple title, and is guaranteed by the Government of Belize, provides you as secure a title as can be obtained in any other Commonwealth country, or in the USA and Canada.

Financing

Payment for your lot purchase in Grand Belizean Estates can be made by Visa/Mastercard or wire transfer in US$.  For cash purchases, (CC or wire transfer) a $500 US deposit is required at time of contract, with the balance of payment due in 2-3 weeks.  You can pay both the deposit and the remaining balance by either form of payment.

Developer financing is available, if selected at the time of contract.  With developer financing, the down payment due at the time of contract is $2,000 US per lot, and the remaining balance, plus interest and financing charges of $1,200 US, is spread over six (6) equal monthly payments.

If making a cash purchase, your paperwork will be submitted to the Land Dept. immediately for issuance of your Deed of Conveyance, a process that ordinarily takes 2-3 weeks.  Your original Conveyance will be scanned and emailed to you once it has been received back from the Lands Dept. and once the balance of payment has been received, the original Conveyance will be sent priority mail with return receipt.

If you are taking advantage of the Developer financing, your title (Conveyance) will be held in escrow and will be sent to you priority mail with return receipt, once the balance of all payments has been paid.

Closing Costs (& “Any Extra Fees”)

This is a simple and straightforward as can be.  The only additional cost you have, other than the purchase price itself, is $225 US (per lot) title transfer & document delivery fee.  This fee is inclusive of priority mail with return receipt for delivery of your original Deed(s) of Conveyance.  This fee is “per lot” and is the same for all lot types (standard, prime, super-premium) and/or quantity of lots purchased.   (There is no multi-lot discount on the title transfer fee as it applies to each title as a separate Conveyance.)

Section 3.2 of the Purchase Agreement states: 

“The Purchaser shall be responsible to pay all legal fees, registration fees, taxes and other expenses associated with the transfer of the Lands from the Seller to the Purchaser.”

All of the fees and expenses outlined in Section 3.2 are included in the payment of the $225 US (per lot) fee.

Lot Types & Sizes

Standard lots – All standard lots are (minimum) 60’ x 75’, and on average they have a total area of 423 to 428 sq.meters.

Prime lots – All corner lots in the subdivision are designated prime (or in some cases, super-premium).  Also, all lots on the main subdivision roads around the perimeter of the subdivision are designated prime (or in some case super-premium).  Also, any lots bordering or directly facing an open space / park area are designated prime (or in some cases super-premium).  And lastly, any lot with a total area in excess of 450 sq.meters is automatically designated prime (or super-premium).

Super-Premium lots -   Of the approx. 1,200 lots (1,193 to be exact), the top 1/6 have been designated as super-premium for one reason or another.  Any parcel over 500 sq.meters is designated super-premium.  However, the super-premium lots are not always just the largest.  Basically, the top 200 lots were designated super-premium for any number of reasons, including being a (larger) corner lot, being in the most beautiful/desirable areas, or being on the primary subdivision roads, thereby having the highest traffic flow and greatest commercial value.

One “cluster” of super-premium lots has been set apart from all the rest.  Known simply as “The Woodlands”, this five-block area comprises 82 lots in a heavily wooded forest of towering trees.  Because of its outstanding beauty and because it encompasses several adjoining blocks this area has been set aside for those with discriminating tastes and an appreciation for the age old adage: location, location, location.

Lot Selection

There is no minimum number of lots required for purchase.  (But believe us when we say you will definitely want more than one at these prices.)  You are welcome to purchase just one lot, or as many as you like.  If selecting less than 4 lots for purchase (3 or fewer), then you may select from among any available lots on blocks that currently have lots sold.  If purchasing a “block” of 4 or more lots, you can choose from among ANY of the available lots in the subdivision, including those blocks that currently have no sales.  (There may be some blocks reserved for larger bulk purchases – please contact us for details.)  

Although you can certainly build on 1 lot, buying 2 lots (side-by-side or front-to back) gives you certain advantages.  The majority of purchasers thus far have elected to purchase a minimum of two lots.  Here are the top three reasons, in reverse order: #3) for investment…by the time they are ready to build, they can sell the 2^nd lot and it will have paid off  their building lot, or  #2) there is no better way to ensure you will like your neighbor than to pick them yourself (friends or family can buy the lot from you and you have an instant neighbor), and the #1 reason why most purchasers have bought at least 2 lots -  #1) They want the extra space and plan to build one house on the combined area of 2 lots.  In this case, you can do what is known as “vacating the lot line”, or removing the lot line between your two lots, and you can build right between the two lots.   Many of our clients have purchased side-by-side lots so they can have large side yards for a garden, swimming pool, or just to have their own oasis surrounded by the native tropical landscaping that gives them privacy from their neighbors.  Another option is to select two lots that are front-to-back rather than side-by-side.  This allows for an extra-large back yard, and can also allow for the house to be set further back from the road in a more private setting.  The choice is yours.  But with introductory prices so low before road access and utilities have been completed, now is the time to “double-up” on your lots and still pay less than an average lot price anywhere else on island.

Another option, is for your family or friends who are also interested, to go in with you on picking up a 6-8 block parcel and creating your own little community.  We have had friends go in together and purchase as much as an entire subdivision block so that they and all their family and friends can be in the same area together.  One group of 4 buyers purchased 8 lots, and plan to build a swimming pool and caretaker’s cottage to be shared between the 4 houses they build with shared backyards.  The options are limited only by your imagination.

Contact us for specific availability, and for lot recommendations based on what you are looking to do.

Pricing “As-Is”

Section 4.5 of the Purchase Agreement states:

“…the Seller makes no representation whatsoever with regard to the supply of land fill, road access, utility services or with regard to any other alterations or improvements to the Lands or the surrounding region.”

In laymen’s terms Section 4.5 says that the surveyed lots are being sold “as-is”.  What is being sold is a specific parcel of land that has free and clear fee-simple title by way of a Deed of Conveyance, and that land is being sold as it stands today.  That being said, there are certain improvements that have already been made, and that continue to take place within the subdivision.  Even though there are certain improvements that are being made at the developers’ expense, there are by nature certain things that cannot be guaranteed contractually by the developer.

For instance, even though utility poles are being installed on all primary subdivision roads by the developer, it will be the electric company’s responsibility to turn on the power.  And even though all the roads have been surveyed and cleared within the subdivision using heavy construction equipment, once they have been leveled and graded they will be the responsibility of the San Pedro Town Council to maintain them.  The east/west road providing access to/from San Pedro Town is another example.   The San Pedro Town Council petitioned the Ministry of Works for a town road to be built linking Mata Grande to the Colonia San Diego area, thus providing road access to over 2,000 properties in existing subdivisions.

The Town’s road plan #12039 has been approved after having been formulated with input from hydrologic engineers, civil engineers, the Dept. of Environment, and all relevant government ministry(s).  So it is the San Pedro Town Council who is responsible for the construction of the new town road providing road access to/from Grand Belizean Estates as well as the surrounding subdivision areas.

As each new service and/or amenity is provided prices for remaining available lots will be increased accordingly.  Those who purchase early on, before road access has been completed to/from San Pedro Town will benefit greatly from these introductory prices.

Once road access is completed and electricity service is available in the subdivision, then expect the market value of lots to reflect those variables.  Lots with road access and utilities and good elevation within close proximity to San Pedro Town typically cost between $50,000 and $100,000 US. 

Of particular note, the appraisal for Lot #927, a scanned copy of which can be found on this website, is based on the current status of lands – “as-is”, before completion of road access to San Pedro and before utilities.  

Just remember…the early bird gets the worm.  J