Honduras Property Search

Last month my journey to my dream began. My brother, Joey, and I headed to Honduras to checkout property. We looked in 3 different cities: La Ceiba, Utila and Roatan. Each with their own unique specialties and twinkle in the eye.

We found a lot of great income properties that could easily be rented while we were not staying in the homes. If you have $150,000 you can get a pretty sweet place. On average its $250 to pay a property manager to manage your property monthly and you can rent a 2bed 1bath house for about $800 a month. $550 profit monthly while not living on a property is pretty good.

This, my friends, is what $99,000 will buy you in Roatan, Honduras. 1.5 acres, beautiful view of a coral reef, 5 minute walk to a beach, and an unfinished house. Still think Honduras is cheap? Most of my friends won't be able to look past the unfinished house and would think it's not worth it. This was mine and Joey's favorite. It was a great location, a great view, the perfect shell to make my dream home, the perfect land for a garden, a bnb, and a shared venue space. But in Roatan they don't finance. Must pay 100% up front. Still think this is a poor place? How many Americans do you know that have $99,000 cash today and still additional cash available to finish a house? US banks don't provide loans for international investments. As an American most can't even afford to buy a home in what many Americans consider a dangerous place and third world country.

Still feel like you the US is a super power? Still feel secure as a middle class American? I don't. Roatan is one of the most beautiful places on this Earth. They have the second best coral reefs in the world, the kindest people, and a very diverse group of expats. Owning this place is one of my dreams. I know one day I will own a house and business in Central America but my trip to Honduras last month humbled me. And every time I told someone I couldn't afford it they asked, "Don't you have a rich uncle?" Don't even get me started on the gender assumption of rich people. But it did make me wonder if that's how so many in these tropical places got their opportunity: via a rich family member. Again, I'm left angered with the circle of money that remains within a small group of people on this earth.

Yes, I love America and I think we have tons of great people here. I just don't think we are as comfortable as we think. If you had to flee the country because of war like Syrians, where could you afford to live? Not Roatan. Bet you never thought that before. How will you afford to live when you retire in the US? People my age probably won't have Social security and although I have been saving through 401k and pension I'm not sure it'll support paying for health insurance, property taxes, food, car insurance etc. So I'm caught in a state of reflection here. I don't know how to grow old in America. I can't afford to grow old in a place that people expect to be cheaper like Honduras. So where do I grow old?

Sweden: I country that is way too cold for my taste still manages to give everyone an opportunity to own a home and build a business. They offer financing and very low down payment and loans when needed because they believe in humans. Why can't other countries be the same? Why am I left feeling like my biggest opportunity at owning a business is in countries I don't want to live?

I've decided that if Honduras will be my landing point, it will be Roatan island. It's got the vibe that I am looking for. There are huge sustainability initiatives and groups that I can support, a large enough local population and expat community for my daily business, and some killer beaches and atmosphere for retreats and visitors. I'm not giving up.

One big topic I feel compelled to address is safety. I never once felt unsafe or in a dangerous situation. I met numerous expats living in all 3 cities, many of them living in Honduras over 20 years. None of them ever felt like they were in danger. It upsets me that so many people whom I have expressed my interest in living in Honduras assume it to be unsafe because of what they hear and read in the news. There isn't one country on this earth that doesn't have unsafe areas or bad press (ahem! gun shootings in America). Google any city and you will read about homicides. Trust me, you won't visit those areas where you live and you certainly won't visit those areas where you vacation. I assume many of you keep a level head when traveling and don't go into areas that look sketchy or walk alone down a dark road at night. There are some BEAUTIFUL hotels and lodges in Honduras that you would dream about and yet they are relatively inexpensive and not filled to capacity because of this unnecessary fear that so many create in their minds. I've even heard Americans say "It must be bad if Hondurans are illegally immigrating over our US borders." According to Statista, over 35 million Americans visited Mexico in 2017. If you don't use this excuse for visiting Mexico then you don't have any right to use it for any other country.

I have two things left to say:

1. Give Honduras a try on your next vacation. The largest cruise ship in the world will dock in Roatan in January. If it's good enough for them then it's good enough for you. You are really missing out on a beautiful corner of this earth and some seriously kind people.

2. If you an American, please reflect on your situation and do some research about the rest of the world. Go on a holiday in another country, learn about other cultures. I'm not saying this so you will hate America. I still love America. I love my comforts of home. I just think we should all understand a bit better what our situation really is because I have realized after living in Sweden and trying to buy in Honduras that my reality is a whole lot more difficult than I expected.