RetireRoatan

Many Americans Tap Retirement Funds Early

A poll from Harris Interactive found that nearly a fourth of Americans actively planning their retirement prematurely withdraw money from their accounts.  Explore the low cost of living on the Caribbean island of Roatan.  Don't dip into your retirement early.  Low Taxes.  Low Costs.  Increasing Land Appreciation.  The island is less than 10% developed, so there is room for everyone...  To learn more about retirement and property ownership email TJ (TJ@BuyRoatan.com) or Bill (Bill@BuyRoatan.com).

Roatan: An Economic Safe Haven

Roatan is an island of it’s own. While property values decrease in the United States, Roatan stays more than resilient and prospers thanks to the Canadian Dollar and the Euro!

“Overall housing prices peaked in 2006 and have declined almost 7 percent since, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices. Foreclosures were at an all-time high last year, rising to nearly 2 million from 1.2 million in 2006, the marketplace RealtyTrac reports.

How bad could things get? A big wave of adjustable-rate mortgage resets hits in the first half of 2008. Robert Shiller, the Yale economics professor behind the Case-Shiller indices, says it’s possible housing prices will decline 30 percent from their peak. That’s as much as they fell from 1925 to 1933, the low point of the Great Depression. Others predict a 15 percent drop."

                                                                                          --AARP Magazine

Stay diversified. It’s the best move in any market. A popular strategy is to move money into fixed-income vehicles such as money market accounts.

NAR Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey

This article is being reprinted from the National Association of Realtors Newsletter, April 17th, 2008...

In spite of a decline in the total vacation and investment home sales, second-home sales accounted for 33% of transactions in 2007. Sales of vacation properties fell 30.6% to 740,000 in 2007 compared to the prior year which boasted a record 1.07 million, while investment-home sales fell 18.1% to 1.35 million (down from 1.65 million in 2006), according to NAR's new Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey report. During this same time, primary residence sales declined 10% to 4.34 million in 2007 from 4.82 million in 2006. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun cited the disappearance of speculators from the market as the reason for the decline, leaving the market to serious buyers. The disruption in the mortgage market and tightening of credit during the second half of 2007 also impacted this market sector, but lifestyle factors and strong demographics (including a peak of population in their prime years for buying recreational property), point to a positive outlook for the vacation home market. While U.S. buyers may be taking a wait and see attitude, foreign buyers are taking advantage of the weak U.S. dollar and are propping up second-home sales. Conversely, Inman News reports that U.S. buyers are looking abroad for their second home investment in such markets as Costa Rica, Belize or Mexico, taking advantage of newer resort markets where prices are still relatively low and the U.S. dollar can buy more than at home.

Famous People visiting The Bay Islands and Roatan

Bay Islands are attracting a steady and growing trickle of VIPs. As word of mouth spreads, Hollywood celebrities recommend a place where they can retain privacy. Bay Islands are still that place. Even politicians like Gianfranco Fini, ex-foreign minister of Italy and candidate for prime minister stayed for a week at Henry Morgan in January 2007. A few ego-driven local powerbrokers requested an audience, but were turned down. The 55-year-old politician preferred privacy. Guanaja has had Christopher Lambert coming to the island for over a decade. In 2006 Cayos Cochinos hosted Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. Richard Gere, with wife, mother in law and children escaped from Copan to the safety and privacy of Palmetto Bay Plantation. Michael Douglas had a great time on the East Side of the island.

Party Time in Flowers Bay

Alongside dozens of house parties, Flowers Bay bars and clubs start partying on Friday afternoon and don't stop till Sunday church services. With a night club every hundred feet, the road strip is the party center with more speakers than West End. The dominant clubs are: the venerable Hip-Hop Club, reserved Flowers Bay Community Center, up and coming Flowers Bay Beach & Culture AKA Beach Bar, laid back Breeze Bar, the happening Players Club. The transformation came gradually as the Flowers Bay road was paved in 2006. Now locals are holding their breath that the road won't wash away with the winter rains and leave them stranded and with no reason to party. - from Bay Islands Voice

There are now negotations of ordinances on West Bay due to parties after midnight. Read TJ's article

Left Shoe or Right Shoe Washing Up on Shore

How come most of shoes washing up or Roatan shores are left shoes? Who ends up with all the right ones?
Could they come from one legged people? Are they meant only for one legged recipients? After closer analysis, 8 out of 10 pairs washing up on Roatan shores are left shoes. According to a PhD work of Curtis Ebbesmeyer, an American oceanographer, left shoes follow a different drift pattern then right shoes. When a container ship loses a cargo of Nike shoes, left pairs end up at different beaches, coasts and islands. Roatan, for that matter, seems to be on the path of left shoes. There has to be another island, possibly Cayman Islands, that the right shoes drift to. - courtesy of the Bay Islands Voice

Watch Great Roatan Video

Describing Roatan in words can bring vivid pictures and imagery, but seeing it just blows you away. This video feature on Roatan is spectacular and gives you a great understanding of why Roatan is the gem in the Caribbean. Learn about diving, real estate, dining, activities and more. Just click the video thumbnail to check out the clip!

Pediatrics and Medical on Roatan

In August 2003, Global Healing opened the Roatan Volunteer Pediatric Clinic (RVPC), a modern pediatric outpatient clinic, accessible to any and all children, within the Roatan Public Hospital. The RVPC is staffed year-round with volunteer pediatricians from the U.S., rotating on a 1month-plus basis. To provide pediatric subspecialty consultation, Global Healing brought internet service to the Public Hospital and to the pediatric clinic.

Like to Dive? Roatan Diving is World Class

Roatan Island has over 132 dive and snorkeling sites which are listed on a chart on this link. Even though Roatan has a lot of dive sites, there are at least 25 sites that are readily accessible to tourists. Weather rarely affects diving on the entire island. Generally speaking, the northwest side of the island is protected most of the year from the normal southeast trade winds except for the short rainy season in December and January.

Coxen Hole Roatan - Shopping

If you are hoping to find locally made crafts and products during your visit to Roatan, and will be stopping in Coxen Hole, you are in for a treat!  Coxen Hole, located on the western end of the Island of Roatan,  is the island's cruise ship port.  This fact makes Coxen Hole one of the most visited part of the island and is therefore a very desirable location for shopkeepers.