Retreat style acreages, sub tropical jungle, peaceful, natural,
private, home sites.
Get back to nature or…. away from it all.
The majestic Cohune Palm of
Central America
COHUNE ACRES
The jungle cover consists of pine, cohune palm, sour craboo,
mahogany and yemery trees, the latter a hardwood used for construction and
furniture. Secondary growth is largely wamil. Approximately seven acres on the
north side was cleared and farmed several years ago. Crops included citrus,
pine apple, cashew (picture below), peanuts and cassava. The soil throughout
the property is organic silt / sand mix, a landscaper or hobby farmer’s dream.
The terrain is low
rolling slopes providing excellent drainage for storm-water runoff.
Along the east
a small creek runs north-south during the rainy season.
Silk Grass Creek also
comes within 125 feet of the south east corner.
Statistically, the annual rain fall is 96 inches.
Great for rain water collection often called “Sky Juice”.
“Cohune Acres” is located at mile 5 on the Southern Highway,
Belize.
Four miles from the coast “as the parrot flies”, and about 65
feet above sea level.
Directly off the Southern Hwy,
less than a one minute drive on well packed gravel roads.
Lots range from 1.7 to 2.5 acres in size
Prices are US dollar and do not include GST. Prices will be adjusted for electric distribution costs currently being negotiated with BEL.
COHUNE ACRES
Heading north five miles from Cohune Acres, is
the Humming Bird Highway then another five miles to Dangriga. With a population
of 10,000 it is the capital of Stann Creek District. You will find most
services from government, banking, and construction supplies to small engine
repair and limited medical services. Dangriga’s local airport has frequent daily
flights to Belize City international hub.
Heading south about ten miles is Hopkins. Still
a fishing village, and now geared for excursion tourism, fishing, snorkeling, scuba
diving. Hopkins has a wide variety of accommodation and dining from backpackers
to five-star and everything in between. Hopkins and Dangriga are both
very enriched with a deep regard for Garifuna and Creole cultural recognition.
Stann Creek District is home to
Belize’s citrus industry, banana plantations and a variety of traditional tree
and row farming. It is home to the Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary, the western
hemisphere’s only jaguar reserve. Also, Bocawaina-Mayflower Camp National Park
and a number of ecotourism attractions including waterfalls, caves and
freshwater swimming sites.
Cohune Acres is approximately
55 miles from Belmopan City, Belize’s capital, and 105 miles from Belize City.
By car you can comfortably drive from Cohune Acres to the international airport
in 2.5 hours.
Electrical power is being negotiated
with Belize Electric Limited, during the early stages of property sales. High
voltage supply conveniently runs along “Cohunes Acre’s” alignment on the Southern
Highway.
We are maintaining clear cut
lines between property pegs so each property can be walked about its entire
perimeter. Feel free to go walking the trails.
For further information please contact;
Dave
Brown, in Canada Debbie
Jones, in Belize
Telephone Telephone
403 –
650 – 7451 501
– 661 - 9240
Email Email
Purchasing
Land inBelize December, 2011
Firstly, Belize is a Commonwealth Country. English is the
official language. Belize land laws are straight forward and similar to
Canada’s. Foreigners are allowed to purchase land with no additional rules than
a Belizean Citizen. There is a Land Titles Unit that is steadily improving the system in place to register ownership.
First step for a prospective buyer is a title search to ensure
the seller in fact owns the property in question. This can be done at the local
land Lands Office.
Land Deeds for all land transfers are processed by the Land and
Surveys Department, Land Titles Unit. For private land sale the processing fee
is 5% of the purchase price and called “Stamp Duty”. For developed land GST
applies at the rate of 12.5%.
It would be safest to hire a Belizean lawyer to handle the Title
Search, Deed of Conveyance and Registration of documents. The relatively small
up front fee would provide a great deal of comfort while the documentation of
land transfer takes place.
Property
Taxes in Belize
The Government could always change the land tax system, but
there is no indication of that in the offing. The current schedule does
not change with improvements or buildings. The tax is based on an unimproved
value per acre formula that increases with the sizes of the parcel and varies
somewhat from geographical district to district. For 1.5 to 2.5 acre lots,
taxes will be approximately $100.00 BZ per year, roughly $50.00 CAD.
Building
in Belize
In the past few years Belize has tightened up their building
codes. Government has embodied the Central Building Authority, CBA to set
guidelines determining what structures require a Technician, or an Architect,
or an Engineer. The CBA also handles building permits and inspections.
Just so we all understand - these guidelines would not be
enforced for a Belizean family building a one or two room stick built pallapa
house with little plumbing or no running water or electricity. Don’t feel like
they are getting a special break. There are no breaks for their life style.
Cost guidelines for home construction in Belize can range from
$50 up to $150 CAD per square foot - depending on finishes but moreover
planning and design. This comes full circle back to a good Technician,
Architect, or Engineer working for with you and providing value design
and coordination.
Selling
Land in Belize
There are currently no capital gains taxes on land or buildings
and no reason to believe this would change in the foreseeable future. This has
been status quo for several government party changes.
Remember the stamp duty fee, 5% of the purchase price - that is
as close to capital gains tax as it gets. Typically this cost is paid by the
purchaser.