Scott And Nicki’s Plans For A New Life In Nicaragua
At last week’s Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference, among the many friendly attendees I met were Steve and Aida Rose, veteran Live and Invest Overseas conference-goers.
Steve and Aida have attended LIOS conferences in Panama, the Dominican Republic, and, now, Nicaragua, and they have plans to attend even more. In conversation, they told me that they’ve registered already for the Belize conference in January 2016 and that they plan to sign up for the April 2016 event in Colombia as soon as registration opens.
Colombia?! When they mentioned it, I thought I must have misheard. Live and Invest Overseas is planning a conference in Colombia?
“But isn’t it dangerous there?” I asked them.
Aida and Steve smiled and assured me that my concerns about Colombia were based on outdated stereotypes. They told me that they’d gotten the same kinds of reactions from family and friends in the United States when they told them they were planning to attend a conference in Nicaragua.
Ah. That stopped me. I’ve been living in Nicaragua for nearly a year. I’m having the time of my life in this country. I love it here, and I’ve never, not once, felt unsafe or in any danger. Still, I’ve had to defend Nicaragua continuously. Some of my family is still concerned for me, even after all the great stories I’ve told them about the adventures I’ve been having.
I understand how wrong it is to base an opinion of Nicaragua on events of decades past… and yet there I was doing the same thing with Colombia. I resolved on the spot to make a trip to Colombia to see that country as soon as I can manage it.
Meantime, let me tell you a little about the country I’ve been getting to know for the past year or so.
First, again, for the record, Nicaragua is by no means dangerous or scary. Most people are surprised to learn it has been ranked as the second safest country in Latin America. It has enjoyed a stable democracy for more than 30 years now, including through several peaceful transitions of power.
Not only is Nicaragua stable, it is also desirable. A recent Forbes article describes Nicaragua as a “hidden, undiscovered… magical paradise” frequented by “high-end travelers.” The article featured photos and descriptions of the extravagant Mukul Beach and Spa Resort built by Nicaraguan billionaire Carlos Pellas.
While super high-end real estate and resort options like this do exist in Nicaragua, this country is by no means just for billionaires. It is in fact an extremely affordable place to live or invest, and several appealing and also bargain-priced property options were presented during the recent Live and Invest in Nicaragua event.
One I like in particular is a 15-year-old community on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast that offers diverse housing choices, from traditional, Spanish colonial-style homes to 1,000-square-foot casitas and “green” houses supported by solar power. Only an hour’s drive from Managua, this community allows you to live at the beach while still being close to the city and the international airport. This is a fully master-planned community, with emphasis on community. The people buying, building, and investing here are forging a community of like-minded and welcoming expats. Infrastructure and services are state-of-the art. The best part is the price. You can buy a lot for as little as US$39,000 or a turn-key home for as little as US$125,000.
Long-held beliefs can hold us back from recognizing change. Nicaragua today is not the Nicaragua of 40 years ago. Nicaragua today is one of the world’s most appealing places to spend time. It’s also one of the most affordable places on earth to embrace retirement at the beach, offering high-quality coastal real estate and lifestyle options for a fraction of the cost for comparable choices in North America.
Do yourself a favor and investigate Nicaragua today.
Adam McGeehan
Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference Insider
P.S. Another attendee I spoke with during last week’s Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference, Scott Hed from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, had this to say:
“My wife Nicki and I learned so much at this conference this week. We have been to Nicaragua now five times since late 2011 and are very seriously considering living here at least several months each year. We are not at retirement age, and my work relies upon dependable telecommunications infrastructure. On each trip we see improvements in the roads, utilities, and phone and Internet services.
“If we didn’t feel safe in Nicaragua, we’d not keep coming back or be considering making it our home. We’ve traveled using the public buses, we’ve walked through small towns and larger cities and have never felt threatened. In fact, Nicki even came down once with only a girlfriend of hers for a week by themselves. And we don’t speak more than a minimal amount of Spanish.
“For those that may be considering Nicaragua as a place to live or invest, our advice is to not rely on events of decades ago but to come and see the beauty of this country and its welcoming people.”
Editor’s Note: We recorded every presentation during last week’s Live and Invest in Nicaragua Conference. You now have less than 48 hours to access the complete bundle of recordings for more than 50% off the regular price. Go here now for complete details.
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