While nice homes, in nice areas tend to sell quickly; there remains a good inventory of land. Your choices will include home-sites (many with electric and water already in place) and development property suitable for sub-dividing.

For those not ready to move down but want to secure a place in the sun while Roatan prices are relatively low, buying vacant land offers several advantages over an existing home. No maintenance, no insurance, no repairs and a smaller initial investment. Then, when you are ready to move, you can have a brand new home built to your specifications.

Building costs are low, starting at about $60/square foot for simple island construction, and we anticipate labor and material costs will remain relatively stable in the coming years. You will then have time to design your dream home. There are many great websites showing beach house plans for starter ideas. We often suggest people keep a scrapbook with photos of ideas that appeal to them. The design process can be fun!

Roatan Real Estate

Wood construction is less than concrete and in many ways the upkeep is less. It’s easy to later modify a wooden home and if you use a quality stain (some look like paint) re-staining, when necessary, simply involves a power wash and a re-coat. Cement paint often needs to be removed before re-coating. That said, many prefer cement construction. Another option is to make the foundation from cement and use that for rainwater collection.

Some people design a main house and a separate guesthouse. Building the guesthouse first can allow you to enjoy the smaller home now for vacations and possible rental with a lower initial investment. Then, when you are ready to move, build the main house.

Building supplies are readily available. And, there are many good appliance and furniture stores on-island. The permit process is simple compared to North America and no Municipal building inspectors or Occupancy Permits needed.