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Land in Puerto Rico: Accessible Paradise

Many North American natives long for a piece of tropical paradise as a second home or retirement home. They daydream about brewing a cup of morning coffee in a custom-designed kitchen, then stepping outside to be greeted by the trade winds and pick a piece of fruit off of their own trees.

The appeal of this daydream is undeniable, so many prospective expatriates research the possibility of building their own home in a beautiful Central American or South American location. And through their research, they find some logistical hurdles. While property in many Latin American countries is cheap, building a home requires negotiating a different bureaucratic and legal system. (In fact, those buying property in some countries will find themselves needing to hire a lawyer to ensure that everything proceeds correctly and there are no issues with the property.) Language and cultural barriers may make it tricky to ensure that the design and construction truly get carried out according to their wishes. There's also the prospect of having to obtain citizenship, and the red tape involved in that process.

At that point, potential expatriates wanting to build their own home have a few different choices: they can give up on the goal of a custom-built home, they can give up on the idea of moving abroad entirely, or they could explore different locations. And many of them decide that Puerto Rico strikes exactly the right balance. While this U.S. territory does have a distinct culture and way of doing things, the process of finding land for sale in Puerto Rico, purchasing land, and constructing a home will be more recognizable and manageable for many U.S. citizens.

Those who are moving or retiring to Puerto Rico and can afford to buy a home outright often find that relatively low costs of day-to-day living make it a very affordable place to live. Prices aren't rock-bottom like you might find in Nicaragua or Ecuador, but those moving from the continental U.S. often find that their dollar goes a lot further here. This allows them to live and retire affordably in on a beautiful Caribbean island, with unique natural beauty and a vibrant culture to explore, without having to worry about governmental instability or the exchange rate.

It's worth noting that since Puerto Rico is suffering from the same recession and real estate slump as the U.S. states, prices are at a low right now. And, as in the states, many individuals who have been holding onto investment properties are selling. Those interested in Puerto Rico land for sale should start at a similar place as they would in the continental U.S.: by contacting a realtor. Puerto Rico does not use the MLS, the real estate listings database that is universally used in U.S. states. Online classifieds are also not as prevalent. A good realtor will do the searching for you, networking with other realtors and with owners who are offering land for sale in Puerto Rico.

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