Along Central America’s Pacific coast you’ll find rocky outcrops, world-class surf, and some of the most jaw-dropping views in the world. If it’s natural beauty you are after, Nicaragua is the jewel of this stretch of coast. More awesome than northern Costa Rica directly to the south…or southern California, a 3.5-hour flight to the north.
Nicaragua hasn’t been able to hold its own with “brand Costa Rica” (one of the most successful country marketing campaigns the world has seen). Yet the coast is the same. I’ve visited a dozen times in the last six years, and I consider this stretch of coast one of the most spectacular in the world.
Nicaragua delivers everything the Costa Rican marketing machine promises…and more…but for one-twelfth the price.
Friends with young families have moved to Nicaragua, and now their quality of life is much better than it was at home. Because the cost of living here is so low, they can afford full-time help, which means more free time for fun, family, and exploration—not chores or traffic jams. They golf, surf, or hike while their kids take ballet.
Their life tells a different story than the pictures painted in the mainstream media. That’s why they feel that Nicaragua is misunderstood. The property deals here reflect this misunderstanding—and that’s a situation you can take advantage of.
In the high-end gated community of Rancho Santana, $48,000 buys you a half-acre ocean-view lot. A short drive across the border in northern Costa Rica, you would pay $600,000 for a half-acre ocean-view lot. Nicaragua shares the same climate and the same stretches of pristine beach.
An hour from the capital of Managua, Gran Pacifica has home and lot packages from $123,000. Gran Pacifica has already invested $20 million in Phase 1. A hundred homes and condos have been built, with more under construction. The front nine of the golf course opens later this year. Designed by Tommy Haugen, it’s set to be one of the finest courses in the region. There are plans for an additional 27 holes.
In the heart of historic Granada, $250,000 buys you a renovated 1,900-square-foot colonial home with a pool.
Who knows how long Nicaragua will remain this misunderstood. One thing’s for sure: Anomalies like this don’t last forever. Visit, experience, and make up your own mind before the world catches on.
To get my full report on this country, see the current issue of International Living Magazine.
Ronan McMahon
Executive Director, Pathfinder Ltd (International Living’s preferred real estate advertiser).
P.S. Tomorrow I’ll share one of the best real estate deals I’ve found in this country. Stay tuned…
To read more IL articles on Nicaragua, see:
Nicaragua Surf: One of the Greatest Breaks in the World
It’s Easy to Start a New Life on the Beach
Big Discounts on Nicaragua Golf Real Estate
