Investing in Northern Nicaragua, Stephen Kuhns story
Let me introduce myself to start with. My name is Stephen Kuhn, I am a Realtor from Chicago, IL, USA. I took the step of investing in Northern Nicaragua myself and am now the proud owner of a 3 acre parcel with a lovely casita in the Los Clavos area. It is a beautiful area just north of Nahualapa Bay. Here is my story of how my investment in Northern Nicaragua came to life.
Visting Nicaragua for the first time
Let’s back up a little bit…. I first visited Nicaragua in 2000. At the time I was just out of college and got laid off from a job. That was when I decided to take a sip of the good life. I packed my bags and went of traveling around Central America for about three months. We ended stayed in Nicaragua for three weeks or so. You have to realize that it was a lot different back then. Especially in the San Juan del Sur area. I just loved the scenery, the people and the feeling of letting go of the rush I was used to.
Returning to Nicaragua
With Nicaragua in the back of my head all that time I returned to Nicaragua in 2012. I studied Spanish for a month in San Juan del Sur. During this study I lived with a host family and actually did not see the party tourist aspect of it. I was going to class and studying and was in bed by 9 or so, but you could tell there was a lot of energy. Since I work in real estate, I ofcourse was interested in seeing what was available. You could tell there was a lot going on, but with North America still in a recession, there were a lot of unfinished unsold developments. That wasn’t what I was looking for.
Gaining Interest in North Nicaragua
I kept looking to the north along the coast. I asked the realtors down there about what it was like up there. They all told me it was really slow paced, far fewer tourists, and that there are very few people investing. That was kind of perfect for me. So I continued my search and eventually I got a Referal to Barry and I’m very glad I did. I went up to North Nicaragua and was so amazed I bought a lot the same day. Boris, Barry’s partner, took me around the area and showed this lot to me. The difference between this and what I had seen down south was quite big. It was far cheaper and so much closer to the water. Also the process of buying my property was not nearly as hard as I had expected. The Surfing Nahua team walked me through it all with great confidence.
My own development in Northern Nicaragua
After that I came down a few times and camped on my land. I met a neighbour who was looking to sell. I told Barry I wanted to pick it up and he and his team walked me through that process also. The Casita that was already on the property needed some work. With the help of the Surfing Nahua group we renovated it to give it a fresh new start. We put in plumbing, a well system, a rancho, a screened in porch area and an outdoor shower. They got the job done on time and on budget which is hard to do when I am 2 miles away much less 2000 miles. After that, I’ve been investing in Northern Nicaragua properties more and I couldn’t be happier with the service and attention I’ve received. We now have a vacation rental right by the beach and the Surfing Nahua team takes care of a full time gardener/watchman, all the cleaning for guests and even works out things like airport transfers for guests.
A Northern Nicaragua investment for the whole family
I think the future is bright for my piece of paradise, and for the area in general. For me, I have a young family and we plan to spend as much time at our Nicaraguan dream house as possible. As my kids grow, they will learn to surf, speak Spanish and love the Nicaragua culture. As for this area, I think that the way it’s developing is great to see. There are so many activities in the area with kayaking the estuary and hiking the many volcanoes, horseriding, fishing, etc that even if you’re not a surfer, there’s still so much to do. Obviously for surfers, it’s world class. Now with the new developments offering yoga, massage and wellness programs, my wife is as excited as I am to get down to Nicaragua. I think that the Surfing Nahua team has played and will play a vital role in helping to preserve the beauty and slow pace of life in the North. They are helping clients to add amenities that add to instead of detract from the quality of life.
Advice too future Nicaragua property buyers
The only advice I would give to future clients is to go to Northern Nicaragua, make sure it’s a good fit for you and then go for it. The Surfing Nahua team will take very very good care of you. Take it from me, they have helped me buy, sell, renovate and rent out properties in Northern Nicaragua and I’ve been very pleased with all of it.