Newly Listed with Special price Offering as of 7/15/08 

We are offering for sale a very beautiful and exclusive 88 acre tropical mountain cloud forest property in Purulha, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala........ ”Hacienda del Quetzal”.

About Guatemala........

As of late Guatemala has become one of the most sought after Central American locales. With locations such as the colonial city of Antigua, the Caribbean resort area of Rio Dulce, the “second Amazon” rain forest of Peten, and the maintain volcanic lake region of Lago (Lake) Atitlan, it is no wonder that Guatemala is so highly prized by foreigners seeking a special way of life. Having a government and culture that is very friendly to foreign investment, a stable and growing economy that is the largest in Central America, freedom to live a peaceful and family-friendly life; coupled with some of the world’s most picturesque scenery and temperate climate, it is no wonder why many expatriates and investors alike are excited about this special Central American locale. Travel into Guatemala is further improved with the new Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City...... Central America’s newest and finest International Airport.

Foreigners in Guatemala have the constitutionally-protected right to sovereign ownership of land, without any Guatemalan residency requirements. (We are very familiar with this as we are non-Guatemalan resident, U.S. citizens ourselves) Also, foreigners can easily set up bank accounts and business entities in Guatemala. (As we have also done)

Guatemala is becoming very popular with foreign expats and retirees as they can live very comfortably on $500-$700 every 30 days. Health and dental care is modern and very economical.

Guatemala has a population of approximately fourteen million, with about 20% of its population living in the major metropolitan area of Guatemala City. The other 80% live throughout the beautiful coastal and inland rural areas spread throughout the country.

Guatemala is located in northern Central America, bordering Belize, Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador. It is about 1,500 miles from the United States via the newly renovated Pan-American Highway, or a 2-3 hour direct flight from Houston, Atlanta, or Miami. The currency, the “quetzal” is currently trading at approx 7.6 quetzales per U.S. dollar.

About Baja Verapaz........

In the Department (State) of Baja Verapaz is found the Biotopo (Biotope) of Quetzal, one of the few protected sites that preserve some examples of the Guatemalan national bird and symbol (the Quetzal) with its prodigiously beautiful and colorful plumage.

Other attractions of Baja Verapaz are its archaeological sites, the powerful Matanzas River with its 70 x 225 meter waterfalls (Central America's largest) and the Chixoy River dam, surrounded by an impressive natural landscape. Baja Verapaz is also home to the world's second largest tropical cloud forest and contains many private and public nature reserves.

About Purulha........

The city/town Purulha is located approximately 75 miles from the Guatemala City Aurora International Airport on a newly upgraded Highway and is home to the famous Mario Dary Rivera Biotopo del Quetzal Reserve. The University of San Carlos in Guatemala City manages the reserve, which is a dense jungle of great beauty. It is home to colossal vegetation including the giant fern tree, orchids, red flowering bromelaids and more. Here is found large numbers of the Quetzal bird, deer, mountain turkey, monkeys, 250 species of birds, and more. Purulha is also home to the Ram Tzul Private Reserve and the Montebello Private Reserve (which borders our property).

Purulha has a population of approximately 36,600 people, most of whom are of indigenous Mayan anscestry. It sits at an elevation of 1,570 meters (5,151 feet) above sea level. It is a quiet town with many public services and no crime problems. It is located approximately 25 miles by car from the city of Coban, Guatemala...... one of the finest in the country. Coban offers all types of banking, dental and health services.

The area supports extensive highland coffee growth of the finest quality and a variety of farm crops, most notably corn. Other significant agricultural products include onions, beans, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, peppers, strawberries, avocados and fruit. The area has abundant natural water sources of the purest quality.

The climate of Purulha is simply wonderful with its constant Mediterranean-like 70-74 degree days and 54-60 degree nights. The area is picuresque with abundant prisine mountain water and air, with breath-taking cloud forest vistas........ an area that is surrounded by an environment of natural beauty that is unique in the world and is a must see for foreign travelers.

No crime and stress problems here...... just a beautiful, clean lifestyle.

About our property ”Hacienda del Quetzal”.........

Hacienda del Quetzal is located about 1 mile from Purulha at an elevation of 1670 meters (5479) feet. It sits at the base of an incredible 6,500 foot cloud forest peak. The average daily temperature is between 70-74 degrees farenheit, with nightly lows of 54-60 degrees (no heaters or artificial a/c needed here!!!!). The rainfall is ideal...... simply put, the climate is perfect.

Previously Hacienda del Quetzal was being developed by a private Guatemalan individual as an exclusive mountain eco resort. There is electricity and phone available, as well as an internal protected pristine mountain spring water system on the property. There are few if any propertie like this in the area.

The entire property is fenced and cross-fenced with barbed wire. There are abundant natural springs on the property. There is always a nice breeze that blows through the mountain trees, producing a wonderful ocean-like sound.

There is abundant mature pines, maple, aguacatillo (the preferred food of the Quetzal), and oak trees on the property as well as 4-5 other local varieties. There are also various wild edible fruits/berries, including raspberries. The entire property is free from any chemical contamination and only uses organic processes. There are many peach, apple, guayava, and banana trees on the property. There are extensive Xate fern trees on the property which are highly prized in the U.S. and Japan for floral arangements. There is also abundant flowering vegetation which includes many varieties of orchids. The property is home to abundant wildlife including the prized Quetzal bird, pheasant, 250 types of bird species, monkey, deer, wild turkey, and more.

Hacienda del Quetzal is about a 40/60 mix of open-rolling pasture and tropical mountain forest. 100% of the property is useable for development. The property stays very lush and green year-round. The property has three larger caves on the property and mountain views that reach all the way the the caribbean coast on a clear day. Due to the elevation and inland location of the property hurricanes are a non-issue here.

It is also home to many tropical butterfly species. The front and one side of the property are both accessed by roads, with the front of the property having nearly 1,600 feet of paved road frontage and one side of the property having another 2,000 feet of road frontage to a local improved dirt road. The highway that fronts the property is the Coban-Guatemala City highway and is a two-lane highway of top quality. The traffic is not heavy and the road is not actually visible from within the property due being lined by large trees and being below the property itself.

other improvements to the property:

There is a new internal gravel road (nice rock) that runs parallel to the highway. There is alo a new gravel road that we have built at the rear of the property. There are two new pools that are fed by pristine mountain spring water...... one with breathtaking mountain views.

We are also constructing a beutiful (60%+ completed) house/lodge. It is approx. 3000 square feet in two levels and is built to very high quality standards. The design is of stone, cement, maple and exposed cypress consruction with 90% of the materials originating from the property. It is a four bedroom, thre bath home with cathedral, lodge-type ceilings of native cypress. The walls are 18” thick and are of stone and cement design. At 18" thick the home will stay at a consant 68-70 degree temperature with a wonderfully warm “feel”. The house is built into the side of a sloping hill and has six foot reinforced cement footers. The house is designed by an architect from Antigua, Guatemala and has design drawings.

A house like this in the U.S. would run well over $400,000 once completed.......... much more in the higher priced locales. The price to complete it and furnish it will be less than $40,000.

There is abundant landscaping that has been added to the property as well as cement paths.


In Guatemala there are three types of land ownership. First is a “private document or deed” (some are centuries old), which can be legally disputed. The second is a registered “private title or deed” (many have this), which the government can technically exercise eminent domain on like in the U.S...... third is the “Escritura Publica” (sovereign registered document), which is an absolutely sovereign title. This document can be difficult to acquire at times because land owners have “legally” stripped their land (trees) bare to the dismay of the government. (Land prices commonly triple with this type of title). Hacienda del Qutzal comes with detailed surveys and is titled with a registered title that is an escritura publica with easily transferable, totally sovereign ownership rights.

There are no property taxes.

This property is ideal as an investment and as an offshore investment all profits are non-taxed for foreigners.

We are willing to finance Hacienda del Quetzal with only 15% down.

Property of this type normally sells for $10,000 per acre ($2.50 per square meter) and up without improvements, and could be easily subdivided at a minimum price of $25-$50 per meter ($100,000-$200,000 per acre), depending upon lot/tract size. Hacienda del Quetzal is being offered at the very attractive price of less than $8,000 per acre ($2.00 per square meter), with many improvements. Simply put at the price we are offering Hacienda del Quetzal, it is an excellent investment opportunity either as a private estate, for agricultural/horticulture production, for development, or for financial investment.

Showing is by appointment (we travel a lot on business), and on a first come basis.

Thanks for your time and interest,

Shimone & Ribkah