Rancho Lima

View from Rancho Lima (click to enlarge)

We went for a drive the other day and stopped to checked out this new colonia. So many new housing developments are sprouting up all around La Ceiba. There must be thousands of new homes as well as lots of new commercial construction, too. I can't help but wonder where is all the money coming from. Many say that the construction boom is from laundering drug money.

These photos are from a development called Rancho Lima. I've seen ads in the newspaper for it so I was curious to see it in person. Unfortunately, now that I need more information, I can't find an ad for it.

Before I go any further, I have to say that I don't know if this is a good place to live or not. It looks nice, but that is ALL that I know. I don't know the developer or builder or anyone who lives there. So, don't take this article as a recommendation to buy!

The location is just off the main highway going toward Trujillo, maybe five miles outside of town, in the aldea Peru. The highway turns closer toward the ocean in this area. While the colonia is not on the beach, it has a slight view of the ocean and a great view of the mountains. The streets are laid out in a nicely curving fashion and we noticed that they had a very large community water tank.

After passing a long, nicely landscaped driveway, we reached the guard house and guard. Interestingly, most of the lots were not walled yet and neither were the windows barred, but that may be just because it is a new colonia with not too many occupied homes yet.


Most of the houses are similar, and appear to be a typical size, probably 3 bedroom, 2 bath, but we didn't go inside. The guard told us that the houses sold for U.S. $60,000 - $72,000 llave en mano (key in hand). I'm pretty sure, but not positive, that that price represents the price of the home construction and the price of the land. The lots themselves were not very big but the houses are set back on the lots unlike most colonias so it gives the impression of spaciousness.


I was impressed with the stone trim on some of the homes. Very attractive, I think, and unusual in the La Ceiba area. The work is so neatly done. I wasn't able to figure out if the stones were something artificial or whether the work was done by hand with actual river rocks. They certainly look like the real thing that we see in the rivers here around La Ceiba.



The large tiled 'garage' in front is typical of La Ceiba homes. The garage area is often used as an outdoor sitting, play, or party area as well. With the cost of tile and installation, ceramic garage floors probably seem like a big luxury to many U.S. Americans, but they are very typical here in middle and upper class homes.



I did find a website and more photos, but these sites don't have much information. The houses range from 1,055 to 1,587 sq.ft. A typical lot is 609 varas cuadradas (about 4,600 sq.ft. or approximately 1/10 of an acre) and there are 112 lots. I don't have much concrete information about the colonia, but I thought you might enjoy seeing the photos.