While Guatemala emerged from a 36-year civil war in 1996 and has not experienced the second-home market activity of some of its Central American family members, more and more transactions are being recorded every year.
Reasons for the increase can be traced to more curious, exotic buyers, increased political stability, and the modernization of the real estate laws and land property databases - including the country's title registrar.
But let's face it...
Guatemala is not typically at the top of the list when buying a second home for recreation, retirement or investment.
When somebody says "Central America," most folks' thoughts first drift to Costa Rica, then slip into some warm Belize beach, and then perhaps to the new-found wonders of Panama.
Each of those countries conjures up an image of beach front property, laid-back lifestyle, and a certain exoticness that would make your neighbor retiring to a golf course community in Florida jealous.
What about Guatemala? It is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a gross domestic product per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile.
The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force.
Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products.
The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment.
It ranks right up there on the exotic barometer, but there are a few downsides.
First of all, the country lacks beachfront property.
Fewer than 300 miles of oceanfront coastline make it one of the most landlocked countries in the region.
Guatemala occupies 42,042 square miles, nearly the size of Ohio, but only 200 miles touch the Pacific Ocean.
Much of this coastline is dramatic and undeveloped but is comprised of black volcanic sand, making it unattractive for development.
The Caribbean coast covers only 70 miles, and much of it lacks actual white sand beaches, but it is interesting nonetheless (more on that later).
The other downside of Guatemala is the perception of instability.
Its history is littered with brutal dictatorships and civil wars.
Tensions exist between ethnic Indian groups, and it has one of the highest crime rates in Central America.
To make matters worse, Guatemala has been victim to natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes.
Most recently it was hit by Mitch in 1998 and Stan in 2005, which killed over 1,500 people and continues to affect the country's economic development.
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