Is retiring to Africa a wise decision?

[VertigoBE]

I don't think anyone was advocating buying a ranch/farm in Africa (at least I was not). But rather a holiday/retirement home?

 

[Tex .416]

As I near retirement I am considering a lot of options. None of them are to grow old in a climate such as that which makes every joint in my body ache with every approaching storm. Let’s face it, winters in Michigan or any northern state are painful for most who are over 60! I am now paying for my youthful athletic indiscretions...

Aside from buying a game farm in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, or other “stable” sun-Saharan African country, are there any options to invest as a shareholder into a ranch, game farm, or other safe animal land where one could live most of the year and at times hunt a few animals?

I don't think anyone was advocating buying a ranch/farm in Africa (at least I was not). But rather a holiday/retirement home?

The original post question was asking about buying into a ranch in Africa.

 

[Northern Shooter]

Does living in the 3rd world sound appealing to you?

 

[Hillbilly Marine]

I joined the Army the day I graduated high school to escape farming and ranch work.

Safe hunting

I joined the Corps to escape coal mines so I understand where you are coming from.

 

[spike.t]

It could be done, but the cost would be quite high. In Zimbabwe I live that exact life in a large house on three acres, but in the city so close to shops and amenities. Two house workers and a gardener. Budget at least US$8k a month.

In Johannesburg a large free standing house is not so desirable for security reasons, but you can find them in a secure area. Budget about US$10k pm.

Yeah Kevin am with @VertigoBE in asking why so much?....you could rent a very nice house with large garden and pool here in Lusaka for between usd 2000 to 3500 a month.....3 staff for around usd 300 a month depending on exchange rates...security around usd 350 a month...again depending on exchange rate....that's for day guard and armed night guard...as said kwacha to usd etc low at moment...so will go up and those rates will increase usd wise, but nowhere near prices you are saying....and house rent is in usd so not affected by kwacha exchange rates...

 

[spike.t]

I do legal work for ranch owners in Texas. A pattern I see regularly is an affluent urban/suburbanite, doctor, lawyer, sports player, fill in the blank, enjoys hunting and wants to own a ranch to hunt.

The reality of owning and running the business of a ranch is starkly different than going there to hunt as a guest, much less as a paying customer.

Without real training and experience in running the business of a ranch, it quickly turns into a money drain, which then drains the enjoyment and ultimately turns into regret, then a burden to be unloaded at any cost to stop the hemorrhage of cash.

That pattern is common where the new owner knows the laws and customs of the country and speaks the same language. Take that pattern and plop it in the middle of a country where the owner does not know the laws or customs, does not speak the local language, cannot even go on their own and read and fill out a government application, how will that work and feel?

When you die, which is 100% likely, what is the game plan for the ranch/investment and how will your wife function without you there?

I do not want to discourage chasing the dream of owning a ranch, but go into the decision with eyes open and well informed before committing money.

Here is a decent starting intro to owning rural land in Texas with some of the most commonly encountered general rural land ownership issues:

https://agrilife.org/texasaglaw/files/2020/01/Owning-Your-Piece-of-Texas.pdf

In southern African countries its in English...(documents etc)....just saying....

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Yeah Kevin am with @VertigoBE in asking why so much?....you could rent a very nice house with large garden and pool here in Lusaka for between usd 2000 to 3500 a month.....3 staff for around usd 300 a month depending on exchange rates...security around usd 350 a month...again depending on exchange rate....that's for day guard and armed night guard...as said kwacha to usd etc low at moment...so will go up and those rates will increase usd wise, but nowhere near prices you are saying....and house rent is in usd so not affected by kwacha exchange rates...

Spike I think Zambia is a bit cheaper than Harare or Johannesburg, but what I am getting at is the cost of the lifestyle that the OP has outlined, he isn't coming to live frugally in Africa (if I understood him correctly). I am going from my own experience where at the end of the day when the dust has settled there is always far more cost than you estimated, and it is far wiser in my view to take the worst case and get a pleasant surprise when it works out better. I will give you some examples of where the creep comes from:
Any fancy groceries are very expensive, a bottle of olives for example is $4 to $5.
Power cuts in Harare ere debilitating and in South Africa annoying. A solar installation will be $15k to $25 k in my case, and there is maintenance, it all needs to be factored in.
Buying water. $60 for 5000 litres,
Garbage collection is via a private company,
Fuel is expensive, I think about $1.65 a litre.
Car hire is very expensive, especially if you want to use it to go out into the bush as well as run around for the month. Probably $2.5k alone. And if you choose to buy one and park it when you arent in Africa the purchase price still has to be amortised.
Of your brought- in funds into Zim 25% will be converted into local bonds at the official rate, and where you can use them you are offered far less, so bank on half the value of that 25% disappearing.
It sounds like a bit of a nightmare, I suppose it is, but there again lions and flat top acacia trees come at a cost. To me it is worth it, I live here by choice.

 

[double rifle newbie]

Great idea! Namibia has some restrictions on foreign land ownership and I’m guessing other countries do too. Might need a local 51% partner.

thats correct. only a namibian citizen can own 51% of property without an exception from the govt, which will not happen. gotta find someone u trust who is namibian. there is a russian oligarch that owns lots of land but has a letter from the president allowing such.

 

[Borderer]

thats correct. only a namibian citizen can own 51% of property without an exception from the govt, which will not happen. gotta find someone u trust who is namibian. there is a russian oligarch that owns lots of land but has a letter from the president allowing such.

My understanding is that it is only farmland. A foreign citizen can own tourism zoned land and residential property and there are exemptions for a large chunk of farmland, I think previously owned by foreigners before a certain date.

The 51% Namibian owned farm would worry me but I met a man last year who bought a beautiful farm that way and leased the 51%, I think from the previous owner until he got citizenship, then he bought the whole property. Perhaps he was lucky.

 

[Borderer]

We are not exactly looking to move lock stock and barrel. But we will need a solution for our daughters for the future summers. As well as give a better environment for my daughters to grow up in and experience. Moving my job would not be possible right now. But an expat mission to get a taste of things is entirely feasible in time.

My friends are able to work from the Cape Town office of their current employer, hence their preference.

I know someone else who works from home in any case and now works remotely from the Aberdare hills in Kenya and just flies back to Europe to meet clients every 10 weeks or so. He is very happy but has family in both places.

 

[Woodcarver]

I do legal work for ranch owners in Texas. A pattern I see regularly is an affluent urban/suburbanite, doctor, lawyer, sports player, fill in the blank, enjoys hunting and wants to own a ranch to hunt.

The reality of owning and running the business of a ranch is starkly different than going there to hunt as a guest, much less as a paying customer.

Without real training and experience in running the business of a ranch, it quickly turns into a money drain, which then drains the enjoyment and ultimately turns into regret, then a burden to be unloaded at any cost to stop the hemorrhage of cash.

That pattern is common where the new owner knows the laws and customs of the country and speaks the same language. Take that pattern and plop it in the middle of a country where the owner does not know the laws or customs, does not speak the local language, cannot even go on their own and read and fill out a government application, how will that work and feel?

When you die, which is 100% likely, what is the game plan for the ranch/investment and how will your wife function without you there?

I do not want to discourage chasing the dream of owning a ranch, but go into the decision with eyes open and well informed before committing money.

Here is a decent starting intro to owning rural land in Texas with some of the most commonly encountered general rural land ownership issues:

https://agrilife.org/texasaglaw/files/2020/01/Owning-Your-Piece-of-Texas.pdf

Good advice. My brother is an expat living in Bonaire; about 10 years now. A lot of divers come there on vacation and have the thought of retirement on the island. My brother typically will advise them to first take an extended vacation, at least 6 months, preferably a year, to test drive island living. Most people really can't make the transition. Foods expensive, with a limited selection. There is nothing like a Walmart, let alone Amazon. Even the option of flights to go somewhere else are limited. Island claustrophobia is a real thing.
Moving to a foreign land will have challenges. Best to do some serious test driving before plunking down a jag of cash buying a piece of land.

 

[Borderer]

My friends were telling me that they chose Cape Town over Windhoek due to more employment opportunities and a wider choice of schools, however my neighbour’s son moved to Cape Town about 30 years ago. He has now been told that he will have his contact terminated, as his employer needs to meet a racial quota (I am not sure if this is a legal requirement or his employer’s preference, his salary is paid by the state) and is spending a year training up his replacement. His wife lost her job last year for the same reason (same employer who recruited them both for the UK). They are looking at Botswana now, but I don’t think they have really made a plan.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Ke

It could be done, but the cost would be quite high. In Zimbabwe I live that exact life in a large house on three acres, but in the city so close to shops and amenities. Two house workers and a gardener. Budget at least US$8k a month.

In Johannesburg a large free standing house is not so desirable for security reasons, but you can find them in a secure area. Budget about US$10k pm.

Kevin you hit it spot on at $8,000.00. They also have to look at a visa, one year is just about max for Zimbabwe. You also know the rest of the drill. Before you can buy land, vehicle or firearm National ID number required. I am speaking for Zim only.

 

[VertigoBE]

Wow, monthly expenses of 8000$ a month would make this about twice as expensive than living in Belgium…

 

[rwp315]

Spain is good all around for an expat retirement

Where Robert Raurk retired/moved.

 

[TERMINATOR]

That is if you wanted to buy. But just to hire places it would be magical to base up in Cape Town and then flit around Siuthern Africa, hunt, just drive around, base up in little seaside towns on the Namibian coast for a week and do some writing. It is very easy going. English is spoken everywhere.

Is it safe to drive around in RSA and Namibia and Zim? I kind of get the impression that it is reasonably safe to drive around in the day time but maybe not so much at night.

But maybe that's just Jburg.

 

[Gemsbok45]

I lived in Zimbabwe before land reform and loved it. This was in the early 90’s.I read some of Kevin’s reports and it brings back great memories.I would also take note of his advice. I found out I’m an American who lives in Arizona. I travel and hunt extensively. I like to carry a firearm for personal protection. It’s come in handy.I won’t give that up.I could visit for long periods of time but I’m not leaving home! You have rights here you will never have anywhere else!

 

[Borderer]

Is it safe to drive around in RSA and Namibia and Zim? I kind of get the impression that it is reasonably safe to drive around in the day time but maybe not so much at night.

But maybe that's just Jburg.

Others here will have much greater experience than me on driving but in my experience, Mozambique was horrendous - more potholes than road, very dangerous drivers and a lot of spurious police checks.

South Africa was fine out of towns or cities. Driving through Joburg and Durban was no something I would do alone and we saw some very questionable driving on the main roads.

Namibia was in my experience better than driving in the UK. Roads far better maintained, other drivers were fine although not many of them and the police polite and helpful. I would guess that wildlife is the main risk at night, rather than crime in Namibia

 

[TERMINATOR]

Others here will have much greater experience than me on driving but in my experience, Mozambique was horrendous - more potholes than road, very dangerous drivers and a lot of spurious police checks.

South Africa was fine out of towns or cities. Driving through Joburg and Durban was no something I would do alone and we saw some very questionable driving on the main roads.

Namibia was in my experience better than driving in the UK. Roads far better maintained, other drivers were fine although not many of them and the police polite and helpful. I would guess that wildlife is the main risk at night, rather than crime in Namibia

I have heard stories of roadblocks where you get extroted for bribes. But not experienced that when traveling with a PH.

 

[Borderer]

I have heard stories of roadblocks where you get extroted for bribes. But not experienced that when traveling with a PH.

In Namibia?

We certainly experienced that in Mozambique and were stopped at roadblocks twice in Namibia (driving on our own without PH), once was to politely ask to check our headlights were working and once to warn us about roadworks ahead