Top Agent Magazine

Belize, Central America: David Kafka of RE/MAX 1^st Choice Belize was featured in the Top Agent Magazine! Top Agent Magazine is the premier real estate magazine featuring the foremost real estate agents, mortgage professionals, and affiliates in the USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Top Agent Magazine features the top producing and most accomplished professionals in the real estate industry, offering an in-depth look at their careers and providing a blueprint for their success.

To be considered for a feature in Top Agent Magazine all professionals must go through a nomination and interview process. ALL Candidates are then evaluated based upon production, professionalism, as well as industry and community involvement. It is considered a privilege to be nominated as it speaks to a certain success level all real estate agents strive for. Top Agent has set itself apart as a trusted source of real estate information and inspiration. David Kafka is a stellar example of the kind of prominent leaders of real estate we are proud to feature in Top Agent Magazine.

“I am honored to have been featured in Top Agent Magazine. I continue to develop myself as a Consultant/Educator/Investor and Real Estate Agent in this great country of Belize. I understand that people are cautious and wary of investing in a different country, but I hope I can provide help for people who are interested. Being featured in this magazine will let you know that your concerns and needs are of my utmost importance.” –David Kafka

For questions and more information, please contact at david@1stchoicebelize.com

Below is the excerpt from this magazine, enjoy!

On the southern tip of the Placencia Peninsula, where palm-lined beaches and Caribbean landscapes present perfection for year-round residents and vacationers, David Kafka sells more than property - he showcases lifestyle. 

“When I first came to Belize on vacation 12 years ago, I knew it was where we needed to live and work,” says David, a retired South Carolina firefighter who owned a major landscaping company for 15 years before moving to Belize with his wife and daughter. “I’d always loved real estate and the more we visited Belize, the more I knew what I’d be doing.” After a few years of research and working through the details of owning a RE/MAX franchise in Belize, David opened 1st Choice Belize in 2013. “I started out as an assistant in 2010 worked my way up to an agent and then bought the Placencia and Hopkins RE/MAX franchise in June 2013. 

Having moved here with his family and establishing a business, David provides his clients much more than his deep knowledge and love of the land. “Before investing here, I researched, making sure it would be safe to own and sell property here,” he says. What he learned was even more exciting than he imagined. Investment and lifestyle options are second-to-none and David’s reputation positions him as the go-to agent for people relocating or investing from other countries. “Belize is country with not a lot of rules and regulations,” he says. “It can be a buyer-beware market and I have a very honest and ethical reputation.” David draws 100% of his business from referrals or repeat clients. “We develop relationships,” he says. “So many clients are not just clients; they’re friends. We hang out when they’re visiting. I even bought a boat with a client.” David enjoys meeting people, showing them around and educating them on the Belize market, whether they are interested in coastal; mountain; tropical jungle; riverfront; or agricultural properties. “I’m familiar with all that's going on here and can take what they want and line it up with their budget so everybody walks away happy.” 

David’s service from the outset nurtures the relationships he values. “I educate them the entire way through the process; people say they remember how smooth and easy the transaction was with me.” Their trust in David speaks volumes. He has firsthand experience relocating to Belize and shares all that knowledge with every client, including details surrounding the financial and lifestyle benefits of a Belize relocation. “From shipping personal items, bringing your pets to the country; banking procedures; permits and regulations; work permits and retirement procedures, I can help make it easy.”

For those selling property in Belize, David leverages his deep market knowledge and understanding of its buyers. “We market listings with the RE/MAX brand and all RE/MAX websites and we market them locally,” says David. “There is no organized MLS system here, so I market directly to other companies selling here, whether they have a major brand or not.” Overseas marketing is unquestionably David’s strongest vehicle for sales, as the majority of buyers come from the United States and North America. He takes advantage of target marketing through Google ads and Facebook ads to reach specific audiences. 

David is a strong, independent producer who also owns two RE/MAX franchises in Placencia and Hopkins, maintaining a visible presence across these communities and other parts of Belize. He also hopes to buy more territories in the Belize market. Naturally, therefore, he prioritizes his involvement in local business and community. Personally, David is still dedicated to firefighting; he is a member of the Placencia Volunteer Fire Department and serves on the local Fire Board, which is building a new local fire station and trauma center. He has also been involved with the Placencia Humane Society for five years and enjoys time with the animals and helping support their health and sterilization needs. Beyond all that and his love of real estate, David enjoys family time, boating, fishing, snorkeling, and diving. “Belize has so much going for it!” He says. Clearly, so does David.