Here’s an interesting take on the Nicaragua real estate scene: a housing development that has tried to go totally “green,” from solar energy to planted roofs, wind power generators, and more. It’s a start, and a no brainer when you consider how sunny Nicaragua really is. Check out the new “Balcones De Majagual” which has just begun selling its “Off Grid” properties outside of (where else?), San Juan del Sur.

Much has changed in Nicaragua since we first arrived there in 1998. The country remains Central America’s largest, least visited nation and our 3rd edition covers it all, from the burgeoning hotel and restaurant sector in the tourist hot spots, to new, off-track adventures in villages throughout the mountains. Check out the new, expanded coverage of the Atlantic Coast, the suggested itineraries, and of course take advantage of the latest updates of existing venues. Moon Nicaragua 3rd edition should be shipping to customers and bookstores in September, 2008.

Have you always hated our books? Want to put pen to paper and give travel writing a try? Check out V!VA Travel, which is apparently offering a "travel guide book writing" course in Nicaragua. Details at Viva. Afterwards, it looks like you can write reviews for them for about a dollar per article. With all that money you can go to the movies, alone. On the other hand, I can think of worse places to go practice your writing and reviewing skills.

Your ability to buy property in Nicaragua is directly related to your ability to tolerate and withstand some gut-wrenching anxiety attacks. Every major news outlet is shouting &quot"Nicaragua is the next Costa Rica! but clearly there is more to the story than just that, and living in Nicaragua you will learn to live with some risks - financial, political, and other - to which you are not exposed elsewhere.

Have a look at Moon Living Abroad in Nicaragua for some strategies for coping, and more information about how to minimize your exposure to risk in a volatile Nicaraguan market.

Nuwire investor has just published an article dealing specifically with how to mitigate risk while investing in Nicaragua. We cover a lot of the same material in our book, but here is an exerpt from an article very much worth reading: