ECI Development

Name

ECI Development

Legal name

ECI Development Ltd.

Website

https://ecidevelopment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Development

NAICS

Rental and Leasing Services (532), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Accommodation (721)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

Villas & Luxury Estates (THAMAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Island Eco-Resorts (THAAAHAG), Luxury Eco-Villas & Sustainable Premium Stays (THAMAEAH), Luxury Beachfront & Waterfront Villas (THAMAEAE)

Keywords

• Residential real estate development
• Master-planned communities
• Beachfront resort properties
• International real estate sales
• Lifestyle community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Managua

HQ country

Nicaragua

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Sales: ECI Development generates primary revenue through the sale of residential properties including single-family homes, condominiums, tiny homes, and oceanfront lots across its communities in Belize, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Portugal
2. Resort Operations: Hospitality revenue from resort operations including Best Western Grand Baymen Gardens Resort, Gran Pacifica Beach & Golf Resort, Table Rock Jungle Lodge, and vacation rentals across properties
3. Referral Commission Income: Revenue generated through the IRN referral program where commissions are earned on all real estate and teak product sales referred by network members, with commissions up to 3%
4. Teak Hardwood Investments: Sustainable teak plantation investments offering full-title ownership opportunities, described as living assets that appreciate over 25-year growth cycles
5. Homeowner Association Fees: Recurring HOA fees collected from property owners for community maintenance, amenities, and services ranging from $148 to $186+ per month depending on community

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ECI Development develops, markets, and sells residential real estate within master-planned lifestyle communities across Belize, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Portugal. Its portfolio includes single-family homes, condos, tiny homes, over-water bungalows, beachfront lots, and branded Marriott and Best Western residences, complemented by on-site resort operations, HOA services, a referral partner program (IRN), and teak plantation investments.

Product overview

ECI Development is a real estate development company offering lifestyle communities across Latin America and Portugal. The product portfolio consists of resort-inspired residential communities (including branded Marriott residences), standalone resort properties, investment products (teak plantations, referral program), and diverse home models ranging from tiny homes to luxury beachfront estates. The company operates multiple neighborhood concepts within master-planned communities in Belize, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Portugal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IRN (International Referral Network): Referral program that rewards individuals and organizations for referring customers to the company, with commissions, exclusive training, and ongoing support.
• Gran Pacifica
• Belize Marriott Residences
• Best Western Grand Baymen Gardens Resort

Products and services

• Gran Pacifica Resort

Quantifiable outcome

• Properties in Nicaragua priced 5x lower than equivalent California beachfront real estate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Marriott InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorECI Development operates the Belize Marriott Residences on Ambergris Caye under a licensed partnership with Marriott International. This branded property offers managed luxury residences with Marriott's hospitality standards, providing property owners with rental management options and access to Marriott's loyalty program and global customer base.
• Best Western InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Best Western Grand Baymen Gardens Resort in San Pedro, Belize operates as a franchise property featuring the Galleon building and multiple amenities including pools, tennis courts, fitness center, and restaurant. The partnership provides brand recognition and managed hospitality services for property owners.
• Joel Nagel (International Attorney)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder Joel Nagel brings over 30 years of experience in international residency, citizenship, asset protection, and cross-border planning. He serves as host for residency and citizenship webinars and provides legal expertise for clients seeking second residencies and citizenship through investment.
• Mike Cobb (CEO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Mike Cobb has 14+ years of living experience in Nicaragua and 30 years with ECI Development. He hosts webinars and discovery tours, providing firsthand expertise on properties, communities, and living abroad in Central America.
• International Referral Network (IRN) MemberscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal network of 700+ real estate agents, travel agents, and individuals who refer customers to ECI Development. Members earn commissions up to 3% on referred sales and receive marketing support, training, and access to exclusive events.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Grupo Vidanta: Major Mexican resort and branded-residence developer operating master-planned beach communities with luxury residences, hotel operations (Grand Luxxe, Mayakaan) and ownership product — directly comparable to ECI's model of branded-residence and resort communities in Latin America.
• Discovery Land Company: Developer of luxury private residential communities worldwide with full amenities, hospitality services, and lifestyle programming — comparable to ECI's master-planned approach with resort operations and social ecosystem focus.
• Sanctuary Belize: Master-planned luxury residential community in southern Belize targeting expat and retiree buyers with turn-key homes, marina, and resort amenities — the most direct intra-country comparator for ECI's Belize assets (Marriott Residences, Grand Balisi).
• Pristine Bay Resort: Master-planned Caribbean residential and resort community in Roatan, Honduras featuring branded villa residences, golf, and beach amenities — comparable as a Central American master-planned community with combined real estate and hospitality operations overlapping ECI's Honduras footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Pacaso: US-based co-ownership platform for luxury second homes serving affluent buyers seeking flexible, professionally managed vacation property — comparable buyer demographic (affluent US/Canadian second-home seekers) even though model is fractional rather than whole-ownership.
• Inspirato: Luxury vacation and residence club offering managed vacation homes and branded residences (Inspirato Residences) to affluent members — overlaps with ECI's expat/lifestyle customer base and managed rental programs for Marriott/Best Western properties.
• Six Senses Residences: Global operator of luxury eco-resorts with branded residence product (Six Senses Laamu, Six Senses Residences) — directly comparable to ECI's branded residence (Marriott/Best Western) and eco-community (MILA, EVA, Gran Pacifica) positioning at the premium/eco intersection.
• Banyan Tree Residences: International operator of luxury branded residences attached to resort properties (Banyan Tree Phuket, Laguna Phuket) — comparable as a global branded-residence concept where hospitality operator and developer co-create ownership product akin to ECI's Belize Marriott Residences.

Regional players

• Latitude Realty: Costa Rica-focused real estate brokerage and development firm selling homes and condominiums to international expat and investor buyers — comparable regional competitor targeting the same Central American expat/lifestyle buyer across overlapping geographies.

Others

• International Living: Publishing and advisory platform educating US/Canadian readers on retiring abroad, residency, and overseas real estate — not a developer but a major referral and thought-leadership channel that overlaps with ECI's expat/retiree buyer education and webinar strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/ECIDevelopmentLTD
• Facebookfacebook.com/ECIdevelopment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eci-development-ltd.
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecicommunities
• Xx.com/ecidevelopment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ECI Development