Paulette’s Posts

Barbados is a vibrant, happening place.  A bit flatter in terrain than some of the other islands. Our tour guides were quick to tell us about the famous people who used to, or currently own properties along the platinum coast. In the Platinum Coast area of Barbados, you can also find high end retailers like Cartier. 

We visited two Luxury residence properties. Both properties are developed by UNNA, and have on site rental management. Both properties also have fist class amenities including on site restaurants, spa, water sports, pools, and water sports.

St. Peter’s Bay

St. Peter’s Bay is a Luxury resort and residences. The price list of select homes ranged from a ground floor 2700 sf unfurnished three bedroom unit at $1,585,000, to a furnished 6300 sf five bedroom penthouse at $5,995,000.

This property complex is located on a beautiful beach.

With great views and comfortable outdoor spaces.

St. Peters Bay would be a wonderful place for a vacation. There is a water taxi that links this property to the next stop in our real estate tour, Port Ferdinand.

Port Ferdinand

Port Ferdinand is a marina and Luxury residences. The marina is man made, but has abundant charm and character with all the amenities.

Port Ferdinand is also close to the beach. Nikki Beach, a luxury beach club, is located at the mouth of the marina.

Each unit comes with a boat slip, and I was told that the boat slip could be rented separately from the unit. The development has 4 levels, and unit prices ranged from $2,250,000 to $7,750,000.

I really liked the marina living. I could spend hours relaxing on the balcony and watching the boats come and go.

In Barbados, you can become a tax resident with a $2 million property investment. The benefit of tax residency, is the 2.5% income tax.

Bonus point: Barbados is located most east in the Caribbean.  Most hurricanes form west of Barbados, so very low chance of a destructive storm.

Several people in our tour had spent many vacations in Barbados. This speaks well of the island, and so I’m looking forward to planning a trip to investigate more.

Barbados, January 17, 2018

Would you like to tour property during your next vacation? Please let me know if you have any further questions or comments!

Why own a vacation rental?

Can I afford to buy a vacation rental?

Where should I own a vacation rental property?

Why would I want to own property outside of the USA?

I have a second home, why should I rent it out?

As the cruise ship pulled into the St. Lucia Port, I got excited! The landscape, shoreline, mountains, and architecture; there is so much to see, and it is glorious!We toured three private re-sale homes on the island. Each property can is rented out as a vacation rental.

Villa Solimar

The first property is called Villa Solimar.  I have some beautiful professional photos that the listing agent shared with us, but they are too large to post in this blog. If you would like to see pictures of the interior, I have included the link to the property listing.

I thought the best thing about this property is the views and the abundance of outdoor living space. The property is located on a hill, near the front entrance of the port.  The ships, boats and some airplane traffic is entertaining to see, without any noise. There are water views from every side of the property. 

Citizenship

We talked to a Real Estate Lawyer at the next property we visited. St. Lucia offers citizenship by investment. St. Lucia is looking for investment, so they try to keep the process easy, but it changes. Although the process of purchasing property and obtaining citizenship may be easy, there are transfer fees and taxes that need to be considered. They can add a significant of cost.

Villa Atlantis

Villa Atlantis is a sprawling, single story private home. With 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, the house would be great for a family reunion or corporate retreat. The Villa is located on a hill, at a golf course, with wonderful vista views.

Manderley

The third property is called Manderley. It in an older home that incorporates just about all of the traditional Caribbean and European charm. High ceilings, balconies with views of the ocean and lots of fretwork. If you enjoy antiques and have an appreciation tor classics, check out this YouTube video, Manderley Tour, which is hosted by the gracious owner. This house sits on a one acre lot, with room for an additional home.

Manderley has been a romantic vacation rental for several years with rental history and positive reviews, this could be a really fun property to own.

St. Lucia seemed to be a vibrant active place. Commerce is healthy and I really enjoyed seeing all the marinas and boats moored near the beaches.

I made a note to checkout The Landings. We did not tour this property, but I would like to stay in the Resort and Spa and shop for property here. The property is located on the beach and surrounds a marina. Note to self: Boating is a must in St. Lucia!

Would you like to tour property during your next vacation? Please let me know if you have any further questions or comments!

Why own a vacation rental?

Can I afford to buy a vacation rental?

Where should I own a vacation rental property?

Why would I want to own property outside of the USA?

I have a second home, why should I rent it out?

Kittitian Hill

Kittitian Hill at the beautiful Belle Mont Farm, St. Kitts

A quote from the Belle Mont Farm website: “From our farm-fresh cuisine and long treks through the forest, Belle Mont Farm invites you to experience an island escape unlike any you would encounter at typical Caribbean resorts, one where you can discover your best self while in harmony with the natural surroundings and the people who call this place home.”

Belle Mont Farm

Belle Mont farm is a hotel, while Kittitian Hill is an ownership development. People who purchase homes in Kittitian Hill have the opportunity to obtain local citizenship. We were told, citizenship required a minimum of $400k investment, held for a minimum of 5 years.  This could lead to possible tax and travel benefits for some investors. Ownership options include individual as well as shared options. When not in use by owners, the properties will be rented and managed by Belle Mont Farm. 

The property was absolutely beautiful. The views, property lay out, and amenities were all high end and well thought out. I feel healthier just being there. The open air living and farm to table meals were so relaxing and yummy. Pineapples and other edibles dominated the landscaping.

Kittitian Hill is also in the process of developing and building individual villas and cottages.  The villas we toured were located up on the hill with expansive ocean views. We were told that they are also going to have a beach club with golf cart shuttle.

St. Kitts

St. Kitts is investing in infrastructure and welcomes visitors and encourages investors. The locals that we met were very friendly and proud of the development. I would really like to go back to St. Kitts and Nevis to explore more of the local culture.

You can add some absolutely beautiful and tranquil Caribbean photos to your Face Book feed, by following the Kittitian Hill page and the Bell Mont Farm page.

If you are interested in more information about Bell Mont Farm and Kittitian Hill, I have included links. Are you are interested in property prices and options; please let me know.

St Kitts, January 15, 2018

Would you like to tour property during your next vacation? Please let me know if you have any further questions or comments!

Why own a vacation rental?

Can I afford to buy a vacation rental?

Where should I own a vacation rental property?

Why would I want to own property outside of the USA?

I have a second home, why should I rent it out?

St. Croix is part of the US Virgin Islands; it is a US territory.   

We docked in Frederiksted at the west end of the island and drove through Christiansted which is on the East end. The two towns, by residents choice, are rather segregated. We toured several private residences on the island.  Over the course of the tour we drove the perimeter of the island.  Although St Croix became a USA territory in 1927, and they drive american cars, they do drive on the left side of the road. 

St. Croix is the largest of the US Virgin Islands, but it is far enough away from St. John and St. Thomas that there are no ferries connecting them, as there are between St. John and St. Thomas. Construction is very high priced due to lack of labor and materials, approx $300/sf. Although construction costs are high, St. Croix has some of the best real estate values for Caribbean property.

A decline in population

The island is not very populated.  There is a large oil refinery on the island that closed in 2012, resulting in a large decline in population; the professionals moved elsewhere for work. The refinery was recently sold to the Chinese.  There were a couple cars in the parking lot and a couple of workers when we drove by in January, Our guide did not know what was planned for the property.  

There was a lot of damage from the Hurricane in September 2017.  Because of the flooding, the island lost their hospital, schools and casino. Our realtor guide said that the hurricane damaged homes were not on the market yet, residents were waiting to hear about insurance before listing. She also said they had no idea if or when they would get the hospital and schools back.  So, again, many residents left the island and may never come back. 

Some buyers may find the quiet remoteness a bonus.  We chatted with a wedding planner who loves to schedule destination weddings on the island, and an investment banker who can live anywhere. 

I like a vacation rental where I can walk to local shops, and restaurants. St. Croix seemed more like a place where you would get a lot of privacy, and need a car to get to get around.

Property tour

Here is our property tour itinerary on St. Croix, hosted by St. Croix Island Life.

The views from all the homes are spectacular! Favorite property on the tour was the Villa Madeleine Condos. These properties seemed like they would be easy to rent to vacationers. Kitchens are small, but adequate. Unfortunately, the Casino was closed due to hurricane damage, there was no estimated re-opening.

St Croix, January 14, 2018

Would you like to tour property during your next vacation? Please let me know if you have any further questions or comments!

Why own a vacation rental?

Can I afford to buy a vacation rental?

Where should I own a vacation rental property?

Why would I want to own property outside of the USA?

I have a second home, why should I rent it out?

My Caribbean property tour began and ended in San Juan four months after the devastating hurricanes. On the plane ride from Atlanta, I sat next to a roofing contractor who was going to spend a month in Puerto Rico helping with repairs. When I was waiting to board the plane back to Atlanta, I saw a plane load of linemen arrive in PR to also work on repairs. They were greeted with applause.

The island suffered much damage. One tour guide said there were only a few of the hotels that were back up and running. Some of the tour participants were staying at hotels with brown water.  PR really let it’s infrastructure go in the years before the hurricane because of financial issues.

Hurricane damaged properties

We met with some real estate professionals before boarding the cruise ship.  They told us that there are a lot of foreclosure properties on the market. Many residents left the island just before and after the storm damage and not all have returned.

I spent the first night before the cruise at  La Concha Renaissance San Juan Resort.  The resort was beautiful and full of people.  We enjoyed the crashing waves on the beach and walked to dinner.  Old San Juan is looking good, with some minor damage evident. There was a street festival starting the day I departed.  Vendors were setting up and it looked great with beautiful vibrant colors everywhere.

San Juan is big city life while being in the Caribbean. As a plus, and different than several other places we toured, traffic drives on the right.  PR has a very strong Mexican/Cuban feel; Spanish on the signs and spoken everywhere.

I finished my stay in San Juan with a tour of the Bacardi distillery.  My favorite drink is the classic Cuba Libre; Rum, Coke, and a wedge of lime.

One of the tour participants stayed in Puerto Rico for a week after the cruise, shopping for vacation rental property. Last I checked, she had an offer on a home in Vieques.  I will enjoy watching her progress.

San Juan Puerto Rico, January 2018

Would you like to tour property during your next vacation? Please let me know if you have any further questions or comments!

Why own a vacation rental?

Can I afford to buy a vacation rental?

Where should I own a vacation rental property?

Why would I want to own property outside of the USA?

I have a second home, why should I rent it out?

Thank you!

 

 

Seven nights on a cruise ship, one night in a hotel, five different island property tours, a couple meetings a day, and lots of new friends. Well, that was super fun!

Eastern Caribbean

This Real Estate Cruise is a whirlwind property tour of the Eastern Caribbean. We start at the north end with Puerto Rico, and finish at the southern end with Grenada.  There is an overall cultural transition from Latin American in the north to European in the South. The commonality to the roots of the settlements and development in all of the islands is the sugar cane plantations. Although the sugar cane industry is gone, the islands are thriving and beautiful.

This tour group island hopped aboard the Celebrity Summit. This is a lovely ship for my first ever cruise. A big selling point was Captain Kate. Wikapedia: Captain Kate McCue, when hired in 2015, was the first time an American woman had been in command of a mega ship.  Captain Kate has a fan club, the passengers were buzzing. I Can’t tell you how many people smiled, waved, and stood in line to take pictures, and shake the Captain’s hand. Several passengers told me they were on that ship specifically because of Captain Kate. If you would like to cruise with Captain Kate, she has been promoted to the Celebrity Equinox.

Yeah team Kate!

Our Caribbean property tour was created and led by Hibiscus International, which is a Canadian company. Anne Brobyn with her partner and husband Kirk Sharpley, coordinate with Celebrity Cruises, local transportation, and the Real Estate Professionals that we meet along the way. The itinerary was jam packed with information and real estate experience.

As you may or may not know, cruise ship booking is based on double occupancy, so I needed a roommate. Anne and Kirk introduced me to Debbie, who was also traveling solo. Debbie has been on many cruise vacations, which was great for me as a newbie. Her No. 1 best cruise ship advise: As soon as you have your luggage in your cabin, take the 15 minutes to unpack and stow your bags. There were plenty of drawers and closet space for the two of us, and I stowed my empty luggage under my little twin bed. This created a low stress environment and we easily found our stuff when we were in a rush to get to the next property tour.

We had a great time on this trip, and learned a lot. It is one of those “work hard, play hard” kind of experiences. While on the ship, we enjoyed the silent disco, the snow covered martini bar, the hot tubs, and pools. The views were spectacular and the food was wonderful.

Check out my other property tours to find out what islands and properties we explored.

PS. At one instance during the tour, I found my self telling Kirk, “All I want to talk about is vacation rentals.” DING!, the starting bell sounded in my head, and that was the the start of this website. Cheers! 

Would you like to go on an international Property tour?

Would you like to learn more about the Caribbean? The Caribbean Tourism Organization is a great place to start!

Please let me know if you have any further questions!