Grand Bahamas Island, Bahamas – While many investment experts are wondering if there is a bubble in the lofty real estate market, they’re also forecasting that timing is ideal for purchasing international real estate, particularly in places like The Bahamas and the Caribbean where available oceanfront property is still a reality and home values are steadily appreciating.
“Now is an excellent time for people to invest outside of the U.S., particularly in the Bahamas and the Caribbean,” says attorney Michelle Tanzer, a Florida attorney specializing in United States and international club and resort development. “There’s clearly been a trend of increasing value and appreciation in these markets.”
Homeowners hoping to capitalize on these rising values, tax savings and the beauty of the islands are finding themselves drawn to places like Shoreline, a master-planned community on Grand Bahama Island, with single-family homes starting in the $600,000’s.
“And for homebuyers looking for signs of security on their investment, they can look around the island,” says Tanzer, “where major developers are investing substantial sums of money.”
A strong indicator, according to experts, is when you see developers investing money into the area. In laymen’s terms, the more they improve upon the land, typically the more the value of your investment will rise.
“That’s exactly what’s happening in The Bahamas right now,” says Tanzer. “We’re seeing overwhelming investments in these communities by substantial developers.”
For homeowners looking to purchase their little piece of Bahamas paradise, experts suggests these following tips to ensure a smooth transaction:
1. Have a qualified attorney review the contract and project documents;
2. Ensure satisfactory title and conveyance upon completion;
3. Obtain fee simple ownership.
According to the developer of KST Investments, buyers who have had their own attorney review the documents for Shoreline have not reported any difficulties with them; a clear and unencumbered title is available at Shoreline and fee simple is the type of ownership being offered.
Luxury real estate developer KST Investments is among the developers providing buyers with an opportunity to acquire a piece of the miles of unspoiled ocean front property on Grand Bahama Island. The exclusive community of Shoreline caters to a growing homebuyer market with 10 neo-traditional styles and prices ranging from $680,000 to more than $2.5 million for 2,800 to 4,500 square-feet of ocean-front property-prices that U.S. coastal real estate market can’t even touch.
“The pristine beaches and laid back lifestyle are the main draws here. You can talk about no property taxes and the rising values in the home market all you want, but at the end of the day when you’re standing on the your deck watching the sunset over the ocean, you know you made the right investment,” says Steve Jervis, owner and president of Shoreline, a 26-acre master-planned gated community on Grand Bahama Island. “It’s like buying your own little piece of paradise.”
Tanzer agrees that the desire for unspoiled land may be the single biggest reason why buyers are flocking to places like Shoreline.
“The benefits of purchasing real estate in The Bahamas or the Caribbean really are the aesthetics of these properties as compared to some of the heavily developed areas like the South Florida beach communities where there’s already been tremendous growth and development” says Tanzer.
