Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

The British West Indies Collegiate in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, is currently putting together a Tennis Tournament scheduled for this April. This event is the first of what will become an annual fundraising event for the school.

Dates: April 16 - 18, 2010

Cost: $30 for children under 17, $50 for adults

Location: Graceway Sports Center

Schedule: Children 10-13 yrs, Friday Apr 16th 4:30 - 10pm
Children 14-17 yrs, Friday Apr 16th 4:30 - 10pm
Women Saturday Apr 17th 7am - 12 noon
Men Saturday Apr 17th 4:30 to 10pm
All Finals will be played on Sunday April 18th.

Registration is at the Graceway Sports Center, space is limited so payment must be made at sign-up to secure your place. All cheques can be made out to the British West Indies Collegiate.

You don’t have to be a great player to enter, just register and come out and show your support for the school.

Additional information can be obtained from Marie-Claude Joy at email: gsd@express.tc

Provided to you by Coldwell Banker Real Estate Turks & Caicos - we never stop moving.

Ocean view lot for sale located 1 lot back from beautiful Bambara Beach in Middle Caicos. Just under 1/2 acre and a short 450′ to the beach. Quiet and peaceful Middle Caicos now joined by a new causeway to North Caicos.
Asking $79,000.

Visit our Coldwell Banker Listing page for details and more photos.

The Cayman Islands Sailing Club (CISC) will be hosting Race Cayman on March 10-16, 2010. This is the largest international sailing event ever to be held in the Cayman Islands. It will highlight the growth of sailing in Cayman and the development of young Caymanian sailors to an elite internatonal standard.

The sailing event will feature the Youth Olympic Games Regional Qualifier, the Byte CII North American Championship, and the CISC International Invitational J/22 Regatta. Over 80 sailors are registered in the event with 17 countries represented from around the North American and Caribbean region and Europe. A total of 25 races will be held over the six day event.

Thirty-six young sailors, aged between 14 and 17 years, will compete in the Byte events, hoping to qualify their nation for the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August this year. Lizzy Wauchope, Chris Delaney, Oliver Fogarty and Ben Williams will be competing for Cayman in the Byte class against the best young sailors in the region, including strong teams from Bermuda, Canada, Netherland Antilles, Barbados, Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Spain, St Lucia, USVI and USA.

Further information is available from the Cayman Islands Sailing Club www.sailing.ky or from the event website www.bytechamps.org.

The BVI aren’t as easy to get to as, for instance, Antigua. The main airport can’t accommodate large planes, so it filters out the mass-market tourists. This is part of the lure of BVI. Unlike most other Caribbean-island nations, which are almost totally reliant on tourism, the BVI chooses not to court cruise-ship and package holidaymakers (who spend less per head anyway), and instead welcome guests who arrive on yachts and small private planes.

Politically stable, with a trusted reputation as an offshore banking haven, the BVI can afford to be elite. According to a Financial Times report from 2007, “The BVI is one of the wealthiest corners of the planet, and its inhabitants on average are better off than those of the UK.”

There are about 60 islands in the British Virgin Islands chain, which create breathtaking scenery. Sail between the islands and you will find private hidden caves, beaches, snorkelling and diving spots.

The self-confidence in BVI extends to the way property is bought and sold. Before a foreigner - a “non-belonger,” in local-speak - can buy property, it has to be offered at the agreed price to local “belongers.” Prices have held fast throughout the global downturn, largely due to the permanent lack of supply, which means that prices start big and get even bigger.

Some examples include

Nanny Cay, Tortola: 32 waterfront townhomes with a mooring at each for a small boat, on a private waterway, with the option of keeping a larger yacht in the full marina. Prices start at $650,000 for the freehold of a two-bedroom semi-detached house with sea views, and there’s an optional rental program.

Virgin Gorda: more laid back than Tortola, which is the hub of business and politics. Under development, Oil Nut Bay, on an extremely private peninsula nearby accessible only by sea or by air, has three types of property, all for sale freehold: estate lots of between one and 10 acres, priced from $2 million to $25 million upon which buyers build their own property; beach villas with four to six bedrooms, each with private pool and intimate spaces, from $7.95 million; and ridge villas situated on the top of the peninsula with outstanding views of the Atlantic and the Caribbean, from $5.25 million.

Also on Virgin Gorda is Rosewood’s Little Dix Bay, a luxury retreat, which is developing a very select number of private villas in the hills above the resort. These two- and three-bedroom villas will have open-plan living spaces and vaulted ceilings with timber framing and spectacular views, as well as private pools. Owners will have access to all the facilities in the hotel, including the wonderful beach, and there’s an optional rental program. Prices start at $2.25 million.

Our Coldwell Banker agents can provide sales and resort information for any of these properties. Use our expertise and professionalism to find out more about investing in British Virgin Islands real estate.

Very well located prime land in commercial area of Cunucu Abou, clean and ready for construction is situated in close proximity to the hotels and the city of Oranjestad. From this location you have easy access to the main highway leading to the city center and airport. The hotels are near by as well. The location of this, 2300m2 / 25300 sq. ft. piece of valuable land is excellent for almost any type of commercial enterprise. Highly motivated seller will consider any serious reasonable partner investor. 25,300 SF, 2300 SM. Asking $460,000 US.

One of the most scenic residential areas in Nassau Bahamas is along the Eastern Road.
As its name implies, Eastern Road is located on the eastern end of Nassau and some of the most charming luxury homes on the island can be found here.
In the old days, this section of Nassau was referred to as “the country.” The well-to-do lived in Colonial homes in downtown Nassau. Horse and carriage rides by the sea on Eastern Road were a favorite Sunday recreation.
The entire stretch of the road is now dotted with upscale island homes and Bahamas luxury homes. Many of them are lovely old homes and others (see mls # 7071) are new, but the architecture captures the charm of yesteryear.
The homes are painted in the soft pastels of Old Nassau. Seascapes of dazzling turquoise and blues, and look-out points dot the road. One home is even fashioned after a lighthouse.
These Bahamas luxury homes have beautiful names, like Wind Whistle, New Moon, Bally Crystal and Wave Crest.
The older homes, such as The Hermitage, home to the priests of the Catholic Diocese of Nassau, are perched on cliffs high above the sea with sprawling gardens running down to the Eastern Road.
Old native stone and colouful walls line the road; bright bougainvillea cascades down. In May and June, the road is ablaze with the gorgeous red flowers of the Poinciana trees and the yellow Shower of Gold. Several magnificent Silk Cotton trees provide a green canopy overhead.
Some of Nassau’s most prominent citizens have and continue to call Eastern Road home. With its beauty and special ambiance, we can see why.

2010 is the Iternational Year of Biodiversity, and the National Trust for the Cayman Islands will be holding a dinner in March for those who have contributed $2,500 CI or more to their efforts. The non-profit Trust exists to protect land that is under threat of being destroyed or negatively affected by development.

The United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity as a celebration of both life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for human life. The UN has invited the world to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth, its biodiversity.

In recognition of the UN’s declaration, the National Trust is seeking to raise donations for the Land Reserve Fund, which will aid in the purchase of biodiverse land throughout the Cayman Islands.

For information, visit National Trust.org.ky

Cheap Flights Canada is offering great deals to Turks and Caicos. As reported by Search.Sys-Con.com, “These laid back islands just south of the Bahamas are far away from the Hollywood scene, which may be why it’s a favourite for celebs travelling with their families. Parents who have gotten a little R&R on the Turks & Caicos include: Shaquille O’Neal, Jennie Garth & Peter Facinelli, Jenna Elfman, Debi Mazar, Joey Fatone and Vanna White. Romance is also in the air here, which is why both Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner and Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld honeymooned at Parrot Cay where Bruce Willis is rumoured to own a villa.

“The casual atmosphere means a chance to see celebs up close and personal. Just remember they are on vacation too. Give winter the day off and relax in the sun like the stars do. Fly from Toronto for under C$500. Search and compare cheap flights to Turks and Caicos Islands for more fantastic offers.”

St Kitts, St Maarten, and Jamaica are the leading countries that are able to comfortably host major conferences within the Caribbean region, according to Ackroyd Birmingham, treasurer of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions and Conference Chairman.

“It’s really sad to know that only about five countries in the region have the ability and facilities to host conferences of about 400- 600 persons, as all of the other countries are unable to do so,” he said.

The conference director had high praise for the governments of St Maarten, St Kitts and Jamaica, noting that it will help to facilitate growth and advancement of those countries’ economies. He said that he is exceptionally impressed with St Kitts, noting that it’s the smallest country and has demonstrated its ability to host these conventions.

Birmingham said that St Kitts last hosted the convention in 2005, stating that they did an exceptionally good job at it, with the assistance of Nevis Cooperative Credit Union. St Kitts has expressed a strong interest in again holding the convention next year.

Mikaya is quite simply the right house at the right price, with a spacious open plan lounge/kitchen/dining area, 3 bedrooms, large shady terraces and a pool. Two bedrooms and bathrooms are on the upper level and the third, again with ensuite bathroom is on the lower level, next to the pool. The views out over North Sound are nothing short of spectacular. Asking $1,600,000.

Visit our Coldwell Banker Listing page for details and more photos.