Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

Getting ready to place your Bahamas home on the market?

If it’s in anything less than “like new” condition, you’ll need a little reality check before you can determine a fair asking price.

Since purchasers may arrange for an independent one anyway, you should strongly consider having an inspection performed by a reputable professional, such as a home inspector or building contractor, before you market your home here in the Bahamas.

Why do it now, since the buyers may pay to do it later?

Ask yourself if you like surprises! If repair issues are identified, you have time to decide whether to pay now for the improvements, or adjust your asking price accordingly.

An old rule of thumb dictates that buyers will offer $2 less for every $1 in needed repairs, so make your decision with care.

This is a great opportunity to take lemons and make some lemonade! Don’t ignore major repairs that can boost your home’s value and desirability.

If your home is marketed while in need of a new roof, for example, you’ve got a real liability and challenging sales point. If you can afford to market your home with a brand new roof, suddenly you’ve got a great asset. Or be ready to negotiate down.

Discover problems and implement solutions before you make your final pricing decision. To do otherwise simply invites unpleasant surprises and low offers.

In this age of House Hunters and other widely viewed real estate programmes, you need to take proactive steps that assure your Bahamas home’s value stands out in the crowd.

The four day Easter holiday weekend in the Bahamas starts long before the first shard of sunlight creeps across the Good Friday sky.
Across this chain of colour washed islands, Bahamians will have their Sunday best laid out for church. Many will solemnly observe Good Friday, which symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ, and happily rejoice His rising on Easter Sunday.

^ A church on the island of Eleuthera. See Eleuthera Real Estate Listings

The seaside markets are a hive of activity as we flock to get our “Good Friday fish.”
We’ll score the Jack and Snapper in a crisscross pattern, rub a mixture of mashed fresh red pepper and salt into the flesh and then “season dem down” with fresh lime juice. Thrown into hot oil, the fish will be cooked until “all cripsy.” The bakeries are preparing fragrant Hot Cross Buns. Ummm. Can’t wait.

^ A boatload of fresh snapper and grouper from the beautiful Abacos. See Abaco Real Estate Listings

Boaters will head out to the beautiful outlying cays for a weekend of fun and others will spill onto the pink and white sand beaches of the Bahamas to celebrate this most eagerly awaited weekend.
Not to be left out, our offices will be closed on Good Friday, April 6 and re-open on Tuesday, April 10, but we will be sure to check our email and voicemail and get back to you.

^ One of the hundreds of beautiful beaches in the Exuma chain of islands. See Exuma Real Estate Listings

We were just getting ready to pack the cooler when Bella and Grace from Man-O-War Cay let us know the fish are biting there way.
Here they are, proudly displaying their whopping Amber Jack with Dad Shane.

Happy Easter, everyone.

You’re preparing to sell your Bahamas home and you’ve taken all the right steps.

You’ve contacted your Bahamas real estate agent to represent you and to market your home, taken care of needed repairs, cleaned the yard and given your home the “white glove” treatment. How else can you attract buyers and a full price offer?

What buyers want when they purchase a home is peace of mind. An inspection by a home inspector or a reputable building contractor, for instance, can go a long way in providing just that.

Inspections are particularly attractive to prospective buyers if your home is more than fifteen years old and can cover important areas of concern, such as termite infestation, plumbing, wiring , etc.

Inspections may include an estimate for repairs to your home. Imagine the confidence this will inspire in buyers, who will understand immediately that they won’t have any major unplanned repair expense after their purchase.

Of course, a home inspection is valuable regardless of whether you’re selling or buying.

When it comes to Bahamas home ownership, peace of mind is like money in the bank!

* Your Leading Bahamas Real Estate Source

There’s something sooo addictive about a seaside porch.

We often sit for hours, book forgotten, entranced by the myriad of blues, turquoises and greens that make up the celebrated sea of Exuma.

In front of us, gulls circle over a school of fish. Further along, a white sail bobs against an azure sky. Somewhere along the coast, a fisherman jigs for jack fish.

These are the images that form a living seascape from our Exuma porches.

Blessed with a warm climate, we’re able to take advantage of our porches year round. But we especially enjoy Spring. There’s a sparkle in the air and a bounce in our souls. Pure magic.

With two homes on one property, this is a treasure. One of the best features is the wraparound veranda with breath-taking views and breezy open interior space.

The beach is baby powder white and the sea shimmers in the most glorious shades of turquoise. We just love Exuma!

Listing Details

Positioned only a few miles from George Town, Exuma, Bonefish House is a gem of a home with 50′ of covered porch, ideal for lounging and dining al fresco. Enjoy breath-taking sunset views over world-class bonefish flats and outlying cays. A wall of glass captures the magnificent views of Exuma.

Listing Details

While this contemporary home has only a small covered lower porch, the open upstairs patios overlook the most spectacular views of a beautiful bay and the outlying Exuma cays. It’s just 90 yards from the gorgeous Tropic of Cancer Beach (Pirates of the Caribbean), made famous by Johnny Depp.

Listing Details

* Your Leading Exuma Real Estate Source

There’s something sooo addictive about a seaside porch.

We often sit for hours, book forgotten, entranced by the myriad of blues, turquoises and greens that make up the celebrated sea of Exuma.

In front of us, gulls circle over a school of fish. Further along, a white sail bobs against an azure sky. Somewhere along the coast, a fisherman jigs for jack fish.

These are the images that form a living seascape from our Exuma porches.

Blessed with a warm climate, we’re able to take advantage of our porches year round. But we especially enjoy Spring. There’s a sparkle in the air and a bounce in our souls. Pure magic.

With two homes on one property, this is a treasure. One of the best features is the wraparound veranda with breath-taking views and breezy open interior space.

The beach is baby powder white and the sea shimmers in the most glorious shades of turquoise. We just love Exuma!

Listing Details

Positioned only a few miles from George Town, Exuma, Bonefish House is a gem of a home with 50′ of covered porch, ideal for lounging and dining al fresco. Enjoy breath-taking sunset views over world-class bonefish flats and outlying cays. A wall of glass captures the magnificent views of Exuma.

Listing Details

While this contemporary home has only a small covered lower porch, the open upstairs patios overlook the most spectacular views of a beautiful bay and the outlying Exuma cays. It’s just 90 yards from the gorgeous Tropic of Cancer Beach (Pirates of the Caribbean), made famous by Johnny Depp.

Listing Details

* Your Leading Exuma Real Estate Source

You’ve entered into a contract to buy Bahamas real estate at a price you can afford. Is it time to celebrate? Not quite yet. At least not until some important details are addressed to help speed the transaction toward a successful closing.

Even seemingly uncomplicated real estate contracts can run into last-minute delays that could cause the whole deal to collapse.

One issue has to do with title. From time to time, a Bahamas real estate lawyer may discover that the seller might have a slight defect in the title. For example, there may be a missing renunciation of dower from an earlier transaction when dower was an issue. Many other minor defects could pop up that need to be attended to.

This is why it is important to use an experienced real estate lawyer. Your lawyer will do a title search to make sure “all the ducks are in a row.”

If a home is being sold with some of the furnishings and appliances then these need to be spelled out. A list of these chattels needs to be agreed to so that there are no surprises when a buyer moves in. Don’t take it for granted that the beautiful oil painting in the dining room is included in the sale.

Also, it is imperative that the utilities are turned over to the new owner and all outstanding amounts are paid in full.

Spring is in the air and we’re sprucing up our porches here in the islands of the Bahamas to celebrate this very special time of the year.

With the soft trade winds starting to steal in from the south east, we love to relax on our porches with a good book in hand and a tall frosty glass of “switcher” (fresh limeade), or an icy Kalik, the beer of the Bahamas.

The Mahi Mahi is running, so this is an especially fun time to have family and friends over. We fire up the grill and throw the fresh fish and sweet corn on the cob on for a tasty feast.

Porches and verandas add a whole new dimension to island living. While wraparounds, verandas or just cute little porches are common to most old homes in the Bahamas, many of the newer ones lack this most attractive feature.

Of course, you can always add your own.

We have a selection of homes with porches, which we’ll be featuring in the coming days.

One of our favourites is in Great Harbour Cay in the Berry islands, a group of beautiful sun-drenched islands surrounded by fertile fishing grounds.

We love the veranda at this home, but the photos just don’t capture the amazing views from the deck.
Nestled in the sand dunes, the home is situated at an angle and so the deck offers sweeping views of the great swimming beach and dazzling sea.

First time visitors are always struck by the beauty and peace of the Great Harbour Cay beach. Besides its extraordinary beauty, it’s never crowded.

The great thing about this listing is the location ^ so peaceful, yet within walking distance of the Beach Club and airport.

Listing Details

* Your Leading Bahamas Real Estate source.

You’ve entered into a contract to buy Bahamas real estate at a price you can afford. Is it time to celebrate? Not quite yet. At least not until some important details are addressed to help speed the transaction toward a successful closing.

Even seemingly uncomplicated real estate contracts can run into last-minute delays that could cause the whole deal to collapse.

One issue has to do with title. From time to time, a Bahamas real estate lawyer may discover that the seller might have a slight defect in the title. For example, there may be a missing renunciation of dower from an earlier transaction when dower was an issue. Many other minor defects could pop up that need to be attended to.

This is why it is important to use an experienced real estate lawyer. Your lawyer will do a title search to make sure “all the ducks are in a row.”

If a home is being sold with some of the furnishings and appliances then these need to be spelled out. A list of these chattels needs to be agreed to so that there are no surprises when a buyer moves in. Don’t take it for granted that the beautiful oil painting in the dining room is included in the sale.

Also, it is imperative that the utilities are turned over to the new owner and all outstanding amounts are paid in full.

Dock your boat in front of these beautiful homes located in an upscale gated beach community in Nassau Bahamas
Each home has four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, making it an ideal property for an extended family, or that couple who loves to entertain and host out of town guests.
With 250′ of canal frontage, private beach and approx. 9,000 sq ft of buildable land, this is prize property.
Listing Details

* Your Leading Bahamas Real Estate Source.

Whether up or down, fast or slow, there are “tricks” you can use to make your Bahamas home sell in any type of market. Following these actions should help produce results, particularly in soft market conditions.

First, make your home a “best buy” by having your Bahamas real estate agent perform a thorough analysis of listings and recent sales in your neighbourhood. Position your home right in the middle of an attractive price range (buyers look in broad ranges, so be sure you are noticed).

Before your final pricing decision, determine the level of pressure you’re under to sell within a given time frame. Must sell as soon as possible? Then adjust your price about ten percent lower than the Bahamas comparables.

Generating interest, but no offers yet? Continue reducing your price until you’ve reached your deadline, or get creative with seller financing or some sort of trade off. Perhaps the prospect can perform some outside function for you which can come off the price. If you can accept monthly payments, you’ll increase the pool of prospective buyers, and earn interest on payments.

Offer your Bahamas home in exceptional condition, and have detailed information available to buyers, who won’t respect vague answers to questions of utility costs, tax bills, etc. You don’t have to be specific, however, when asked why you’re selling. “I have an excellent opportunity elsewhere” will suffice.

Finally, when that first Bahamas real estate offer comes, do everything possible to accept it if it’s reasonable. Holding out for a better offer may backfire, so be prepared to say, “Yes!” Don’t forget, often your best offer is the first one you receive!

* Your leading Bahamas real estate source.