Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

August Things to do in TCI

Register for the Basketball Camp taking place at the Youth Center Monday August 9 – 21st at the Edward C. Gartland Youth Center. Coaches provide training on shooting techniques, ball control, defensive and offensive moves. The camp is free and open for both boys and girls ages 12 to 17. Contact Nikita at 332-9604 for information.

Join the Provo Rotary Club every Sunday evening at 7pm for Bingo at the Williams Auditorium on the road leading to South dock. Help raise funds that go back into Rotary Community Service Projects in Turks & Caicos. Ages 18 and over welcome.

Join the crew of the Good Ship Atabeyra for a sunset cruise or a ½ day snorkel trip. Contact information can be found at www.suncharters.tc.

The Providenciales Toastmasters meetings take place every 2nd and 4th Monday (with the exception of public holidays). For information on becoming a member please visit www.toastmasters.org or call 232-4097.

Every Wednesday evening join the crowd at Horse-Eye Jacks for their all-you-can-eat Lobster Buffet. Dine beachside, under the stars in Blue Hills, while listening to the sounds of the local band. For reservations call 946-4955.

Friday evenings between 6-8pm enjoy O’So Happy Hour at The Pearl Lounge and Zen Garden at the Somerset Resort on Grace Bay Beach. Drink specials and live music. O’So entertaining and O’So delicious.

Fish and Chips nights every Wednesday at Sharkbite in Turtle Cove. A great casual meeting place and restaurant sitting 30 feet over the water in the marina.

Horse Back Riding along Grace Bay Beach, contact Caicos Corral for morning, evening, sunset or full-moon rides at 331-3939 or caicoscorral@gmail.com

1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too.

2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home.

3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a cleaning service if you can afford it.

4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented candles will help.

5. Brighten your rooms. Put higher wattage bulbs in light fixtures to brighten up rooms and basements. Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral color paint.

6. Don’t disregard minor repairs. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well-maintained.

7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, add new mulch, trim the bushes, edge the walkways, and clean the gutters. For added curb appeal, place a pot of bright flowers near the entryway.

8. Patch holes. Repair any holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

9. Add a touch of color in the living room. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.

10. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window you pass by frequently.

11. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use brightly colored fruit or flowers.

12. Set the scene. Set the table with fancy dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the basement you might display a chess game in progress.

13. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light. Show off the view if you have one.

14. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal toiletry items are out of sight.

15. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room and let your Coldwell Banker agent know where they’ll be.

16. Lock up valuables, jewelry, and money. While a real estate salesperson will be on site during the showing or open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.

17. Leave the home. It’s usually best if the sellers are not at home. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.

Ask any of our Coldwell Banker real estate agents if you have any questions on the best way to show your home to prospective buyers.

The following article is a reprint from the Turks & Caicos Sun Newspaper, August 6 2010, Hayden Boyce SUN Publisher & Editor-in-Chief.

Two new gambling parlors for Providenciales and Grand Turk

Millionaire American investor Jack Tatum is injecting just over a million dollars into taking over and refurbishing a casino that flunked in Providenciales and opening up a new outlet in the island capital of Grand Turk by December this year.

Speaking exclusively to The SUN, Tatum confirmed that he will be taking over the spot once occupied by Player’s Club, in Turtle Cove, while simultaneously adding gaming parlors in the old Scotia Bank building in Grand Turk.
“We have leased the space that was once occupied by Players Club and we are getting ready to renovate it and rename it,” Tatum said in a telephone interview. “We will make an application for a casino license and see how it goes. We already have a slot parlor license that we could use, but we would really like to open it as a casino. I think we would qualify (for a casino license) but we are not sure how long it would take to get that license approved. We were told that someone else was looking at leasing the building but we have such a commitment to the TCI, that in spite of the economic conditions we decided that we will work at it. We are going try and do it properly and bring in a lot of new modern gaming equipment and so on. If we have to, we will operate as a parlor. I think we can do a good job. We are excited about it.”

Tatum, who bought Carib Gaming in 2001, contributes millions of dollars in gaming taxes to the TCI Government annually. He promised to do more of the same with the new joints.

He told The SUN that the equipment that is now in the defunct Players’ Club is owned by the Government, but added that he would be seeking to enter negotiations to see what, if any, of the equipment, he could salvage.

“I’m really not sure what state the equipment is in now, so we will check and make an offer for the equipment to see if the Government is interested in selling, but in any event, we will order a million dollars in equipment for the two slot parlors in Grand Turk and Provo,” he added.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to grow and we are kind of taking a gamble, no pun intended. We are just growing at a time when a lot of people are unemployed and we hope we can create some employment and other opportunities for the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The good thing about Carib Gaming is that we can grow without the restraints of having to borrow any capital and we have never borrowed any monies. Carib Gaming has always funded its business internally so if the economy slows down, we don’t have to be concerned about repaying any debt to anyone. That’s why we have been able to weather our way through this rough period. The Turks and Caicos Islands is such a beautiful country and there is no doubt that the economy will recover so we want to be here.”

Brightly colored tropical flowers, shells and candles are the top items selected when decorating for a Turks and Caicos Island (“TCI”) Wedding.

With warm sunshine and cool tropical breezes, sugar-sand beaches with sparkling turquoise water and luxurious beachfront resorts featuring award-winning restaurants, the Turks & Caicos Islands provides a perfect setting for weddings and those wishing to renew their vows.

Most tropical destination weddings are less expensive, and more memorable, than ones at home. The outdoors provides an elegant and natural backdrop for the ceremony, photography as well as reception, eliminating many of the decorating costs and booking fees at several locations.

When you first begin planning your wedding in the TCI consider hiring a local professional Wedding Planner. Their experience and island contacts, from the initial travel plans and required documentation through to the final farewell toast, are invaluable.

Wedding planners in the Turks and Caicos Islands can assist you (or point you in the right direction) with the following:

- recommend hotels or villa rentals for the wedding party as well as guests
- on-island transportation from arrival to departure and to and from the event(s)
- rehearsal dinner
- arranging for make-up, spa treatments and hair stylists
- booking ceremony officials, arranging for documentation and licensing, providing marriage certificates
- recommend restaurants or catering companies, tailor menus, arrange for wine/champagne, and wedding cakes
- photography and video
- music and entertainment
- bouquets, flowers as well as decorations.

Whether it’s at a Church, Luxury Beachfront Resort, Poolside at a magnificent villa or at a private bay or cove, we look forward to meeting you in the TCI.

Wedding Planning

Photography and Video

Vacation Villa Booking

Article courtesy of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Turks & Caicos

NOAA Solution to Lionfish Invasion, Eat Them! The following article was released August 9, 2010 by Environmental News Network - Wildlife and Habitat Conservation News, author Roger Greenway, regarding the Lionfish invasion in the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean seas.

A new NOAA study looking at how to curb the rapid growth of lionfish, an invasive species not native to the Atlantic Ocean, suggests that approximately 27 percent of mature lionfish will have to be removed monthly for one year to reduce its population growth rate to zero.

But the good news is that the invasive fish happens to be delicious—and NOAA is encouraging chefs to find new ways to introduce it to U.S. consumers.

Lionfish are native to the western and central Pacific Ocean, but have established themselves from North Carolina to South America. They are a popular aquarium fish that were likely first released in Florida waters in the mid-1980s. Since then, the species has spread rapidly. Scientists and public officials are seriously concerned at the effect lionfish are having on reef ecosystems, since this predator is capable of rapid population growth and outcompeting native fish for food and territory.

“This study offers us the first target for fishing and other local control efforts such as lionfish derbies,” says Lad Akins, director of operations for the Reef Environmental and Education Foundation, an organization of divers and marine enthusiasts who are working to combat the lionfish problem.

The effort to fish down the species has already begun. Caribbean nations such as the Turks and Caicos Islands are encouraging widespread fishing for lionfish by instituting year-long tournaments with cash prizes for the most lionfish caught.

Authorities are also encouraging a local market for the species, whose delicate white flesh tastes similar to a snapper or grouper. NOAA scientists concur that developing a market for lionfish is one of the only ways to substantially reduce their numbers. To this end, NOAA has developed an “Eat Lionfish” campaign that brings together fishing communities, wholesalers, and chefs in an effort to broaden U.S. consumers’ awareness of this delicious invader.

While the study represents a significant step forward in understanding how to turn the tide of the invasion, the study’s authors warn that more work is needed to understand the ecological effects of lionfish, track the population, and develop control strategies.

“Lionfish represent the first reef fish invader to become established in the Atlantic, but as we know from history, invasive species are a persistent problem,” says Dr. James Morris, a marine ecologist with NOAA’s Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research. “Understanding the factors involved in the spread of lionfish may help us be better prepared for future invasions.”

The study’s recommendation of a 27 percent monthly reduction represents a major fishing effort which may not be feasible in some areas, such as the expansive areas where lionfish have become established off the southeast U.S. coast, but which may be possible in areas where lionfish habitat is more constrained.

The study, a collaboration between scientists from NOAA and North Carolina State University, can be found in the June 2010 issue of Biological Invasions.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

For more information on the Lionfish click here.

NOAA Solution to Lionfish Invasion, Eat Them! The following article was released August 9, 2010 by Environmental News Network - Wildlife and Habitat Conservation News, author Roger Greenway, regarding the Lionfish invasion in the Pacific, Atlantic and Caribbean seas.

A new NOAA study looking at how to curb the rapid growth of lionfish, an invasive species not native to the Atlantic Ocean, suggests that approximately 27 percent of mature lionfish will have to be removed monthly for one year to reduce its population growth rate to zero.

But the good news is that the invasive fish happens to be delicious—and NOAA is encouraging chefs to find new ways to introduce it to U.S. consumers.

Lionfish are native to the western and central Pacific Ocean, but have established themselves from North Carolina to South America. They are a popular aquarium fish that were likely first released in Florida waters in the mid-1980s. Since then, the species has spread rapidly. Scientists and public officials are seriously concerned at the effect lionfish are having on reef ecosystems, since this predator is capable of rapid population growth and outcompeting native fish for food and territory.

“This study offers us the first target for fishing and other local control efforts such as lionfish derbies,” says Lad Akins, director of operations for the Reef Environmental and Education Foundation, an organization of divers and marine enthusiasts who are working to combat the lionfish problem.

The effort to fish down the species has already begun. Caribbean nations such as the Turks and Caicos Islands are encouraging widespread fishing for lionfish by instituting year-long tournaments with cash prizes for the most lionfish caught.

Authorities are also encouraging a local market for the species, whose delicate white flesh tastes similar to a snapper or grouper. NOAA scientists concur that developing a market for lionfish is one of the only ways to substantially reduce their numbers. To this end, NOAA has developed an “Eat Lionfish” campaign that brings together fishing communities, wholesalers, and chefs in an effort to broaden U.S. consumers’ awareness of this delicious invader.

While the study represents a significant step forward in understanding how to turn the tide of the invasion, the study’s authors warn that more work is needed to understand the ecological effects of lionfish, track the population, and develop control strategies.

“Lionfish represent the first reef fish invader to become established in the Atlantic, but as we know from history, invasive species are a persistent problem,” says Dr. James Morris, a marine ecologist with NOAA’s Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research. “Understanding the factors involved in the spread of lionfish may help us be better prepared for future invasions.”

The study’s recommendation of a 27 percent monthly reduction represents a major fishing effort which may not be feasible in some areas, such as the expansive areas where lionfish have become established off the southeast U.S. coast, but which may be possible in areas where lionfish habitat is more constrained.

The study, a collaboration between scientists from NOAA and North Carolina State University, can be found in the June 2010 issue of Biological Invasions.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

For more information on the Lionfish click here.

Sweet Patootee is an independent media production company, which specializes in producing history documentaries for television.

Their reputation for research and writing reveals how diversity and citizenship issues have played a defining role in shaping British history and culture. Their projects build national and international networks to bring neglected historical sources into the public domain, and the cornerstones of their approach are oral testimony and archive retrieval.

Sweet Patootee is currently working on a 1937-1948 Caribbean reminiscences project. As part of their approach they are searching for American contributors. They would like to make contact with American women and men/and or their relatives, who would contribute reminiscences of the Caribbean from 1937-1948 (whether as civilians or as members of the armed forces).

Contact information is as follows:
Rebecca Goldstone
Sweet Patootee
Tel/Fax; 01144 207 686 5101
Web: www.sweetpatootee.co.uk

The Turks and Caicos Islands (“TCI”) are home to one of the world’s most extensive coral reef systems. Measuring 65 miles across and 200 miles long, the reefs in TCI are considered one of the top locations for snorkeling and scuba diving. With underwater visibility reaching about 150 feet divers from all over the world come to the islands for the spectacular marine life, wall diving, colorful flora and fauna, as well as wreck diving. There are many diving companies in the TCI, most offer several dives per day plus night diving.

What is a coral reef? A fragile underwater ecosystem, that is extremely sensitive to water temperature, made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Corals are tiny colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Reefs thrive in warm, relatively shallow, clear, sunny and agitated water – typically in the tropics. Occupying less than 1% of the world ocean surface they provide a home to 25% of all marine species.

How are they formed? After the last glacial period melting ice caused the level of the ocean to rise and flood the continental shelves. Reefs were formed and grew toward the light, leaving just enough room for the ocean to cover them.

Condition: Experts agree that coral reefs are dying around the world. Coral mining, pollution, overfishing, pollution, warming ocean temperatures and the dredging of canals and man-made access into the islands pose serious threats to the ecosystems. Approximately 10% of the world’s coral reefs are already dead. Take care when boating and diving or snorkeling near the reef, they are fragile and cannot be replaced. Divers are asked to respect the marine environment and leave the reef as they found it. In the TCI mooring buoys have been strategically placed at all dive sites close to the beaches to avoid further damage.

Diving in the waters surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands is spectacular. For more information on booking accommodation contact us here, for diving information and bookings click here.

The Yacht Club Real-Estate Investment Opportunity features 54 luxury condominiums facing the beautiful Turtle Cove Marina as well as offering beautiful views of the famous “Grace Bay” here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Completed in July of 2004, the development is located virtually in the center of gravity on the island offering a wide variety of things to do to fulfill your every dream and desire while on vacation. And when owners are not in residence they have the option to add the suite to the rental pool.

The Yacht Club features a mix of one, two and three bedroom suites as well as Penthouses. Every unit has a view of the Marina and the ocean, as well the Yacht Club is a mere three-minute walk from a pristine white sand beach at the western end of famed Grace Bay. If you are a snorkeling enthusiast you are also the same three-minute walk to one of the most famous reefs on the island “Smiths Reef”. Here you will have the distinct pleasure of capturing some of the most amazing underwater sea life you have ever seen. Aside from the beautiful underwater coral vegetation you will also experience spectacular views of some of the most colorful and vibrant amphibious species on the planet.

The Yacht Club is ideal for Investors who wish to either live permanently on the islands or just wish to visit occasionally.

This marina-side resort is strategically placed in the heart of Providenciales on one of just 4 Marinas on the island attracting not only vacation destination travelers but boating enthusiasts as well as some of the world’s top offshore fisherman.

The marina at Turtle Cove features several restaurants, shopping, diving, and water sports - this vibrant location offers some of the most exciting living on the island. The panoramic spectacle of multi-million dollar fishing vessels and yachts, sailboats and the entire marina maintain exceptional views day and night.

For more information on listings available in The Yacht Club contact one of our experienced Sales Associates.

On a lot measuring approximately 4 acres on Grace Bay Beach sits the Ocean Club West Resort. Built in 2001, this hotel is a newer version of the original Ocean Club hotel which is located beachfront, across from the Provo Golf Club.

The two hotels offer shared amenities for guests and owners. Three pools, three tennis courts (lit for evening use), gym, spa, stores and two signature beachfront restaurants. “Stay at one, Play at both” is the theme at the Ocean Club Hotels in Turks & Caicos Islands.

At West you will find a Junior Suite that is currently listed for sale. Measuring 1050 sq feet this suite is larger than most one bedroom hotel rooms. With a large screened-in balcony, 1 1/2 baths, this suite overlooks the pool and lush tropical landscaping set center-stage at Ocean Club West.

Financial Statements and Operating Income Statments available, click here for more information on this listing.