Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

Treasure Cay: 4 bedrooms/5 baths/$3,995,000Argyll House” features a luxurious, well appointed 4 bedroom, 5.5 bath beachfront residence of approximately 6,900 square feet under roof on prestigious Ocean Boulevard, Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas, with a full 153 feet of beach frontage on gorgeous Treasure Cay Beach, voted “One of the Top Ten Beaches in the World” by National Geographic. “Argyll House” property consists of 1.6 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, adorned with an array of tropical foliage and well manicured lawns. From the moment one enters the walled and gated property and views the majestic palms and the home’s towering front entrance, there is an ambiance of elegance and attention to detail in every aspect. The eight foot high double entry mahogany doors open into a generous sized foyer and beyond to the exquisite formal living area or Grand Room, the centerpiece of the residence. Through a full 16 foot width of glass double doors and windows, the Grand Room overlooks an extensive exterior covered and open patio area of approximately 1,600 squae feet and the iridescent turquoise waters of the Sea of Abaco. The Grand Room features 16 foot high ceilings and is tastefully furnished with a baby grand piano, sofa, love seat, matching and companion chairs, wrought iron floor lamps complimented by a wrought iron and glass coffee table. The Grand Room is further enriched by a gas powered, quarry stone fireplace for those seldom occurring chilly evenings. Also within the Great Room is a sunken wet bar with an extensive marble bar top, fully equipped with a refrigerator and ice-maker and Reverse Osmosis water-maker. The spacious 750 square foot Grand Room creates the ideal environment for gracious entertaining. The formal dining room is adjacent to the Grand Room and provides an intimate atmosphere for private dining parties.

We could go on - but instead, contact our office for details.

Last week we reported long term strategies to follow before shopping for your first house. Liz Pulliam Weston with MSN Real Estate suggests the following timeline as an ideal one for someone purchasing their first home and for the most part, we agree with her. This week we will talk about more immediate strategies.

Learn about mortgage options. While the mortgage market has settled back to more ‘normal’ conditions it can still be confusing tangle of unfamiliar terms and acronyms. ARMs, FHA, VA, LIBOR, are all a part of the mix. The author recommends sticking with the traditional 30 year fixed rate. But be aware that even though the interest rate is fixed, increasing costs for insurance and taxes will cause even a fixed rate payment to increase over time. Don’t rule out adjustable rates. In today’s market no lender is going to let you borrow more than you can afford. Shop for a mortgage without mortgage insurance. Usually a lender requires you to provide mortgage insurance with a down payment of less than 20%. Less than 20% down means more risk to the lender and mortgage insurance protects them against an eventual default.

Start calculating how much house you can afford. Your housing expense should not exceed 25% of your gross income. That includes your principal and interest payment, taxes and insurance. Once you have decided how much you can afford you can always opt to pay taxes and insurance separately, assuming your lender will allow that. Think of it this way-they accumulate money on a monthly basis for annual payment of taxes and insurance. And-they don’t pay you interest. If you’re a good saver, then put the money to use yourself. Of course, if your habit is to live paycheck to paycheck you’d better let the bank take care of it.

Research all of the costs of owning a home. When you purchase a home there are so-called ‘closing costs’ associated with the transaction. These can take the form of origination fees paid to the lender for providing the funds. Origination fees are actually pre-paid interest and are a variable proportionate to the interest rate you pay. Documentary stamps, title insurance, proration of taxes, title insurance, you can expect to pay anywhere from 1-3% (of the mortgage) over and above your down payment. Drop into the local bank and ask for a Good Faith Estimate (GFE). Find out what utilities will cost in your new home. You can always ask the current owner for copies of their bills, but be aware that this can only be done after a property is selected and no two families will use utilities identically.

Attend a home buyer’s seminar. Many banks or banks in association with real estate firms will put on free seminars for first time buyers. Obviously they are hoping to obtain your business but it is usually a low pressure non threatening atmosphere in which to learn more about the process.

Adjust your saving strategies. By now you’ve begun to save for your new home. But what you’ve learned may cause you to increase your savings. A bigger down payment means you can afford more home and may mean you can avoid buying mortgage insurance. It also means lower payments and more discretionary cash.

Next Week: 3 months out

Last week we reported long term strategies to follow before shopping for your first house. Liz Pulliam Weston with MSN Real Estate suggests the following timeline as an ideal one for someone purchasing their first home and for the most part, we agree with her. This week we will talk about more immediate strategies.

Learn about mortgage options. While the mortgage market has settled back to more ‘normal’ conditions it can still be confusing tangle of unfamiliar terms and acronyms. ARMs, FHA, VA, LIBOR, are all a part of the mix. The author recommends sticking with the traditional 30 year fixed rate. But be aware that even though the interest rate is fixed, increasing costs for insurance and taxes will cause even a fixed rate payment to increase over time. Don’t rule out adjustable rates. In today’s market no lender is going to let you borrow more than you can afford. Shop for a mortgage without mortgage insurance. Usually a lender requires you to provide mortgage insurance with a down payment of less than 20%. Less than 20% down means more risk to the lender and mortgage insurance protects them against an eventual default.

Start calculating how much house you can afford. Your housing expense should not exceed 25% of your gross income. That includes your principal and interest payment, taxes and insurance. Once you have decided how much you can afford you can always opt to pay taxes and insurance separately, assuming your lender will allow that. Think of it this way—they accumulate money on a monthly basis for annual payment of taxes and insurance. And—they don’t pay you interest. If you’re a good saver, then put the money to use yourself. Of course, if your habit is to live paycheck to paycheck you’d better let the bank take care of it.

Research all of the costs of owning a home. When you purchase a home there are so-called ‘closing costs’ associated with the transaction. These can take the form of origination fees paid to the lender for providing the funds. Origination fees are actually pre-paid interest and are a variable proportionate to the interest rate you pay. Documentary stamps, title insurance, proration of taxes, title insurance, you can expect to pay anywhere from 1-3% (of the mortgage) over and above your down payment. Drop into the local bank and ask for a Good Faith Estimate (GFE). Find out what utilities will cost in your new home. You can always ask the current owner for copies of their bills, but be aware that this can only be done after a property is selected and no two families will use utilities identically.

Attend a home buyer’s seminar. Many banks or banks in association with real estate firms will put on free seminars for first time buyers. Obviously they are hoping to obtain your business but it is usually a low pressure non threatening atmosphere in which to learn more about the process.

Adjust your saving strategies. By now you’ve begun to save for your new home. But what you’ve learned may cause you to increase your savings. A bigger down payment means you can afford more home and may mean you can avoid buying mortgage insurance. It also means lower payments and more discretionary cash.

Next Week: 3 months out

Last week we reported long term strategies to follow before shopping for your first house. Liz Pulliam Weston with MSN Real Estate suggests the following timeline as an ideal one for someone purchasing their first home and for the most part, we agree with her. This week we will talk about more immediate strategies.

Learn about mortgage options. While the mortgage market has settled back to more ‘normal’ conditions it can still be confusing tangle of unfamiliar terms and acronyms. ARMs, FHA, VA, LIBOR, are all a part of the mix. The author recommends sticking with the traditional 30 year fixed rate. But be aware that even though the interest rate is fixed, increasing costs for insurance and taxes will cause even a fixed rate payment to increase over time. Don’t rule out adjustable rates. In today’s market no lender is going to let you borrow more than you can afford. Shop for a mortgage without mortgage insurance. Usually a lender requires you to provide mortgage insurance with a down payment of less than 20%. Less than 20% down means more risk to the lender and mortgage insurance protects them against an eventual default.

Start calculating how much house you can afford. Your housing expense should not exceed 25% of your gross income. That includes your principal and interest payment, taxes and insurance. Once you have decided how much you can afford you can always opt to pay taxes and insurance separately, assuming your lender will allow that. Think of it this way—they accumulate money on a monthly basis for annual payment of taxes and insurance. And—they don’t pay you interest. If you’re a good saver, then put the money to use yourself. Of course, if your habit is to live paycheck to paycheck you’d better let the bank take care of it.

Research all of the costs of owning a home. When you purchase a home there are so-called ‘closing costs’ associated with the transaction. These can take the form of origination fees paid to the lender for providing the funds. Origination fees are actually pre-paid interest and are a variable proportionate to the interest rate you pay. Documentary stamps, title insurance, proration of taxes, title insurance, you can expect to pay anywhere from 1-3% (of the mortgage) over and above your down payment. Drop into the local bank and ask for a Good Faith Estimate (GFE). Find out what utilities will cost in your new home. You can always ask the current owner for copies of their bills, but be aware that this can only be done after a property is selected and no two families will use utilities identically.

Attend a home buyer’s seminar. Many banks or banks in association with real estate firms will put on free seminars for first time buyers. Obviously they are hoping to obtain your business but it is usually a low pressure non threatening atmosphere in which to learn more about the process.

Adjust your saving strategies. By now you’ve begun to save for your new home. But what you’ve learned may cause you to increase your savings. A bigger down payment means you can afford more home and may mean you can avoid buying mortgage insurance. It also means lower payments and more discretionary cash.

Next Week: 3 months out

Last week we reported long term strategies to follow before shopping for your first house. Liz Pulliam Weston with MSN Real Estate suggests the following timeline as an ideal one for someone purchasing their first home and for the most part, we agree with her. This week we will talk about more immediate strategies.

Learn about mortgage options. While the mortgage market has settled back to more ‘normal’ conditions it can still be confusing tangle of unfamiliar terms and acronyms. ARMs, FHA, VA, LIBOR, are all a part of the mix. The author recommends sticking with the traditional 30 year fixed rate. But be aware that even though the interest rate is fixed, increasing costs for insurance and taxes will cause even a fixed rate payment to increase over time. Don’t rule out adjustable rates. In today’s market no lender is going to let you borrow more than you can afford. Shop for a mortgage without mortgage insurance. Usually a lender requires you to provide mortgage insurance with a down payment of less than 20%. Less than 20% down means more risk to the lender and mortgage insurance protects them against an eventual default.

Start calculating how much house you can afford. Your housing expense should not exceed 25% of your gross income. That includes your principal and interest payment, taxes and insurance. Once you have decided how much you can afford you can always opt to pay taxes and insurance separately, assuming your lender will allow that. Think of it this way—they accumulate money on a monthly basis for annual payment of taxes and insurance. And—they don’t pay you interest. If you’re a good saver, then put the money to use yourself. Of course, if your habit is to live paycheck to paycheck you’d better let the bank take care of it.

Research all of the costs of owning a home. When you purchase a home there are so-called ‘closing costs’ associated with the transaction. These can take the form of origination fees paid to the lender for providing the funds. Origination fees are actually pre-paid interest and are a variable proportionate to the interest rate you pay. Documentary stamps, title insurance, proration of taxes, title insurance, you can expect to pay anywhere from 1-3% (of the mortgage) over and above your down payment. Drop into the local bank and ask for a Good Faith Estimate (GFE). Find out what utilities will cost in your new home. You can always ask the current owner for copies of their bills, but be aware that this can only be done after a property is selected and no two families will use utilities identically.

Attend a home buyer’s seminar. Many banks or banks in association with real estate firms will put on free seminars for first time buyers. Obviously they are hoping to obtain your business but it is usually a low pressure non threatening atmosphere in which to learn more about the process.

Adjust your saving strategies. By now you’ve begun to save for your new home. But what you’ve learned may cause you to increase your savings. A bigger down payment means you can afford more home and may mean you can avoid buying mortgage insurance. It also means lower payments and more discretionary cash.

Next Week: 3 months out

Last week we reported long term strategies to follow before shopping for your first house. Liz Pulliam Weston with MSN Real Estate suggests the following timeline as an ideal one for someone purchasing their first home and for the most part, we agree with her. This week we will talk about more immediate strategies.

Learn about mortgage options. While the mortgage market has settled back to more ‘normal’ conditions it can still be confusing tangle of unfamiliar terms and acronyms. ARMs, FHA, VA, LIBOR, are all a part of the mix. The author recommends sticking with the traditional 30 year fixed rate. But be aware that even though the interest rate is fixed, increasing costs for insurance and taxes will cause even a fixed rate payment to increase over time. Don’t rule out adjustable rates. In today’s market no lender is going to let you borrow more than you can afford. Shop for a mortgage without mortgage insurance. Usually a lender requires you to provide mortgage insurance with a down payment of less than 20%. Less than 20% down means more risk to the lender and mortgage insurance protects them against an eventual default.

Start calculating how much house you can afford. Your housing expense should not exceed 25% of your gross income. That includes your principal and interest payment, taxes and insurance. Once you have decided how much you can afford you can always opt to pay taxes and insurance separately, assuming your lender will allow that. Think of it this way—they accumulate money on a monthly basis for annual payment of taxes and insurance. And—they don’t pay you interest. If you’re a good saver, then put the money to use yourself. Of course, if your habit is to live paycheck to paycheck you’d better let the bank take care of it.

Research all of the costs of owning a home. When you purchase a home there are so-called ‘closing costs’ associated with the transaction. These can take the form of origination fees paid to the lender for providing the funds. Origination fees are actually pre-paid interest and are a variable proportionate to the interest rate you pay. Documentary stamps, title insurance, proration of taxes, title insurance, you can expect to pay anywhere from 1-3% (of the mortgage) over and above your down payment. Drop into the local bank and ask for a Good Faith Estimate (GFE). Find out what utilities will cost in your new home. You can always ask the current owner for copies of their bills, but be aware that this can only be done after a property is selected and no two families will use utilities identically.

Attend a home buyer’s seminar. Many banks or banks in association with real estate firms will put on free seminars for first time buyers. Obviously they are hoping to obtain your business but it is usually a low pressure non threatening atmosphere in which to learn more about the process.

Adjust your saving strategies. By now you’ve begun to save for your new home. But what you’ve learned may cause you to increase your savings. A bigger down payment means you can afford more home and may mean you can avoid buying mortgage insurance. It also means lower payments and more discretionary cash.

Next Week: 3 months out

Luxurious Ocean Front Condominium. See details here on our site. This is a luxurious 3 bedroom 3 bath apartment. Both the master bedroom and living room open on to a screened patio overlooking the stunning Caribbean sea. 10 ft. Cathedral ceilings and designer furnished in a prime location, this apartment comes with an enclosed parking garage. Excellent value and no tourist rentals make this a very private and exclusive residential complex.

Grand Bahama Real Estate Broker James Sarles, of Coldwell Banker James Sarles Realty, has created another tradition through the Santa Baby Christmas Music video. Santa Baby is a 1953 Christmas song originally performed by Eartha Kitt. The song is a tongue in cheek look at a Christmas list sung by a woman who wants the most extravagant gifts like sables, yachts and decorations from Tiffany’s. View and enjoy here.

Internationally acclaimed Jamaican reggae/dancehall entertainer, Beenie Man, the king of the dancehall, is scheduled to take centre stage live in St. Kitts at Chippie Carnival Madness Concert on 23 Dec., at Carnival Village, Basseterre.

It comes as an exclusively organised event put on by the telecommunication firm UTS Caribglobe, Chippie, which compliments the 2008-2009 National Carnival line-up.

General Manager of Chippie, Alfred Harley, described Beenie as a high energy performer, noting that St. Kitts is one of the artiste’s second homes.

Other national artistes featured on the Chippie Carnival Madness concert will include Simba, Ashkenaz, Jah Fire, Best A Dem, CJ, Simburgers, Carnival Road March champions 2007-2008, the Grand Masters and the Kollison Band.

The Virgin Islands and Australia have agreed to a Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA), which was announced Monday by Australian Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Chris Bowen and Premier Ralph T. O’Neal.

The TIEA provides for full exchange of information on request in both criminal and civil tax matters and builds upon legislation in both jurisdictions which already provides for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.

Under the terms of the TIEA, Australia and the VI have agreed not to apply prejudicial or restrictive measures based on harmful tax practices to residents or nationals while the TIEA is in force and effective.

Further, Australia will remove any governmental references to the VI as a ‘tax haven’ and will list the VI as an ‘information exchange country’ in the Taxation Administration Regulations 1976. This will provide residents of the VI with access to reduced withholding tax rates on distributions of certain income they may receive from Australian managed investment trusts.

“ Australia is at the forefront of efforts to implement widespread international cooperation on tax matters and is pleased to welcome the BVI to its TIEA network,” Bowen added. The TIEA also complements the strong commitment of the Governments of Australia and the BVI to international standards on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing, as set by the Financial Action Task Force.