Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

Echo boomers, the children of baby boomers, will be the salvation of the housing market, Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies predicts.

In its annual state of the nation’s housing study, the center says that the 75 million Americans born between 1979 and 1995 will mean plenty of demand for housing units.

“There will be 5 million more echo boomers than there were boomers when they first started swelling housing markets,” says Eric Belsky, executive director of the Joint Center.

Belsky predicts that once the job market turns around, the housing market will recovery quickly because inventories are close in balance between supply and demand.

But the study warns that while echo boomers will increase demand significantly, they may not drive up prices much because their real incomes are lower than those earned by people a decade older when they entered the job market.

“While fundamentally we see what could be the foundation for long-term recovery, we still have to get through today’s challenges,” says Nicolas Retsinas, director of the Harvard center.

We expect to see the effects of the Echo Boomer generation worldwide, not just in the U.S.

(resource: Realtor.org)

St Kitts - with miles of Caribbean coastline - offers travelers relaxing beaches without the commercialism of more crowded islands.

South Friars Beach, with the Shipwreck Beach Bar & Grill, is a favorite spot to snorkel the clear waters, swim inside the coastal reef, and enjoy the lounging facilities of the restaurant. According to Rachel Boyer, Baltimore World Travel Examiner, “An interesting oddity occurs daily-around noon wild mongoose and green velvet monkeys are fed kitchen scraps out back, practically out of the hands of employees.”

Cockleshell Beach, near the end of the southeast peninsula, is one of St Kitts’ more beautiful beaches. Also on the Caribbean, it is in a sheltered crescent-shaped cove of white sand. Nevis is directly opposite, and the lush terrain and summit of Nevis Peak are clearly visible. Three restaurants are at Cockleshell: Lion’s Beach Bar, Reggae Beach Bar & Grill, and the Spice Mill Restaurant.

Visit Rachel’s blog for a slideshow of the scenery and blue waters of these two beaches.

Nisbet Plantation Beach Club’s “sultry summer savings” offer includes last night free (on stays of 4 nights or more) and airport transfers from St. Kitts to Nevis via a private water taxi, in addition to full breakfast, afternoon tea, and gourmet dinner daily.

Situated on 30 spacious beachfront acres, Nisbet was originally built as a sugar plantation in 1778. Despite the property’s size, there are still only 36 guest rooms, located in 16 Plantation-style cottages and Lanai suites.

Nisbet’s Sultry Summer Savings is available on all room categories - even Premier rooms overlooking the beach. call toll-free at 1-800-742-6008, the hotel direct at 869-469-9325 your favorite travel agent, or visit the special offers page.

For a report on her trip to Nisbet Plantation, visit Debbra Brouillette’s blog in a few weeks (Travel Examiner from Dallas).

The Ministry Of Tourism and Aviation has unveiled five new heritage sites in Grand Bahama. They are the Mermaid Pond in Lewis Yard, the Pinder’s Point Lighthouse, Hawksbill Creek, the boiling hole in Hepburn Town, and Fern Gully, and Josey Cave.

The Mermaid Pond can be heard sucking and blowing each time the tide ebbs and flows. The Pinder’s Point Lighthouse was built in the late 1700s to early 1800s. Hawksbill Creek is named after the now endangered turtle that use to frequent its waters. The boiling hole is known for how its waters swirl with the movement of the tide. The cave was where residents in the Holmes’ Rock community took refuge from a serious hurricane.

(resource: BahamaIslandsInfo)

Echo boomers, the children of baby boomers, will be the salvation of the housing market, Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies predicts.

In its annual state of the nation’s housing study, the center says that the 75 million Americans born between 1979 and 1995 will mean plenty of demand for housing units.

“There will be 5 million more echo boomers than there were boomers when they first started swelling housing markets,” says Eric Belsky, executive director of the Joint Center.

Belsky predicts that once the job market turns around, the housing market will recovery quickly because inventories are close in balance between supply and demand.

But the study warns that while echo boomers will increase demand significantly, they may not drive up prices much because their real incomes are lower than those earned by people a decade older when they entered the job market.

“While fundamentally we see what could be the foundation for long-term recovery, we still have to get through today’s challenges,” says Nicolas Retsinas, director of the Harvard center.

We expect to see the effects of the Echo Boomer generation worldwide, not just in the U.S.

(resource: Realtor.org)

Premier Bahamas dolphin tour operator, Swim With Dolphins Bahamas, recently announced a two-hour Sea Explorer Bahamas dolphin tour. The tour caters to both adults and children alike. To increase awareness about the importance of dolphins in the ecological system, the Sea Explorer Bahamas dolphin tour begins with an educational presentation about typical dolphin behavior and their biology. The Bahamas Dolphin sanctuary where the Sea Explorer dolphin tour takes place spans a wide area of nine acres

Each Bahamas dolphin tour includes a 30-minute interactive Bahamas dolphin swim. During the tour, adults and children are given the opportunity to hold onto the mammal’s dorsal fin and ride its back through the water like professional trainers.

For information, email Chris Gardner of Swim With Dolphins Bahamas or call 877-243-2378.

Radisson® Hotels & Resorts announced the appointment of Gary Jutz to the position of vice president and managing director responsible for operations at its showcase property in Aruba, the Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa, in alignment with an established succession plan for the hotel.

The hotel is in the process of interviewing candidates to fill the role of General Manager, which will report directly to Jutz, who brings 38 years of experience in the hospitality industry to the newly created position. Jutz will also lead several special projects for the Radisson brand.

Over the next two years, the Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa will undergo a $35 million renovation project that will include all guest rooms, the Grand Caribbean Ballroom and the hotel’s 15,000 square feet of meeting space. Throughout the renovation process, the resort will continue to provide award-winning service and amenities, including the Larimar Spa, which was recognized by Condé Nast Traveler in 2007 as a “Hot Spa” location.

Read more at Aruba.com.

Presenting Anabui, Aruba’s First and Only Private Residence Club: Located at the heart of Tierra del Sol Resort, Spa & Country Club on Aruba’s northwest coast, Anabui is a collection of 20 fully furnished, fully-serviced residences comparable to multi-million dollar homes in every way, but one. Deeded fractional ownership at Anabui allows you to own your luxurious place in the sun without making a steep financial commitment to a full-time vacation home.

As Aruba’s only master planned community, Tierra del Sol Resort, Spa and country Club offers over 600 acres (242 hectacres) of residential and recreational opportunity within a secure, gated community. In addition to fractional interests in Anabui Private Residence Club, Tierra del Sol Resort, Spa and Country Club offers a limited number of whole ownership options for those who wish to reside permanently in tropical Aruba or to have total access to your own vacation home with no reservations needed.

Request information for the resort at Anabui.com and contact our Coldwell Banker agents for information on purchase of the fractional ownership.

Welcome … Bon Bini … to Aruba and Anabui.

Delightful two bedroom, two bath townhouse style condo in West Bay of Grand Cayman. Great seaview from master bedroom/balcony & living room balcony. Reef protected sandy beach. Living area 1,904 sq ft. Gourmet Restaurant across the road. Asking $350,000.

For details, visit our Coldwell Banker listing page.

Debbra Brouillette, Dallas Tropical Travel Examiner, is writing a series on “What does your ideal island vacation look like?” In Part III, she compares sand, ocean, and beaches of the various islands in the Caribbean. At the top of her list of 10 Best Beaches is Grace Bay Beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, for white sand and calm waters.

The Sand

White, off-white, light tan or pink sand is found on beaches in the “flat, desert-like” or “somewhere in between” categories found on Turks and Caicos. She explains, “The sand itself ranges from fine to powdery and is created by parrotfish who use their beaks to scrape off coral rock. They then digest algae and expel it as fine, white sand. White or light sand beaches are softer underfoot.”

In her footnote, she describes “white” sand color as subjective. While there are many shades of “white sand,” like the white paint colors you have to choose from for the walls in your home, there are many shades of white-sand beaches as well.

The Ocean

Broullette writes, “The color of the ocean water will also change, according to several factors, including the sky conditions (a clear blue sky versus a cloudy day), water depth (light reflected from the sand in shallow water appears to be a lighter color than in deeper water), substances in the water or at its bottom (sand, seaweed), and the sun’s angle (ocean looks darker at noontime due to less light being reflected from the surface, bottom, and interior of the water).

The ocean water on white or light sand beaches will appear to be lighter, usually appearing as shades of aqua and turquoise; while on beaches with darker sand, the ocean water often appears to be darker shades of royal or sapphire blue.”

Windward vs Leeward

All islands have a windward side (think more wind, more waves) and a leeward side (less wind, calmer waters). If you plan to stay at a resort on the islands, check whether it is on the leeward or windward side. Most are located on the leeward, calmer sides.

Read her full beach post in the Examiner.com.