Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

When doing any real estate related business in the Bahamas, make sure you use a Bahamas Real Estate Association licensed agent.

We’re sounding this warning after U.K. resident Scott Armstrong almost got caught in a scam emanating outside the Bahamas.

According to The Nassau Guardian, Armstrong thought he was on to a good thing when he saw a posting on Craigslist.com, offering a one bedroom apartment in the gated Sandyport community for $600 a month.

“I should have remembered the old adage, ‘if something looks too good to be true it generally is,’” Armstrong told Guardian Business.

The advertiser claimed he was in South Africa on missionary work. He insisted Armstrong fill out an online application form asking for personal details, such as his passport number, address and age.

Armstrong became suspicious and searched the address online, only to learn someone else owned the property.

According to The Guardian, this is first published case of an online rental scam targeting the Bahamas.

The apartment in question is a three bedroom and it’s quite possible the scammer’s never visited Sandyport, let alone the Bahamas, and used the internet to gather information for his attempted scam.

It can happen anywhere and it’s a lesson to us all to use local licensed professionals, no matter which country we’re conducting business in.

“This is the first time I’m hearing something like this,” said William Wong, president of the Bahamas Real Estate Association. “The best way to safeguard them is to deal with a licensed BREA agent.”

The Veranda Resort & Residences, opening February 1 on the island of Providenciales, is now offering a Grand Opening Deal of 30-percent off for travel from February 1 to April 10, with introductory rates starting at $630 per night based on double occupancy (including tax and service). Here’s a link to watch the video clip under the photo.

The 10-acre resort occupies 800 feet of beachfront along the shores of Grace Bay. The 168-room resort will include two separate oceanfront restaurants offering both elegant and casual dining experiences, an outdoor lounge and contemporary bar, an Asian-inspired wellness center, spa and fitness facility, three separate swimming pools and more.

As the Caribbean’s only beachfront residential resort community of its kind, The Veranda features architectural styles inspired from legendary coastal destinations such as Nantucket and Key West. The community blends tropical exterior colors, lush landscaping and inviting walkways throughout the accommodations, restaurants, swimming pools and peaceful spots while just steps from world-famous Grace Bay Beach.

Visit your travel agent or the Veranda web site for information and reservations. Contact any of our Coldwell Banker agents about the residence opportunities in the Veranda.

Having St Kitts citizenship is boosting demand for the luxury villas, poolside cottages, and condominiums at the $100 million Ocean’s Edge resort development at Frigate Bay, reports luxury property experts Savills Select Resorts. Privileged St Kitts Citizenship, with all its second passport benefits, is proving to be an added incentive for buyers. Savills Select Resorts Director Pauline Bonanni said: “Investing in property is one of the most cost effective ways of gaining the considerable benefits afforded by St Kitts Citizenship.”

St Kitts citizenship offers a 2nd passport, and significant offshore financial benefits, such as freedom from income tax, property taxes, inheritance tax and capital gains tax for property owned for 12 months or more.

The citizenship is open to investors of $350,000 - or its eastern Caribbean equivalent currency - in an approved development. Prices at Ocean’s Edge start in the mid-$300,000s. Work on Phase 3A of Ocean’s Edge will start shortly. Families are already moving into Phases 1 and 2.

Ocean’s Edge, a joint venture project between Newfound and local partners, is an exclusive development of apartments, cottages and individual villas spread around the superb beachfront location of Frigate Bay in St Kitts. Covering almost 40 acres, the resort enjoys a sense of seclusion and intimacy thanks to the bay’s curved beach and the dramatic hillside rising steeply from the shoreline to the south. With fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean and located just yards from the renowned Royal St. Kitts Golf Course, Ocean’s Edge sets new standards for design, construction and lifestyle on this beautiful, understated Caribbean island.

For more on the development, read the press release from PRWeb.

Having St Kitts citizenship is boosting demand for the luxury villas, poolside cottages, and condominiums at the $100 million Ocean’s Edge resort development at Frigate Bay, reports luxury property experts Savills Select Resorts. Privileged St Kitts Citizenship, with all its second passport benefits, is proving to be an added incentive for buyers. Savills Select Resorts Director Pauline Bonanni said: “Investing in property is one of the most cost effective ways of gaining the considerable benefits afforded by St Kitts Citizenship.”

St Kitts citizenship offers a 2nd passport, and significant offshore financial benefits, such as freedom from income tax, property taxes, inheritance tax and capital gains tax for property owned for 12 months or more.

The citizenship is open to investors of $350,000 - or its eastern Caribbean equivalent currency - in an approved development. Prices at Ocean’s Edge start in the mid-$300,000s. Work on Phase 3A of Ocean’s Edge will start shortly. Families are already moving into Phases 1 and 2.

Ocean’s Edge, a joint venture project between Newfound and local partners, is an exclusive development of apartments, cottages and individual villas spread around the superb beachfront location of Frigate Bay in St Kitts. Covering almost 40 acres, the resort enjoys a sense of seclusion and intimacy thanks to the bay’s curved beach and the dramatic hillside rising steeply from the shoreline to the south. With fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean and located just yards from the renowned Royal St. Kitts Golf Course, Ocean’s Edge sets new standards for design, construction and lifestyle on this beautiful, understated Caribbean island.

For more on the development, read the press release from PRWeb.

The Cayman Islands are hosting their 32nd annual Pirates Week Festival from Nov. 12-22, with music, street dances, food festivals, costumes, games and more in Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.

The event includes a mock pirate invasion Nov. 14 when old-time sailing vessels loaded with costumed actors land ashore to take over Grand Cayman’s George Town Harbor.

Other events include a 10K run, a pirate costume competition, swim meets, dart tournament, artists’ exhibition, cardboard boat race, fireworks display, underwater treasure hunt, children’s fair, turtle release, teen disco and song contest.

11 fun-filled, festive days in the sun with something for everyone, and a lot of it FREE! A mock “pirate invasion” from the sea! Two old-time sailing vessels, loaded with “pirates” make a Saturday surprise landing at the bowl-shaped George Town harbour, as thousands line the streets to take part in the spectacle or just watch. It’s good-natured fun, there’s a new twist every year, and families just love it. It’s the only event of its kind in the Caribbean region.

(resource: NashuaTelegraph)

Next March 15-20, the ClubSwan Caribbean Rendezvous, one of the highlights in the Nautor’s Swan Calendar, will take the participating Swan fleet around some spectacular areas of the BVIs on a week’s program of cruising and social activities. 2 days they will be based at the prestigious Bitter End Yacht Club for seated dinners and beach barbeques to dinghy racing and treasure hunts.

About 20-30 Swan yachts are expected, ranging from 36 to 114′. The Rendezvous will feature a range of on-shore and off-shore events, and while maintaining a cruising focus with a series of optional, laid back races around the islands.

For information, contact the Swan Racing office, racing-office@nautorswan.com.

(resource: Sail World)

Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty president Mike Lightbourn took time out of his busy real estate schedule to successfully defend the Bahamas National Singles Senior Championship.
This is the third straight year Mike has won the title.

WE CAN”T SAY IT OFTEN ENOUGH

When doing any real estate related business in the Bahamas, make sure you use a Bahamas Real Estate Association licensed agent.

We’re sounding this warning after U.K. resident Scott Armstrong almost got caught in a scam emanating outside the Bahamas.

According to The Nassau Guardian, Armstrong thought he was on to a good thing when he saw a posting on Craigslist.com, offering a one bedroom apartment in the gated Sandyport community for $600 a month.

“I should have remembered the old adage, ‘if something looks too good to be true it generally is,’” Armstrong told Guardian Business.

The advertiser claimed he was in South Africa on missionary work. He insisted Armstrong fill out an online application form asking for personal details, such as his passport number, address and age.

Armstrong became suspicious and searched the address online, only to learn someone else owned the property.

According to The Guardian, this is first published case of an online rental scam targeting the Bahamas.

The apartment in question is a three bedroom and it’s quite possible the scammer’s never visited Sandyport, let alone the Bahamas, and used the internet to gather information for his attempted scam.

It can happen anywhere and it’s a lesson to us all to use local licensed professionals, no matter which country we’re conducting business in.

“This is the first time I’m hearing something like this,” said William Wong, president of the Bahamas Real Estate Association. “The best way to safeguard them is to deal with a licensed BREA agent.”

This listing is a quality-built luxury home in Noord with 2 bedrooms/2.5 baths. This home features a raised foundation, marble floors, insulated ceilings, double pane windows, custom design kitchen, recessed lighting, chandeliers in all rooms, designer bathrooms and full air conditioning. The home is located near the center of Noord with supermarkets, shops, pharmacies, banks, schools and entertainment at close distance. Palm beach is also nearby and so are many casinos. The total constructed area is 152 m2/ 1636 sq/ft on 400 m2/ 4306 sq/ft of property land. Asking $350,000.

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