Coldwell Banker Islands Blog

To put the best face on a listing and appeal to buyers who follow Feng Shui principles, keep these tips in mind.

1. Pay special attention to the front door, which is considered the “mouth of chi” (chi is the “life force” of all things) and one of the most powerful aspects of the entire property. Abundance, blessings, opportunities, and good fortune enter through the front door. It’s also the first impression buyers have of how well the sellers have taken care of the rest of the property. Make sure the area around the front door is swept clean, free of cobwebs and clutter. Make sure all lighting is straight and properly hung. Better yet, light the path leading up to the front door to create an inviting atmosphere.

2. Chi energy can be flushed away wherever there are drains in the home. To keep the good forces of a home in, always keep the toilet seats down and close the doors to bathrooms.

3. The master bed should be in a place of honor, power, and protection, which is farthest from and facing toward the entryway of the room. It’s even better if you can place the bed diagonally in the farthest corner. Paint the room in colors that promote serenity, relaxation, and romance, such as soft tones of green, blue, and lavender.

4. The dining room symbolizes the energy and power of family togetherness. Make sure the table is clear and uncluttered during showings. Use an attractive tablecloth to enhance the look of the table while also softening sharp corners.

5. The windows are considered to be the eyes of the home. Getting the windows professionally cleaned will make the home sparkle and ensure that the view will be optimally displayed.

Talk to any of our Coldwell Banker agents about other ways to maximize the marketing potential of your property when you are ready to sell.

To put the best face on a listing and appeal to buyers who follow Feng Shui principles, keep these tips in mind.

1. Pay special attention to the front door, which is considered the “mouth of chi” (chi is the “life force” of all things) and one of the most powerful aspects of the entire property. Abundance, blessings, opportunities, and good fortune enter through the front door. It’s also the first impression buyers have of how well the sellers have taken care of the rest of the property. Make sure the area around the front door is swept clean, free of cobwebs and clutter. Make sure all lighting is straight and properly hung. Better yet, light the path leading up to the front door to create an inviting atmosphere.

2. Chi energy can be flushed away wherever there are drains in the home. To keep the good forces of a home in, always keep the toilet seats down and close the doors to bathrooms.

3. The master bed should be in a place of honor, power, and protection, which is farthest from and facing toward the entryway of the room. It’s even better if you can place the bed diagonally in the farthest corner. Paint the room in colors that promote serenity, relaxation, and romance, such as soft tones of green, blue, and lavender.

4. The dining room symbolizes the energy and power of family togetherness. Make sure the table is clear and uncluttered during showings. Use an attractive tablecloth to enhance the look of the table while also softening sharp corners.

5. The windows are considered to be the eyes of the home. Getting the windows professionally cleaned will make the home sparkle and ensure that the view will be optimally displayed.

Talk to any of our Coldwell Banker agents about other ways to maximize the marketing potential of your property when you are ready to sell.

For several years, local Caymanians have been pushing the business community to reduce the number of plastic bags they use and give to consumers. Three Grand Cayman supermarkets have agreed to replace their plastic bags with biodegradable bags, for which they will charge 5 cents, starting in June. They hope this will encourage customers to reuse and recycle.

In Cayman we use over a million plastic bags a month from the supermarkets alone, which will all end up in one place - the landfill, or even worse, in the ocean, where the bags can have a serious impact on marine life. There is a lot that can do to address this, not least changing old habits.

All the supermarkets on Grand Cayman supply sturdy, comfortable, roomy reusable bags for a small fee, and these will continue to be sold in stores. On Cayman Brac, reusable bags can be purchased at Billys Supermarket and The Market Place. On June 9, Foster’s, Hurley’s and Kirk supermarkets will start the new program.

These efforts will supplement a new network organization formed in June 2009. At that time, Deloitte and the Sustainable Development Unit of the Department of Environment (DOE) struck up a partnership to promote and support the implementation of environmental projects and sustainability initiatives in the Cayman Islands. From this partnership has come the “Corporate Green Team Network.” These efforts hope to provide a platform to come together, connect, coordinate efforts, and ultimately work towards the same goal - the sustainability of the Cayman Islands.

The new Hospital Information System (HIS) now operational in the Joseph N France Hospital in Basseterre, St Kitts represents a technical milestone. It enables computerization of the hospital records and billing system.

Director of Technology Wesley Wharton said that the introduction of the technology heralds new efficiencies and completely modernizes the way in which the Ministry of Health and the Joseph N. France (JNF) Hospital manage interactions with the many patients who utilize the health services.

The Director of Technology also mentioned that a pilot programme had been introduced to the nurses at JNF, which guided them in the use of hand held devices such as the iPhone and Blackberry in order to access websites with updated medical information including drug interaction, doses and technologies for remote patient monitoring.

The project began as a result of a World Bank funded HIV/AIDS project. Initially intended was a Health Information System to serve the entire health sector, but the cost was prohibitive. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Mr. Elvis Newton turned to the Republic of China (Taiwan) to ensure the development of the appropriate technology. The government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Ministry of Sustainable Development secured the funding.

As a real estate appraiser of over 40 years, I’m questioned from time to time about my Bahamas real estate valuations.
When this happens, the owner invariably feels his home or property in the Bahamas is worth more.
Owners often attach an inflated value on their home. And why shouldn’t they? After all, this is their haven; the place of many happy gatherings and memories.
But in the world of real estate, values in the Bahamas, as elsewhere, are based on a myriad of factors - not one of them tied to emotion.
Let’s look carefully at the process.
The location in the Bahamas, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage and overall condition of the home will all come into play, along with any defects.
Defects may include outdated plumbing, a worn kitchen or environmental issues, such as noise.
Neighbouring homes in disrepair can drag your property’s value down by as much as 20 percent. The present economic conditions come into play, the number of properties on the market, etc.
The appraiser will compare your home to those that have recently sold in your neighbourhood.
When comparing against similar Bahamas properties, it’s not just the final price that counts. Appraisers may also factor in any “incentives” offered (when known), such as renovations to be completed before the home goes on the market. Their appraisal will show the value of the property before and after the renovations.
Perhaps the most important factor that lenders review in an appraisal is the closing dates of the “comparables” (other homes in the Bahamas by which yours is measured). However, be warned that when markets change, today’s sale price may be completely irrelevant tomorrow.
If you’re planning to sell, express your concerns about the appraisal process to your Bahamas Real Estate Association appraiser, who will offer explanations and suggestions for improving your report’s results.
Comments or questions? E-mail me at ask@ColdwellBankerBahamas.com.

Tip of the Week - It’s important to keep your own home in good repair. It’s not cheap to maintain a house, but the value can decline greatly if you allow it to get run down.

Mike Lightbourn is president of Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty.

Recently built 3 Bed 2 Bath concrete home in a Lower Valley on Grand Cayman. Elevation approx. 18ft. above sea level. Solid concrete construction, good quality finishes, granite counters, travertine tiles, wood cabinets, stainless steel faced appliances etc. Must Sell so make offer! Asking $517.100 US.

Visit our Coldwell Banker Listing page for more photos.

Here’s a buildable lot in Ballast Bay on Tortola, British Virgin Islands, with a spectacular view of the blue Caribbean and neighboring islands. Total land area is 0.358 acres, on a gently sloping hillside.

In the 19th century stones from Ballast Bay were used by trading ships to balance their vessels as they sailed to and from the islands. In more peaceful times, fishermen would cast their nets from these shores.

Today, Ballast Bay is the perfect spot for the more relaxing pursuits of soaking up the sun and enjoying the spectacular views of Cane Garden Bay and the sailboats that choose to drop their hook at one of the BVI’s favourite anchorages. One of Tortola’s finest sandy beaches is only moments away for those who love to feel the grains between their toes yet far enough to guarantee peace and tranquillity.

Priced at $120,000, consider this prime oceanview lot for your future home, or as an investment to buy and hold. There will only be so much land available in the future in the Caribbean, especially with these views.

Contact our Coldwell Banker office for details, and visit our listing page for more photos.

We’ve written about the upcoming Aruba Film Festival (AIFF) before, but have found out that the founders and producers have joined with Arikok National Park to help maintain a Green Aruba.

While the festival will bring artists and cinema afficionados together for a week of enjoyment, it was also created with another purpose: honoring the island through pro-environmental practices, which will take place before and during the event.

AIFF will allocate space for Arikok NP to set up a booth at the festival, where they can inform the public about the initiatives the park is taking in reforestation. Volunteers can enlist with Park Rangers and participate on hiking tours. The Festival will also help the Park Foundation build a greenhouse in which to grow trees for reforestation.

To keep the environmental impact of the event to a minimum, AIFF is placing recycling bins around the compound, providing guests with given “green” tips and walking maps, and making reusable water bottles available. Restaurants at Paseo Herencia will be provided with AIFF-branded cups, napkins and other paper products made from recycled paper.

Let’s all do our part to keep Aruba Green.

Join us as we celebrate Earth Day 2010 in Turks & Caicos at the Bight Park. The Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association has organized the annual TCI Shines clean-up campaign at the Children’s Bight Park this morning. All residents and tourists are invited to help keep TCI Beautiful By Nature and assist in the park and beach clean-up program.

It is estimated that more than 1 Billion people all over the globe will observe Earth Day today, now celebrating its 40th year, which promises to be the largest since 1970.

In 1969 two environmental disasters caught the worlds attention: the Cuyahoga River in Ohio grew so polluted that it caught fire, and the massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara California.

Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network announced that Earth Day has become a year-round imperative, it’s influence has created a green generation of business and government leaders who are creating a new global green future worthy of the aspiration of the first Earth Day.

Keep TCI Beautiful By Nature and participate in the TCI Shines project - hosted by TCHTA and other on-island organizations.

For more information on Earth Day and a list of the initiatives and activities being held around the world please visit www.cnn.com.

Last Sunday, HGTV’s popular show, House Hunters International, featured Turks and Caicos islands in a program about fractional ownership.

As those of you know who read our Coldwell Banker CBIA Fractional Ownership blog, and visit that site, many many buyers around the world have discovered Fractional Ownership as a way to enjoy a piece of paradise at a fraction of whole ownership cost.

As described by Free Press of TCI, “Sunday evening’s segment on HGTV featured a couple from Arizona with a dream of owning a home in the Caribbean in which they could spend weeks, not the traditional days long vacation enjoying all that the TCI has to offer. Elite Home Destinations’ Bill Bisanz steps in to help them find the perfect fractional home here in Provo to make this investment in their quality of life.

“They check out two fractionals: One is available for $700,000 and offers an eight-week stay, and the other is priced at $500,000 for a 10-week stay. But just to give them all the options, Bill also showed them a sole ownership house listed for $2.5 million. In the end, wanting to have their cake and eat it too so to speak, they chose the fractional ownership home that fit their tastes and lifestyle and met all their wish list needs.

“The show concludes with the overjoyed couple basking in the delight of their new abode, allowing them to fulfill a longtime aspiration of owning a tropical paradise while not breaking the bank, which proves something that all of us fortunate enough to already live here know — there is something for everyone here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Come talk to anyone in our Coldwell Banker office about the fractional ownership possibilities on Turks and Caicos. You may be amazed at what you can afford.

Watch a replay of the TCI on House Hunters International on June 7 at 10:30 p.m.