SAFETY IN PARADISE MAKING A HOME IN BARBADOS

Choosing a home anywhere in the world is one of the biggest life decisions you will make and one of the biggest factors is your family’s safety in the home you choose. In real estate it’s always about location and, amidst the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Barbados has proven itself as a safe destination for locals and visitors alike.

Traditionally Barbados is known for being a luxury tourist destination with five-star hotels, private villas and resort living drawing people from around the globe to our little rock. With the downturn in commercial air travel due to the safety concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new vision for travel was born, the “Barbados Welcome Stamp”. Barbados has now opened its doors to the world and invited foreigners to come and live like a ‘Bajan’ for 12-months.

Overwhelming interest around the globe resulted in this initiative being featured on several major international news channels, including BBC and CNN, as well as many online blog platforms. Applicants are pleased to be able to travel to an English-speaking country with a solid infrastructure, sound economy, high-class healthcare system and respected education services, from preschool to university level, all in a tropical setting with year-round sunshine and beaches ideal for creating the happy work-life balance that we all need.

The “Welcome Stamp” changed the landscape of the Barbados real estate market with persons not only looking to rent for up to 12-months but also looking to purchase a second or forever home in Barbados. This has created a new market for real estate companies to now create a full-service package of rental to ownership for visitors who wish to use the stamp as a steppingstone to the SERP programme which allows residency through investment. The Special Entry and Reside Permit enables a qualified individual and their spouse and children, to obtain residency status in Barbados. There are many levels and forms of investment which can be undertaken.

Whether you want to make Barbados your home for 12months or a lifetime, when choosing your home, it is paramount to have the guidance of an experienced real estate firm, along with the support of one of the many major law firms on the island. Before you even decide on the home you wish to rent or purchase, it is best to review the key demographics which your family will need from that property. Clients must ensure they choose a location which is close to the school(s) of their choice, easy commute to their workspace if not working from home, dining and nightlife close by, parks and beaches for children and animals, and lastly the overall security of the area.

Barbados has a number of established communities which usually draw the eye of most foreign travellers or investors, such as Sandy Lane Estate, Royal Westmoreland Golf Resort, Sugar Hill, Apes Hill, Port St. Charles and The Condominiums at Palm Beach. Outside of these wellestablished neighbourhoods there are many other up and coming areas on the west, south and east coasts of Barbados, which offer a range of different lifestyle activities to fit your needs.

Once you have figured out where you want to live, the next hurdle is to know how you want to live. There is a wide variety of home selection in Barbados. Ranging from expansive villas, modern condominiums, quaint homes and private beach houses,

Safety in Paradise - Making a Home in Barbados

there is something on every coast to fit your style. Sandy Lane offers excellent choices for a variety of luxurious homes, with access to the Sandy Lane Property Owners Beach Facility. If you are a fan of golf, you can make your home in Royal Westmoreland and enjoy beautiful views of the golf course, onsite security and access to the Royal Westmoreland Beach Club at Mullins. For lovers of the sea and the avid boat owner, look no further than Port Ferdinand, where units range from three to five bedrooms with onsite dining, luxury spa, and private boat berths. The diverse range of rental homes in Barbados also include quaint condos close to the beach, such as Banyan Court, as well as numerous others located all around the island from St. Philip to St. Lucy. https://www.realtorslimited.com/

No matter what your heart desires you will find it in Barbados. Trading ski boots for sandals and frozen lakes for the warm Caribbean Sea is always the right choice.