— T H E
INTERNATIONAL
MY NEIGHBORHOOD
Oceanus House, a luxury villa on Mustique
C A R I B B E A N —
Island Idylls Once a vacation paradise, the Caribbean and the Bahamas are an increasingly viable place to live and work.
T
HE CARIBBEAN has long been synonymous with holiday homes, where owners spent a few glorious weeks a year getting away from the trials of everyday life. Now, in the era of remote work— when space and privacy are top priorities—island real estate is gaining popularity as both primary property and second or third homes where owners stay for much longer periods of time. Sales in Barbados are up 50 percent over their highest levels in the past 20 years. Mustique and St. Barts, too, have seen record sales years. With the Bahamas and islands in the Caribbean incentivizing visitors to become buyers by offering remote-working tax exemptions—and few restrictions for foreigners purchasing homes—the market is likely to get even hotter. Not surprisingly, waterfront real estate is in particularly high demand and can command a 30 percent pricing premium. Homes that are near the coastline and high enough to offer views of it are also popular, as are those with indoor-outdoor living amenities like sliding glass walls and covered dining terraces. If you’re considering buying in the Caribbean—or another tropical location near the ocean—it’s wise to make sure your prospective home has been designed to minimize damage in a storm. Fixtures run the gamut
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