Feb 2, 2015
It is tough for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder, but in many cases it is a question of prioritizing your ambitions and setting plans in place to achieve them. Financial planning in your Fifties is just as important as in your Twenties so buying real estate is not governed by age. That said, many tenants look back over the years at the money they paid in rent and lament the missed opportunity. Quite often the cost to repay a mortgage would have been less than monthly rent. The...
Feb 2, 2015
Welcome to our first edition of 2015 and our 97th spread over 16 years. It is amazing to look back at the first edition and see how far real estate in Barbados has come in those 16 years. Today we have a magnificent range of property and an industry worthy of its name with an abundance of product, services and materials to meet virtually every property need.
Many people believe the real estate decline has finally bottomed out and has started the long haul upwards. Certainly early reports...
Feb 2, 2015
News fills and empties your bucket whether you like it or not. Some married couples might feel the mood of their partner first thing in the morning is much more important than anything else in the world, but in reality it is a passing whim and probably forgotten a few hours later as more important issues determine the mood of the day.
Mood and confidence walk hand in hand in life and they don’t just affect personal attitudes, they embrace business and have far reaching vibes across the world...
Jan 1, 2015
ST. PETER, Barbados (January 23rd 2015) – Blue Sky Luxury, the Caribbean’s Holiday Home Experts, announces the launch of Blue, the Caribbean’s first villa rentals loyalty programme, this month.
This innovative, destination-wide programme is complimentary for the firm’s repeat guests and property owners with no complicated points system to navigate. Members will receive enhanced Concierge Can service and a 5% discount on future villa bookings in the Blue Sky Luxury destinations of Antigua,...
Dec 12, 2014
I have never believed in too much bureaucracy and I attribute this to spending 18 months in the Northern Ireland Civil Service as my first job before breaking in the world of finance and then self-employed for the last decade. However, I strongly believe in organization and productivity and feel these objectives can only be achieved by deeds rather than words. That said, there’s a wonderful simplicity within self-employment that gets things done without undue bureaucracy and stress.
We are a...
Oct 10, 2014
Having a property professionally valued and surveyed is probably the most important part of the buying process yet many buyers see it as an imposition and an extra cost where a mortgage is involved. Part of their thinking is because lenders commission the Valuation Report, instruct the Valuer and only use Valuers on their preferred panel. Perhaps this seems logical, but it is the applicant who pays the Valuer’s fee, which they see as required by the lender not themselves.
There is often a...
Oct 10, 2014
We live in an electronic era where breaking news is instant and as a result there are many people in marketing who would have you believe magazines and newspapers are on their deathbed. In addition to its speed they point out the amazing reach of the Internet, its low cost, its and the increasing numbers that are attracted to this medium through telephones as much as computers, large public screens and strategically placed monitors in offices and shops. And some tell us in 20 years time...
Oct 10, 2014
The lure to return to the homeland may not be as attractive as it has been for returning nationals, but setting aside the island’s current economic challenges, there has never been a better time to buy.
Many Barbadians living overseas have a long-term plan to retire to their homeland or to own a piece of the Rock and spend more holidays in the sun before making the final move. It is an understandable dream given the beautiful attributes Barbados has to offer and nobody knows them better than a...
Jul 7, 2014
I never knew the word “austerity” existed until a few years ago when the effects of global meltdown started to hit hard in several European countries and there were protest marches against Government policies and some placards read “An end to Austerity measures.” After a quick flick through the pages of my Oxford dictionary I was suitably enlightened as to the meaning of this Draconian word, which has now become a buzzword in the modern era.
There are several meanings of austerity, but the...
Jul 7, 2014
It’s the Crop Over season once again and with it comes a great buzz of excitement covering many social, musical, cultural and party activities. Everything builds up to the big Kadooment Day Parade, which has become a colourful spectacle that attracts many visitors and returning nationals in August. But behind the fun and enjoyment of the revelry lies the huge business benefits that embrace tourism, hospitality, car hire, restaurants, activities and real estate.
Our economy will be energized by...