National Colony Realty

Today we listed four(4) beachfront properties in Middle Caicos on Bambarra beach all one (1) acre each and with 100ft of beachfrontage. And also, two (2) lots both half acre each just one road back and in walking distance to the beautiful pristine Bambarra beach. These lots were subdivided by the owner for individual sale. All zoned residential.

These properties are priced relatively reasonable, imagine ONE ACRE of beachfront property for only $350,000.

Even though, Middle Caicos which is the biggest island in the Turks and Caicos Island chain is not the most developed of the islands, more projects are now beginning to happen on the island but meanwhile natives to the islands as well as repeat visitors to the Turks and Caicos shores are enjoying the quiet life of Middle Caicos, as well as the fun filled historic sites, caves and beautiful beaches that Middle Caicos has to offer. Middle Caicos is indeed an island in paradise.

Now dont get me wrong I usually try to be upbeat and positive and I have read “dont sweat the small stuff”

but sommmme days I just cant be upbeat and positive and on those days I want to rule the world and have everyone do what I say, because my thoughts are much worse.

Now some may say its an age thing, hormones..blah blah blah but I live on a small island with a total population of approx 25,000, mix of local born islanders, ex pats and truthfully it really is paradise here.

If you have ever lived in a small town then you understand how things are different, we dont necessarily park in the parking lot, we like to park on an angle near the parking lot, just far enough out so that another car cant get by, or sometimes we like to stay in the car and talk to the other car while traffic is slowing building up, but hey whats the hurry its the Caribbean, time has no meaning here.

A famous saying here is “soon come” and for most days it is a great saying but not always, especially when you go to the Immigration office to get some paperwork done and you are told to come back because the girl is out with “the book” you see everything is recorded in “the book” . So you go and hope the book comes back tomorrow.

If you are ever luck enough to have the good fortune to live on a Caribbean Island please remeber that is is paradise and it will never be like what you had at home and we dont want it to change that much otherwise why would be move here but you do have to learn patience and especially learn to slllooowww down

come visit some time and leave the hectic life back there and learn to embrace the things that make this place so special and unique

Three (3) days from today will be the beginning of lobster season in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Lobster fishing is a NO NO (close season) from 1 April to 31 July of each year and reopens on the 1 of August. This is a big time for people in the Turks and Caicos Islands. For instance, on the first day the season opens you will find many people crowding the fishery plant for some of the fresh catch. Also that day will be a Lobster fest which has brough much international interest, featuring various lobster dishes.

In south Caicos the first day of lobster season is known as the “Big Grab” and many fishermen find this time very profitable, as lobster is in high demand by all.

I cannot wait to get a taste of some hash lobster and rice, or grilled lobster and potatoes, to be honest any lobster dish.

VD

Starting on Wednesday, 29th July 2009 will be the 38th annual Provo Summer Festival which will end on 1 August 2009. This week events will vary from, float parades, beauty pageants including Little Miss Turks and Caicos and Miss Earth Turks and Caicos, and also Junkanoo and shows with our very own local artists and a few international guests.

What a coincidence, I was thinking about blogging about TC Invest in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and today I found an interesting article about them in the Discover Turks and Caicos Magazine. My work was made easy . . . “TCInvest is an independent agency in the islands with a mandate to attract new foreign direct investment, facilitate development, encourage entrepreneurship amongst the residents and provide financing to the local population.

Established in 1995, TCInvest is a seasoned one-stop shop to ease the way for potential investors and guide them through the necessary formalities. TCInvest provides that vital bridge as a facilitator between the investor and government. Its role for the potential investor is to advise and assist on opportunities and policies; screen new investment projects for suitability, feasibility, and quality of investor finances; facilitate timely consideration of proposals; negotiate joint ventures and development agreements which qualify for TCI Government’s investment incentives.”

There you have it, the role of TCInvest in a nut shell.

Providenciales usually called Provo is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The island has an area of 38 square miles and has the largest population of the islands.

Provo is the most tourist-oriented and developed of the islands, boasting many resort hotels and an 18-hole golf course. The island has recently become popular with retirees from around the world, kindiling a boom of residential development. The resorts on Providenciales are centered on five mile-long Grace Bay, with its brilliant white sand and turquoise waters. Providenciales is also known for being home to the world only conch farm, and also boasts of its Cheshire Hall ruins, a 1970s plantation house which was constructed by British loyalists.

West Caicos is one of the uninhabited islands of the Turks and Caicos Islands chain. It is 9 square miles in length. West Caicos is famous for its unique ecological and historical aspects of the island. For instance, it is home to a varitey of bird life and has a few natural reserves. Also, it was cleared in the 1890’s for salinas and for the cultivation of sisal and to this day still contains the ruins of those activities as well as railroad tracks, engines and stone buildings which are some of the last evidence of some small civilization existing on the island during that time period.

West Caicos is now being developed as the future home of the Ritz Carlton which is currently under construction. Dive operators have also made West Caicos a famous destination for site seeing tours and picnics.

VD.

Just a little about Grand Turk one of the islands in the Turks and Caicos. This is an article written by the Turks and Caicos Tourism department that I thought summed up Grand Turk quite well.

Grand Turk is the capital island of the Turks and Caicos, its historical heartbeat, and home to a state of the art luxury cruise ship center. It is here that Christopher Columbus fist made landfall on his initial voyage to the New World in 1492. Almost 500 years later, US astronaut John Glenn “discovered” Grand Turk himself, after he became the first American man to orbit the earth.

Cockburn Town is the center piece of the island with a wonderful selection of historical buildings and a rustic charm that is unforgettable. Grand Turk is one of the main historical points of Turks and Caicos. You will find many Colonial style buildings and ruins, along with the Turks and Caicos National Museum.

One of Grand Turk’s main attractions is diving. With its many dive operators it can cater to novice snorkelers to experienced divers. There is an outstanding protected coral reef, which drops to 8,000 feet and is close enough to shore for beach dives. There are several accommodations as well as casual restaurants which feature local entertainment. During whale watching season visitors can watch the humpback whales pass from Grand Turk’s shores as well as from the surface of the water.”

VD.

Below is the cost of using a real estate agent when performing a real estate transaction in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

If you are interested in Selling: There is a 6% commission on developed property and 10% on undeveloped land. This fee is paid by the Vendor (owner of the property) when the transaction is completed. - In my own words the Vendor pays for the real estate agent/company service of promoting the property and getting a buyer. Sometimes, the agent or company may decide to reduce the commission if it is an in-house deal, but that depends on the company and its philosophy.

If you are interested in Buying: There is no cost to the Purchaser from the real estate agent or company. The real estate agent will be paid out of the commission that the Vendor has to pay the listing agent upon closing. The good thing about having an agent when purchasing is that the agent can (1) help you find the property you are interested in (2) provide you with full details of the property (3) help you through the process of purchasing (4) negotiate on your behalf and help you to get the best deal on your purchase; and (5) assist with any follow ups and be a point of contact with your attorney especially if you are residing off island . Et al.

Question: I have a property in the Turks and Caicos Islands that I would like to sell. How do I go about putting it up for sale with your company?

At National Colony Realty when we decide to list a property for sale on the market, we will have the Vendor sign an MLS Agreement. This gives us permission to sell and market the property and guarantees us a commission when the property has been sold. Once you provide us with the property information and sign the form we will take it from there.

The purpose of the Multiple Listing Agreement is to give your property access to the Multiple Listing System. This system is managed by the Turks and Caicos Real Estate Association (TCREA), which in turn, puts your property in the association data base giving it an MLS number for ease of reference, and giving other practicing TCREA agents the opportunity to view your property details. In turn, your property will get maximum exposure as other agents can pass your property information to their clients as well. The MLS Agreement also gives us the privilege of posting your property information in our quarterly Real Estate Magazine which is distributed worldwide, and also on our TCREA website for further exposure to the property.

We at National Colony Realty do give other advertising exposure to your property which we can provide to you. However, the MLS form is the only piece of information that we require you to sign so that we can begin marketing your property.