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Grand Bahama Introduced to London

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:48:51 EDT

James Sarles, President of Coldwell Banker James Sarles Realty, was recently invited by exclusive Savills to the launch of their Caribbean desk, where he showcased Grand Bahama property listings in London. Sarles works with Savills—a global real estate service provider listed on the London Stock Exchange—to give his clients greater world wide reach.

Savills encompasses an international network of more than 200 offices and associates throughout the Americas, the United Kingdom, continental Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. A broad range of specialist advisory, management, and transactional services is offered to clients all over the world...

Real estate predictions in 2012

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:10:26 EDT

One of the interesting parts of ringing in the New Year is the speculation on what the New Year will bring to the Grand Bahama Real Estate Market, the US Real Estate Market and the world Real Estate Market. Collecting New Year predictions isn't as silly as it sounds; it gives knowledgeable players a chance to share what they know. For my readers who are wondering what to do in 2012 here are a few interesting trusted voices in the US market which directly correlates to our market. Because as the saying goes, when the US sneezes we catch a cold in Grand Bahama.

Karl Case, an economist and professor emeritus at Wellesley College, is one of the nation's smartest observers of the real-estate market in the US. The S&P/Case-Shiller Index, invented by Karl Case and Robert Shiller, "is pretty much the Dow Jones industrial average of real estate," says The New York Times. I read an article by Karl who predicts that the real estate market in the US is showing signs of recovery. That’s good sign for our market.

To Buy or Not to Buy, That is the Question...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:29:18 EDT

“TO BE OR NOT TO BE” is the opening line from William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet written in 1600. If Shakespeare was a Real Estate Agent in Freeport he might ask the question TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY that is the question. Many people have asked themselves this question especially in these uncertain economic times. While each option of renting or owning has its benefits, the decision to purchase a duplex, condominium or house as opposed to renting, is complex and based on a number of factors. Nearly everyone believes buying a home today is a good financial decision. The question that remains is whether or not NOW is the right time to purchase a home for YOU!

For most people, deciding to purchase a home is the largest financial decision...

Is the sky falling or is it time to invest?

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:19:39 EDT

There is a classic children’s story about Chicken Little—a character who is hit on the head by an acorn and proceeds to run with his friend Ducky Lucky and others to tell the King that “the sky is falling… the sky is falling!”

If you talk to people around Freeport, or listen to the daily onslaught of mainstream news, you probably agree with Chicken Little that the sky is falling when it comes to our economy. If asked about real estate prices on Grand Bahama, Chicken Little would tell you that “the Sky is Falling”, and everyone’s house prices are falling so don’t sell or don’t buy. We have many Chicken Little messengers on the island that think Grand Bahama will never get out of its current slump, and that the housing market will never recover—nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s another way to look at it...

Real Estate Advice in These Difficult Times

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:50:12 EDT

I have been a Real Estate Broker on Grand Bahama Island for over 10 years and as a Broker the number one question that people ask me is what is the future Of Real Estate on the island. No one has a Crystal Ball that can see the future exactly but with the current state of the economy there are many factors that give us an indication of the Future of Real Estate on Grand Bahama Island.

An important point to keep in mind is that it is very difficult to make broad statements about the state of the Grand Bahama Real Estate because there are many different Real Estate Markets on the Island. There is a big difference between raw land, lower income homes, high end beach front homes, condos and duplexes. No one would ask you how the weather is in the United States because that’s too general...