Luxury property specialists http://www.uniqueliving.com offer tips
and advice on the world's high-end real estate hotspots.
Ask anyone around the world to name paradise and they would
most likely say Barbados. Famous for its ideal climate, flawless beaches and
unspoilt natural landscapes, the island country is as perfect as life gets for
those lucky enough to own a home here.
Want your own piece of island paradise? Here is Unique
Living's guide to luxury property in Saint James:
Vital Statistics
Average price
€400k - €9m
Style of property
Apartments / Villas
Who's buying?
Familiar buyers
Background
Information
Climate
Barbados is far from the Algarve, but the island's
Mediterrannean climate is surprisingly similar to South Portugal: a mix of warm
weather throughout the year with a dry season in the first half of the year and
a cooler, wetter end to 2012.
Lifestyle
Most of Barbados' residents come from abroad, with the
area's culinary history attracting a high class of expatriate. Instead of using
their Barbados holiday home every few weeks, buyers tend to use it maybe twice
a year, because the weather is good over Christmas.
Economy
Barbados relies on tourism as much as history and culture to
fuel its economy. In addition to the foreign purchase of real estate, the
island nation's offshore banking sector is also key in encouraging overseas
investment.
Insider Knowledge
"Along with Westmoreland and Sandy Lane, Saint James is the
area where people tend to look at a lot for property in Barbados - all along
the West Coast. Buyers are usually from Europe, who visit there year after year
and then get tired of staying in a hotel. You wouldn't just fly out and buy.
During the months of not being used, owners don't lock up their homes,
Spanish-style. They rent them to other overseas investors."
For more information and to view listings of luxury property
for sale, click here.