Caribbean home sales are some of the greatest victims of the recession. With people concerned about their life savings and getting their salaries frozen at work, there’s little concern about enjoying a week in the Caribbean for their vacation or buying Caribbean homes to enjoy their retirement in paradise. But as the recession nears its end, the demand for Caribbean homes is slowly rising and the supply of Caribbean homes are now extremely affordable.

Caribbean homes in hotspots like the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands have seen sharp declines in home values. While this has been a plight for current residents, it also creates opportunity for new residents to get great deals on Caribbean homes. It’s everyone’s dream to own a Caribbean beachfront villa as a second home or primary residence, and economic conditions has made this dream more attainable.

Those seeking to purchase or sell Caribbean homes should take advantage of the incoming tourist season which is largely based in the winter season. There are incredible deals on Caribbean homes from waterfront villas to luxurious condos and even beachfront mansions as highly discounted costs.

It’s well known that economies around the world are doing poorly and having an adverse effect on the Caribbean luxury real estate market. Buying Caribbean luxury real estate is seen as a luxury and the first thing people do when finances are tough is cut their luxury spending. But, what many Caribbean luxury real estate enthusiasts fail to understand is that Caribbean luxury real estate is more than just a luxury, it’s a quality investment. Over a period of ten years Caribbean luxury real estate has seen its values quadruple in some places. Still, many people are concerned with the current real estate market and won’t buy until things get better…so is there a safe way to invest in the current Caribbean luxury real estate market?

Leasing-to-own is an agreement where a seller will collect a smaller down payment on their Caribbean luxury real estate and allow a Caribbean luxury real estate buyer to make mortgage-like payments on the property. The Caribbean luxury real estate buyer must make a certain amount of payments to own the property, but the buyer also has the option to discontinue making mortgage payments if they change their mind about Caribbean luxury real estate ownership and the property will be reclaimed by its original owner.

Renting or leasing Caribbean luxury real estate is a common practice, but sometimes unfulfilling as renters only have temporary stay and sometimes spend enough to have made a decent down payment on Caribbean luxury real estate. And buying Caribbean luxury real estate is something many are hesitant of, being that current Caribbean luxury real estate market trends are unfavorable. A third option that is safe and sensible in the current Caribbean luxury real estate market is lease-to-own.

Leasing to own is a good option for Caribbean luxury real estate enthusiasts as it provides the potential of Caribbean luxury real estate ownership without the risk of foreclosure in case the economy continues to perform poorly.

The island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean is a small island 27 miles in length and 14 miles in width.  Together with a generous amount of Caribbean island real estate, this volcanic and abundantly green island offers Caribbean island real estate and then some.

Saint Lucia‘s aesthetic is enhanced by its mountain slopes, the peaks of the volcano, and the extensive rainforests which all contribute towards Saint Lucia’s Caribbean island real estate allure.  This focus on eco-tourism is in sharp contrast to bigger and more commercialized islands like Saint Maarten which also offer Caribbean island real estate, albeit not quite as impressive when it comes to nature and vegetation.

Although it has a wide variety of Caribbean island real estate, the people of Saint Lucia have also gained a favorable reputation for being very friendly and approachable so if and when you do decide to invest in Saint Lucia Caribbean island real estate, you can expect to have a community of neighbors that will more than likely welcome you with Caribbean island friendliness.

Saint Lucia’s Caribbean island real estate is notable for its unusual mix of homes which can range from quiet homes on the peak of a mountain or hill to small Saint Lucia Caribbean island real estate like a small secluded home located not too far from the ocean.   This abundance in Caribbean island real estate can be attributed in part to Saint Lucia’s status as one of the more successful Caribbean islands in the region, the average income being more than $6,000 annually.

Prior to it evolving into yet another one of the Caribbean’s best islands for Caribbean island real estate, Saint Lucia was all about the banana trade, plantations of which can still be found on the island.  Today Saint Lucia is all about the Caribbean island real estate and Saint Lucia tourism which surprisingly has not affected the Saint Lucia culture or the island’s natural surroundings.

The Caribbean islands–and the entire Caribbean region for that matter—have a rich history and in some cases some rather peculiarly named sights within these islands.  The U.S. Virgin Islands are a group of islets which aren’t quite as instantly recognizable as Jamaica or Trinidad.  Let’s take a look at a few of these and some general islands in the Caribbean and get to know them a little better.

Since the 1970s Saint Barthelemy (also known as St. Barts) has been designated as a Caribbean destination for the rich and famous, particularly with celebrities.  With over fifteen beaches and several resorts, Saint Barthelemy has gained a reputation for being upscale yet it’s also recognized for its friendly atmosphere where locals are known to cheerfully greet strangers and its Caribbean real estate which consists largely of Caribbean homes with red roofs.

The Caribbean island of St. John is more about the natural setting than anything else.  It contains several miles of nature reserves and some impressive coral reefs, all of which are protected thanks to the contributions of Laurance Rockefeller who fell in love with the small size of St. John.  There is however a bustling shopping and dining area called Cruz Bay near St. John which can be reached by ferry but for the most part St. John is all about the hiking trails and natural scenery.

Saint Martin (which also goes by Saint Maarten) is perhaps one of the better known islands in the Caribbean.  It’s separated into a Dutch and French region (hence the two similarly sounding names) and also has a strong Caribbean real estate appeal.  There is a considerable wealth and diversity of shopping, dining and entertainment depending on which side you visit.  If you’re seeking casinos however, you’ll need to stick to the Dutch side.  Even though the island is one big land mass, there is a distinct and quite evident French or Dutch ambiance permeating across it.

The appeal of the Caribbean vacations and its long held standing as the top tourist destination on earth has made it a favorite with the popular celebrities looking for Caribbean real estate such as Antigua real estate and St. Kitts and Nevis real estate.  However, with increased popularity also come unforeseen difficulties.

Despite the appeal of Caribbean real estate and the comfort of Caribbean resorts and condos, the Caribbean has also experienced a significant amount of crime which may or may not lead to a lesser demand for Caribbean real estate and otherwise affect its appeal to tourists.

It’s crime that is affecting areas like Jamaica real estate which president-elect Barack Obama plans to address by strengthening U.S. ties not only with the Caribbean but also with Latin America, another area known for its fairly high crime.  He plans to lower the amount of crime by strengthening police forces and judiciary forces by using the latest technologies and advances in systems designed to aid police forces and battle crime.  Could this lead to a surge in Caribbean real estate sales?

Obama is focused on tackling not only crime in nations like Jamaica real estate but also fixing relations with the Caribbean as a region by eliminating debts and, perhaps most interestingly, allowing Cuban Americans to travel directly to and from the island.  Better relations between the U.S. and the Caribbean will go a long way in creating demand for Caribbean island real estate and assuring potential buyers of vacation homes that buying Bahamas homes and Dominican Republic real estate is a safe and secure investment.

President-elect Obama will not replace the current President George Bush for a while, but the future of Caribbean island real estate does look promising if Obama’s plans, improving Caribbean relations included, do manage to increase the sales of Antigua homes or Jumby Bay homes.
uded—do manage to bolster the sales of Anguilla homes or Nevis condos.

When people think of paradise property in the Caribbean like a beachfront villa with a large patio and dock leading out to crystal blue waters, they are really thinking about Jumby Bay. Jumby Bay is an island off the coast of Antigua. While Antigua is hotbed for tourism and displays some of the most exciting aspects of Caribbean culture, Jumby Bay prefers the quiet lifestyle. With over 250 acres of land Jumby Bay only has one resort and the rest is spacious beachfront property.

So other than the fact that Jumby Bay residents have their own private beaches what makes Jumby Bay so special? Jumby Bay real estate is world renowned for its quality and design. Each home has acres of land to itself along with amazing residential features like open floor plans, large patios, large pools, outdoor kitchen and barbeque, private beach area, ceiling fans throughout and luxurious master bedroom and bathroom.

But if visitors enjoy the resort lifestyle more, Jumby Bay has a Caribbean resort on the island. This resort is much more like owning a Caribbean home than staying at a resort. Each resort unit has its own amenities, features and privacy. They offer community amenities like 24-hour room service, two restaurants, three bars, three tennis courts, fitness center, snorkeling, Sunfish sailboats, water skiing, wind surfing, bicycles, 24-hour room service and a baby sitting service.

The massive acreage of Jumby Bay means that there’s also vacant land available. If a resident is seeking to build a dream home from scratch on a waterfront location in Jumby Bay, the large amount of available land will suffice. Though waterfront land garners the highest demand, inland property is abundant and much easier to build a large structure on. Though the island is large if a resident own inland property they are still within a short drive to the beach or other venues on the island.

If you’re planning on buying Caribbean real estate or just taking a Caribbean vacation, the choice of location may seem obvious. The average Caribbean traveler goes to Jamaica, Dominican Republic, St. Martin or the Bahamas. But as those places become more populated, eyes are wondering to other Caribbean islands that offer the same experience at less cost and hassle.

For instance: Anguilla is a Caribbean island well east of the Dominican Republic. Twenty years ago no one would even have known that Anguilla was a travelling option. Now it has a booming tourism industry. So what has drawn attention to Anguilla as apposed to the thousands of other Caribbean islands?

Besides the obvious overpopulation of tourists on other islands like Jamaica and the Bahamas, Anguilla is the ideal location for a Caribbean beachfront home. Its slender sixteen mile long geographical shape allows maximum room for beachfront property. Caribbean beachfront property is not as easy to come by as it used to be. If you’re looking to buy waterfront property in the Bahamas, besides being quite expensive is sometimes not available at all. Anguilla is a calm and quiet place to own a Caribbean waterfront home.

Though Anguilla is quiet and tranquil, it is by no means a sleepy Caribbean island. This island boasts multiple fine restaurants like Malliouhana, which is a French restaurant on the water, or Zara’s Restaurant which is a popular Italian restaurant on the island. And if you’re looking for the Caribbean resort lifestyle, Cap Juluca ranks with the best resorts in the Caribbean.

Montserrat has faced an uphill climb due to circumstances out of its control, namely the reasonably recent volcanic eruptions that drove many tourists away from the Caribbean island and left it with a false image of being a territory that has yet to recover from the aftermath caused by the Soufriere Hills.

In fact, Montserrat is one of the Caribbean’s best kept secrets nowadays.  It’s not on the scale of one of its larger siblings like St. Maarten but the island continues to make inroads in its future, unveiling a brand new airport four years ago and bolstering its various housing developments, all of which have contributed to Montserrat’s Caribbean island real estate appeal.

Caribbean tourism has been among the region’s top draws, besides the appeal of owning vacation villas.  Montserrat has also made strides in this area, creating a cutting edge cultural center along with golf courses, a marina and resorts that maintain the Caribbean’s strict attention to environmental friendliness.

One of Montserrat’s most ambitious impending projects is Little Bay, a town which, when complete will function as Montserrat’s capital featuring lots of shopping, a museum, multiple hotels and Caribbean luxury real estate like condominiums and Caribbean villas.  In fact, many suggest Montserrat may be one of the best investment opportunities in the Caribbean as it progresses further into its development.

Even as the demand for a Caribbean home in Monsterrat rises, it still holds true to its long held traditions and customs that are also a major factor in Caribbean travel and tourism. As more people discover what this small but diverse island is all about, Montserrat will finally be able to rid itself of the undeserved image it still carries and become as popular as some of its fellow island brethren like Saba, Dominica and St. Lucia.

Each of the Caribbean islands hosts a festival or event of some kind throughout the year so regardless of when you decide to visit, there is always some kind of festival or celebration taking place on any given month.

The biggest event is Carnival, an annual celebration embracing Caribbean folklore, Caribbean culture and the religion of the region.  Each nation has its own schedule of as to when the event is held but most of them feature parades, Caribbean food and unique dishes from each nation and lots of music and dancing.  The people usually celebrate while wearing attire representing their country and their heritage.

Since each month brings its own Caribbean events and festivals depending on where and when you visit, here are some of the highlights.  Take these into account when choosing Caribbean vacation villas and vacation rentals.

January
New Years Sailing Regatta – Held in Nassau, Bahamas, a large fleet of ships compete in several events.  The atmosphere during these competitions is usually highly energetic as the people of the Bahamas become very enthusiastic.

Barbados Annual Jazz Festival – Jazz is one of the widely appreciated musical genres in the Caribbean and Barbados usually plays host to some of the region’s biggest musical acts for a week long celebration of this widely appreciated musical style.

February
Trinidad Carnival – The Carnival celebration originated in Trinidad and it continues to offer the most enriching, engrossing and exciting experience in the Caribbean.  Martinique and Dominica also celebrate Carnival during the month of February but there is no better place in the Caribbean to get a feel for the culture during this five day celebration than Trinidad.

March
Grenada Round-the-Island Easter Regatta – Like the Bahamas, the people of Grenada come together to watch sailing competitions  This event also involves street parades, lots of music and many ethnic Caribbean dishes prepared by the locals to celebrate the event.

Montserrat St. Patrick’s Day Festival – The history of Montserrat has Irish roots and the people observe St. Patrick’s Day just like in the United States, albeit with a unique Caribbean flair that involves parades, lots of calypso music and specially prepared dinners.

Events in the Caribbean

There are a multitude of events held in the Caribbean as each island and country often celebrates its own unique festival or tradition of some sort.  As a result, if you’re looking to experience a particular culture and plan on going to the Caribbean for vacation, you might want to consider which of the islands has the most interesting events before you invest in your vacation rentals or Caribbean villas.

April and May
Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival – Calypso, ska, reggae and the many other Caribbean musical flavors come together in a fusion of shows and concert performances near the popular Aruba beaches.

St. Maarten/St. Martin Carnival – Two different celebratory experiences take place at the same time by visiting either Dutch St Maarten or French St. Martin.

June
Cayman Islands International Rugby Sevens – Rugby is a very popular sport throughout the Caribbean and July is one of the best months to experience the passion and the competition which brings together some of the best rugby teams in the world.

July and August
Dominican Republic Merengue Festival – The Dominican Republic is the birthplace of merengue music and for an entire week, the streets come alive with lots of parties and famous bands playing and dancing to the high energy musical genre.

St. Lucia Market Vendors’ Feast – As the name suggests, numerous markets become abundant with food and the atmosphere becomes a lively celebration of singing and dancing as the people of St. Lucia enjoy the huge variety of meals especially prepared for the day long occasion.

September and October
Jamaican Jerk/Southern BBQ Cook off – The best barbecue enthusiasts in Jamaica and from around the world come together each year to see who can prepare the best and most delicious barbecue meal.

Caribbean Music Expo – This trade show event is all about celebrating, discussing and enjoying the music of the Caribbean and usually attracts popular acts from around the globe.  Massive parties along the Caribbean beaches are held before the event commences and upon its completion.

November and December
Turks and Caicos Conch Festival – The events and festivities during this event are all focused around the conch shell which is considered an edible delicacy in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Conch tasting and blowing competitions as well as music, dancing and sailing activities all take place during the festival.

Nine Mornings Festival (St. Vincent) – For nine days, the people of St. Vincent parade through the streets during the morning hours to celebrate the holiday season while dressed in native Caribbean attire in anticipation of Christmas Day.

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