Country Guides Country Guide: Turks And Caicos

Date Published:

03/08/2009

Where To Buy

Let’s start with the where. If money’s no obstacle you’ll want to head for Parrot Cay, an exclusive island that is home to many celebrities.

Otherwise, you’ll have to slum it – very relatively speaking – on the most developed island Providenciales, commonly known as Provo. Home to Grace Bay Beach, which has been voted 'Best Beach in the World' by the World Travel Awards in 2005-2007, Provo is the main tourist destination in the islands and the center of the rental market. GlobalPropetryGuide.com states the average price of a property per square metre is around US$6,000 – so budget US$1m for a modest 175m2 villa.

Not that modesty is very much the done thing locally. The islands are not especially bling, it’s just that most people have money – and lots of it. And if you’ve got it, well, you tend to spend it – on houses, furnishing and in expensive hotels, of which there are plenty. For example, the Amanyara Hotel (an Aman resort), which opened in March 2006, is ranked as one of the world’s top hotels, resorts and spas by Zagat Survey. Other notable hotels include The Somerset and Seven Stars Resort, both located on the 12-mile-long Grace Bay Beach.

What To Buy

Property for sale leans towards a island neo-colonial style, mixed with a more contemporary international style which draws heavily on Asia-Pacific/Balinese understatement – you know, dark wood, low furniture, often with lots of throws and cushions scattered around and a few candles floating on lotus leaves in pretty bowls.

If that’s your kind of thing, www.luxuryretreatsrealestate.com has recently had a three-bedroom, three-bathroom property, Villa Balinese, for sale. Set on the oceanfront, it has state-of-the-art everything – electronics, kitchen, swimming pool etc. measuring a whopping 4,200 sq ft (390m2), the asking price is US$3.975m. More modestly priced was a one-bedroom apartment at Caicos Beach Club Resort and Marina, located on South Caicos island. Prices start from US$329,000 for a 870 sq ft (80m2) apartment.