For the average Barbadian citizen, most encounters with the powers of the Crown are limited to fixing roads, maintaining order and things of the like, nothing alarming at all. However, occasionally, citizens come face to face with the awesome power of the state, when they receive a notice expressed in some legal jargon, informing them that their land is to be acquired for some public purpose.

The International Business and Financial Services sector contributes nearly US $500 million (BDS $1 billion) to the Barbados economy. The greatest portion of this spend does not emanate from direct taxes paid to the Barbados Government but from indirect spending in the Barbados economy. Real estate in particular, with earnings of just over US $15 million (BDS $30 million) in 2010 is one of the primary beneficiaries of this sector.

Last year I opened the Pink Pages by speaking to uncertainty in the market. This year I thought I would provide you with “miscellaneous ramblings” of what we have seen in the market and what we are likely to see. While it is probably impossible to predict with complete certainty the direction of the market in every segment, I hope that from these perspectives you will have an indication of the direction that the market is likely to take. (Please do not skip to the conclusion as it may make no sense without following the progression in thought.)

This morning several Barbadian real estate agents had the opportunity to view the island's latest property released to the market ... Valley View. A new 37-home community in Vaucluse, St. Thomas, priced from BBD $722,000 (including house and land), this new development demonstrates one of the most compelling options for middle-income homes in Barbados.

Knight Frank, a leading independent global residential and commercial property consultancy, and the UK affiliate of Terra Caribbean sister comapny, Bajan Services Ltd., recently released an update on the UK Residential Market. I'm delighted to share this report which gives a snapshot of the UK housing market in January 2012.

Terra Caribbean has strengthened its brokerage and advisory department expanding the range of services offered to clients. We are delighted to announce that Director of Brokerage and Advisory Services, Hayden Hutton, has become the first real estate professional in the island to be awarded the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation.

Home designs in Barbados have evolved to create a look that's functional and breathtaking. Condo and community living is fast becoming an emerging trend that appeals to singles, young couples, bachelors and the ever-adventurous baby boomers! Not only are these Barbados real estate developments chic and contemporary, they offer an excellent investment opportunity. As we embrace a modern and ever-changing property landscape, let's take a look at condo and community living and see why it should appeal to you!

Certainty is what we want; uncertainty is sometimes what we get. Making real estate decisions in times of uncertainty requires good research, experience and courage. We have seen courage paying off in the past six months; and we have seen weakness punished. My father told me that the best time to buy something was when you did not need to buy, but the vendor needed to sell. The reverse is also true.

On Tuesday August 16th, The Minister of Finance, The Honourable Mr. Christopher Sinckler presented to the House of Assembly, the Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals for the year 2011. Relevant to the real estate industry, there was a proposal to modify the land tax value bands, which at first glance would mean lower taxes.

LEX Caribbean explains the laws and procedures of buying and selling Barbados property in their article taken from The Red Book 2011, written by Vidisha Hathiramani and Alana Goodman-Smith. We trust you will find this informative and please let us know if there are any other questions or comments you might have on the subject.

When buying or selling real estate in Barbados, purchasers and vendors alike often wonder what goes on behind the scenes, in terms of the process involved. Sometimes this question is posed in relation to the length of time it may take ...

Being the start of our hurricane season we thought we would share one of the informative insurance articles from The Red Book 2011, written by Richard Ince of CGM Gallagher (formerly Atria Insurance Brokers) ... Enjoy! We hope you will find it helpful and please let us know your thoughts!

So, you have found your “dream-of-a-lifetime” home! You walk off your patio and it is twenty yards to a perfect Barbados beach encircled by the calm blue water of the Caribbean Sea. A natural paradise!

Within the past week the new notices of valuation have been arriving at mailboxes around the island.  In Barbados, every three years is a valuation year. The last valuation year was in 2008, thus making this year, 2011, a valuation year as well. Here is a quick background on the valuation legislation and the process to be followed.

Barbados now has the international distinction of being included on the United Nations-managed World Heritage List. News of this came this past weekend from Paris, France when the World Heritage Committee determined that “Bridgetown and its Garrison deserved a place on the List.” The list includes over 900 cultural or natural sites all over the world, which are deemed to be of outstanding universal value.

Yesterday comScore, one of the leading Internet marketing research companies, reported that Android has overtaken BlackBerry as the top US Smartphone Platform in the United States.

In today's highly competitive real estate market landlords can struggle to get properties rented at the rate that they want. For many this creates a dilemma. Should they continue to wait for the right tenant who is willing to pay what they're asking? Or should they consider reducing the rental rate and get a new tenant in the property as soon as possible? Of course there are advantages and disadvantages in either approach.

Most people who offer property for rent want a tenant moved in as soon as possible. Recently we helped one of our clients to get their apartment rented in just over 48 hours! The client was thrilled, the tenant was thrilled and so were we. While scenarios like this are uncommon, there’s much that can be done to reduce the length of time it takes to get your property rented. Here are some key tips to take you on the fast track from “For Rent” to “Rented”.

After seeing one of our emails with land for sale in Barbados, Ron, a first time buyer sent us a question. He asked:

How much would I have to pay upfront to secure this piece of land?

We’re always happy to answer real estate questions, especially from a first time buyer!

The new Lanterns Mall in Hastings is the newest addition to the Barbados retail landscape.

Four stores including the Bella Casa pictured here, have opened their doors to customers and are already proving a welcome destination for people on the south coast.

Before the end of summer, they will be joined by several other outlets, some new to Barbados and others familiar to local shoppers!

Ever had trouble finding the “right” place to call home or to lay your hat for that matter? Terra Caribbean presents the inaugural edition of the Terra Caribbean Corporate Rentals E-book! A paperless easy to flip through selection of properties for rent in Barbados. Especially designed for those new to Barbados.

With confidence returning to the Barbados market we are happy to announce the appointment of four new staffers who will assist in the expansion of our service offering in the months to come.

June 1st is upon us – where did the year go? Seems like just the other day we were talking about New Year’s parties or at the very least Easter!

More and more of our Barbados property for sale on Youtube. Check it out via our property pages or go directly to our Terra Caribbean Real Estate - YouTube Channel.