CBBVI Christa Villa Marketing Plan

Unparalleled BVI Real Estate Experience

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE BVI

the Waterfront Townhouses with docks at Marina ( 2007 to 2013) Over 50 Units now sold then most expensive single family home in Bay, North Sound, Virgin Gorda).

(2015) and Lot 16/17 for $17m (2021)

acres, $1.7m, 2018)

Little Dix $4.6m (2022)

Little Dix $4.25m (2023)

sale of over $50m worth of BVI real estate in Exclusive Real Estate Agents for Rosewood in Virgin Gorda, Nanny Cay Marina in Parker’s Trunk Bay Estate in Tortola. This unrivalled access to potential buyers staying or Since the vast majority of buyers will have in the BVI for many years before deciding access is critical.

UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE IN BVI LUXURY REAL ESTATE SALES

Chris arrived in the BVI in 1992, leaving a successful London ad agency career behind, to work for Sir Richard Branson on Necker Island. After several delightful years on Necker, Chris moved to Virgin Gorda and, after a short stint at Biras Creek Resort, became the Sales and Operations Manager for Nail Bay Resort, a then brand new 146 acre resort residential development on Virgin Gorda. Chris and his partners introduced the Coldwell Banker name to the BVI ten years ago and the Agency very quickly established itself as one of the leading Real Estate Brokers in the BVI. Chris has also served on the BVI Tourism Industry Recovery Committee after Hurricane Irma.

chris@coldwellbankerbvi.com

c. ! (284) 340 3000

CHRIS SMITH Managing Broker

MEET THE TEAM

• MORE GREY HAIR THAN BLONDE HAIR!

• MORE WRINKLES THAN BOTOX!!

• MORE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAN INCHES ON OUR HEELS!!!

MEET THE TEAM

& Property Manager

Esther was born and raised in the BVI. Both her grandparents and parents were born and lived on Virgin Gorda and Esther has lived on Virgin Gorda continuously since she returned from tertiary education in New York. Her father is Ralph Telford O’Neal, OBE, the longest ever serving elected representative in the British Virgin Islands who served as Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands for three terms. Esther cut her teeth working at Rosewood Little Dix Bay as Director of Retail for 5 years before branching out on her own. Ever the entrepreneur, Esther grasped with both hands the opportunity to open her own business at Biras Creek Resort. For the last 20 years, Esther has owned and operated one of the most successful small boutique and dockside restaurants in the BVI – the now famous “Fat Virgin” in the North Sound, Virgin Gorda Sadly, in 2017 Irma took a liking to the Fat Virgin and ran away with her! However, every disaster also provides opportunity and a silver lining. We are absolutely delighted that Esther has now joined the Coldwell Banker Real Estate BVI team, bringing all of her love, experience and intimate knowledge of the history of the BVI, and in particular Virgin Gorda and its people. Next time you visit the BVI, take some time to simply sit with Esther, have a coffee (or a Rum and Ting, depending on the time of day!) and listen!

Sales & Reservations Vacation Villas

Michelle moved to the BVI ten years ago and joined the Coldwell Banker BVI team to develop the marketing and reservations program for ‘BVI Villa Rental’, our luxury vacation villa rental program, and we are delighted to say that she has transformed this aspect of our business. Michelle is the person to contact to book a vacation villa at Trunk Bay, Nail Bay, Smuggler’s Cove or elsewhere in the BVI. We have a great selection no matter what size your group or budget. Some of our larger Villa are also perfect for hosting a wedding, party or other similar event. Michelle is also the Property Manager for Surf Song Villa Resort at Beef Island, Tortola, very close to Great Camanoe.

Katie has built her own home at Trunk Bay, Tortola, so is a great person to talk to about the benefits of building and owning a home in the BVI! She has lived in the BVI since 2005 when she and her husband Paul worked as Captain and Chef/Stewardess aboard “Best Revenge IV”, a 60’, multi-million dollar, luxury catamaran. Needing to get her feet firmly on terra firma, Katie joined ‘Think Simple’, a BVI Smart Home company, and led the sales & customer service team. Katie now manages our collection of high end vacation rental homes on Tortola and also help you in your search for your perfect home in the islands.

With 20 plus years in the industry, the last 12 years with Coldwell Banker BVI and BVI Villa Rental, Chevone is one of the most experienced Property Managers in the BVI. Chevone’s ‘lil Black Book’ of BVI contact numbers is hugely valuable! From the vacation villas at Belmont and Trunk Bay to apartment blocks throughout Tortola, Chevone knows more about most of them than she ever wanted to know! Since the storms of 2017 Chevone has been very busy helping to re-house people living and working on Tortola who found themselves homeless thanks to Irma. A Soccer Mum of three, Chevone’s eldest son Justin plays for the BVI National Football team.

Michelle Hodges

Katie Westlake

Sales & Property Manager

Chevone Thomas

Sales & Property Manager

Esther Wheatley

Sales

www.bvivillarental.com

We are not chasing each and every Villa for our Program. Over the past ten years we have taken our time and slowly built a collection of Villas that not only rent well but are owned by people with whom we can have a good working relationship.

BVI VILLA RENTAL

COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE BVI

‘BVI Villa Rental’ is the vacation villa management and marketing arm of Coldwell Banker Real Estate BVI. Our approach to managing and marketing BVI Vacation Villas is a little different from that of most of our competitors. We have been developing this brand over the past 6 years. Why? Certainly not because we hope to get rich and retire from property management income!

We need luxury accommodation for affluent people who may become buyers of vacation homes in the BVI

We do it because there are so few high end hotels in the BVI for an affluent potential buyer to stay in and none at all in Tortola.

This was true before the storms of 2017 and is even more true today and for the next few years following COVID-19. For this to work, we need to ensure that their accommodations are in tip top shape and that guests have a fantastic time during their visit to the BVI. One bad day, one dirty pool, shoddy rental car, etc. etc. and they won’t be buying anything! So we have every incentive to ensure that your home in the BVI and your guests are very well taken care of.

COLDWELL BANKER THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN

ISLAND AFFILIATES

• Aruba

• Bahamas

• Barbados

• Bermuda

• Cayman Islands

• Curacao

• Dominican Republic

• Grand Bahama

• Grenada

• Jamaica

• Puerto Rico

• St. Maarten

• St. Croix

• St. Thomas

• St. Kitts and Nevis,

• Turks and Caicos

We are part of Coldwell Banker Island Affiliates and can boast the most well established network of offices throughout the Caribbean of any Real Estate Brokerage.

Of particular interest are the islands with a particular nexus to the BVI. Bermuda and the Cayman Islands are linked to the BVI via the offshore financial services industry.

The CB Bermuda franchise is by far the largest real estate brokerage on the island and we regularly exchange referrals, expertise and experiences. They are Exclusive Agents for the Caroline Bay development featuring 79 room luxury hotel, branded residences, and a new mega yacht marina.

The CB Cayman Islands franchise is also very strong. The owners actually own the Master CB franchise for the entire Caribbean. The network of lawyers and accountants that work on and between the two islands is a great source of referrals.

T here is no magic wand!

Wow, the BVI has had a tough time recently! ‘Hurricane Irma’, COVID 19, COI and the arrest of ‘Head Coach’. We must make sure we are doing everything we reasonably can to shed a positive light on the story of the BVI, reach the right audience and, once we have got their attention, make sure we make the viewing, negotiating and purchasing process as simple as possible.

Who and Where are the Buyers For Christa Villa?

We know the BVI real estate market is relatively small and illiquid. And it’s faced a few tough years. But the market for luxury real estate in the BVI, and in particular the North Sound, Virgin Gorda has shown itself to be resilient. With many years experience of selling vacation homes in the British Virgin Islands, we have an excellent understanding of the typical buyer of a home here and that won’t have changed.

Buyers?

What do we know?

• Approx. 75% of luxury real estate buyers in the BVI are from the US, 20% from UK and Europe and 5% other

• Of that 75%, over half will come from the North East Coast of the US and Florida

• The vast majority buyers have either been boating in the BVI for many years or staying in a BVI hotel or Villa for many years

• They are typically aged between 45 and 60

• It is very unusual for someone to buy property in the BVI on their first visit to the islands. Falling in love is a long process!

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

• Our sales office in Nanny Cay is ideally placed to capture sailors who are visiting the BVI or own boats in the BVI

• In October 2023 we will be opening a sales office at Little Dix We will be advertising all our exclusive listings here, not just Little Dix properties.

• Our Luxury Vacation Villas are shop windows for our real estate sales marketing material. People who rent villas are most likely to eventually be buyers of BVI real estate.

• We will produce high quality photography, a 3D Virtual Tour Print and Digital Brochure and drone video to professionally showcase the Property.

• We will build an individual website to showcase Christa Villa

Also in our box of marketing tricks…

a. Digital Marketing

b. Print Advertising and PR

c. Referrals and Relationships

d. Hamptons International

e. Events and charity auctions

f. The Marine Industry

g. Thinking Outside the Box

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

a. Digital Marketing

WWW.COLDWELLBANKERBVI.COM

Our easy to use, website features lots of drone videos and larger, clearer images along with lots of useful links and information

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

a. Digital Marketing

One of the big advantages of listing with a Broker the size of Coldwell Banker is that we have the resources to keep up with ever changing and developing technologies that if used correctly can be a very efficient way to reach our target audience. We are very fortunate to have access to technical staff who understand how to maximize the use of Facebook, Twitter and the next communication trend to come around the corner!

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

b. Print Advertising

BVI PUBLICATIONS

Most people who end up buying property in the BVI visit the islands either by boat or staying in one of our resorts or Villas for several years before making the decision to purchase. It is therefore very important to take advantage of the various publications they are likely to pick up and read whilst here.

Guide has in the BVI. now also in in the BVI very good have ads for advertise in glossy ineffective had some and Estates in the next

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

c. Referrals and Relationships

As well as referrals from other Coldwell Banker offices and Brokers in the Caribbean and around the globe, we also have good relationships with the major law firms and banks in the BVI with whom we deal on a daily basis. They have been a good source of referrals and their clients tend to be at the higher end so this can be very effective. They also on occasions help us fund additional marketing activities. For example, the production of our Coldwell Banker BVI Annual Listing Book was funded by the major law firms and VP Bank.

Similarly we have good relations with Club Nautico in Puerto Rico where we have in the past given presentations on BVI Real estate notably for Nanny Cay Marina and Scrub Island. The owner of the Pond Bay Estate on Virgin Gorda is a Member of Club Nautico as are several of the homeowners at Scrub Island.

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

c. Referrals and Relationships

Our Managing Broker, Chris Smith, began life in the BVI in 1992 working for Sir. Richard Branson at Necker Island. He has maintained a great relationship with Richard and the Necker staff which has resulted in the sale of several properties on Virgin Gorda.

Richard’s son, Sam, bought a $4.35m home on Virgin Gorda through Coldwell Banker BVI in 2016. This relationship has definitely been very fruitful!

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

d. Hamptons International

In the UK, Coldwell Banker are affiliated with Hamptons International which is owned by Countrywide, the UK’s largest Estate Agency. With 85 offices, Hamptons is particularly strong in London and the South East ie: in stockbroker and banker belt. Hamptons International offers a number of property-based services including sales, residential development services, new home sales, international estate agency, lettings, financial services, property investments, valuation, property management, corporate home search and tenancy management.

Before our relationship with Hamptons, we were affiliated with Savills However, despite the prestige that came with the Savills brand, the relationship was in fact quite unproductive. Perhaps the BVI were too small a prick on the map for such a large group to pay attention! We therefore went in search of another partner in the UK with whom we could have a stronger relationship. We certainly have had more success and more referrals through Hamptons.

.

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

e. Events and Charity Auctions

In recent years we’ve had a lot of success at attracting big names to our Villas through Charity Auctions

Necker Cup Charity Auction 2014

VENUE NECKER ISLAND

VILLA STEELE POINT

PRINCESS BEATRICE AND DAVE CLARK

Head of Astronaut Relations Virgin Galactic, now Uber)

Andrea Bocelli Celebrity Fight Night Auction 2015

FLORENCE, ITALY

VILLA AJA/TURTLE BAY HOUSE

REBA McENTIRE

country music singer, songwriter, record producer, actress television producer)

Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Auction 2016

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

BARAKA POINT

BOB AND RENNE PARSONS (founders of Go Daddy)

THE MARINE INDUSTRY

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

f

. The Marine Industry

Many of those who buy property in the BVI initially discover the BVI by sailing or power boating in the BVI. Our strong relationships with the yacht charter industry has certainly helped in our success in selling projects such as the Nanny Cay waterfront townhouses and many larger homes. Our large proportion of our buying audience owns a boat. T hat is the reason why our primary office is at Nanny Cay, The BVI’s largest working Marina where clients literally sale in.

For this reason we treat our Marine Industry colleagues Marine Industry Referrers in the same way as we would a referring Real Estate Broker in terms of commission. We split our commission 50/50 with them should they refer the buyer.

We have relationships with The Moorings, Marine Max, Horizon Yacht Charters, TMM, Voyage Yacht Charters and other BVI charter companies.

HOW CAN WE CAPTURE THEM?

g . Thinking Outside the Box

One of the most popular restaurants and hang out spots in the BVI is Hog Heaven in Virgin Gorda. Its incredible views of the North Sound make it a ‘must stop spot’ for anyone visiting Virgin Gorda, no matter how small or large their wallet.

DIAL ‘1’ TO SPEAK TO A RE ALTOR ABOUT BUYING A HOME IN THE BVI

Four years ago we installed Coldwell Banker signs at the bar (since copied by others), a brochure box and a ‘BAT PHONE”! We have replaced the signs. The phone ended up somewhere on Moskito Island during the storms but will be back in place for next season.

“ALEXA, CALL COLDWELL BANKER BVI

At Little Dix we will have an Alexa Echo. If no one is around clients can simply ask Alexa to call us! Ok, so we did get the occasional drunk guy calling but we also got plenty of genuine calls.

WE LOVE A BIT OF GORILLA MARKETING!

Hand Holding From Enquiry Through Closing

Because it takes so long to close on a property in the BVI, client management through every step of the process is key. It cannot be underestimated just how much hand holding it takes in the BVI to get a client from enquiry to closing, particularly on a pre sale or construction transaction. There’s a lot more to it than a glossy brochure and saying “Sign Here”! Every point of client contact forms an important part of the overall sales effort. This is what we do best.

ENQUIRY HANDLING

Phone calls Email

Messages Walk ins

Call to Action

PROPERTY VIEWING

Greeting USPs

Presentation

Tour Refreshments

Call to Action

CONTRACTS

LOI’s Sales Agreements

Construction Agreements

Rental Agreements

Covenants

NON BELONGER’S LAND HOLDING LICENCE

Lawyers Appraisers

Government Agencies

SELLING BVI LIFE

Contacts

Cars Schools

Churches Charters

Restaurants