Let’s Move To...
THE CARIBBEAN Anna Tyzack dreams of a life in paradise – which is more realistic than you think
B
ack in the glamorous days of Concorde travel, British Airways’ Saturday morning flight to Barbados made perfect sense: the Caribbean was the holiday destination of choice for Britain’s wealthiest business travellers. ‘Since Winston Churchill and Jackie Onassis put Sandy Lane Hotel on the map in the Sixties, the Caribbean became a home from home for many high-profile families, many of whom have handed their beachfront estates down to the next generations,’ explains Chris Parra of One Caribbean Estates (onecaribbeanestates.com). Post-Covid, the appetite for Caribbean property is seeing a resurgence, he continues, with people discovering that the Caribbean is an idyllic place to work from home as well as to spend a holiday. ‘What was once a two or three week holiday has become a two or three month stay,’ agrees Edward de Mallet Morgan of Knight Frank (knightfrank.com). The return of ‘wintering in the Caribbean’ has prompted a flurry of high value property sales, not only in Barbados but on Mustique, where Knight Frank is currently selling the Caribbean’s most expensive property for US $200 million, as well as Antigua and St Lucia. ‘Those working from home in a flat with limited outside space in London have realised that for the same money they can have a large house on a 50-acre beachfront estate in Barbados,’ Parra says. Living and working for stretches of the year in the Caribbean is not just a lifestyle choice, he continues, but can make financial sense for those concerned about wealth preservation as there are business incentives, visa programmes and favourable tax regimes. ‘Younger buyers are seeing the benefits as well as those in their fifties and sixties – I recently sold a property on Sandy Lane Estate for more 184 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | March /April 2023
than $20 million,’ Parra continues. Beachfront estates, specifically on white sand beaches, are most coveted by UK buyers, according to Nick Vanassche of Christie’s International Real Estate Caribbean Affiliates (christiesrealestate.com). For those looking to relocate from London to the Caribbean, Barbados is an obvious choice: the infrastructure and property market are sophisticated and there are world class restaurants and golf courses along with leading hospitals and schools. ‘There’s no compromise at all; there are top independent schools, Providence and Codrington, exceptional health care, a low crime rate and plenty to do,’ Parra says. While the most expensive properties now cost more than $40 million, buyers are still surprised by the value; even in today’s more competitive market it’s possible to find a four-bedroom family house on the beach for less than $3 million. ‘Wealth whispers on Barbados: it’s not showy,’ Parra explains. ‘It doesn’t matter if you live in a three-bedroom villa on Royal Westmoreland or a mansion on Sandy Lane. It’s all about the community.’ Other Caribbean islands are also witnessing a hotter market; Christie's Estates is seeing demand for beachfront estates in the British Virgin Islands, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Maarten, while Parra has noted increasing interest in Canouan in the Grenadines, which has attracted luxury brands including Mandarin Oriental and Soho House. Robert Green of Sphere Estates (sphereestates.com) believes those looking for the buzz and sophistication of Barbados with more affordable house prices should look to St Lucia, which has direct flights to London, a vibrant culture and beautiful scenery plus a golden visa