Canada & Bahamas Buying Guide
Canada:
Come visit the beautiful Humber Valley, Newfoundland, Canada.
Your dreams are only 5 ½ hours away!
Located just 20mins from Deer Lake International airport, this evergreen residential playground is a hive of laid-on activity with everything from fishing and kayaking to skiing, snowshoeing and whale-watching. An outdoor lovers paradise. It also boasts a prestigious Golf Academy and stunning par-72, 18-hole Doug Carrick designed course set amongst Canadian Spruce Forests in some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.
Property starts at around 40% less expensive than key resorts in the Rockies.
Marblewood Village combines the skiing and golfing activities. Two-bedroom luxury condominiums start from £100,000 and come with American-style fridge freezers, plasma Tvs and solid wood, fully fitted kitchens. Tourism in this region is thriving and due to the weakness of the Canadian dollar, the pound goes a long way.
Tips for buying in Canada:
- always go on an inspection trip to ensure it’s right for you. Nothing can replace seeing the property and area that you are thinking of buying in.
- mortgages in Canada can be lent by chartered banks, life insurance companies and trust companies, giving you more choice and opportunity to find a loan term suitable for your individual needs.Lenders will often give the option of a mortgage that’s insured under the National Housing Act (NHA), and with these, you can often put down a deposit of as little as 10%.
- it is recommended that you use the services of a lawyer as this will help to ensure that there are no hidden or unpaid charges, and you’ll know if there are any restrictive clauses in the contract.
- GST (government sales tax) is charged on the purchase of all goods in Canada, including newly constructed real estate. The rate dropped from 7% to 6% in July 2006. Some developers quote sales prices with GST included. We will advise of properties with this included.
- if you wish to apply for permanent residence, it is best to work with a Canadian immigration consultant to ensure applications are made correctly and to minimise processing time.
Why buy there?
Largely English-speaking people.
Stunning scenery.
Friendly locals.
Cheap cost of living.
It’s a virtually crime free region.
Very competitive property prices.
Excellent rental returns.
Excellent investment potential.
Canada is the second-largest country in the world, but a population of just 32million people means there’s plenty of space.
Humber Valley is an all-season resort.
Canada is in the top ten golfing destinations of the world (Homes Worldwide March 2007.)
Bahamas:
The Bahamas, located off of the south coast of the USA, is often considered to be a rich man’s playground. But there is so much more to this beautiful place. Made up of some 700 islands and 2,400 coral cays, the Bahamas offer an astonishing array of natural, historical and cultural treasures. It is easy to soak up the spirit of the place, where the pace of life is easy and the people are forever with a smile.
Golf has also become very popular here including the first Tiger Woods project, the Albany Golf and Beach Club and the Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer Course.
Demand for holiday lets is strong, particularly with Americans, at around £400 a week for a one-bedroom condominium, rising to £1000 per week for a beachside cottage in a picture postcard setting. Fortunately, that includes just about everywhere in the Bahamas.
Climate
The rainy season, May to October, is marked by short but heavy showers. June to November is the official hurricane season and the Bahamas is low-moderate risk. The temperature rarely drops below 20 C and peaks at 30 C in July and August.
Getting there
The Bahamas is approx 8hours flying time from most UK airports. The major airport is Nassau on New Providence Island. British Airways and Virgin fly direct from the UK.
Essential facts
Currency - Bahamian dollar (although US dollar is widely accepted)
Time - GMT -5
Population - 300,000
Buying
An annual residence permit, entitling a visitor to stay continuously in the Bahamas for up to eight months costs $1000 (£510); permanent residency requires a property purchase of more than $500,000, and costs $10,000 for the head of the household.
There are many great investments to be found all over the Bahamas.