Reefs, Rugged Scenery, Beautiful Beaches
What is my favourite part of the world? I honestly struggle with this question; there are so many amazing exotic places in the world that to have one particular place is difficult. But if you asked me where would I go to escape the busy hustle and bussel of life, then there is only one place, Antiuga and Barbuda.
Located in the heart of carribbean, this island has some of the most stunning beaches in the world, so much so that the twin-island paradise of Antigua and Barbuda has received twenty nominations in the 2022 World Travel Awards. Now these are not the biggest islands in the Caribbean. Antigua only covers an area of 108 square miles, while Barbuda only covers an area of 62 square miles; they maybe modest in size, but you won’t be short of places to explore.
In 10,000 BC, when the world’s sea-levels rose, Barbuda became separated from Antigua by 28 miles. Today, parts of Barbuda are flooded to form lagoons. The largest breeding and nesting colony of the Magnificent Frigate Bird is here. Barbuda also has a lot of different native habitats that haven’t been hurt by development yet. Barbuda’s reefs, rugged scenery, beautiful beaches (one is 12 miles long), lagoons, and abundant wildlife make it a very valuable place.
Having said this, the odd trip to the islands is not enough; I would want to have my own space; a villa that I could call my second home, that I could fly to at anytime, given the ease of access from Florida. And just like that, it turns out that others had the same idea, with a new development in the autumn of 2022 being the Pearns Point Owners Club – which will provide a sense of community and a social focus for owners. Facilities will include tennis courts, a high-tech fitness centre, a boat jetty, and a beach bar/restaurant.
This new community that is being built will be constructed on the west coast of Antigua, which as a bonus is joined to the mainland by a narrow causeway, providing both privacy and easy access. The west part of the island is known for its outstanding natural beauty as well as eight private beaches. This means that I have a choice of beachfront and/or ocean view villas, which for its location is a must. The total size of the development will cover an area of 137 acres to which a small section is being used to build the villas, leaving patches of the islands, native fauna and flora.
The villas are designed to be ultra-energy efficient, reducing power consumption for air conditioning and pool systems by up to 50%. With solar panels established around the development, they will provide a ready source of renewable energy for the residences, keeping energy bills low for owners.
My favourite part is that you can design and build your own dream home on your chosen plot, or you can choose to use the Developer’s new Lot + Villa programme that helps buyers build a pre-designed villa style and make use of the developer’s experienced, professional team of architects and contractors that understand international quality levels.
“This really is a rare opportunity to buy a piece of oceanfront paradise that is both secluded yet conveniently close to some of the island’s main attractions. The restaurants, bars and shops of Jolly Harbour are just 5 minutes’ drive away, the capital St Johns 20 minutes, the airport 30 minutes, and English Harbour 40 minutes.”
From Sales & Marketing Director Adam Gobat
One of the villas that stood out to me was the Piet Boon beachfront villa. This luxurious, ultra-energy efficient villa features six spacious ensuite bedrooms with super king size beds, a private swimming pool, an outdoor kitchen, wine cellar, a media room, a gym, and an outdoor yoga deck, all set within beautifully landscaped gardens. Depending on the lot location, all villas will have access to its own secluded beach or one a few minutes’ walk away. All boast stunning panoramic views over the turquoise ocean.
As a bonus owners will also have access to the Pearns Point Owners Club, which serves as the heart of the community and a place to socialize, relax and be active. The club will feature tennis courts, a high-tech fitness centre, a boat jetty, and a beach bar/restaurant.
So whilst looking over this development, I had a chance to have a conversation with James Budess, the Head of Savills Caribbean. As we have discovered, Antigua is the place to be and James added; “It’s an exciting time to be involved in the property market in Antigua. We opened a new Savills office in Antigua 2 years ago, during the pandemic, and it has been very successful despite the uncertainty that came with the pandemic. The demand for homes to buy is very buoyant and the rental market is also strong with high demand for luxury homes available to rent. We wish there was more stock of homes to sell and rent to meet demand.” The fact that Savills office showed growth during the pandemic is a testament to the level of interest from buyers around the world, me included.
With this much growth, especially during the two years of restricted movement due to the pandemic, James explained that; “Antigua differentiates itself from the rest of the Caribbean as a sailing destination, and during the pandemic there was an influx of owners and charter guests taking to boats. It became a car park for mega yachts. I think they started noticing all the lovely bays and places they could buy a home, and it seemed to stimulate demand.
He continued, “there is also a lot of inward investment from overseas in Antigua such as international branded hotels and developers creating new communities of homes. There is a real lack of upmarket boutique hotels on the island - the best places to stay at the moment are in beautiful villas rather than hotels - and this is providing opportunities for developers. There are some big projects in development such as Pearns Point on the west coast which is developing a community of luxury homes on a spectacular peninsula and further ones in the pipeline.
It’s the beginning of an upward curve.” And I have seen this, the number of new developments that are happening across the Caribbean is eye watering, and with each development selling out far quicker than expected.
Given the high demand, prices have been increasing over time. James added; “Property prices are increasing as demand for real estate is currently very strong in Antigua. There are not many resale homes available, so most buyers have to consider a new build if they want to buy a luxury home on the island.”
With so much demand, the question has to be asked, where is this demand coming from? “Demand is more diverse than some islands with an eclectic mix of British, Belgian, French, Italian buyers. There are two marinas owned by Italians, so they are quite a draw for Italians. It is more European than Barbados. In comparison the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Cayman Islands have about 90% of buyers from the USA.”
As with any real estate purchase, whether I am representing a client or for my self, it is important to know and ask yourself, is it a good investment. I asked James this question, and with so much investment coming into Antigua, I personally think that it would make a great investment. James commented; “Investing in the Caribbean is normally lifestyle rather than purely investment driven, but the purchase is underpinned by value. Buying a home in Antigua will appreciate, as prices are only going to go one way and that’s up in the next few years. There are some fabulous development and real estate opportunities in Antigua. It is still good value and you can buy right on the waterfront, which is difficult to do in Barbados and St Barts now, at a reasonable price point.”
James continued; “Pearns Point is exceptional as a piece of land and a location. Being on a peninsula gives a feeling of being on your own private island with the advantages of security, sea views, and privacy. Now the infrastructure and planning is all in place, it’s ready to go and it’s a great time to buy a plot and to build your desired home, with the Antiguan property market on the up.”
As someone who has worked on similar properties, I have to agree with James, Antigua is the one to watch. With many of my own clients looking for secondary homes that they can use to get away, but most importantly, get some privacy; Pearns Point definitely ticks all the key points that my clients and I would look for. I asked James on his predictions for Antigua over the coming years; “The property market over the next few years is set to do very well with prices in Antigua attractive versus other islands, and hence they will only go one way – up. There are many large projects in the pipeline, including the redevelopment of Jolly Harbour, as well as a lot of energy in the hotel sector which will help generate interest. Currently the demand for property outweighs the supply of built homes, so most buyers are having to design and build their own homes.”
To give you a guide, a half acre lot at Pearns Point starts at US$1.2 million. Built villas using one of the developer’s recommended architects start at approximately US$1.8 million. Compared to other villas on other islands, the pricing is fair and the only thing left to say is that, I am sold.
For more information visit www.pearnspoint.com
