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Living in the Turks & Caicos Islands provides you with the luxury of living inside, as well as out. An added bonus when selling your Turks and Caicos home would be to have something that other properties do not offer.   Why not create an outdoor living space? With many properties currently available for sale in TCI buyer’s look for the extra’s that make a home stand out from the rest.

The outdoors are the most versatile part of your property and for a relatively small investment can add a certain touch that may attract more calls on your listing, bring an offer sooner or even sell your home.   Outdoor living spaces come in all shapes and sizes. The bells and whistles to accessorize and decorate are endless and the style of this space adds a personal touch and feel to the property.

First, consider the area and size of your outdoor living space and then decide on a budget, you are now on your way to designing your own garden get-a-way.

Flagstone paths are an easy way to cover spotty areas where grass is worn or patchy. Loose gravel and flat stones make great pathways that lead you from your home to a comfortable outdoor seating area. Staged wooden planters or large container pots with planted shrubs and trees fill large open spaces, provide privacy and act as a sound buffer.

Wooden benches, concrete seating, or tables and chairs provide the basics and a starting place when first arranging the area to establishing size and style. Some additions to the basics would be an outdoor fire-pit, BBQ area, outdoor garden shower, hammock or outdoor bar.

Flooring could be a wooden deck, concrete slab, large paving stones, gravel or even grass. Sides and roofing may also be added – trellis framing for the sides or roof, tiki-hut style grass roof, canopy or tents, and umbrellas may be something to consider as they provide shade during the daytime.

Weather resistant fabric or mosquito netting can be draped over the roof areas, down one or more sides, to the ground to enclose the area adding texture and color and to soften the hardscape. Waterproof and weather-resistant fabrics are usually necessary for seating cushions, sofas, chairs, chaise lounges, throw pillows, rugs and draperies.

Hanging baskets of flowers, birdhouses, lanterns on free-standing hooks or hung from tree limbs, and inexpensive solar garden lights add a personal touch to the space.   Hang a mirror from a palm tree to add a bit of glamour, decorate the tables with candles, shells from Grace Bay Beach and other items found on the island or from your home.  Make it as simple or as elegant as you wish.

Outdoor Living in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

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Purchasing property in Turks & Caicos is incredibly simple and straightforward. Unlike many other Caribbean islands, there are no special permits or applications required before your purchase.

As a British Protectorate our islands are widely regarded as a very safe investment. Our system of Land Registry provides confidence to the purchaser, ensuring title is clear and clean. Buyers don’t rely of title insurance.

Along with our stunning beaches and turquoise waters, this has lead to a two decade long increase in foreign investment.

So how do you go about buying in the TCI? Where do you start?

Coldwell Banker Real Estate Turks & Caicos is a member of the TCI’s real estate association (TCREA) which operates a multiple listing system (MLS) similar to what you would be familiar with in North America. We can meet with you, help you understand what’s available and send you details on properties that fall within your criteria. Perhaps you’re looking for a luxurious condo in a hotel on the beach, or a spacious villa on the canal, or just a vacant plot of land to develop when the time is right. Let us guide you.

Many properties are vacation rentals, being rented “short term” on a nightly / weekly basis to tourists. In fact, almost every hotel is actually a condominium with a rental management program. If you’re reading this in your hotel room, you’re actually in someone’s personal condo. Through ownership, they’re enjoying some income by way of the hotel rental program. We will meet you and take you to the hotel/condo developments and villas that you want to see.

We can help you review past rental statements and understand the income potential of a property. Vacation rentals extend to free standing homes as well, and we can explain how rental / property management of a villa works. If you’re looking to secure land for the future, let us drive you around the different neighbourhoods across our islands.

You’ve found the property you want. Now what?

Once you’ve decided on the property you want, we will prepare an offer to submit to the owner. An offer is not a binding sales contract. Offers provide the basic details on price, purchase date, and introduce any special conditions you may want. If accepted, the offer identifies the basic elements of a sales contract and serves to effectively reserve the property for a short period of time. During that, your TCI lawyer works out finer contractual details with the seller’s and completes all the due diligence on your behalf that would be expected with a purchase. Condo by laws and reserve funds are reviewed. Boundary markers are identified. Home inspections are completed. You do not commit to the purchase until you’re completely comfortable with everything.

Once that process is complete and you’ve signed the sales contract a 10% deposit is lodged. Upon closing, the property is yours and you can begin enjoying you place in the sun.

No Taxes
While the TCI has no property taxes, no income taxes, and no capital gains taxes we do have some closing costs to consider. “Stamp Duty” is the main closing cost. This is tied to sales price and slides between 6.5% , 8% and 10%. This one time fee is paid by purchasers to the TCI Government, and when you sell the next buyer will pay that fee. When you sell this Government does not seek any fees from you.

Graham was a top real estate agent in Toronto Canada for several years before locating to TCI with his family in 2003.  Contact him at 649 231 4790 for more information.

Coldwell Banker Real Estate Turks Caicos

A Little Provo History

 

Providenciales is the urban center of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Familiarly known as “Provo,” the island offers all the modern conveniences yet is an uncrowded tropical destination. Located on the west side of the Caicos archipelago, Provo is 38 square miles. Prior to 1960, the island had a population of 500. Today, it has the largest population in Turks & Caicos.

Development began in 1966 when the local government and the British Government made a lease-purchase agreement with Provident Ltd., allowing them to lease 4000 acres of Crown Land.

Beautiful beaches are scattered on all sides of Providenciales, the most spectacular of which is a 12-mile stretch located on Grace Bay, protected by a barrier reef. The island is a divers’ and water lovers’ paradise. The south part of the island faces the Caicos Bank, a shallow, pale turquoise sea partly composed tidal flats, filled with an abundance of conch and lobster.

Natural island formations provide safe mooring for sailors. Sapodilla Bay is popular, and, at the northeast end of Providenciales, the deep channel of Leeward makes a natural and safe harbor.

Provo has an 18-hole golf course, casino, shopping, marinas, nightlife and excellent restaurants. Historical points of interest include the Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hill Plantation ruins. Stones engraved by shipwrecked sailors are found on a hill overlooking Sapodilla Bay. The “Hole” at Long Bay is a deep and wide limestone chimney with a mysterious depth of salt water at the bottom.

We hope to see you on your next vacation – be sure to stop by and meet our friendly staff at our Caicos Cafe Plaza Office.