Foreign nationals are encouraged to acquire residential properties in The Bahamas. Underscoring the new attitude towards investors, the government repealed the Immovable Property Act, 1981, which required prior approval for the purchase, transfer, or inheritance of real property by non-Bahamians. It has been replaced by the International Persons Landholding Act, 1994. The new act considerably eases the process of foreign ownership of homes and real estate. It has begun to fuel the revival of the second home market in The Bahamas and makes the assets of The Bahamas more accessible to those who enjoy living and/or doing business in paradise.
- A non-Bahamian who purchases or acquires an interest in a condominium or
property vacant or otherwise to be used by him/her as a single family dwelling or for
construction of such a dwelling must apply to the Secretary to the Investment Board
to register the purchase by completing "Application for Registration"
Form I, which should be submitted to:
- Office of the Prime Minister
P.O. Box CB10980
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
This should be accompanied by a copy of conveyance (proof of ownership), evidence of payment of stamp duty and Real Property Tax, and a Bankers Draft/Proposal Money Order in the sum of Bahamian twenty-five dollars made payable to "The Public Treasury."
- Office of the Prime Minister
- Upon receipt of the above, the purchase/acquisition will be registered and a Certificate of Registration subsequently issued.
- A permanent resident who acquires land or an interest in land shall apply to the Secretary to the Board to have same registered.
- A permit to purchase/acquire property is required if the property is undeveloped land and the purchaser would become the owner of five or more contiguous acres. A permit is also required where the non-Bahamian intends to acquire land or an interest therein by way of freehold or leasehold and which acquisition is not in accordance with the above.
- Prior government approval is not required for non-Bahamians to purchase residential properties of less than five acres. Such acquisitions are, however, required to be registered with the Investments Board and The Central Bank.
- The government has also adopted an accommodating stance on the granting of residency permits to non-Bahamian investors and homeowners. Major international investors and owners of residences valued at $500,000 or more are accorded accelerated consideration for annual or permanent residency permits.
- A homeowner's card is available to all non-Bahamian owners of residences. The card facilitates immigration formalities at all Bahamian ports of entry and entitles the homeowner, his/her spouse, and minor children to enter and remain in The Bahamas for the duration of the validity of the card.
Copies of the legislation are available for a small fee (B$7.20) from:
- Government Publications
P.O. Box N7147
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: (242) 322-2410
Real Estate Fees
| Application for Registration: | $25.00 |
| Application for Permit: | $25.00 |
| Upon issue of certificate of registration or issue of permit where: | |
| (a) the value* of the property is $50,000 and under: | $50.00 |
| (b) the value of the property is over $50,000 but under $101,000: | $75.00 |
| (c) the value of the property is $101,000 and over: | $100.00 |
| Homeowner resident card: | $500.00 |
*Value in relation to a lease is the annual rent reserved, times the number of years.
Certificate of Registration or Permit (together with acquisition documents) must be recorded in the Registrar General's Department, P.O. Box N532, Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas, Tel: (242) 322-3316.
The Government Stamp Tax on Property Conveyance is as follows:
| Value ($) | Stamp Tax (%) |
|---|---|
| Less thab $20,000 | 2% |
| $20,000 to $50,000 | 4% |
| $50,000 to $100,000 | 6% |
| over $100,000 | 8% |
The above fees are usually shared equally by the buyer and the seller.
Real Estate Companies
Abaco Homes & Land
General Post Office
Green Turtle Cay, Abaco
The Bahamas
Tel: 242-365-4079
Broker: Ms. Audrey Sattam
Abaco Real Estate Agency
P.O. Box AB20404
Marsh Harbour, Abaco
The Bahamas
Tel: 242-367-2719
Brokers: Mr. Chad Sawyer
Ms. Elaine Thompson
Dorothy Atwood Ltd.
P.O. Box CB11393
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-327-8897
Broker: Ms. Dorothy Atwood
Bahamas Investments
P.O. Box N8877
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-326-3401
Broker: Ms. Paula Augberg
Bahamas Realty Ltd.
P.O. Box N1132
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-393-8618
Fax: 242-393-0326
Brokers: Ms. Robin Brown Rigg
Mr. W. Larry RobertsMr. Gordon Wilde
Belmont Real Estate
P.O. Box EL25009
Governor's Harbour, Eleuthera
The Bahamas
Tel: 242-3322301
Broker: Ms. Enid Bethel
Bethel Estates Ltd.
P.O. Box N3006
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-4891
Fax: 242-322-2458
Brokers: Mr. Charles Bethel
Mr. John F. Bethel
Bramble, Bush & Briar Realty
P.O. Box N681
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-324-6164
Fax: 242-394-3391
Broker: Mr. Gerald L.C. Pennerman
Barbara Brown Real Estate
P.O. Box N1110
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-2680
Fax: 242-325-6353
Broker: Ms. Barbara Brown
Brown, Morley & Smith Real Estate
P.O. Box N1110
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-2683
Fax: 242-325-8468
Brokers: Mr. Geoffrey Brown Sr.
Mr. John R. MorleyMr. Lester Smith
Frank Carey Real Estate
P.O. Box N4764
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-4815
Broker: Mr. Frank Carey
Caribbean Marketing Development Ltd.
P.O. Box N3903
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-2024
Fax: 242-328-8086
Broker: Mr. Irvin Stubbs
C.A. Christie Real Estate
P.O. Box N8245
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-325-3957
Fax: 242-326-5684
Broker: Mr. Charles Christie
Churchill & Jones Real
Estate
P.O. Box F2480
Freeport, Grand Bahama
The Bahamas
Tel: 242-352-7305
Fax: 242-352-3560
Brokers: Mr. David P.L. Hunter
Ms. Hilary Jones
H.G. Christie Ltd.
P.O. Box N8164
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-1041
Fax: 242-326-5642
Brokers: Mr. William M. Christie
Ms. Sylvia E. Scriven
Paul Cole Real Estate
P.O. Box N7776
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-362-4380
Broker: Mr. Paul Cole
John Dale Real Estate
P.O. Box CB11413
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-327-8030
Broker: Mr. John Dale
Damianos Realty Company
P.O. Box N732
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-2305
Brokers: Mr. George Damianos Sr.,
Mr. George Damianos Jr.Ms. Virginia Damianos Mr. Alphonso Deleveaux
Eleuthera Adventure
P.O. Box N3709
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-7979
Broker: Mr. Brent Symonette
Sloane Farrington Real Estate
P.O. Box N1057
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-324-1058
Broker: Mr. Sloane Farrington
Berkley Ferguson Real Estate
P.O. Box N4278
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-4913
Fax: 242-326-0645
Broker: Mr. Berkley Ferguson
Fiduciary Management
P.O. Box N4284
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-327-7522
Broker: Mr. Terence Langford
Ezra Forsythe Real Estate
P.O. Box SS6278
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-393-6235
Broker: Mr. Ezra Forsythe
Gold Circle Company Ltd.
P.O. Box N8998
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-393-8477
Fax: 242-3934508
Brokers: Mr. Kevin Smith
Mr. Philip SmithMr. Patrick Strachan
Laddie Gates Real Estate
P.O. Box SS6339
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-8857
Fax: 242-325-4119
Broker: Ms. Laddie Gates
Levi Gibson & Associates
P.O. Box N957
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-4654
Fax: 242-322-8730
Brokers: Mr. Levi Gibson
Mr. Wendell Seymour
Grosham Property Ltd.
P.O. Box N8189
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-7662
Fax: 242-322-3549
Brokers: Ms. Barbara Brooks
Mr. Jonathan Dean
Sterling T.G. Hanna Real Estate
P.O. Box N4142
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-323-6188
Broker: Mr. Sterling T.G. Hanna
Home Limited
P.O. Box N1591
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-327-7906
Broker: Mr. William J. Smith
Int'l Management & Investment Services
P.O. Box N8160
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-2504
Fax: 242-322-6949
Broker: Mr. Graham M. Cooper
Island Real Estate
P.O. Box N1593
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-328-1797
Fax: 242-328-3749
Brokers: Mr. Neil MacTaggard Sr.
Mr. Neil MacTaggard Jr.
Fred Kanitsch & Associates
P.O. Box N1391
Nassau, The Bahamas
Tel: 242-325-6089; 242-365-4042 (Abaco)
Fax: 242-325-2476/2765
Brokers: Mr. Fred Kanitsch
Mr. Vincent Higgs
Michael Lightbourne Real Estate
P.O. Box N4949
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-4148
Fax: 242-325-2765
Broker: Mr. Michael Lightbourne
W.T. Lowes & Associates
P.O. Box N3371
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-1741
Fax: 242-322-7600
Broker: Ms. Daisy Lowes
Lyford Cay Company Ltd.
P.O. Box N7776
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-327-4280
Broker: Mr. Robert Hepburn
Lyford Cay Real Estate
P.O. Box N4631
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-326-4703
Brokers: Ms. June Disston
Ms. Annie Smith
E.N. Mosko & Sons
P.O. Box N1130
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-8808
Broker: Mr. E.N. Mosko
Neymour Rental Company
P.O. Box N4164
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-325-3554
Broker: Mr. Cedric Neymour
Paradise Sales & Rental
P.O. Box SS6299
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel/Fax: 242-363-1593
Broker: Ms. Andrea Brown Rigg
PGF Real Estate
P.O. Box N1444
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-326-8017
Fax: 242-328-7508
Broker: Mr. Walter S. Hanchell
Powell's Mktg. & Mgmt. Services Ltd.
P.O. Box N4225
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-328-8618
Fax: 242-326-2491
Broker: Ms. Edith Powell
Leslie W. Roberts Real Estate
P.O. Box SS5959
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-393-2492
Broker: Ms. Leslie W. Roberts
Thomas V.A. Roberts Real Estate
P.O. Box N918
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-324-2015
Broker: Mr. Thomas V.A. Roberts
Sandy Port Development Company
P.O. Box N8585
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-327-8500
Broker: Mr. Hugh Buckner
Peter Shaw-Sadler Real Estate
P.O. Box N1516
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel/Fax: 242-327-7500
Broker: Mr. Peter Shaw-Sadler
Oris Symonette Real Estate Sales & Appraisal Co.
P.O. Box N7795
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-325-8280
Fax: 242-325-1739
Broker: Mr. Oris E. Symonette
Janet Taylor-Rich Real Estate
(Great Harbour Cay, Berry Islands)
c/o Pierce, P.O. Box N907
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Broker: Ms. Janet Taylor-Rich
Chester Thompson Real Estate
P.O. Box N1688
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-322-4777
Fax: 242-322-4385
Broker: Mr. Chester Thompson
Curtis Thompson Real Estate
P.O. Box N10333
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-325-0318
Fax: 242-323-8015
Broker: Mr. Curtis Thompson
Tropical Realty Company
P.O. Box N1121
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-393-2449
Broker: Mr. Freeman Smith
Westerwale Investments Ltd.
P.O. Box N8892
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-393-2741
Broker: Mr. Donald H. Smith
World Development Ltd.
P.O. Box CB10964
Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
Tel: 242-327-7721
Fax: 242-327-8948
Brokers: Ms. Astrid Fraser
Mr. Alan Winner
