Deal of the Century #1
Columbus Landings 3, Block 36, Lot 9
Columbus Landings, San Salvador, Bahamas
$59,000. See link below photos for more details and listing agent
Disclaimer: Rum Line does not receive commissions, referral fees, or other compensation contingent upon the purchase, sale, lease, or closing of a property featured on this website. I cannot guarantee the details, only that this listing was intriguing. You must do due diligence.
We’ll dive into how to do that in future Rum Line Dispatches. Be sure to sign up!
Go to Google Earth and cut and paste these coordinates to map the location of this lot. N23 56 51.70 W074 30 05.85 Then you can pan out and look around the island. Researching lots and imagining my own shack on a beach is one of my favorite parts of this process.
Pros:
l BEACHFRONT for less than $60K, almost unheard of. Most beachfront lots are going for an average of $150K.
One of the most stunning white sandy beaches in the Bahamas.
On a remote island that is away from the crowds, with a population of less than 1000.
Ideal for building a Shack on a Beach Somewhere.
Cons
Off-grid (might be a pro depending on your point of view), but either way it will require a complete off-grid power source(s).
Building on a remote island is much more challenging than one with more resources.
The skeletal remains of houses that represent other people’s dreams are within sight of this lot. It’s a reminder to build a hurricane-resistant shack on a beach.
Other Considerations
Buying and selling real estate in the Bahamas is not like doing so in the States. It’s got a Wild West feel to it. It’s not organized or uniform. Untrue claims abound. For example, there is no rule that says a seller cannot claim a lot to be beachfront, even though it is not. Future articles will address how to identify a great deal that will work for accomplishing the dream
Real estate agents will not jet from island to island to show you lots. I don’t blame them. They might do so to show a multimillion-dollar home, but we’re trying to live the island life on a blue-collar income. That means we have to find a lot on our own.
You must always be aware of Mother Nature’s wrath. I will address this in future newsletters. But don’t worry, you can build a hurricane-resistant home. I’ll show you how. (There’s no such thing as hurricane proof.) Both homes I’ve built have weathered numerous hurricanes and, as yet, sustained no damage.
There is a hurricane-damaged house either on this lot or the lot next door. That means it could be an eyesore or a goldmine. If it is on this lot, then the septic tank has already been installed, and if you’re a DIYer, it might be possible to rebuild. But if you decide to rebuild, keep in mind that a hurricane destroyed it once; build as if you’re planning for one to hit it again tomorrow. Not sure how? That’s okay; we’ll go over that in future dispatches.
Rum-Line Rating for Dream Achievement: 7/10