Island Buying Guide
Buying a private island is almost like buying a new home. When considering the purchase of a house, you check things like the general condition of the property, the foundations, the terrain, and any pest or mold issues. Buying an island is similar, but more is involved in the case of island-buying. Most prospective island owners are inexperienced in island real estate, and don’t know the good islands from the bad ones. With the amount of money you have to invest buying an island, make sure you pick the right one. The following guide will help you not only pick the right island, but address common problems private island owners face and more.
Steps to buying a private island:
Set your budget. The more money you spend, the better the island you’ll get. But be realistic in what you can afford. It’s better to spend as much possible to buy the island, even if you have to wait until you amass the necessary funds. If you buy the cheapest island simply to get one sooner, you may regret your decision further down the road. Don’t just think about the short term. Consider factors such as future development and how easily the island can be sold later on if need be.
Pick a location. The island’s location is one of the most important factors to consider. You’re not just buying an island, you’re also purchasing its surroundings. There should be a village or town nearby where supplies can be obtained, and the island shouldn’t be too far from an airport. Islands near villages may offer less privacy, however. On the other hand, an island in the middle of nowhere will be expensive to get to and hard to bring supplies into.
Choose the right climate. Islands can be classified as being in one of three climate zones: temperate, Mediterranean and tropical. Most tropical islands are located between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer in an area known as the tropics. Mediterranean islands are those with high temperatures but low rainfall, such as islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary islands, Bermuda, and the Bahamas. Temperate islands are located in colder places such as Canada, northern United States, and most of Europe. Each climate has its pros and cons, and you should pick an island with a climate you like best. One person may find temperate islands too cold, but some people love the variety of their seasons. Mediterranean climates produce the best balance of temperature without the high rainfall and humidity found in the tropics. Visit an island multiple times to get an idea of what an average day is like. Ask local people, especially fishermen, who are very knowledgeable about the weather, the typical seasons, and weather patterns for the island and surrounding area. Islands in the ocean are prone to flooding from storm surge, powerful storms, and strong currents. Islands located in lakes are the least prone to problems because they have no tides or powerful storms, with the exception of islands in the Great Lakes and those near oceans. Islands that are located in rivers are obviously prone to flooding. Talk to the local authorities and ask them for the highest and lowest recorded water levels for the river. Information can also be gathered by talking to locals as well. Islands situated in bays and estuaries with shallow bottoms are prone to tidal variations, and access to these islands may be cut off at low tide. Offshore islands are also affected tidal patterns, and are the most prone to dangerous weather. All islands, regardless of location, are prone to drought.
Check the water supply. Water is the most important element of any island. Usually, the smaller the island, the less drinkable water there is. Most islands have some sort of fresh water, however. Look for a ground water table high enough for a well to be dug. If a well already exists, have it inspected to make sure it’s dependable. Do this by pumping the well empty and then determining how long in minutes it takes to fill again. The amount of water that get from a well determined using this method is given in cubic meters or cubic feet of water. If the amount of water in the well turns out to be insufficient, rain water can also be collected in cisterns. The well can be topped off from the well, thus stopping it from running dry. Check how much rain falls annually in the vicinity of your island. The typical amount of water needed annually for part-time island habitation is 30,000 to 100,000 gallons. Full-time living requires around forty inches of annual rainfall. Technology has also come to the rescue with desalination plants suitable for home use available for as little as $20,000.
Check accessibility. Accessibility is a key factor in your choice of an island. Consider how far away an island is from major transportation, and how you can get there. It is strongly recommended that you have boating experience because the only way to get to a most islands is by boat. Air strips and helicopter pads can also be installed on an island, and there are a few lucky islands out there accessible by causeway.
Check the anchorage. Anchorage refers to howconducive an island is for boat anchoring. Islands with suitable anchorage will be easily accessible by boats, so it is important that you island have good anchorage. Decent anchorage will have shelter from prevailing winds, a sandy ocean bottom for good holding of the anchor, and deep water access to the beach with no rocks or coral in the way. If you aren’t experienced with boats, ask the captain who takes you to the island what he thinks of the anchorage. Nearly all islands have some form of anchorage, but the quality varies drastically. If there is no good anchorage on the island, a mooring buoy and a tender can solve the problem. An ideal island should have both shelter and good spot to land a boat. I’s important to see the island at high and low tides, as the geography of the ocean around your island will vary greatly between tides.
Developing the island. Depending on your development needs, pick an island of appropriate size. If you only want a small house or cabin, a small island between 1-5 hectares (2.5 – 12 acres) should suffice. Medium. If you want a larger house and perhaps some additional buildings, consider a medium-sized island 5-10 hectares (12 – 24 acres). If you are planning a small resort, then a large island of at least 10-15 hectares (24 – 37 acres) should be obtained. For larger resorts, pick an island 15-20 hectares (37 – to 48 acres) in size with at least 6-10 hectares (14-24 acres) of flat land for building. The remoteness of an island and the types of buildings to be developed greatly impact the cost of development. Expect to pay 30% more for development on an island than for a similar development on the mainland. This is because all materials and workers must be brought to your island on boat. Keep in mind that most islands have hills and/or swamps, and the majority of islands only have a very small portion of usable terrain.
Don’t forget about beaches. Find out where the beaches on your island are located as most islands are only partially surrounded by beaches. Islands surrounded by sandy beaches are very rare. Where the beach is located is important. First, island beaches are generally found on the opposite side of the prevailing winds. Most people prefer islands with western-facing beaches so they can watch the sunset. If this isn’t available on your island, there may be hill or other location that offers a nice place to view the sunset. Sunsets only comprise a small portion of the day, however, so don’t make them they only factor you consider. The quality of the sand is another major consideration to take into account. Sand quality is defined by two factors: fineness and whiteness. The fineness of the sand is more important than color. Fine brown sand may be preferable to coarse, white sand. It’s not as pretty, but feels nicer underfoot. Another thing to consider is whether the beach is shallow or steeply dropping off and if it is rocky or sandy. The ideal beach would have fine sand which drops off into deeper water for swimming and snorkeling. Note any preferences you may have about beaches to your broker.
Note the topography. Islands vary from perfectly flat to rocky and mountainous to swampy and brackish. The area of flat land on most islands is approximately 10-12%. Keep this in mind when making development plans.
Analyze the infrastructure. An island with buildings will usually need an on-site caretaker who will care for and maintain it. Building anything on an island will cost more than on the mainland because all supplies and labor must be transported by boat. Many islands for sale are virgin islands, meaning they are completely natural, untouched, and have not been built upon. In that case, there’s nothing to consider apart from the potential of the island. But if the island has existing buildings such as a resort or residence, then a detailed survey of the quality and integrity of those buildings should take place before any purchase is made. Make sure that the buildings have all necessary government permits, also.
Employ caretakers. A good caretaker is the single most important thing you can do to protect such a large investment as your island. Since an island is isolated, it is hard to protect when you are away. Most high-end island owners employ full-time caretakers (there’s even a newsletter out there called the Caretaker Gazette), while others opt to pay local fishermen to keep an eye on their island. Islands in the highly-trafficked Caribbean are more prone to crime than those in remote locations, especially if they have an unguarded airstrip. Apart from securing the property against unwanted visitors and squatters, the caretaker can look after buildings and equipment, making sure they’re all in good order and condition. While you are there, the caretaker can also act as gardener, handyman and obtain deliveries for you from town. Generally it’s wise to employ at least a couple, if not more.
Check the utilities. A prime consideration to look at when purchasing an island is communications. An island is separated from the mainland, making communication very important, both for safety and day-to-day living. You’ll be lucky if your island has access to regular utilities such as municipal water, electricity, telephone, or even cable television. Most island owners have to provide for their own water and electricity, an expense that should be taken into consideration when planning development. Thankfully, Internet and television can both be obtained via satellite at reasonable prices. Islands located close to developed areas may have cell phone and radio, but don’t depend on it.
Ensure land ownership. Determine what rights of ownership you have to the island. In many places island ownership only extends to the high tide mark, with government owning everything below the mark. When buying an island of any size, get an attorney to look over the island’s papers and documentation. In some countries, foreigners are not allowed to own islands. Before buying the island, find out if anyone is living on it, and whether or not have a legal right to be there. Squatters can be a problem, and care should be taken to ensure they are not there before making a purchase.
This guide was adapted from Wikihow.com with permission.. Though the version found here is similar to the one at WikiHow, the one here has been updated for greater accuracy and readability. Both versions are available under a Creative Commons license.