Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

Hi all:

I am Bajan and presently living in Barbados. Feel free to ask specific questions about Barbados and I will be happy to respond.

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

Hi bajanboy

New to this posting lark so if I make any rookie errors you'll have to forgive me! Looks like I'll be coming to live in barbados soon for a few years maybe and I need to find a 3 or 4 bed house in the holetown/ST JAMES/ST THOMAS area can you recommend the best way to find what sort of accomodation is available? i.e. free adds, real estate agents. My pockets aren't endless though so needs to middle of the range.

Any help appreciated.

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

Hi Chappers:

There is certainly a wide variety of good quality houses and apartments for rent in Barbados. Houses along or near the beach in St. James / St. Peter command huge rents; rents fall as you move away from water. As roads in Barbados are getting very congested, you will want to consider where you live in relation to where you are going to work (or if you have children, where they go to school) as you can spend two or more hours commuting (in total) a day.

You might want to start your search at www.cariblist.com which has over 1000 properties listed for rent. You could also look at www.bajanservices.com or www.aaaltman.com , both of which have comprehensive listing of better quality properties.

All real estate agents will spend time with you driving you around to various properties helping to find what you need. Ideally, you should pay a visit to Barbados to look around before you plan to move here, or be prepared to spend two to four weeks in a hotel or an apartment will you seek out your house.

Another option if you are going to be here for several years (I would say at least three) is to look into buying a house as an investment, putting the rent towards the mortgage, and then also benefiting from the appreciation in the value of the home over that period.

Hope this helps.

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

Thanks Bajanboy

Some good advice and websites, I had seen some of them, but not all. Looks like I may have to do some hunting to find what I need for the budget.

As far as buying goes I lived in Belize for two years a little while ago where properties often stay un sold for years, what's the market like in Barbados do properties move fairly quickly? What are mortgage rates like in Barbados? Do you need to be resident or a citizen before you buy? How much do properties rise in value? In the UK it's been a little nuts for a while now and our house has more than doubled in value over the last 5 years!

I'm coming over with my wife and two young children (2 years and 4 months) and I guess I also worry that there will be enough for them to do as far as kids groups, pre school that sort of thing - not sure if you can help with this but if you have any suggestions as to what it will be like for them it would help.

Thanks again for your help earlier - I'll definately be over there in May now as I've committed to the job. Looking forward to my first beer near the beach...

Chappers

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

Hey my bajan friend,

I am presently looking into moving to your island at some time in the near future and obviously need to work.

I have however looked at various job websites and island newspapers online looking for information about my line of work and can't even find a retailer that sells it.

You see, I am a wooden flooring installer with my own, if very small business in my small part of Gods country in Scotland.

I have looked for retailers of this product and laminate flooring but to no avail.
I have checked the online yellow pages but there doesn't appear to be any.

The closest I have found is in the Courts website but in the flooring category they have no stock or information.

Now I realize that due to the climate on the island and the humidity, wooden/laminate flooring may not be the ideal flooring to be placed on a floor but I know that in the US the flooring is treated different to deal with the humidity so I know that I can get it.

What I wuold like to know from you if possible is if there actually is any laminate/hardwood flooring retailers on the island and if there are any fitters either.

I don't seem to have found any carpet fitters or retailers either.

Any help with this would help as if there is a market for me to bring the product to the island it would help me immensely.

Thanks in advance.

Marc the tulipknifed one

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

Hi Chappers:

Sorry, did not notice your reply until now.

The property market has been red hot here the past few years, driven in large part by British people buying houses here. They have been able to extract equity from their houses in the UK to buy here. I believe that prices have doubled here as well in the past five years. That means, however, that prices tend to be expensive.

I think you can get a fixed mortgage for 10 years for about 8% while variable ones run about 6.5% - 7% for three years. There are no restrictions on non-nationals buying property here and you get mortgages as well.

As for pre-schools, there are lots around, but as I do not have kids, I cannot really advise you on that. The best way for your wife to meet people here is through your work, or through the Canadian Women's Assocation or other volunteer groups.

Regards

John

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

hi bajanboy,

i was wondering if it was possible for you to help me by finding information about beauty therapist jobs there, in hotels, (preferable seasonal jobs).

i'm also a barbadian national by birth who wants to gain some experience by working in the hotel industry in the caribbean after i finish studying in july.

also i find it very hard to find information about hotel jobs there over the net, is there a specific website i can go on to find information.

many thx,
missdeane.

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

Hi Bajanboy,
could you advise what the problems are with crime? Is there a big drug problem? Burglary etc...

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

Missdeane:

The best spa in Barbados is at the Sandy Lane Hotel. You could look at their web site (www.sandylane.com) for how to apply. There are lots of other smaller spas. You could also check the Barbados Yellow Pages online (www.barbadosyp.com). The specific link to spas is:

http://pagebosspdf.ypsolutions.com/P...1273&COID=1273

Hope that helps.

Re: Free advice from a Bajan living in Barbados
 

BigWilly:

I think Barbados is quite safe. As a guy, I never feel afraid when I am out and about. Barbados would be safer statistically that Jamaica and Trinidad. We have a big dog, so I never worry about robberies. I think much of the crime is petty and opportunistic, and perhaps fuelled by people who need to support their drug habit.

I think the murder rate is about 8 per 100,000 population while in Jamaica is it about 50 per 100,000, in Trinidad 28 per 100,000, 25 per 100,000 in St. Lucia, and in Antigua 17 per 100,000.