07.09.06, the house hunt has begun.
i'm getting the feeling, the less you plan to spend, the less antiguan realtors are interested in the task. when you're on the ocean, why fish for a meal-sized foot-long fish, when you know there are 8 ft marlon out there? and antigua has some expensive properties.
but my resources are expanding. antigua doesn't have any kind of MLS (multiple listing service). i see almost no 'for sale' signs.
i was shown a place which didn't quite fit our needs (royal gardens, yellow home). i found a place online that is right next door, fits our needs much better & was a better price. i do not believe the first agent knew the neighbouring house was for sale.
a house in a town called Seaton. it was a bit too rustic for me.
right: 2-storey on 0.1 acre of land. a bank owned repo home.an price: approx. $280.k EC. it doesn't need construction completed, it needs a wrecking ball. check out the 'hood (other 3 shots). top: little house had no windows & people lived in it. mid: ample parking, right across the street, which had 5 dead vehicles.
Royal Gardens, yellow home.
this is a new sub-division near Hodges Bay. probably what Hodges Bay or Crosbies was 30 years ago: just big open fields, no trees, nicely built homes with great income potential. this is small compared to the rest of the sub-division. half were $million+.
this home has 2 bdrm, 2 baths, small pool, nice big wrap-around porch, nice kitchen. very new. backing onto huge sports field.
a canadian lady owns it. very nice & clean. fenced in. carport could be rebuilt into another bedroom.
lower right: shows the view from the front door. yeesh.
asking price $250k canadian.
this would have 'good return on investment.'
its just too small & desperately needs a lot of landscaping.
Crosbies, bank employee owns it.
established neighbourhood. close to good schools.
big place. unusual architecture. 20 years old.
nicely landscaped. nice neighbourhood.
view of the ocean, but it isn't next door.
kitchen is a bit dated looking... or just not my style.
3 bdrm, 3 bathrooms, study + all the expected rooms.
price: $785.k EC, according to the owner,
$700.k EC according to the agent, (2 minutes after the owner leaves.)
the agent has refocussed on more in our desired price range. we cancelled the viewing of the $900.k EC house being finished in Royal Gdns.
Royal Gardens, next to yellow home.
click here to see the specifications of this property, online. scroll to the bottom of the page.
i have yet to see inside this place. but from the look of it, it is bigger than the yellow place next to it. the spec's do say 3 bdrm. i suspect it isn't as nice inside; more plain.
top right: shows both this home & the yellow home from behind & from across the field. if you look way off in the distance, you can see a tiny bit of the ocean. its like having a condo with a view of lake ontario, across the gardiner & just a tiny sliver between 2 other buildings.
