Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few countries to offer citizenship by investment. There are only five countries in the Caribbean to provide such programs, and this is one of them. There are three different ways to obtain a passport on this breathtaking island and, as we will see in this section, real estate is one of them. 

But acquiring a property in the Caribbean is more than getting a nice-looking beach house. It’s also more than getting a passport. It’s about covering two important fronts of your financial strategy. 

These are the three ways in which an investor can get the Antigua and Barbuda passport:

-Non-refundable government donation

-Real estate investment

-Business investment

Since these will be covered in the ‘citizenship and residency’ section, we focus this piece on the real estate market and its many benefits. 

There are only a few investments as effective as a real estate CBI program. If you wonder why, we encourage you to read our piece on the Forever Free strategy. 

With one investment (which, by the way, in the Caribbean does not surpass the 200,000 USD) you can have a luxury property in a tourist hub. The Caribbean region is visited by tourists from all over the world, but especially by those looking for luxury. 

This constitutes the perfect environment for developing a property portfolio and it covers the 5th step of the Forever Free strategy. This is the step where a Family Office or individual can increase their wealth with carefully allocated investments. The real estate market is one of the safest vehicles as prices always rise eventually.

In Antigua and Barbuda, you can get citizenship and purchase a real estate development with one single investment and procedure. Thus, you will be covering the first and fifth steps of the Forever Free package and investing in the most important asset of all: freedom. 

Your Passport to Freedom Through Real Estate Investment

The rarest asset in the 21st century is not gold, bitcoin, or oil. It’s freedom. If you are wondering why is this asset getting scarcer, just look at the current world situation.

The increasing interest to achieve ‘transparency’ has led to an ever-growing pressure over the low-tax jurisdictions. High-tax countries have been tightening the regulations and increasing rates for over two decades. Since this has caused capital flight and massive migration by the richest families, instead of lowering their taxes, these nations established regulating entities that strive to control the financial environment worldwide. These efforts eventually lead to the implementation of international regulations like the CRS or BEPS.

This trend has been enhanced by the coronavirus pandemic that broke out in 2020. With the support of international regulating entities, governments have imparted even stricter measures limiting the freedom of movement between countries and sometimes even within the same city. 

Rumors are saying that the EU is thinking about establishing a tax on citizenship, which would mean that every EU citizen would have to pay taxes no matter where they live. Russia is thinking of doing the same. Also, many countries are discussing concepts like ‘worldwide taxation’ and an increase in wealth tax to alleviate the high expenses caused by the pandemic.

In this context, having a second or a third passport has become an essential aspect of a person’s financial plan. A backup travel document can help you avoid restrictions, widen your travel opportunities, and give you a second home to rely on in case of emergencies. 

The Current Situation of the Real Estate Market in Antigua and Barbuda 

For the reasons we explain above, we mainly work with what we call second-home or third-home properties. Mostly under the CBI framework. 

Generally, the real estate market is very steady because foreigners don’t live here. They don’t need a property as a residency like they would at home, say in London, New York, or Paris. 

Investors buy property in Antigua and Barbuda because they want to. They may want to start a tourist rental business or have their own getaway place in the Caribbean. Thanks to this, the global market fluctuations don’t really affect the real estate prices in this country. During severe world crises, the number of real estate sales may decrease, but the Antigua and Barbuda properties maintain their value. 

For investors that want a long-term investment strategy, Antigua and Barbuda real estate sector is the ideal option. But, if your strategy is based on buying and selling quickly to make capital gains, this is not the best investment. In the time of a crisis, your Antiguan property will keep its value but will be hard to sell. Hence, you have high value but low liquidity. 

If your plan is holding on to your properties, then this is a stable environment where to grow your real estate portfolio or keep a second home in the Caribbean. 

The property values increase between 2% and 6% annually depending on several factors.

Real Estate and Tourism in the Caribbean

The demand for Caribbean real estate is growing fast. This is mainly thanks to the increasing number of visitors. Infrastructure is also growing to support this trend. As an example, Antigua opened a new international airport in 2015. 

This enhanced the country’s connections which now has a direct flight to London and connections with the US and Canada. 

If you like statistics, Antigua was visited by 300,000 tourists in 2018, not including visitors who came on cruise liners. While the country's tourism sector has been struck by the Covid-19 pandemic and government restrictions, the year 2022 shows a new horizon of hope. With vaccines being implemented worldwide and restrictions gradually being lifted, the tourist global industry is reactivating. 

Many countries have experienced a boom in tourism as soon as the restrictions were lifted, showing the people’s desire to get out of their houses and travel. In this context, the Caribbean is one of the best candidates to receive a large flow of visitors from 2022 and on. 

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Property Prices in Antigua and Barbuda 

In this section, we describe what investors can get at different prices. These numbers are approximate and intend to show a general picture of the market. 

What Can You Get for 100,000USD

When it comes to touristic properties, you will have to be really lucky to get a property at 100,000 USD. With a little luck, It’s possible to acquire a decent one-bedroom apartment. Our experts may be able to get you a deal on distressed assets for this price, and probably the property will require work. But, still, this is a long shot. 

What Can You Get for 200,000

Realistically, you need at least 200,000 USD to purchase a tourist rental property. For this amount, investors can acquire a 2-bedroom property with 1,000 square feet. This property can have great amenities and facilities for tourists like a private dock space. There are single houses or blocks of 6-8 houses. 

There are great opportunities in Jolly Harbour, where there are 35-40-year old properties. Since they need some work done, you may be able to get them a little cheaper, say 175,000USD-195,000 USD, depending on the property. 

This area gets many visitors and offers good ROI options for investors. 

What Can You Get for 500,000 

This is generally the option that CBI applicants choose. For this number, you can get a unit in a luxury resort development. These are modern hotel-type complexes with top-class amenities. They offer management and full services and are often brand new. 

What Can You Get for 1,000,000

If you want a single luxury house, then you can get it for 1,000,000. For this price, you can purchase a three-bedroom 3,000-square foot house. At this price, you probably won’t find beachfront properties or sunset views, but you can get a nice house with a lovely ocean view. 

What Can You Get for More Than 1,000,000

The next jump in prices places us at a 1.8-3-million price range. At these prices, you can get a property at Sugar Ridge, a luxury resort located high upon a hill and offering breathtaking views. You can get properties with three and four bedrooms, 3,000 square feet, and with a terrace, garden, and pool. These resorts usually have 24/7 security. 

For over 3,000,000 USD, investors can acquire a property with 4 or 5 bedrooms with 3,500-5,000 square feet. These properties have all the luxury amenities including sunset views, private beaches, and a dock, a combination that is quite rare to find in the Caribbean.

If you don’t have the time to manage the rental activity of your property, don’t worry. There are several rental management companies that can take care of everything for you. 

Important: Readers must keep in mind that, to apply for citizenship, it’s necessary to purchase a government-approved development starting at 200,000 USD. 

Real Estate in the Citizenship by Investment Context 

Approximately 6 years ago, most of the CBI applicants used to choose the donation investment. This is understandable since it’s a simpler and faster approach. Applicants don’t need to spend time looking for a property, but only have to worry about depositing the donation, paying the fees, and passing the due diligence check.

However, more and more investors are starting to see the value of having real estate property in Antigua and Barbuda, where prices can only increase and, worst-case scenario, remain stable. While the donation option is non-refundable, the property can be sold after 5 years, getting the investment back plus capital gains. 

The statistics in St Kitts and Nevis show that 75% of investors chose the real estate option when applying for the CBI in 2018 and 2019. This trend is also visible in other Caribbean countries. 

But why is the real estate sector increasingly appealing for investors? It all comes down to trust. Lately, there have been internationally renowned developers working on CBI-approved properties. These developers have experience not only building luxury properties but also inserting them into the market. They have worked with successful projects in the past and are now striving to reach the same level of excellence in the Caribbean. 

Also, some of the top luxury brands have established facilities in the Caribbean like Hyatt, 4 Seasons, and others. 

Thanks to these factors, the real estate sector of Antigua and Barbuda is constantly growing and presents a unique opportunity for ROI. 

Advantages of Investing in Real Estate in Antigua and Barbuda through the CBI Program

-Annual return of 1-5%.

-Ability to sell the property after a period and keep citizenship. The period is usually 5 to 7 years depending on the program.

-The person who buys the property will also be eligible for the CBI program. 

-Stable political and economic environment.

-Stable currency pegged to the US dollar. 

-Stable property prices.

-Increasing tourism and real estate sectors. 

Development Opportunities

The market also receives investors who want to build their own houses or projects. It’s possible to acquire a piece of land for between 2M and 5M dollars, with the building and design costs, the sum amounts to 6M. 

Nonetheless, the tourism sector includes more than rental and residential properties. Many investors come to the islands looking for other investments. A well-located restaurant can cost approximately 500,000 USD. 

Who We Are and What Can We Do for You

About Mundo 

We are Mundo, an online financial portal committed to the concept of freedom. We believe in the five flag theory and work hard to provide services that fit into this strategy.

We have partnered with experts from all over the world who specialize in banking, immigration, trusts, companies, investment vehicles, and financial licenses. 

Thanks to this, we can offer a combination of structures to help high-net-worth individuals protect their legacy. Due to the nature of our business, our services are specifically targeted to Family Offices. Nonetheless, we offer them to individuals as well. 

No matter whether you are a mid-net, high-net, or ultra-high-net individual, we offer effective solutions for every case. 

About our firm

The firm is Mundo’s main partner and sponsor. It specializes in trust services in Nevis and investment migration in the Caribbean. With offices in different parts of the world, it has wide experience offering turnkey solutions to its clients. 

Mundo and his main partner can offer a wide array of services across different jurisdictions. This includes the Caribbean, the US, Panama, Russia, Georgia, Hong Kong, Armenia, the UK, Estonia, Cyprus, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, the Bahamas, Vanuatu, and more. 

Thanks to our combined efforts and wide experience offering services in the Caribbean, we can help you obtain citizenship by investment in Antigua and Barbuda through real estate or any of the other two options. Contact us now and ask for a consultation. 

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