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Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty Reports Robust 2018 Residential Real Estate Market

Resort-Style Living. According to Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty, the demand for luxury resort-style properties such as those found on Kamalame Cay (above) saw a significant surge in 2018.

 

Nassau, The Bahamas (Jan. 21, 2019) — According to Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty, 2018 was another healthy year for luxury residential real estate sales with the company’s list price averaging $1.55 million and sales prices averaging $1.4 million.

“Overall, 2018 was a strong year for sales with a slight increase over the 2017 performance,” said Lana Rademaker, Chief Brokerage Officer for the company, noting that there has been a significant increase in demand for homes in the Family Islands. “Markets like Hope Town, Harbour Island, Kamalame Cay, Treasure Cay and Spanish Wells are ideal entry markets into The Bahamas. People come down for holidays and end up returning as buyers.”

Rademaker added that the uptick in visitors and buyers in both Nassau and the Family Island markets can be partially credited to the increased number of direct flights into these markets from the U.S. and Canada. Major carriers such as American Airlines, Air Canada, JetBlue and Delta offer daily flights to The Bahamas and recently announced direct flights from Chicago and Houston to Nassau will offer even more opportunities for easy access to The Bahamas.

“The enviable lifestyle of The Bahamas has always been a major attractor to buyers in addition to the fact that we’re an English-speaking country with a stable economy,” Rademaker said. “And now with even more direct flights to our islands, people are able to get here more conveniently and frequently, making our country a strong choice for those who want to own a vacation home just one flight away.”

Another factor is the growing demand for unique resort-style residential properties such as those found on Kamalame Cay, which is about a 20-minute flight from Nassau.

“We are constantly striving to stay ahead of market trends and seek out distinctive opportunities for our clients,” Rademaker said. “I am proud to announce that one of our top agents, Vanessa Ansell, participated in seven transactions on Kamalame Cay this past year, making it one of the most active periods in the history of the luxury resort. Through her strategic marketing and carefully cultivated relationships, Vanessa has positioned herself as the go-to real estate advisor for Kamalame Cay.”

To further accommodate and more fully service this ever-increasing market activity, Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty expanded their sales team with the addition of two new agents in 2018. In December, the company also opened a new office location on Harbour Island next to the popular Piggly Wiggly food store on King Street, the island’s main thoroughfare.

“Nurturing ongoing client relationships is our number one priority as a company,” Rademaker said. “The more visible we are in the markets we serve, and the more knowledgeable our agents are, the more value we can provide to people whether they are current, past or future clients.”

The company’s ongoing mission to continually seek out ways to better serve their clients was further augmented when the firm hosted a four-day NINJA Selling Conference for their entire company at the Grand Hyatt Convention Center at the Baha Mar Resort in October 2018.

“The conference was an incredible experience,” Rademaker said. “Our entire company gathered together for four days to focus on expanding our knowledge and skills as real estate professionals. Designed to help agents capitalize on their strengths, conquer their goals and transform their business, the content of the NINJA Selling Conference aligned perfectly with our company’s culture.”

New developments like BahaMar, GoldWynn, the Pointe and the soon-to-be redeveloped Hurricane Hole on Paradise Island are also providing exciting new opportunities for buyers in the country’s capital.

“The great thing about The Bahamas is that we’re constantly growing and progressing as a country,” Rademaker said. “There is always new and fresh inventory to explore, which makes it a very exciting market to live in, work in and invest in.”

About Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty

Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty has 10 offices located throughout the islands of the Bahamas, providing unsurpassed market knowledge of Abaco, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Exuma, Nassau, Paradise Island, Ocean Club Estates, Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay, Albany and Private Islands. Head office 75 Shirley Street, Nassau. For additional information, please contact 242-322-2305 or info @SIRbahamas.com.

 

About Sotheby’s International Realty

 The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has approximately 22,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in over 970 offices in 72 countries and territories worldwide.  Each office is independently owned and operated.

January 17, 2019 by
Damianos Sotheby's International Realty

What it’s like to LIVE in The Bahamas

 

Living in The Bahamas Is A State of Mind. From Private and Reclusive…

 

What it's like to LIVE in The Bahamas

Saddleback Cay | Private Island | Exuma Cays, Bahamas

 

…To Ultimate Resort-Style Living.

 

What it's like to LIVE in The Bahamas

Villa Florentine | Paradise Island | Bahamas

 

The Bahamas is a chain of 700 breathtaking islands and cays surrounded by over 100,000 square miles of crystal clear blue ocean. Situated just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, The Bahamas is easily considered to be one of the most picturesque island getaways around.

 

What it's like to LIVE in The Bahamas

 

Since opening our doors in 1945, Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty has remained the leader in the luxury real estate market in The Bahamas. With an “International” middle name, Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty represents the best of both worlds through local and global reach. Given this position, we are responsible for representing the islands of The Bahamas to an international audience, showcasing our country’s desirable island lifestyle and the value of investing in The Bahamas.

Stop Dreaming. Start Living.

 

About Sotheby’s International Realty
The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has approximately 22,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in over 950 offices in 69 countries and territories worldwide. Each office is independently owned and operated.

About Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty
Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty has 11 offices located throughout the islands of the Bahamas, providing unsurpassed market knowledge of Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Nassau, Paradise Island, Ocean Club Estates, Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay and Private Islands. Head office 75 Shirley Street, Nassau. For additional information, please contact 242-322-2035 or info.Bahamas@SIR.com.

June 9, 2018 by
Damianos Realty

Top 10 Reasons for Moving to The Bahamas

The Benefits of Moving to Nassau, Bahamas. There are a lot of reasons for moving to Nassau, Bahamas, but perhaps the biggest benefit is the country’s tax neutrality.

  1. Close to key North, Central and South American financial centres.
  2. The world’s largest economy is only 50 miles away.
  3. The Bahamas share time zone (EST) with Miami, New York and Toronto.
  4. Peaceful and stable democracy for almost 300 years.
  5. Independent nation since 1973.
  6. Life is less taxing for those who choose to live here. No personal of corporate income taxes and no taxes on capital gains, no inheritance tax, dividends or interest.
  7. Numerous Acts of Parliament offer ease of purchasing property with investment incentives and Permanent Residency.
  8. English-speaking, trained workforce.
  9. The ease of getting here with frequent daily U.S. Canada, London and several direct International flights.
  10. An ideal climate and lifestyle with modern infrastructure and world-class communications.

Get more information on the costs involved when purchasing real estate in The Bahamas.

About Sotheby’s International Realty
The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has approximately 22,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in over 950 offices in 69 countries and territories worldwide. Each office is independently owned and operated.

About Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty
Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty has 11 offices located throughout the islands of the Bahamas, providing unsurpassed market knowledge of Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Nassau, Paradise Island, Ocean Club Estates, Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay and Private Islands. Head office 75 Shirley Street, Nassau. For additional information, please contact 242-322-2035 or info.Bahamas@SIR.com.

May 29, 2018 by
Damianos Sotheby's International Realty, Sotheby's International Realty

Buzz Talk with Philip White, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC

This article originated from BuzzBuzz Home.

Philip White became captivated by the magic of Sotheby’s auctions while on a trip abroad. No stranger to taking a chance, White pursued a position in their newly formed Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC, despite his background in finance — ultimately landing in the Manhattan real estate division.

Drawing on his years in the military, White is passionate about providing the ultimate customer experience and implementing new technologies to keep the Sotheby’s International Realty brand light years ahead of its competition.

We caught up with White to talk about the legacy of the Sotheby’s brand and the future of Sotheby’s International Realty.

BuzzBuzzNews: How did you first enter the real estate industry? What drew you to the industry?

Philip White: Although I graduated from the University of Virginia with finance background, I studied art and literature in London. I used to write an art market column for a magazine, Southern Accents.

In London, I was introduced to a friend’s sister, who worked in the French Impressionist Department for Michele Strauss, the expert in that field for Sotheby’s auction house. I was invited to different auctions and found the experience and the magic of Sotheby’s selling wonderful things to the world’s wealthiest clients to be an amazing process.

I became a banker by trade and was in New York City when I heard about the formation of Sotheby’s International Realty and its COO. I realized that this new entity could be a job that combined my banking experience with my desire to be part of the Sotheby’s brand.

I took a risk and called the COO (Fred Schultze). I introduced myself as a reporter for Southern Accents and asked for an interview. When I met with him, I confessed my real reason for wanting to meet, and I was eventually offered a job.

BBN: Being a veteran of the USMC, how did your military experience shaped your work ethic and how has it helped you succeed in the business of luxury real estate?

PW: The Marine Corps provided me a strong foundation for dealing with adverse conditions, challenging situations, and ultimately the opportunity to make decisions based on the available information. This has helped me in understanding how to manage a high-end clientele.

BBN: What challenges did you face taking the reins at Sotheby’s International Realty?

PW: I was well prepared to take over as CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC, having served as President and COO prior to that, as well as having owned my own real estate company.

The challenge I faced was to develop a strategy to grow the brand while maintaining the quality. We were able to accomplish that with global sales volume reported last year at $108 billion USD and an annual growth rate far exceeding the overall market, while increasing our average sales price, which also far exceeds the national average.

BBN: What do you think specifically separates the “Sotheby’s” brand of luxury real estate from its competitors?

PW: Obviously, our rich heritage of handling many record sales over the years for many of the world’s wealthiest customers provides a great legacy. With that as a backdrop, we have been able to be innovative in marketing and technology, providing the best-in-class tools and support for our agents and brokers around the world.

The strength of the Sotheby’s International Realty brand is also attributable to the professionalism of our agents who, in 2017, led the way in terms of the largest number of agents ranked by REAL Trends/The Wall Street Journal “The Thousand” in the category of individual sales volume and the highest average sales price.

BBN: The sales volume in 2017 totaled an astounding $108 billion globally and over $96 billion in the US — topping the brand’s high recorded in 2016. What strategies do you credit for this unprecedented level of success?

PW: We have a very skilled team at the corporate level that provides assistance to our affiliated companies in terms of mergers and acquisitions, agent recruitment, converting existing independent companies, and increasing per agent productivity.

On the international side of our business, last year was somewhat of a turning point as we started to see the business ramping up faster as a result of all the work we have done over the past number of years opening offices in high-growth markets.

BBN: What drew you to get involved with New Story? Why is this an important cause for you?

PW: A safe home provides the foundation for health, education and opportunity. When my team and I met Brett Hagler and the New Story team, we felt inspired by their mission to build sustainable homes for those in need.

Teaming up with New Story as a charitable partner allowed us to extend the services we provide daily: to help people discover homes that allow them to live their best life.

Since aligning with New Story as one of the brand’s charitable partners, I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the Sotheby’s International Realty network in support of this mission.

BBN: Sotheby’s, as a brand, has a unique amount of history and name recognition. How do you see this spilling over to Sotheby’s International Realty?

PW: We have a rich and collaborative relationship with Sotheby’s auction house, as we share the same name. I know they are impressed and proud of the growth of the real estate company.

We share a similar vision with them, which is to provide unmatched service and expertise to our global clients and to look at opportunities to expand that client base. We are working together in the areas of artificial intelligence and augmented reality, as an example.

BBN: A curated customer experience is paramount to the Sotheby’s International Realty experience. How do you maintain a personal touch in an era where technological interactions are replacing actual in-person facetime?

PW: We don’t see technology replacing the personal role of the real estate agent. We believe our role is to develop and enhance existing technological tools and systems to support the agent and help them provide an even better customer experience.

The luxury end of the real estate business is very high touch and we don’t see that changing.

BBN: There is a lot of talk among real estate experts about a “softening” in the national luxury market. Do you agree with this characterization? How would you describe the current state of the luxury market?

PW: We are coming off of a very strong year, as we have discussed with our sales volume up over 14.5 percent versus the national market at about six percent. We are expecting another strong year and continue to see prices rising as a function of lower inventory levels.

As always, local markets in the US and globally will perform at different levels depending on many variables.

BBN: What new ground do you see Sotheby’s International Realty breaking in the near-future?

PW: We just launched an augmented reality app, working closely with Google, to have this be among the first apps available built on its ARCore platform. We are the first real estate brand to enter this space.

We will continue to look for ways to provide tools to empower our affiliates and their agents. We’ll continue to expand our network of offices and agents on a global scale, and connect them with tools such as our global referral system, which provides translation into 18 different languages. We don’t believe any other company provides that level of connection between its agents and brokers.

May 25, 2018 by
Damianos Sotheby's International Realty

Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty Exclusively Lists Blue Island, a 700-Acre Private Island in the Southern Exuma Cays

A Private Island Oasis. Located 147 miles southwest of Nassau in The Exumas, Blue Island is the largest private island currently on the market in The Bahamas offering 700 acres of pristine developable land and panoramic ocean views.

THE EXUMAS, The Bahamas (Feb. 23, 2018) — Imagine boarding a private jet in New York at 2 p.m. on a Friday, mid-February, flurries of snow piling up on the tarmac as you ascend into the sky. You’re tired, you’re stressed, and you’re ready to disconnect. Now imagine it’s three hours later and you’re stepping off that same plane onto a remote private island. Balmy, 80-degree breezes brush across your skin as you disembark, and the only detectable sounds are those made by swaying palm trees and ocean waves as they lap up on the nearby shore.

This is what awaits visitors to Blue Island: peace, solitude, sanctuary.

Situated in the southern Exuma Cays, the 700-acre island is located 147 miles southwest of Nassau, or about a 30-minute flight, and offers not only the utmost in seclusion but also an array of desirable features such as a brand-new 5,700-foot jetway; six white sand beaches; 15 miles of lush nature trails lined with mango, banana and coconut palm trees; hilly terraces; and, a 5,000-square-foot main house offering panoramic views of the Atlantic.

“It’s the largest private island currently available in The Bahamas,” said Steve Donovan of Damianos Sotheby’s International Real Estate who is exclusively marketing Blue Island. “There are numerous places where you could build a house or beach bungalow, and each would have its own beach. And with hills reaching up to 90 feet from sea level, Blue Island offers the kind of security and shelter that discerning investors seek out.”

And with the mainland of Great Exuma a short boat ride away, Blue Island offers the best of both worlds­—the ability to relax in your own private world combined with convenient access to supplies, staff, restaurants and shopping.

Between its location in the Exumas, easily one of the most beautiful places in the world, and its development potential, Blue Island is ideally positioned to become the next ultra-exclusive resort along the lines of Mustique or Necker Island,” Donovan said.  “And with 700 acres to work with, you could even include an 18-hole golf course. The possibilities really are endless.”

For more information about Blue Island click here, or email Steve Donovan at steve.donovan@sothebysrealty.com

 

About Sotheby’s International Realty

The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has approximately 21,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in over 900 offices in 68 countries and territories worldwide.  Each office is independently owned and operated.

 

About Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty

 Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty has 11 offices located throughout the islands of the Bahamas, providing unsurpassed market knowledge of Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Nassau, Paradise Island, Ocean Club Estates, Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay, Albany and Private Islands. Head office 75 Shirley Street, Nassau. For additional information, please contact 242- 322.2305 or info.Bahamas@SIR.com.

February 22, 2018 by
Damianos Sotheby's International Realty

Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty’s Exclusive Listing Deep Water Cay is Famous for Bonefish and the Celebrities They Attract

Bonefish Paradise. Located about 150 miles northeast of Miami, Deep Water Cay was founded as a private fishing club in 1958 by Palm Beach guide Gil Drake Sr. and Field & Stream editor A.J. McClane. Since then, the resort has become an exclusive escape for public figures and celebrities like newscaster Tom Brokaw, famed actors Liam Neeson and Michael Keaton and Grammy Award-winning singer Huey Lewis.


NASSAU, The Bahamas (Feb. 7, 2018) — When you hear the names Tom Brokaw, Liam Neeson, Michael Keaton and Huey Lewis, a few things probably come to mind: all have been household names at one time or another; each has received awards for being the best in their respective fields; and, they’re all pretty much recognizable wherever they go. What you probably didn’t realize is that they are all also fisherman—bonefish fisherman to be precise—and have spent time angling in the flats off Deep Water Cay.

Deep Water Cay, a two-square-mile private-island resort located on the eastern end of Grand Bahama Island in The Bahamas, has become almost as famous for its celebrity guests as its bonefish—almost.

“Deep Water Cay is one of the oldest Bahamian bonefish lodges in existence,” said George Damianos, President and Managing Broker for Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty which is currently marketing the private island. “The catches made over the years are a part of the resort’s legacy and they’re why Deep Water Cay has evolved into the ultimate Bahamas fishing resort.”

Rated No. 3 on the list of “Top 25 Hotels in the Bahamas” by Caribbean Journal, Deep Water Cay is easily accessible with a 4,200-foot runway with Customs and Immigration available on request for private planes, plus direct flights from the U.S. and Canada into Grand Bahama International Airport (FPO) on several major airlines, including American Airlines, Bahamasair, Delta, Silver Airways and Sunwing.  Founded as a private fishing club in 1958 by Palm Beach guide Gil Drake Sr. and Field & Stream editor A.J. McClane, the resort features 200 square miles of flats, and a fully-equipped marina that can accommodate boats and yachts up to 65 feet.

In addition to its world-class amenities, Deep Water Cay has a close partnership with the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT). Resort guides tag fish prior to release, and when the fish are caught again, habitat and health data is captured and provided to BTT scientists for study.

“The north shore of Grand Bahama is widely acknowledged as one of the three top locations in the world for big bonefish,” Damianos said. “Between the BTT conservation partnership and Deep Water Cay’s reputation as a best-in-class fishing and luxury resort destination, Deep Water Cay will continue to attract people from all over the world for generations to come.”

For more information about this exclusive listing, please contact George Damianos at (242) 424-9699 or (242) 362-4211 or via email at george.damianos@sir.com


Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty has been an industry leader since 1945 specializing in the listing, marketing and sale of luxury and waterfront properties. With 11 offices throughout The Bahamas, Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty boasts the  most experienced and successful team of real estate professionals, consistently ranking among the top producers in The Bahamas real estate industry.

About Sotheby’s International Realty
The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has approximately 21,000 affiliated independent sales associates located in over 900 offices in 68 countries and territories worldwide.  Each office is independently owned and operated.

About Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty
Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty has 11 offices located throughout the islands of the Bahamas, providing unsurpassed market knowledge of Abaco, Eleuthera, Exuma, Nassau, Paradise Island, Ocean Club Estates, Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay and Private Islands. Head office 75 Shirley Street, Nassau. For additional information, please contact 242-322-2035 or info.Bahamas@SIR.com.

February 7, 2018 by
Damianos Sotheby's International Realty

Inside the Private Island Where Celebrities and Socialites Mingle Over Rosé All Day

Courtesy of Kamalame Cay

Kamalame’s isolated coast, charming owners, cool guests, and carefree style are turning the once off-radar Bahamian cay into the latest It-island escape.

 

VIIA BEAUMANIS
February 01, 2018
This Story Originally Appeared On Travel + Leisure

 

The fire pit in front of the Tiki Bar glows bright at 3 a.m., a 15-foot inferno condensed into an oval of incandescent coal. A pair of gold, flower-embroidered Gucci sandals glints in the surrounding field of drained champagne bottles, their stylish mistress under the sheets somewhere. Maybe. Scanning the sand, bright under an almost full moon, I spot my clutch and wander up the shore to my beach house.

Fourth-of-July-level fireworks, spit-roasted pig, mountains of lobster. Gleeful tribes of sun-kissed children sprinting along the torch-lit paths, fueled by unfettered access to an overflowing sweets table. Dancing under the stars, a fire hose of champagne; men in white linen fetching flutes for ladies shimmying by the DJ. Grandma Nelly, island grand-matriarch in her sea blue Indian tunic, outlasting them all, save a spirited faction of booty-shaking young women.

I booked a bungalow on Kamalame, a 97-acre private island a mile off the world’s second longest barrier reef, in 2004 and left hoping the owners would adopt me. I’ve been returning ever since. Luxe villas and cozy bungalows with names like Roseapple and Starfish are scattered throughout a jungle of coconut palms and hibiscus, edged in miles of deserted beach.

The cay’s residences and boutique hotel wing, max 120 guests, are linked to a spa, tennis courts, a beach bar, and a dining room by white sand paths bordered in conch and coral. Bougainvillea-draped beach houses wrapped in tropical gardens buzzing with hummingbirds are spread out for privacy. They’re pleasantly Wi-Fi free, unless you request a hotspot.

You could spend days here — even weeks — killing rosé in a seaside hammock, ordering crab claws with wasabi mayo from room service, reading books, topless and unplugged, never seeing a soul. Stress-detoxing isolationists will also be soothed by the island’s private shoreline and secluded coves, strewn with driftwood and seashells, the occasional Scarlet Ibis, along its wild, uninhabited north coast. Or hail a boat out to the surrounding islets and sandbars for lobster picnics and snorkeling.

Courtesy of Kamalame Cay

For the more social holidaymaker, the Great House bustles during lunch and dinner: Ladies in Odabash tunics and Tory Burch sandals; bikinis and Cartier Love bracelets. Michael and David King-Hew, the island’s dashing second-generation proprietors, table-hopping between a Manhattan Prada exec and a French museum director who’s sharing lunch with an architect from Santa Barbara.

At the poolside Tiki Bar, in full swing at high season, Jennifer Hew — who founded the island a quarter century ago with her husband, Brian — lounging on an Indonesian settee, giggling with a Guyanese lady in Gucci sandals who arranges international polo matches. On the beach out front, the Hunt clan, of the Dallas oil family who founded Rosewood Hotel Group, trailed by their trio of gamboling dogs.

Forty minutes by speedboat, KC, as it’s known to habitués, is the de facto island outpost of The Albany, where homeowners run Justin Timberlake to Tiger Woods. Nassau’s ritzy, members-only club ferries guests over for snapper burgers and cases of Whispering Angel on an untrammeled shore where everyone’s too soigné to fuss over fame. Someone mentions that Kate Upton may be coming over for lunch while Albany founder Joe Lewis, Britain’s fifth wealthiest man is mooring his 250-foot yacht Aviva off the reef, lined in Picassos and Cezannes.

Courtesy of Kamalame Cay

“I’ll have the grilled asparagus,” says Vanessa to my left, who works for Sotheby’s, “…and a Spicy Margarita, please — extra skinny,” handing the menus to Samson, Kamalame’s longtime, much loved barman. My companion drops his sunglasses in the sand, a passing David Gandy, supermodel face of D&G, leans down and hands them back. A perennial of GQ’s Best Dressed List, Mr. Gandy looks equally dandy in a tiny, black Speedo. Across the table, the splendidly handsome David King-Hew, barefoot in Tom Ford shades and a “Kamalame or Nowhere” t-shirt, flags down more rosé.

With a yen for decor, parties, food, cocktails, dogs, music, card games, laughter, and landscape design, it’s our good luck the Hews went into hospitality. Two generations of West Indies charmers of Euro and Chinese descent, whose ancestors settled in Jamaica in the 1600s, they know a thing or two about gracious island living. They’re welcoming homeowners and hotel guests alongside an endless flow of friends and extended family, dropping in from nearby Miami, Jamaica, New York, Toronto, Nassau, and further afield. Everyone is well-fed and watered, blending into the island-wide social scene.

Invites for beach BBQs at the Tiki Hut, dinner at The Cove (Brian & Jennifer Hew), cocktails at Kapowai (Michael & David’s), all coming their way, in-the-know guests book stays over the monthly luncheons. These are multi-course, wine paired, DJ-enhanced affairs the King-Hews host with their pals from Young’s Fine Wine in Nassau. Lyford Cay swells boat in for the good times. It’s a fete that often runs well into the evening: lunch into afternoon cocktails, dinner through après drinks, possibly a moonlit bonfire. It’s all in good fun, though the kaftan competition is fierce, extra points for most chic sandal. David King-Hew forever encourages his lady friends to pack a glam, yet sand-friendly high wedge.

Thanks to isolated tropical beauty, chic West Indies design, house-hopping socials, cool owners, and word of mouth, Kamalame has hosted everyone from Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem to Mick Jagger since the Hews began taking reservations in 1995. More recently, Serena Williams hit the oceanfront courts during her honeymoon and Emma Watson was spotted kayaking through the mangroves. Model Karolina Kurkova, draped in a series of wow resort looks for ELLE Italia, posed for cameras around the island — standing on a daybed in The Great House, holding a lobster. In Lanvin. Click.

Guitar-strumming astronaut Chris Hadfield treated everyone to an impromptu round of Christmas carols capped by an encore of “Ground Control.” The island’s new Rock House (one bedroom; $1.1 million) was built for David Rockefeller, the genial philanthropist whose billion-dollar art collection is the star of a current Vanity Fairfeature. He spent his last few Christmas holidays here, among dozens of family members, before he passed away in 2017. The English wing of the Weston clan booked half the island for Easter, their children dunking eggs and seashells into bowls of colorful dye set out by the Tiki Bar. The Kardashians, forever sniffing out the latest luxury thing, supposedly had their production office’s requests to shoot on the island denied.

“Hey, do you need a ride? Hop in!”

Strolling along the mangrove-edged road to the Great House for lunch, I turn to find a woman in a fluttering, floral maxi dress, sunglasses as huge as her red lipstick smile, sailing by on a white Schwinn tricycle with a generous rear basket.

“Thanks,” I say, “but I’m working off the champagne… “

Sophia Vergara laughs as she glides up the sugar sand path and disappears into the coconut palms.

Courtesy of Kamalame Cay

Best to Book

Two-bedroom Blue Wing Teal, (from $1,505/night) and Indigo Palm (from $1,975 per night), which sleeps eight, are especially charming and nicely positioned. Simple, 300-square-foot Marina Rooms, just off the Great House and Tiki Bar, are a bargain, starting at $275. Strung together along a far-flung stretch of beach, the whitewashed Beach Bungalows start at $575.

Getting There

Kamalame Cay is a 15-minute hopper from Nassau. Guests may arrive directly on the island via seaplane or helicopter. Alternatively, there are daily directs on Le Air, as well as charters into Andros Town Fresh Creek International Airport — a 20-minute taxi and five-minute private ferry from the Cay.

February 2, 2018 by
Damianos Sotheby's Int. Realty

BAHAMAS PROPERTY OF THE DAY: ON THE ROCKS

The Bahamas home “On The Rocks” offers 140 feet on the Sea of Abaco and amazing sea views from nearly every angle. This waterfront home is located in Abaco on Elbow Cay. On The Rocks offers 5 bed, 4 bath, 3,300 square foot Bahamas home situated on .27 acres of ocean front real estate.

For more information on this Abaco Bahamas home for sale visit: On The Rocks Elbow Cay

On The Rocks Bahamas

On The Rocks Abaco Sea View

May 1, 2017 by
Damianos Sotheby's Int. Realty

Charles 2A – Albany Luxury Bahamas Home

“Charles 2A” is a luxury Bahamas home condo located within the exclusive and private community of Albany.  This second floor marina condo residence offers 5 bedrooms, 5.5  bathrooms, a lavish custom kitchen with granite counter tops and Stainless Steel appliances, cutting edge media room with 90″ flat-screen TV, master bedroom suite with views of the marina and the property grounds, 24 hour security, and much more!

Charles 2A, Albany is the perfect luxury Bahamas residence to own if you have a boat or just love the marina and boating lifestyle. For details on this Albany real estate listing visit MLS #29069.

Charles 2A

Luxury Home for Sale – Charles 2A, Albany, Bahamas

March 14, 2017 by