If you are not a St Lucian citizen, in order to acquire property for sale in St Lucia you will need an Alien’s Landholding License. This is commonly called an ALL. The application for this can be undertaken by a local lawyer. The license is granted for a specific plot of land or property for sale in St Lucia. This is non-transferable. When starting your search for property for sale in St Lucia, it is worth keeping in mind that there is an application fee of EC$1,500 (US$558). Furthermore the actual license itself costs EC$5,000 (US$1,800). Applications can take between two to three months.
You will need to supply:
| • | Passport and citizenship details, profession or employment status, current bankers reference. |
| • | Police certificate of good character from country of origin or current residence (for UK citizens this takes a minimum of 42 working days) |
| • | Four passport sized colour photographs for each purchaser, one copy to be certified by a Notary. |
| • | Full finger prints of every purchaser. |
Additionally stamp duty on property for sale in St Lucia is 2% of the purchase price. Lastly lawyers fees may be anywhere between 3% and 5%, however we can recommend lawyers who will undertake to do the work.
Equally important if the property you are buying does not include a furnishing package we can recommend interior designers who can attend to your every need.
Property for Sale in St Lucia: Additional Resources
Access
St Lucia is serviced regularly from the UK by British Airways. Virgin Atlantic are currently offering seasonal flights into Heathrow. Flights from the US are provided by American Airlines, Delta and additionally JetBlue. Condor flies weekly from Germany and Canadian carriers Air Canada and WestJet fly seasonally. Hence investors in the buy-to-let market are sure to earn a good return on property for sale in St Lucia. The island sees a steady stream of guests all year-round. Due to the above airlift it’s easy to see why property for sale in St Lucia has become one of the most attractive investment opportunities in the world.
Banking
As with any jurisdiction, investors looking for property for sale in St Lucia need to be sure that adequate banking services are readily accessible. St Lucia has featured prominently within the World Bank’s list of top places in the world for doing business. Part of the reason for this ranking is the island’s strong financial sector. Regular on-shore banking services are available from a multitude of institutions, including Bank of St. Lucia, First Caribbean Bank , Royal Bank of Canada and Republic Bank. lastly Offshore services are also catered for by Bank of St. Lucia International.
Interior Designers
Doubloon Real Estate Ltd. is proud to recommend G & G Interiors for all your interior design needs. Since arriving in St Lucia, Gemma and Georgina have been transforming the way homes on the island are decorated, and know how to transform a house into a stylish and elegant home. Combining their clients’ personal style with their experience, skills and resources, it’s easy to see why the interiors they create are exactly the solutions their customers are looking for, and how they have recently been able to expand into neighboring Grenada. For more information please visit their website.
Lawyers
Saint Lucia has an efficient legal system based on British common law. There are a number of options for legal representation when it comes to property for sale in St Lucia, ranging from small specialist practitioners to large family law firms. We are always happy to recommend a suitable firm for your individual needs. To get an informed view on purchasing property Athena Law’s post here is a great place to start your research.
Mortgage Providers
Mortgage brokerage companies specializing in mortgages for non-residents and non-Caribbean nationals can source funding and provide consultancy services for real estate projects and financing. Please ask us or your lawyer to recommend the best mortgage providers for your needs.