mytropicalescape.com

This morning I was asked by a colleague, “if you and Terrie have been in living in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) for four years why didn’t you just buy something here?” and the question made me think that other people might have the same inquiry. Honestly, I would have to say there were roughly three or four major issues and a multitude of other seemingly inconsequential reasons but when they’re compounded together also factored into our decision to buy elsewhere. Today we will focus on cost.

You may, or may not know this little tidbit, but the BVI is not a cheap place to live. Probably our most outrageous example of this was when we once had to pay $9.00 (I am NOT joking) for a thing of dental floss and the high cost of living doesn’t only affect oral hygiene products. Property prices have skyrocketed during the past four or five years and the territory has also become an underground playground for the rich and famous.

The world’s second largest privately owned yacht, Octopus, visiting the BVI.

The most expensive place to stay for the mega-affluent person visiting the BVI is Necker Island, which is owned by Sir Richard Branson, of Virgin Atlantic, and is billed as his 74acre private paradise. I had the pleasure of sailing past it once but if you want to set foot on land, like Oprah and Princess DI, it will cost you $43,000 per night. Additionally, all BVI beaches are supposed to be open to the public but I am told that Necker has a very keen security force who patrol the beaches because they don’t like allow non-guests to drop by the pool bar for happy hour. For your viewing pleasure I was going to post a photo of Necker Island…However, after reading through the legal documentation on the site I was sternly warned that if I put a picture on mytropicalescape.com I WOULD be prosecuted and not just a little like being made to clean Necker’s toilets for a week but to the full extent of the law. I really wonder what that entails…do they send the picture police after me? But I’m digressing.

Typical BVI mega-house, this one is owned by a Priest…

Next post will be a continuation specific to property prices.

Question or comment: email mark_w_hayward at yahoo dot com