Profile: St Lucia: Hurricanes and storms don't seem to have deterred investors from buying homes in two developments on the Caribbean island of St Lucia.
Two property developments, both on the western side of the Caribbean island of St Lucia, are being offered to Irish buyers - and one of them stresses that the western side is sheltered by its topography.
So although St Lucia is on the edge of the hurricane belt, developments on this side of the island should be safer from the elements than other spots in the Caribbean. Hurricanes have certainly not kept investors away from Sapphire Cove, an Irish-owned development where €164m ($193m) worth of property has been sold to Irish and UK investors since May.
Now Ocean View at Sapphire Cove, a new development of five-star condominiums on 130 acres, is being offered for sale through agent Bohan Property Consultants in Dublin. There are 75 luxury properties being offered in this phase, with 150 in all to be built.
There are seven condominiums in each three/four-storey building, ranging in size from 111-232sq m (1,200-2,500sq ft) and four large 143-153sq m (1,550-1,650sq ft) units, which have 23-41sq m (250-450sq ft) balconies. They cost from €533,000 to €852,000 ($625,000-$1 million).
The condominiums are built on 10 acres of landscaped gardens around a five-star hotel.
Ocean View property owners have the opportunity of membership of the Links at Ocean View - designed by Christy O'Connor - as well as membership of the new Arnold Palmer course at Sapphire Cove.
Meanwhile developer Doubloon International is busy reassuring purchasers that homes in its development, Discovery at Marigot Bay resort, spa and marina on the west coast of the island, are built to withstand hurricanes.
Just seven are left for sale in the scheme, which includes 57 buy-to-let apartments, costing from €537,000 ($630,000) for a two-bedroom 200sq m (2,147sq ft) apartment with a terrace.
Many have been bought by Irish and UK investors, who will receive 50 per cent of the net profit from lettings as well as up to seven weeks free use of their property a year. Sales of properties at Discovery are being handled here by Premier Resorts in Galway.
