Cape Verde Property

Cape Verde Property represents an excellent investment opportunity. Prices are still low and property vales are expected to increase dramatically. As well as being a top holiday destination, Cape Verde is widely regarded as the hottest investment area for 2007. All the major tour operators are now starting to invest heavily in this tropical paradise.

Cape Verde Buying Guide (Investment options & locations)
Two of the most popular investment options are off plan and buy to let.

Off Plan
With off plan investing you get your home when the price is at it’s lowest. Normally you’ll have to pay an initial deposit, followed by instalments at fixed dates until the project is completed. The advantage of this is that you only need a small mortgage.

When the development is finished you can either sell before taking the title deeds or rent it out on a short or long term basis.

Buy to let
In buy to let situation, you buy a property and rent it out as soon as possible. Ideally the rent should cover the cost of your mortgage and if you’ve planned it well, you might even have some money left over.

Popular locations Cape Verde
Sal is the most popular island for property investment, followed by Santiago and Boa Vista.

Sal (meaning “salt) Island is located around 460km from the West African coast and boasts all year round temperatures of between 22-27 degrees.

Many potential homebuyers and investors are now looking to Sal as it’s becoming one of the most fashionable resorts on the archipelago. It’s also home to an international airport with direct flights to Europe and the UK.

Santa Maria (on Sal) is now rapidly expanding and it’s predicted that in the future prices here will be at a premium.

The Cape Verde Islands
Located off the west coast of Africa, the archipelago consists of ten idyllic tropical islands, known for their spectacular mountain scenery and beautiful deserted beaches.

About 70 percent of Cape Verde’s people have mixed black African and Portuguese ancestry. Most of the rest of the people are black Africans. The official language of Cape Verde is Portuguese. But most Cape Verdeans speak the national language, Crioulo. Crioulo is a local dialect based on Portuguese and various African languages. Most Cape Verdeans are Roman Catholics.

Sao Tiago, the largest island, covers 383 square miles (991 square kilometres). Santo Antao is the second largest island, followed by Boa Vista, Fogo, Sao Nicolau, Maio, Sao Vicente, Sal, Brava, and Santa Luzia. Santa Luzia and the five islets are uninhabited.

Each of the islands has its own distinct natural character… from the volcanic Sao Nicolau to the diving paradise of Boa Vista. Santiago is often described as lush green paradise compared to Sal, (the “salt island”) which is a lot sandier.

Owning a Cape Verde Property
Cape Verde is an attractive alternative to the Caribbean. It has the same perfect climate and excellent beaches, yet it’s four hours less flying time.

Buying your own place here means owning your very own piece of tropical island with pristine white beaches, year round sunshine, endless charm and if you wish, significant rental potential.

Sal is known for its stunning white sand beaches and guaranteed sun, all year long. With an international airport, it’s become one of the major gateways to the Cape Verde islands. It’s also one of the most popular tourist islands on Cape Verde.

Sun and sea lovers come from all over the globe to witness the beauty of these amazing “postcard” beaches. Most people choose to stay in one of the many resort hotels on the coast between the airport and Santa Maria.

With a near-perfect climate ranging from 68°F (20°C) to 77 °F (25 °C) it’s no wonder people choose to invest here or even make it their second home. Tourism is a relatively new development here, so you can expect many off-plan opportunities as the demand for property increases and more villas and apartments are built.

Sal is the flattest of the Cape Verde Islands and takes its name, “Sal” meaning “salt”, from the now inactive salt mines. It’s not exactly the place to go to if you’re after lush green scenery.

These have man-made salt mines (Pedro Lume) are well worth a visit. The saliency level of the salt pond is more or less the same as the Dead Sea, perfect for that weightless float!

Sal is one of the best places on the archipelago for nightlife. It’s the most cosmopolitan island, with a wide selection of bars, clubs and restaurants, attracting a diverse group of holidaymaker. It’s also one of the best places for live Cape Verdian music.

Being an island, fresh fish is always on the menu – some of the most delicious tuna steaks, lobster, and swordfish you’re ever likely to taste, all cooked to a local recipe.

Santa Maria is one of the prettiest towns on the island. It’s a colourful mixture of single storey houses washed in pink, pale blue, yellow and faded terracotta, surrounded by polar blue skies and contrasting white sands.

Finding a place to stay on Sal is easy. The island is rapidly developing so there’s no shortage of hotels and pensions etc. Santa Maria, located just 18 km south of the airport, is one of the most popular destinations, especially with water sports fans.

Santa Maria has 8 km of white sandy beach with pristine clear blue waters, perfect for practice all kinds of water sports – windsurfing, fishing and diving, in particular.

The town of Espargos is the administrative centre of the island. Located nearby the international airport, it’s packed with all kinds of shops, bars and restaurants.

Palmeira is the main port town on the island. It’s located on the west coast of the Sal.

Accommodation on Sal ranges from luxury all-inclusive hotels to small family run pensions. You can rent a car, jeep or beach a buggy on most parts of the island.

If you don’t have an airport transfer with your flight you can easily pick up a taxi at the airport. There’s always plenty.

Tourism is growing steadily on Sal. Every year there are more and more development projects being set up in an attempt to open up tourism to all parts of the island.

If, like many shrewd investors and homebuyers, you’re looking for a property on Sal but don’t speak Portuguese and are a bit rusty on the “Crioulo”, don’t worry…

There’s plenty of English speaking real estate agents that can give every possible assistance in buying, selling and renting property anywhere on this paradise island.
Real Estate Agents

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