If you are looking to buy land, you undoubtedly will want to build on it, whether for yourself or to sell and make a tidy profit.

Within the Region, that can often be a stumbling block in itself!

Land on an island is a premium asset and seldom drops in price, so be patient and explore each and every opportunity.  Knowing exactly what you want, will go a long way to ruling out so many time and energy consuming trips and disappointments.

Ease of access, proximity to the things you like to do or who you know, a view, temperature, humidity, the elements, a main road, the forest, the beach; think of your dream area first and work from there.  Your dream may not come true, but you may get closer to it if you begin the process well informed!

Start to get your ducks in a row.  Once you know what you can afford, you will have the confidence to look in all the right places.  Do you want financing for land only, house and land, or house on land you own?  If you already own some land, you can use its value to obtain a mortgage to build.

Go to the banks and the credit unions.  Find those willing to listen.  Shop around for a mortgage, look for the best rates/ fixed rates and take note of the terms by which a loan can be accessed and repaid.

Different institutions have different terms, but they are all in business to make a profit.  It is therefore wise to obtain a copy of their terms and conditions and read them carefully.

You are about to make
the single largest long term investment of your life. 

If you have a financial friend, ask them to review the offer.  You will be glad you did.

While you are dealing with those mechanics, start looking for the best deals, by asking around. Real estate agencies are useful, and often have great leads, so speak with them and visit their offers.  You’ll soon get the hang of what you don’t like and might find a gem.

Please remember, 10% and upwards of the price is their fee, so entertain all of the possibilities before you commit, and do the math!

Now that both money and opportunities begin to unfold, let’s look at the option of an existing house and building from scratch.

An existing structure can come in many forms, from incomplete, fixer-upper, quick sale or complete.

This is where a construction professional would be helpful.  They may see potential in what you missed.  Always look to the price versus the work.  

It’s my personal experience that what I think I can do, is often a lot more work than I anticipated. Renovation often takes the lid off a jar full of unanticipated troubles.  It can also be feverishly expensive, especially if the problem is overlooked decay.

Ok.  So you have opted for the existing property.  Before you purchase, get an estimate from a reliable contractor, to place the building and its surroundings in an optimum state.

This will give you a realistic figure to work with and request from the financial institution.

If you are building from scratch, do the same.  Add your design, a draftsman, contractor, a bill of quantities (materials and labour), and time.

At ECMIL, we can supply all of the necessary steel for foundations, columns, beams, floors, nails, roof sheeting, gutters and pathways, plus PVC pipes and conduit, all at ex-factory prices, consolidated and shipped anywhere in the Caribbean Region.

We also supply time-honoured advice and good council, provided by a company who continues to assist the construction industry and individuals to create durable structures and reliable homes.  We’ve been listening, helping and designing our comprehensive collection of products for over 40 years.

This will get your budget, and your new construction on track.

When your quest to find and own your personal piece of the region requires materials and service to make the dream come true, call ECMIL and find out why we are The Steel of the Region.