Abaco Real Estate and Property

Abaco Bahamas is a group of beautiful, sun drenched islands where the property owners are known for their strong community spirit and love of the history and environment that makes Abaco so special.

Community pride is evident everywhere ? the houses, cottages and villas are painted in beautiful pastel colours. It?s rare to find a home or property that hasn?t been lovingly maintained.

Perhaps this is why Abaco real estate is so sought after.

Many of the houses have ?secret garden? like spaces that are a riot of colour from the native flowering shrubbery. Flowering vines spill over trellises and front porches or balconies are usually the focal point of Abaco living.

Driving around the mainland of Abaco, or the islands, such as Man-O-Way, Elbow Cay (Hope Town), Guana Cay and Green Turtle Cay, or the village of Treasure Cay, visitors are always struck by the cleanliness of the property.

The houses aren?t the only things lovingly tended. Abaco has its fair share of monuments, including the last kerosene-lit light house in the world - all cared for by home owners.

Second homes and vacation homes, real estate sales, tourism, fishing and boat building are major planks in the Abaco economy.

To give you an idea how important the property industry is, of a population of approximately, 18,000 there were 76 licensed Abaco real estate agents and brokers at this writing.

That?s one agent or broker for every 237 people!

All of the major real estate offices, including Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty, have offices in Abaco, as well as agents stationed on the various inhabited Abaco islands.

The Abaco Islands lie in the northern Bahamas and comprise the main islands of Great Abaco and Little Abaco, together with the smaller Elbow Cay (Hope Town), Lubbers Quarters Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Guana Cay, Great Guana Cay, Man-o-War Cay and so on.

First inhabited by the Lucayans, the first European settlers to make their home in Abaco were Loyalists (people loyal to the British Crown) fleeing from the fall-out of the American Revolution.

They arrived in 1783 and it is the Loyalist influence that shaped the modern day Abaco real estate industry.

The unmistakable Colonial architecture is the trademark of the little homes and cottages that the settlers built in the various Abaco communities.

The tradition continues right up today with the newer, larger home designs reminiscent of the Colonial era.

A number of high-end condo developments have crept in to the Abaco islands, such as Bakers Bay, but even here, the developers have been careful to adopt the style of the islands and the Colonial architectural influence is strong.

The great thing about Abaco is the happy blend of second home owners and vacation home owners, who are largely from the northern U.S., and the Bahamians.

The Bahamians are so welcoming and most of the second home owners are very involved in the everyday life of their communities ? the festivals, church and monument maintenance. This is the solid stuff upon which so many wonderful friendships have been made.

If you are interested in Abaco property , please browse through our listing inventory.

Our Abaco real estate agents will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

© Athena Mabon

More on Abaco

THE ABACOS are a sailor's and flyer's paradise and a second home owners dream.

Located 200 miles east of Fort Lauderdale and 75 miles north of Nassau, Abaco has nearly 649 square miles of real estate and is the second largest island in the Bahamas.

The islands in this 120-mile chain vary with quaint Cape Cod-like villages built by the early settlers, former slave towns, offbeat restaurants and pubs and high end hotels and residential real estate developments. Abaco real estate in the Bahamas goes quickly so don't wait!

The influence of the Loyalists ? Americans who remained loyal to the British Crown ? is still strong in Abaco today.

They used Abaco property to establish cotton plantations.

For a few years, the cotton industry thrived. But the boom turned to bust when pests destroyed the crop.

Most of the settlers left Abaco and the population dwindled from about 2,000 to 400.

Fishing and wooden boatbuilding ? a skill that has survived to this day ? kept the economy afloat.

Today, tourism, real estate and second home ownership are the major engines that drive the Abaco economy. If you?re thinking Bahamas real estate, think Abaco.

From the charming, New England-like cottages to the Abaco Club on Winding Bay - a 520 acre, international private members' golf club and sporting enclave - Abaco has something for everyone.

Long known for its candy-striped lighthouse at picturesque Hope Town, Abaco has become hugely popular with North Americans as a vacation home and second home spot.

Abaco boasts one of the largest barrier reefs in the world, fantastic diving and fishing grounds, beaches, bird life and even wild horses.

Fun restaurants and bars are scattered throughout Abaco with names such as Blue Bee Bar, Nippers and Tipsy Seagull. Abaco also plays host to exciting big game fishing tournaments and sailing regattas. Many anglers end up buying Abaco real estate after a tournament. (c) Athena Damianos

How to find Abaco real estate today:

1. Search our Abaco listings!

2. Email us to schedule a viewing!

Top Abaco Real Estate Picks

*The price of real estate in Elbow Cay, Abaco, has risen dramatically over the years. Second home owners are attracted by the slow pace and small town lifestyle. Cottages from yesteryear mingled with modern day homes, and the fact that it?s accessible only by boat makes Elbow Cay a top Abaco real estate pick.
Guana Cay and

Green Turtle Cay, Abaco

For the same reasons as above Treasure Cay offers a more resort type community on the mainland.Luxury homes dot prime Abaco real estate on a gorgeous white powder sand beach.

*Eastern Shores of Marsh Harbour. Close to town, but quiet and on a narrow peninsula with water views on both sides of many houses.

*Baker?s Bay. New to the Abaco real estate scene, a beach and golf community with marina on Great Guana Cay.

*The Abaco Club on Winding Bay. A Peter de Savary/Ritz Carlton, development offering a private international sporting club and golfing on prime beachfront real estate.

* Schooner Bay on Great Abaco. A seaside self-contained village of charming homes and cottages now being built using green technology.

To really appreciate the beauty of Abaco real estate, take a flight with Abaco Air

Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty's Abaco real estate agents are members of the Bahamas MLS, a branch of the Bahamas Real Estate Association.

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© Athena Mabon