Caribbean Home Ownership

A Novices' Handbook

Call 787-742-3569 to get your copy now!

Buying/Building/Owning a home in the Caribbean is different and can be the source of difficult problems.

This book covers the acquiring and ownership of a home in the Caribbean. It was written for the person who has been to the Caribbean and thinks that it would be nice to live there and for the people who have decided that they will live in Paradise.

It covers potential problems with buying a lot or existing house and gently and safely leads the reader through the maze of laws, problems with site planning and construction, including materials, and many other options.

Here is a list of the Chapters and topics:

1. Home Ownership Basics
   • Ownership-different laws in different places
   • Taxes-different taxes in different places
   • Buying or building-getting what you want
   • Existing house-will you be happy with the compromises?
   • Building your own home-disaster can strike if you don't plan ahead
   • Permits and other prerequisites-ignoring these can become a big problem
   • House sites-planning ahead-architects-The first steps
   • Contractors, labor and other things to watch before committing yourself
   • Roofs and other construction details
2. Water-its sources, collection, handling, storage, use, re-use and - alternate sources
   • Sources of domestic water
   • Water Storage and Handling-as important as the getting of water
   • Cisterns-design considerations-make it large
   • Calculation of cistern capacity and rainfall harvest->is it enough
   • Cistern construction-is it enough?
   • Water filters-is it clean?
   • Solar water heating-is is warm?
3. Conservation of Water
   • Drip Irrigation
   • Other conservation methods
   • Ponds-their construction, uses and caveats
   • Fish-Tilapia-how about several thousand pets
4. Electric Power
   • Sources of electricity, pros and cons and alternatives
   • wind
   • solar
   • corrosion, electrical and other
5. Fire Protection -  if you may need this, don't ignore it
6. Other Considerations
   • Communications-phones, including cellular, faxes, computer modems and TV
   • Furnishings-don't make yourself uncomfortable
   • Appliances-bigger is not always better
   • Lightning-more important than you think
   • Animals-mice, rats, mongooses, horse, cattle, dogs, cats
   • Diseases-some you should know about
   • Sewerage and sewage-pitch of drain pipes, percolation
   • Composting-important to your plants
   • Vehicles-selection, fuel and maintenance
   • Insurance-good luck
   • Costs
   • Financing-good luck again
   • Paint-good stuff costs less when you consider labor

This book is now available from Paradise Gift Shop, Culebra Island. 

The cost (US Dollars) is $13.95 plus $5.00 book rate shipping or $7.00 priority mail. 

Visa and Mastercard accepted. 

Call 787-742-3569 or E-mail us at culebragifts@hotmail.com

and get your copy now!