Long Island, Bahamas: Land and Homes for Sale

Long Island runs about 80 miles north to south, with an Atlantic coast of cliffs and beaches and a calmer Great Bahama Bank side. Clarence Town has twin churches built by Father Jerome and sits near Dean's Blue Hole, among the deepest known blue holes in the world, popular with freedivers. Stella Maris in the north is a resort area with a marina, and Cape Santa Maria has a well-known white-sand beach. Deadman's Cay has the island's airport, with flights from Nassau.

Services are limited: small clinics, a few shops and restaurants, and ferries and mail boats to Nassau. Hurricane exposure is real, so insurance, elevation and construction standards matter. Compare with busier islands such as Nassau, Exuma and Eleuthera before deciding.

Visit before buying. Walk the boundaries with a surveyor, because Out Island plots are often marked by old stakes or natural features. Ask about access: some lots front a paved Queen's Highway while others sit on unpaved tracks. Check the availability of electricity from the public grid, water from wells or cisterns, and the cost of connecting. Ask for a flood and storm-surge assessment for coastal lots, and get quotes for hurricane insurance. Most buyers also set aside funds for a caretaker, since empty houses suffer in the humidity and storms.

Foreigners can buy property in the Bahamas. Purchase of vacant land for development generally requires registering with the Bahamas Investment Authority, and purchases of more than five acres need approval for non-residents. A Bahamian attorney carries out title searches, and the Bahamas uses a Crown-grant system, so confirm the history of title and any family land issues, which are common on Out Islands.

Approximate costs (verify locally): stamp duty of up to 10% on higher-value transfers, often split with the seller, plus legal fees and VAT on services. A real-property tax applies annually and is low for owner-occupied homes. Building on Out Islands requires imported materials and contractors, so build costs and timelines exceed mainland expectations. Our Bahamas consultation guide, financing page and Bahamas overview provide details. Budget buyers can see cheap Bahamas listings.