Owning a private island is the stuff of daydreams. Absolute privacy, total control, and an unmatched level of prestige. What’s less obvious, however, is the planning and careful consideration required for this purchase. For instance, will you use your island as a personal retreat or is it a development project? Is infrastructure already in place, or does power need to be built from the ground up?
In this blog, we’ll explore what to consider beforehand so that your private island becomes a legacy asset rather than a costly lesson.
Private islands differ from conventional real estate in multiple ways: there are no public listings, comparable sales, or rate per acre to estimate the price of an island.
Private islands are available all across the world, with the Caribbean, the USA, Canada, and Europe being popular destinations among buyers.
The cost of a private island varies significantly depending on its location, ease of access, available infrastructure, and size.
The purchase price of an island doesn’t reflect the true cost of ownership of an island and development costs, staffing, logistics, and legal fees, all add on top of the purchase price.
An auction process brings private islands for sale to qualified buyers within a defined timeline. It replaces months of opaque negotiation with open, competitive bidding that establishes what an island is truly worth.
A private island for sale is a real estate transaction, not a sovereign acquisition. So, while you have total control of your island, it will still fall under the jurisdiction of the governing country and be subject to its taxes, laws, and environmental regulations.
Private islands for sale come in two ownership structures, either as freehold or leasehold. Freehold ownership allows you to own the land in perpetuity with full rights to to sell, develop, and pass it on within the bounds of local regulations. In contrast, leasehold arrangements grant you the right to use and occupy the land and any structures for a fixed period, ranging from a couple of years to several decades. Freehold ownership is always preferred over leasehold ownership.
Finally, foreign ownership is not universally permitted even if a private island is available to buy. Non-nationals may require additional government approvals or may be prohibited entirely from purchasing land.
Private islands are found all across the world but each region has its unique advantages. One island might offer a tropical climate while another might have favorable taxation. Here are the most popular regions among private island buyers:
A Caribbean island for sale ranks among the most popular pieces of private island real estate. It is well connected to North America and Europe through established flight routes. Ownership structures also work in the buyer's favour, with private island ownership available to foreigners on a freehold basis, particularly in the Bahamas.
The USA and Canada are home to a busy island market, offering a vast diversity of climate and island styles. The islands in Florida are known for their warm climate; islands in the Mid-Atlantic states offer a balance of accessibility and seclusion; New England islands are known for their history and landscape; and Washington State's San Juan Islands for proximity to Seattle. In Canada, private islands are spread across British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Quebec and are sought after for their breathtaking natural beauty and temperate climate.
However, private islands for sale in the USA and Canada come with their share of legal complexities. Fully private ownership is less common than buyers expect since US islands frequently carry riparian rights, public access easements, and shoreline restrictions that govern what can be built, accessed, and modified at the waterline.
Similarly, in Canada, there are regulations around land use, zoning, and environmental protection that vary from province to province.
Europe boasts a wide spectrum of landscape, climate, and character within a relatively compact geography. The pricing reflects this variety, with a small Finnish Islet selling for as little as $105K while a Sicilian Lagoon estate can go upwards of $18M.
Legally, most key markets welcome foreign buyers on a freehold basis, but there are exceptions. For instance, non-EU buyers in Croatia require both a reciprocity agreement between their home country and Croatia, and ministerial consent before ownership can be registered.
The South Pacific islands of Fiji, French Polynesia, and Vanuatu offer unmatched beauty while welcoming foreign buyers with freehold ownership. Australia operates primarily on a leasehold basis, meaning buyers never own the land outright. Asia Pacific is the most restrictive region globally, with freehold ownership largely unavailable to foreign buyers.
The cost to buy a private island can vary from as little as $100K to upwards of $100M. The main factors that determine the final price of an island are its location and accessibility, infrastructure and development, and size.
Location and accessibility is a big driver of private island pricing. Islands that are within close proximity of international airports, established marinas, or major coastal cities command a premium over remote islands. Climate also plays a role. Tropical islands with year-round warm weather attract stronger demand and higher valuations than their colder counterparts.
A remote island may be available at an attractive price, but development costs can stack up quickly. Construction materials and skilled builders need to be sourced to a remote location. Beyond construction, every utility must be built from scratch, for example: solar systems for power, desalination plants for fresh water, and satellite connectivity for communications. Each comes with significant upfront investment that buyers frequently underestimate at the point of purchase.
An island property doesn’t follow the same rules of traditional real estate, where price increases proportionally with square footage. What matters is the quality of the land itself, comprising its topography, elevation, beach access, and buildable areas. A smaller island with a low-bank waterfront and open beaches will be more valuable than a larger island with rocky terrain that’s difficult to access from the water.
The purchase price of a private island for sale tells only part of the story. The true cost of ownership accounts for infrastructure, logistics, insurance, and annual running costs, in addition to what you pay on day one. Here is what you need to factor in:
Most private islands don’t come with established utilities. Systems need to be built for power generation, waste management, water management, communication, and transportation. This calls for a massive upfront investment, and thereafter ongoing maintenance and operational costs. For a remote, undeveloped island, the cumulative cost of keeping an island operational year after year may eventually exceed the purchase price.
Whether you reach your island property by boat, helicopter, or seaplane, each mode of access requires its own dedicated infrastructure and operational expenses. Food, fuel, and medical supplies require careful planning and stockpiling because a swift resupply might not be available in adverse weather. You’ll also need to budget in the staffing costs for your island’s management team and maintenance crew, including their food and accommodation.
Thorough title verification before you buy private island real estate is non-negotiable. After all, you don’t want your private island title to be mired in old family claims, boundary disputes, or missing paperwork. Stamp duty, transfer taxes, lawyer fees, and broker commissions, all add to the purchase price.
Insurance costs primarily depend on the key risks in your region. For instance, the insurance premiums in the cyclone-prone South Pacific region would be much higher than the calm waters of Canadian lakes. How you develop properties on your island also matters. Elevated buildings following modern hurricane-code construction will insure at a much lesser premium compared to sea-level structures.
Some islands, though, are simply uninsurable even if you follow all the best practices for development. These islands may be too remote for emergency response, have a history of claims, or be located in a region where insurers have withdrawn. In such islands, you’ll have to bear the full cost of any losses.
Traditionally, you’d find private islands for sale through specialist brokers who maintain private networks of island owners, developers, and agents. However, such transactions come with certain drawbacks:
Commission opacity: The broker’s fee is embedded into the asking price, with no way to determine the real cost of the island.
Subjective pricing: Since there are no comparable sales in island transactions, the final asking price lies solely at the discretion of the broker.
Extended timelines: Broker-led processes are often unstructured with no single point of accountability. This means it could take many months before the island is legally yours, even after negotiations and deciding on a final price.
A private island auction assembles qualified buyers and allows them to bid for their desired island in a defined window. Therefore, there is a sense of urgency and the market determines the fair price of the island.
The world’s finest private islands are sold through Concierge Auctions. By trusting us with your next offshore property purchase, you get:
Complete transparency: You can see the true price of any property, and all fees and commissions are listed upfront before you even make a bid.
Experience: With over 18 years of experience in the business, you get all the help you need at any stage of the process, whether you want to learn how to bid or procure the ownership title of your island.
Speed: Sales close within 60 days of the auction process.
Global selection: Concierge Auctions has facilitated island sales across the world, allowing you to buy a private island in your preferred location.
Buy at auction or download our annual report, Luxury Homes Index, to learn about movements in the top luxury real estate markets and equip yourself with data required to make a purchase decision.
Private islands are among the most complex assets you’ll ever buy and hence require more due diligence than your standard real estate transaction. By now, you should have a clear picture of the private island landscape but here are a few final pointers to keep in mind:
Environmental constraints are among the most overlooked factors in any private island transaction. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out thorough environmental due diligence before purchase to assess:
Climate risk: Climate change and rising sea levels pose an existential threat to private islands. Since private islands sit a few meters above sea level, it’s important to understand its vulnerability to flooding and storms.
Development restrictions: Private islands are home to indigenous ecosystems and therefore limits what can be cleared and built. For instance, mangroves and coral reefs usually carry strict regulatory restrictions. So, make sure you get all approvals like Coastal Development Permit, Waterways Permission, and Building Permits.
With a tiny buyer pool spread across the globe, private islands are inherently illiquid assets that are difficult to sell. So, smart buyers think about the resale value of a private island before the purchase itself.
Some of the main factors that influence the resale price and how quickly an island can be sold are its accessibility, availability of freehold ownership, existing infrastructure, and proximity to essential supplies and emergency services.
From a resale perspective, it’s also important to look at an island’s title and ownership history. An island that’s changed hands multiple times in a short span of time may indicate that something’s wrong while an island that’s been held on for generations by a single family is a good sign.
Private islands are the ultimate symbol of luxury. However, buying a private island can be an overwhelming process. The main factors that influence the value of a private island for sale are its location, accessibility, infrastructure, and size. Make sure to also set aside money for development, staffing, insurance, utilities, and other other operational expenses. You can buy the private island of your dreams if you ask the right questions and carry out thorough due diligence before making any offer.
Head over to our upcoming auctions for a full list of all luxury real estate, including private islands, that are currently available to buy. You could also purchase a luxury waterfront estate by checking our waterfront collection.
Yes, US citizens can purchase private islands for sale in the USA and all across the world. In some regions like Asia, though, freehold private island ownership remains unavailable to foreigners, and ownership is primarily through leasehold arrangements with the government.
The cost of a private island can range from $100K to $100M. The final price is influenced by several factors like its location, accessibility, infrastructure, and size.
Yes, private islands are the ultimate sign of luxury that is available only to a select few. Apart from being a status symbol, it provides privacy and absolute control to develop the landscape and architecture on the island (in compliance with environmental restrictions).
Yes, private islands can be purchased at an auction. Have a look at our upcoming auctions to find private islands for sale or other luxury real estate.
You can find private islands for sale through specialist brokers, or more conveniently, through auctions. Auctions bring private islands to qualified buyers and let the market determine the fair market value of an island.
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