Private Island Life
Who hasn’t dreamed of escaping to a private island, stepping out of a seaplane onto a powder-white beach as stewards rush to grab your luggage and white-gloved butlers offer you a chilled glass of Champagne? But, while that sounds like a fabulous daydream, getting past the fantasy part of owning an island is more complicated than most people realize.
A private island offers an escape from everyday life, and that can be a major selling point for buyers. But, that also means you have to do more work to maintain your own island than you might expect, from ensuring that the materials needed for construction are shipped or flown in, and that systems are in place for water, electricity, sewage, and internet access. You’ll also need to ensure that you have a staff on hand to help you with chores and maintenance, as well as arrange for transportation for your family and friends who come to visit.
Many islands are located far from mainland cities and towns, meaning that they’re not easy to reach by car, unless you’re able to fly in via helicopter or boat. This can make it difficult to get supplies, especially during a crisis. Many people move to island retreats to live a simpler lifestyle, and the last thing they want is needless complexity. But even if you can manage the logistics of getting to and from your island, there are other logistical challenges.
For example, most private islands are not tax-free. This is because they belong to sovereign countries, and therefore must be governed by the country’s laws, including taxes. This can add to the cost of owning a private island, and may impact its ability to be rented out or used as a vacation home.
Another challenge is that island life tends to be a close-knit community, often because residents share similar motivations for moving there. This can be a plus, but it can also create issues around privacy and etiquette. The expression ‘news travels fast’ is very true on an island, where everyone knows everybody.
But the appeal of living on an island is undeniable, and improved technology makes it easier than ever to work from anywhere in the world, so there’s still a lot of interest in buying an exclusive oasis. It’s just a matter of knowing the pros and cons, to make sure that a private island is truly the right fit for you.