When you decide to sell your house for whatever reason, most home owners have no idea what to do next. Of course if you don’t know you’ll believe the first advice that sounds convincing enough. Recommendations from family members and friends that also have no idea will not make much difference, right? This platform is precisely meant for those who seek help, need unbiased information and require proper advice that serves the interest of the home owner. This section will also be available in Papiamento in the near future.

Read more on most common reasons for selling

• Emigration
• House becomes too big/small
• Divorce/Passing
• Financial problems

Read more on what to consider when selling your house

• Are you sure you’re ready to sell?
• For Sale By Owner vs Real Estate Agent
• How much is my house really worth?
• How to prepare your house to make it sell-able

When you decide to buy a house for the first time, you understand you fully rely on “experts” and your own common sense. Emotionally and psychologically  you will be influenced by everyone and everything around you. How to balance your budget with ration, reason while getting what you dream of? For starting couples this can be challenging process… Take note that all the information you get will be good and bad for you. It only matters how to filter what is best for your requirements, right? This platform is precisely meant for those who seek guidance and require proper advice that serves their interest of eventually getting their perfect home, and reduce the chances of costly errors. This section will also be available in Papiamento in the near future.

Read more on most common reasons for buying

• Starting a Family
• Immigration
• Current home is too big/small
• Investment

Read more on what to consider when buying your house

• Are you sure you want to buy?
• Getting Your Financials in Order
• Shopping for a Home
• Making an Offer
• Finalizing the Deal

Buyers Check list

There are many aspects that play a role in the value of a house. At the end it is up to you how much you are willing to pay. Here in Aruba there are various appraisers that are acknowledged by banks. The Market Value may be conform the current market or not. As an inexperienced buyer you can’t possibly know what the market value is. The appraiser uses “personal” factors to eventually estimate the market value. Because of this one house may have many different outcomes when appraised by different appraisers. What relatively stays the same in a appraisal report is the reconstruction value. That is what the bank looks at, that is a rational starting point. From that point many factors play a role.

Here's a small list of common valuation factors

• The age and type of property
• The sold prices of similar properties in the area
• The fixtures and features of a property
• The property’s construction and state of repair
• The position within the locality and the surrounding amenities available
• The tenure, tenancies, services charges or any other liabilities

Home Value Check list

An experienced professional will do the job properly. It will cost you, but don’t think doing it your-self, by default will cost you less!
A true professional has the skills, material, manpower, knowledge and time to give you the results. Choosing the right professional is not the same as choosing a type of chocolate bar. Both you can’t try first and decide later, both you can’t completely rely on the experience of someone else.

Some factors to consider when choosing the right professional

• Are you able to communicate with the professional
• Does his/her service appeal to you?
• Do a check up and ask about his capabilities
• Do your own research of his/her finished work, portfolio
• Ask how long he/she is in the business
• Always ask for various quotations to be able to compare prices

You may be the type of wanting to do it by-your-self. You have people that can actually fix their own car, computer or kitchen sink. But if you do this the very first time, you may need to buy a new car, computer or kitchen sink if you horribly fail, right? Putting tiles or a carpet takes a professional 1-2 hours depending on a room size… doing it yourself may take you a whole day.. some even weeks… you would also seriously need to consider your partners mocking, over your labor…. for the rest of your life…

Constructing our own house, selling it by your self, may implicate serious problems if you fail… Not only the loss of money which you could have used for something else. Not to mention all the stress and time that comes with the territory…. You have been warned:

Here you can find plenty great guides for beginners and experienced DIY folks out there

• Guideline to For Sale By Owner
• Guideline to Home Improvement
• Collection of Books and other media.

This section we are going to follow up on shortly … (Admin note: Need to research more, go to KvK, CBS and Centrale Bank for information)

We will be looking at reports, trends and forecasts and other indicators

• Market Data
• Economic indicators
• Housing Statistics
• Commercial investments

Aruba is currently attracting a lot of foreign investors, like Ritz Carlton, TNO, Philips, Dr. Horacio Oduber Hospital (Admin note: Need to research more, go to AIB, IDEA/DEZHI, SOGA for information)

Check out

• Doing Business in Aruba
• Corporate Lending
• Aruba Investment Bank
• Free Zone Aruba
• Trust Service Providers

Starting your own business? Looking for a commercial building to buy or rent? Maybe thinking of selling a business? You may even consider taking over an existing business.  (Admin note: Need to research more, go to KvK for information)

Find more by selecting one of the following links:

• The A-Z guide when starting a business here in Aruba
• Where and how to look for a Commercial Building
• Buying and/or Selling a business