Anyone know anyhting about private islands?

Hope you have your own security team, mechanics, Dr, gardener, handyman, yacht, food, water, and energy supply

Its an expensive proposition

 

And a pain to take a spin in the F40...

 

So round up the Howells, professor, skipper, Maryanne, and Ginger, and you should have all of the above covered.

Seriously though, I expect it would get boring very quickly.

 

I'd be fine with just Maryanne and Ginger myself....

"Keep stirring the coconuts girls - the radio is starting to work! Then I can hear the coverage of the British Grand Prix
while you bake me that coconut cream pie and rub my tired toes"

 

Another Gilligan's island benefit... all you have to do is bring the clothes on your
back and you'll have clothing changes to last at least 2 years!

 

how are the sales of those private man-made islands in the middle east (Dubai, I think)?

 

its more about infrastructure costs then the land itself... look for big, fully developed islands to be 20+ mm

 

Yeah, when it's your island no one else cares if you can spell or not!

 

Undeveloped? So that means you have to come up with water, energy, etc....? Sounds like eventhough the price seems good for the land, your going to dump wayyyyyyyy more $$$$$$ developing the island for living.

 

Then Pirates might show up and kill you and steal your island

Thus the need for security

 

This guy does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5kNHiGIKGQ


(sorry for the totally unconstructive response)

 

Wells don't work, you'd need a desalinization system.

I used to think this was a great idea, but the costs are insane! Why not look for a larger property (4+ acres) on a developed island? You'd get all the infrastructure and convenience, with (enough) privacy.

 

The costs associated with such a venture would be astronomical.

Besides what others have said in regards to expensive infrastructure, security, and upkeep - even just a simple task like replacing a refrigerator would be extremely inconvenient and expensive.

Also, a hurricane hits the Bahamas about once every 2 1/2 years. Are you going to be prepared to repair and rebuild damages once every 2 1/2 years? Are you prepared to pay an arm and a leg for hurricane insurance? Will you be able to even find someone to insure you?

The price to purchase the island would be peanuts compared to the other costs to maintain.

 

The private island thing, unless you're someone like Johnny Depp who really wants a place where he can get away without papparazzi bugging him, always seemed like one of those 'better in theory' prospects. You can always seclude yourself in a home that's near civilization--I just need to be around other people. I'd start going nuts pretty quickly without anything to do. And you can have all the swimsuit models you want--after enough time you'll need to start building them some canoes.

 

You can place a bunch of sun panels for energy, problem solved...
Internet can be solved with a satellite.
getting clean water to the island, I don't know about the cost involved but I recon it won't be exactly cheap.

My personal biggest worry would be security when I'm not there. For sure you can hire a security guy who watched over the island for you when you're not there but if someone wanted to steal your stuff I'm not quite sure if the guy would risk his life for some of your stuff, and if he did I'm sure those pirates couldn't care less about putting a bullet in him. No one will hear anyways.

Personally I'd rather get a beachfront home in british virgin islands (no tax either).

 

It sounds like a great idea, but as everyone has stated, infrastructure would be your largest expense. You could just grab an enormous amount of acreage near the coast or on the coast and pretty much seclude yourself. I am a Real Estate Agent and have a guy with 3,141 acres on deep water intercoastal canal here in Texas. If you built a home in the middle of that, you'd be pretty friggin secluded. You're close to a few towns also and you're only 30 minutes from the open gulf by boat. Not trying to peddle my wares, but there are alternatives if you're going to spend a few million bucks on something. BUT, in saying that, I also understand that it's what you want damnit and that's what you will have. LOL No fault in that man. Get yourself a large enough island that you can build your own race track on it. That is living my friend!!

Also, there are photovoltaic roof shingles which will withstand 200mph winds and will generate a nice amount of energy. Also, since you're going to be in open ocean, I'd put a couple of wind turbines as well. There are companies who make these for residential use and will begin generating power at 6mph winds and will reach peak power output at about 11-12mph. As for water and septic systems, I'd go with an aerobic septic system. Do some research on those systems, they're pretty cool but do require annual maintainence. Water system would have to be a desalinization system, that's the only way. You can get those used from old oil rigs as that's what they use to provide water to the entire unit.

Anyway, sounds like a great adventure you're planning. I wish you all the luck in the world and would love to see it come to fruition.

laters,

Brian

 

A friend of mine has a place in the Bahamas (see Abaco thread) and I've been to a couple of nearby private islands. Pretty cool but the owners also have 100 foot motor yachts and private jets that they tool around in.

A home on a more developed island with some neighbors is still "affordable" but not out of sight like a truly private island.

As for water, all the buildings have gutters that lead to a large concrete cistern (usually under the house) and use collected rainwater for limited domestic needs. During a dry spell a water tanker ship visits and fills everyone up (no idea what that costs). Desalination is a possibility but not necessary.

Electricity is provided by BEC (Bahama Electric Company) and frequent outages are typical although usually the food in the refrigerator stays cold.

Don't worry about an F40 or any car for that matter as there aren't many real roads (more like paths) and the customary conveyance is a golf cart.

One common fact is that everything there is quite expensive compared to here (because it's all imported from somewhere else) with the possible exception of rum (pretty cheap).

It is common for the locals to make shopping trips to Florida and bring back enormous amounts of things for personal use (anybody work at Home Depot in West Palm Beach or Miami?)

 

I'm only 30, so I'm in the same boat. LOL I'd like to retire on about 640 acres and build my own race track to play on. I already have the plans drawn up. LOL I've been wanting this forever. Everything will be green powered (solar & wind) for the track and home and when nothing is in use, all the power will go back to the grid and make me a little green for the bank account. ;-)