World-class boating, diving, and international accessibility have made The Bahamas a magnet for luxury buyers, and The Agency now has offices in both Abaco and Nassau to meet the demand. We spoke with Scott Ferguson, Managing Director of The Agency Abaco, about where the opportunities are and what buyers should know about this idyllic island setting before investing.
Where are most of today’s Abaco buyers coming from? Has that mix shifted at all in recent years?
The U.S. remains our largest source of buyers, particularly Florida, the Carolinas, and the Southeast, but we continue to see interest from Texas, Canada, and the U.K. What has changed is how accessible Abaco feels to buyers today. With increased private aviation, better airlift, and larger boats that can cross the Gulf Stream, the Abacos is an easy destination to reach.
South Florida is especially important because Abaco is so close. For many of our buyers, getting here can be easier than traveling to another part of Florida. That proximity, combined with the boating and fishing lifestyle, makes Abaco a very natural extension of South Florida for second homeowners.
We are also seeing buyers discover Abaco at a younger age. Historically, someone might have vacationed here for years before eventually buying a home. Today, buyers are often arriving already looking for an opportunity to become part of the community. This has been more evident as Florida has become more crowded and more expensive since Covid.
How have buyers’ lifestyle expectations or priorities changed? Are they looking for something different in an Abacos property now than they were a few years ago?
Buyers today are much more focused on how a property fits into their lifestyle. They still care about the house, the finishes, and the view, but increasingly the first questions are: Where is my boat? How quickly can I get on the water? Can I walk to the beach? Can my family and friends comfortably stay with us?
Boating access has always mattered in Abaco, but I think it matters more than ever. Deep-water docks, protected slips, boat lifts, and easy access to the Sea of Abaco can significantly change the desirability of a property.
Another major consideration today is vacation-rental potential. Abaco has a very strong vacation-rental market, particularly for high-quality waterfront and boating-oriented homes. Some of the better properties can achieve rental demand for 35 to 40 weeks of the year. That gives buyers the opportunity to own and enjoy an exceptional second home while generating meaningful rental income during the periods when they aren’t using it themselves. For many buyers, that combination has become increasingly attractive.
What should someone completely new to Abaco understand before making an offer?
The first thing I tell new buyers is that buying in The Bahamas is very achievable for international purchasers, but it is important to have the right local team around you. You want an experienced Bahamian real estate agent, a good local attorney and, depending on the property, the appropriate surveyors, inspectors, and other professionals involved early in the process.
Financing is available, but many transactions, particularly at the luxury end, are cash purchases. Buyers should understand transaction costs, VAT, and the legal process before making an offer, so they can assess the full cost of acquisition rather than just the purchase price.
Due diligence is particularly important with island property. Beyond the home itself, we look closely at things such as elevations, construction quality, docks and seawalls, utilities, generators, water systems, insurance considerations, and boating access.
But I also tell buyers not to try to understand Abaco entirely from a spreadsheet. Spend time here. Get on a boat. Visit the different cays and communities. Abaco is incredibly diverse, and finding the right location is often just as important as finding the right house.
There is an authenticity and sense of community here that is increasingly difficult to find in luxury destinations. People may initially come because of the beaches, boating and beautiful homes, but they return because of the friendships, the familiar faces, and the freedom of the lifestyle.
Scott Ferguson,
Managing Director of The Agency Abaco
Where do you see the best opportunities in the market right now, whether that’s a specific area, property type, or price point?
I think some of the most interesting opportunities today are properties where you can still acquire exceptional waterfront, boating access, or land that would be exceedingly difficult to recreate.
Treasure Cay is particularly interesting to me, and also happens to be where I call home. It has always had one of the best beaches in The Bahamas, along with an established boating community, and we are now seeing renewed investment and momentum there. I believe buyers who understand what Treasure Cay can become over the next several years have an opportunity to get ahead of that story.
I am also very interested in unique waterfront and development properties throughout Abaco: larger parcels, private compounds, marina opportunities, and properties with substantial dockage. There is a limited amount of truly exceptional waterfronts in Abaco, and an even smaller amount with protected boating access. When those two things come together, I think they will continue to become increasingly valuable.
At the luxury end, established communities such as Elbow Cay, The Abaco Club, and Baker’s Bay remain especially attractive, particularly when a property offers features that are difficult to replicate.
What keeps long-term residents and repeat buyers coming back to Abaco? What’s the appeal that goes beyond the real estate itself?
This is the easiest question for me because Abaco has never really been about real estate. It’s about the life you get to live here.
Most days start with the water. You can leave your dock in the morning and every day can be completely different—lunch in Hope Town, take the kids to see the swimming pigs, spend the afternoon on an empty beach, go fishing, or run down to Pete’s Pub. And somewhere along the way you’re going to run into people you know.
That’s what makes Abaco different. There is an authenticity and sense of community here that is increasingly difficult to find in luxury destinations. People may initially come because of the beaches, boating and beautiful homes, but they return because of the friendships, the familiar faces, and the freedom of the lifestyle.
I’ve always described the Abacos as perfectly imperfect. We’re not trying to be Miami, St. Barts or some perfectly manicured resort destination. That’s part of the magic. Abaco still feels real, and once people truly experience that lifestyle, they tend to find reasons to keep coming back.
Taken together, these themes position Abaco as both a practical real estate opportunity and a deeply personal lifestyle decision. For buyers who value boating access, community, character, and long-term island connection, the market continues to offer a compelling reason to look beyond the property itself and consider the life it makes possible.
Interested in Abaco?
Connect with Scott Ferguson, Managing Director of The Agency Abaco, for more local insight.
