THE ISLAND GUIDE · UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2026
Sint Maarten
& Saint-Martin
Two nations, thirteen neighborhoods, one extraordinary island. The Andreu Realty guide to owning here: the addresses that matter, how each side of the border works, and the judgment that separates a good buy from a great one.
87 km²
One island shared by two nations
~74,000
Residents on both sides: 42,449 Dutch, 31,496 French
855,994
Air passengers arrived at SXM in 2025
1.6M
Cruise visitors in 2025, up 16% on 2024
13
US cities with nonstop flights to SXM
64%
Short-term rental occupancy, last 12 months
Sources: Department of Statistics Sint Maarten (2025), INSEE, airline schedules, AirDNA (12 months to August 2026). Full list at the end of the guide.
01
THE ISLAND
Two countries, one island, the Caribbean’s crossroads
At 87 km², Saint Martin is the smallest inhabited island in the world shared by two nations. France and the Netherlands have divided it since the Treaty of Concordia in 1648, and the border between Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin has stayed open ever since: you cross it without noticing, on your way to dinner.
01 · ACCESS
Nonstop flights from 13 US cities, plus Toronto, Montreal, Paris and Amsterdam. St Barths and Anguilla are a short hop or ferry ride away, and owners fly in for a long weekend.
02 · TWO MARKETS, ONE ISLAND
Buy in US dollars under Dutch civil law, or in euros inside the European Union, a few minutes apart.
03 · RENTAL DEMAND
855,994 air passengers and 1.6 million cruise visitors in 2025 keep villas and condos booked, with the high season from December to April.
04 · A REBUILT ISLAND
Since Hurricane Irma in 2017 the island has rebuilt: a new airport terminal opened in November 2024 and a new general hospital is being completed.
MAHO BEACH · DUTCH SIDE
ORIENT BAY · FRENCH SIDE
GRAND CASE · FRENCH SIDE
POINT BLANCHE · DUTCH SIDE
02
THE MARKET
Where SXM sits in the Caribbean market
Same sea, very different rules. How the island compares with its neighbors on the things that decide a purchase.
AVG. NIGHTLY RATE
$337–$491
Dutch side / French side
RENTAL OCCUPANCY
64%
Both sides of the island
REVENUE PER LISTING
$64K–$86K
Per year, Dutch / French
AirDNA, all short-term rentals, 12 months to August 2026
Sint Maarten
(Dutch side)
Saint-Martin
(French side)
St Barths
Anguilla
Turks & Caicos
British Virgin Islands
CURRENCY
US$ in practice (Caribbean guilder)
Euro
Euro
EC$, US$ widely used
US$
US$
LICENCE FOR FOREIGN BUYERS
No
No
No
Yes: Alien Land Holding Licence
No
Yes: Non-Belongers Land Holding Licence
TRANSFER TAX PAID BY A FOREIGN BUYER
4%
8%
5%
5% + 12.5% licence
0–10% by value
12%
ANNUAL PROPERTY TAX
None collected in practice
Taxe foncière
None
0.375% of notional value
None
About 1.5% of notional rental value, plus land tax
US CITIES WITH NONSTOP FLIGHTS
13
Same airport (SXM)
None; fly via SXM
4
15+
1 (Miami)
Notary and legal fees come on top everywhere. Turks & Caicos: Providenciales rate, 10% from US$500,000. Anguilla: 5% stamp duty plus the 12.5% Alien Land Holding Licence. Checked September 2026; sources at the end of the guide.
03
MAP
Find your corner of the island
Thirteen neighborhoods, ten on the Dutch side and three on the French side. Point at a pin to compare them.
● DUTCH SIDE ● FRENCH SIDE ‑ ‑ ‑ BORDER (OPEN) ◆ TOWNS & AIRPORTS
Prices: the lowest asking price among the homes listed on our website, updated live. Yields: Andreu Realty estimates from recent rentals, not guarantees. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
04
ALL 13 NEIGHBORHOODS
Compare before you visit
SORT BY
Prices: the lowest asking price among the homes listed on our website, updated live. Yields: Andreu Realty estimates from recent rentals, not guarantees. “Est. yield —” means we do not publish an estimate yet.
DUTCH SIDE · 34 KM²
Sint Maarten
US dollars, Dutch-Caribbean law, the airport and the marinas.
FRENCH SIDE · 53 KM²
Saint-Martin
Euros, French law, quieter bays and the island’s restaurant capital.
05
VS
DUTCH SIDE VS FRENCH SIDE
Same island. Two ways to own it.
SINT MAARTEN · DUTCH SIDE
SAINT-MARTIN · FRENCH SIDE
A country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
STATUS
A French overseas collectivity, part of the European Union
Caribbean guilder, pegged at Cg 1.79 = US$1; property is priced and paid in US dollars
CURRENCY
Euro
English and Dutch
LANGUAGES
French; English widely spoken
A civil-law notary, who holds the deposit, checks title and registers the deed at the Kadaster
WHO HANDLES THE SALE
A notaire, who prepares the final deed (acte authentique) and registers it
4%
BUYER’S TRANSFER TAX
8% registration duty
About 5–6% of the price
TYPICAL TOTAL CLOSING COSTS
About 9–10% of the price (estimate)
Freehold; long lease (erfpacht) on government or private land; apartment rights for condos
OWNERSHIP
Full ownership; copropriété for condos; the 50 pas géométriques coastal strip is State land
None collected in practice (a 0.3% tax exists in law but is not enforced)
ANNUAL PROPERTY TAX
Taxe foncière, based on the property’s cadastral value
Reported on the owner’s income tax return; 65% of third-party rent is taxable
RENTAL INCOME
Taxed in Saint-Martin whatever your residence; 4% TGCA on seasonal rentals
Allowed; check the building’s rules and register for guest and turnover taxes
SHORT-TERM RENTALS
Declare to the Collectivité first; a main residence can be rented up to 120 days a year
None on a private sale
CAPITAL GAINS ON RESALE
Taxed under Saint-Martin’s own code, with reductions for each year held
Four to eight weeks is typical
TIME TO CLOSE
Often around three months from compromis to deed
Sources and dates are in the Buyer’s Guide. Rules and rates change: confirm the current position with the notary before you sign.
06
BUYING
How a purchase works, step by step
1
Brief and shortlist
Define what the property must do: personal use, rental income or both. We shortlist neighborhoods and run the numbers.
2
Offer
A written offer sets the price, your conditions (financing, inspection) and the deadlines.
3
Purchase agreement and deposit
Once terms are agreed, both parties sign. The buyer pays a deposit, typically 10%, into the notary’s escrow account.
4
Due diligence
The notary checks title, liens and mortgages at the Kadaster (land registry) and, on long-lease land, the lease term and annual fee. Your inspection and financing run in parallel.
5
Transfer at the notary
The deed of transfer is signed, in person or by power of attorney. The balance, the 4% transfer tax and the fees are paid, and the deed is registered.
6
Keys and set-up
Insurance from day one, utilities in your name and, if you rent, management and tax registration.
CLOSING COST ESTIMATOR
What will it cost on top of the price?
PURCHASE PRICE
$1,000,000
Transfer tax (4%)
$40,000
Notary and registration (about 1–2%)
$10,000–$20,000
Mortgage deed, if financed
Quoted by the notary
Estimated total
$50,000–$60,000
Planning estimate for the Dutch side. The notary gives the exact figure for each property.
07
INVESTING
What the numbers look like
We start with the return, not the view, and we plan the exit before you buy: who buys next, at what price and how long resale can take.
ESTIMATED GROSS RENTAL YIELD BY NEIGHBORHOOD
Maho
8–10%
Simpson Bay
7–9%
Cupecoy
6–9%
Pelican Key
6–8%
Cole Bay
6.5–7%
Indigo Bay
5–7%
Point Blanche
5–6%
Terres Basses
4.5–6%
0%
4%
8%
12%
Andreu Realty estimates, gross, before costs and tax. Neighborhoods without an estimate are left out.
THE RENTAL YEAR
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
High season, Dec–Apr
Hurricane season, 1 Jun–30 Nov
MODEL THE NET, NOT THE GROSS
A $450,000 condo, two scenarios
BASE
234 NIGHTS · $337
STRESS
180 NIGHTS · $275
Gross revenue
$78,858
$49,500
Operating costs
−$31,772
−$25,900
Net before financing and tax
$47,086
$23,600
Net yield
10.5%
5.2%
Teaching example, not a forecast. The base case uses the Dutch-side market average: 64% occupancy at $337 a night. Costs include our 20% management fee and $16,000 a year of fixed costs. Association fees, insurance and utilities depend on the building: ask us for the actual figures.
08
LIVING HERE
Life on the island, practically
01
Healthcare
St. Maarten Medical Center in Cay Hill, where a new general hospital is being completed, and the Louis-Constant Fleming hospital in Marigot.
02
Schools
English-language private schools on the Dutch side, and the French public system through to the baccalauréat on the French side.
03
Getting around
A car for daily life and an open border. Ferries reach St Barths in about 45 minutes and Anguilla in about 20 from Marigot.
04
Utilities & internet
GEBE supplies power and water on the Dutch side, with TelEm fibre; EDF and the EEASM water utility serve the French side.
05
Yachting
Simpson Bay Lagoon’s marinas welcome superyachts, and the island is a hub for sailing to St Barths, Anguilla and the BVI.
06
Climate
Warm all year and cooled by the trade winds. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November.
Buying property gives you property rights, not residence: plan the immigration side separately.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Ready to look at the island seriously?
THE BUYER’S GUIDE
Everything a foreign buyer should know before the first showing
Costs, taxes, ownership rules and timelines for both sides of the island, with every figure sourced and dated. In English or French.
Closing costs on each side, with worked examples
Rental data and a net-yield model
A due-diligence checklist and a budget sheet
Free. Sent instantly by email.
Can foreigners buy property on both sides of the island?
−
Yes. Foreign buyers need no licence on either side. A civil-law notary handles the sale on the Dutch side, a notaire on the French side, and both check where the funds come from.
How much are closing costs?
+
About 5–6% of the price on the Dutch side: the 4% transfer tax plus notary and registration fees. About 9–10% on the French side (estimate): the 8% registration duty plus the notaire’s fees and disbursements. Use the estimator above, then ask us for the exact figure on a property.
Dutch side or French side: where do rentals perform better?
+
It depends more on the neighborhood than on the side. Over the last twelve months both sides averaged 64% occupancy, with average nightly rates of $337 on the Dutch side and $491 on the French side (AirDNA). Compare our yield estimates, then ask us for recent comparable rentals.
Is there an annual property tax?
+
On the Dutch side, a 0.3% tax exists in law but is not collected in practice. On the French side, yes: the taxe foncière, calculated from the property’s cadastral value.
Can I get a mortgage as a non-resident?
+
Yes. Banks such as RBC, Republic Bank and Windward Islands Bank lend to non-residents on the Dutch side; expect a 20–40% down payment and terms set case by case. Many buyers also borrow against assets in their home country.
Does buying property give me residency?
+
No. Property gives you ownership rights, not residence. On the Dutch side, permits are issued by Immigration and Border Protection Services; on the French side, EU citizens live freely and others need a long-stay visa for stays beyond three months.
What about hurricanes and insurance?
+
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November. Make sure the policy includes windstorm cover, check the named-storm deductible, and ask about shutters or impact glass, a generator and the building’s storm plan.
SOURCES
Air passenger and cruise arrivals 2025: Department of Statistics, Government of Sint Maarten (27 February 2026). Population: STAT Sint Maarten (1 January 2025) and INSEE (population légale 2022). Short-term rental data: AirDNA, all listings, twelve months to August 2026.
Transfer tax and property tax on the Dutch side: IMF Technical Assistance Report on Sint Maarten (21/231). French side: tax office of the Collectivité de Saint-Martin. Other islands: Anguilla Department of Lands and Survey, Visit Turks and Caicos, Harneys (BVI).
Hurricane season: NOAA. Neighborhood prices: asking prices of the homes listed on andreurealty.com, updated live. Yields: Andreu Realty estimates from recent rentals, not guarantees. Checked September 2026; the Buyer’s Guide lists every source with its date.
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