Cole Bay, St. Maarten

Cole Bay is the island's working waterfront and one of its most central neighborhoods, on the Dutch shore of Simpson Bay Lagoon at the border with the French side. The lagoon edge is lined with marinas, chandleries and boatyards, while hillside estates such as Almond Grove look down over the water. The causeway bridge links Cole Bay directly to Simpson Bay and the airport.

For sale with Andreu Realty on 7 October 2026: a new three-bedroom condo at The Hills at $695,000, with a monthly fee of $600; and in Almond Grove, on the hill above the lagoon, a complex of three apartments at $950,000 and Villa Sophia, a five-bedroom villa with a pool, a separate apartment and a studio, at $1,590,000. One Cole Bay property is shown as sold on our site.

Cole Bay is on the Dutch side, so a civil-law notary handles the sale and buyer closing costs come to about 5.5% of the price, including the 4% transfer tax. For a building with several units, ask for the current leases, the meters per unit and the permits before you make an offer.

Cole Bay suits buyers who want a central base with the marinas and boatyards at hand, the causeway to Simpson Bay and the airport, and homes that can earn from long-term tenants who work on the island.

Buying in Cole Bay: what to check. Our three Cole Bay listings are three different purchases, so the checks differ. At The Hills on Welfare Road, a new three-bedroom condo built in 2024 (1,100 sq ft, $695,000, about $632 a square foot) comes fully furnished, with on-site management and a rental program: ask what the $600 monthly fee covers (the building has an infinity pool, a gym and a backup generator), for the association's budget and reserve fund, and for the rental program's terms and fees. In Almond Grove, a gated hillside community with a 24-hour security guard, Villa Sophia (five bedrooms, six bathrooms, about 5,000 sq ft, built 2008, fully furnished) has a private pool and hurricane shutters: ask for the age of the roof and the pool equipment, how the house gets water and power when the grid is down, and the community's rules and fees. Also in Almond Grove, the three-apartment complex built in 2025 (4,606 sq ft, eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms, semi-furnished) is listed as freehold, with a backup generator, hurricane-impact windows and an association fee of $500 a year. At $950,000, that is about $316,700 per apartment. For any building with several units, ask for the leases, the meters per unit and the permits, and check in the title deed whether the land is freehold or a long lease. And get an insurance quote, including windstorm cover, before you sign.