How to Sell Your Property in Sint Maarten: The 2026 Owner's Guide
Selling a home in Sint Maarten is not a sign on the lawn. Your buyer is probably not on the island. They are in New York, Toronto, Paris or Miami, comparing your condo or villa with every listing on both sides of the border, at night, on a phone. This guide is for owners who want to sell well in 2026: what the process looks like, what you keep, what to prepare, and how long it takes. It is written by Andreu Realty, licensed on both the Dutch and the French side.
1. Start with the number
Everything follows from the price. Price too high and the listing sits; buyers notice when a home has been online for months. Price too low and you leave money on the table.
A good valuation is not a guess and not a wish. It is a price you can defend, built on comparables: recent sales and active listings in the same building or area, on both sides of the island. Buyers do this comparison themselves. A two-bedroom condo in Maho is weighed against Cupecoy, Simpson Bay and the French side before anyone books a flight.
What moves the number: location and view, the building and its fees, condition and finishes, furnishings, and for many buyers the rental record. To see what has actually closed, look at our sold properties. On 19 October 2026 the prices shown there run from $215,000 for a studio in Maho to $1,150,000 for a penthouse at Blue Marine for condos, and from $1,695,000 in Dawn Beach to €3,500,000 in Terres Basses for villas.
Our free, confidential valuation includes a market analysis on both sides, a recommended list price and timing, a marketing plan and an estimate of your net proceeds.
2. Know what you keep
On the Dutch side there is no capital gains tax on the sale of your property. The 4% transfer tax is paid by the buyer, and buyers budget about 5.5% in total closing costs. Those costs sit on the buyer's side of the table.
On the seller's side, plan for:
the brokerage fee agreed in your listing agreement;
the release of any mortgage on the property, paid from the proceeds at the notary;
your share of condo fees and charges up to the transfer date, settled pro rata.
On the French side the tax position depends on your situation, and the notaire works it out before you sign. In both cases, ask for a net-proceeds estimate before you list. It is the number that matters to you.
3. Prepare the file before you list
Serious buyers ask the same questions, and a sale slows down when the answers take weeks. Gather these before the first showing:
the title deed (on the Dutch side, the notarial deed of your property);
your latest property tax (grondbelasting) statement on the Dutch side;
for a condo: the association's budget, the reserve fund balance, the house rules and the minutes of recent owners' meetings;
any leases, and the rental record if the home is rented: income, occupancy and costs;
for a villa: survey, building permits and plans for any additions.
A complete file builds trust. It also helps your buyer's bank and notary move faster once you have an agreement.
4. Present it for a buyer who is not here
Most buyers first see your home on a screen. Give them what they would see in person:
professional photography, with drone and video where the view or the land is the point;
a floor plan and accurate measurements;
small repairs done before the shoot, not after the offer;
if a tenant lives there, agreed showing times, so viewings are easy.
Investors want numbers as well as pictures. Have the rental potential and the running costs ready: condo fees, insurance, utilities. Our rental yield study shows how buyers compare them.
5. Where your buyer comes from
Buyers for Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin come mostly from the United States, Canada and Europe. We reach them through our own site, international property portals, targeted advertising, our database of registered buyers and email alerts, in English, French and Spanish. Every buyer is qualified before a showing, so your time is protected.
Your listing also appears on our condos for sale and villas for sale pages, where buyers start their search, and in our neighborhood guides for areas such as Maho, Cupecoy and Terres Basses.
6. Offers, the purchase agreement and the deposit
When an offer arrives, we negotiate. You decide. Price is one term among several: the deposit, financing conditions, the closing date and what stays with the home all count.
Once you accept, a purchase agreement is signed. The buyer's deposit, typically 10%, is held by the notary, not by either party. From that point the notary checks the title, any mortgages and the conditions in the agreement.
7. The timeline
Closing takes 30 to 60 days from the signed agreement, depending on financing and the parties involved. A cash buyer with a complete file sits at the short end; a buyer with a mortgage, or a sale involving a company or several owners, at the long end.
Before that comes the marketing period, which nobody can promise. What shortens it is under your control: a defensible price, a complete file and good presentation.
8. Selling from abroad
Many of our sellers live overseas. You do not need to fly in. We handle showings, negotiations and paperwork, and you can sign by power of attorney through the notary.
If the home is rented, it can keep earning while it is on the market. Our property management team charges 20% of rental income and coordinates tenants with viewings.
9. Dutch side or French side
Both sides close with a notary, but they are two legal systems. Sint Maarten sales go through a civil-law notary under Dutch-based law. Saint-Martin sales go through a French notaire. Taxes, documents and timelines differ. Andreu Realty is licensed on both sides, so one advisor runs your sale wherever the property is. More answers are in our real estate FAQ.
Questions owners ask
How much is my property worth in Sint Maarten?
It depends on location, view, building, condition and rental history. We compare recent sales and active listings on both sides of the island and give you a price you can defend. The valuation is free and confidential.
Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell on the Dutch side?
No. There is no capital gains tax on the sale of property on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten.
Who pays the transfer tax?
The buyer. The 4% transfer tax on the Dutch side is part of the buyer's closing costs, which buyers budget at about 5.5% in total.
How long does it take to sell?
Closing takes 30 to 60 days from the signed purchase agreement, depending on financing and the parties involved. The marketing period before that depends mostly on price, presentation and the file.
Can I sell while I live abroad?
Yes. We handle showings and negotiations, and you can sign by power of attorney through the notary. If the home is rented, our management team can keep it earning until the sale.
Next step
Want to know what your home would sell for today? Request your free, confidential valuation. For a shorter checklist, read how to sell your property quickly and for the right price.
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