Buying in Terres Basses, Saint-Martin: A Buyer's Guide to the Island's Private Estate

Terres Basses is where the island keeps its large villas. It is a private residential estate on the western tip of the French side, between the lagoon and three beaches: Baie Rouge, Baie aux Prunes (Plum Bay) and Baie Longue. Buying a villa in Terres Basses means buying land, privacy and a set of rules that come with the property. Get the rules right and it is one of the safest long holds on the island.

We sold Villa Always here for €3.5 million, and we show Terres Basses to clients every season. This guide covers what our neighborhood overview only touches on: how the estate works and what to check before you sign.

Where it is and how you get there

Terres Basses covers the peninsula that closes the western end of Simpson Bay Lagoon. The border with the Dutch side is close: Cupecoy and Porto Cupecoy are a few minutes away, and Baie Nettlé and Marigot are a short drive in the other direction.

The estate has two faces:

• The ocean side. Villas on the slopes and bluffs above Baie Rouge, Plum Bay and Baie Longue, facing west to the sunset. This is where the views and the rental rates are.

• The lagoon side. Calmer water, and some properties with direct access to the lagoon. Buyers with a boat look here first.

The beaches are public, but the land around them is residential. There is no town, no shopping street and almost no commerce inside the estate. You drive out for groceries and restaurants.

How the estate works: the ASL and its rules

Terres Basses was put together as one property in the 1950s and subdivided under regulations the French government approved in 1963, according to the local history published by the owners' association and the press. Today the estate is run by an association of owners, the ASL des Propriétaires des Terres Basses (ASL stands for association syndicale libre). It runs its own security service.

Under French law, membership of an ASL goes with the land. When you buy, you join. You take on its rules (the cahier des charges and statutes) and its annual charges.

The original rules, as reported in the estate's history, are what give Terres Basses its character:

• Residential only. Commercial activity is not allowed. The La Samanna hotel on Baie Longue is the long-standing exception.

• Large plots. The rules set a minimum of one hectare (about 2.5 acres) per property.

• One main house plus staff quarters. The two buildings cannot be sold separately.

• No condominium or timeshare division.

Security varies by location: some roads and clusters inside the estate are gated or guarded, others are not. Ask which applies to the villa you are looking at, and who pays for it.

What you can buy

Almost everything for sale is a detached villa on its own plot, usually with a pool, gardens and a guest or staff wing. Occasionally a building plot comes up. There are no condos here, by design.

Prices sit at the top of the island's market, and they vary widely with the view, the beach access and the condition of the house. Many villas were rebuilt or renovated after Hurricane Irma in 2017, and a renovated villa and one still waiting for work can sit on the same road. Our sale of Villa Always at €3.5 million is one reference point. Check the current listings on our properties page rather than relying on an asking price you heard last year.

What we check before a client makes an offer

The notaire checks title. We start earlier, because some answers change the price.

1. The ASL documents. Ask for the cahier des charges, the statutes, the last accounts and the minutes of recent general meetings. Look for the annual charges, works that were voted and not yet paid for, and any dispute involving the property.

2. What is actually built. Compare the house with the building permits on file. Additions like an extra bedroom wing, a pool house or a converted staff building must have permits and fit the estate rules. The notaire's town-planning certificates help, but ask for the permits themselves.

3. Title and boundaries. With plots this size, boundaries matter. Ask for the survey. If the land touches the shoreline, ask the notaire exactly what is being sold and on what title. Our French-side buying guide explains the coastal-land question in more detail.

4. Access and easements. Confirm legal access from a road, and any path to the beach that crosses or serves the plot.

5. The rental file. If you plan to rent, check the villa's history and whether the ASL rules say anything about rentals. Under Saint-Martin's tourism code, owners must declare a furnished tourist rental to the Collectivité before renting. Rental income is taxable, and seasonal rentals fall under the Collectivité's turnover tax (TGCA). Confirm current rates with a local accountant.

6. Insurance. Get a quote before you sign the compromis de vente. Windstorm cover is the big line, and deductibles are often a percentage of the insured value. That can change the math on an exposed bluff-top house.

7. Running costs. Budget the ASL charges, the taxe foncière, insurance, pool and garden care, security and staff before you settle on a price.

Owning a villa here, year round

A large villa does not run itself, even when you are away.

• Staffing. Many owners employ a caretaker, gardener or housekeeper. Staff employed directly fall under French labor law, and the paperwork is real. Many owners use a management company instead.

• Maintenance. Salt air, sun and rain are hard on metal, wood and pool equipment. Plan for routine repainting, pump and AC servicing, and garden work.

• Hurricane plan. The Atlantic season runs from June 1 to November 30. You need shutters or impact glass, a generator plan, and someone local to secure the house before a storm and inspect it after. Our hurricane guide for owners walks through it.

Rental appeal

Terres Basses villas rent to families and groups who want privacy, space and the western sunsets. Demand is strongest in the winter high season, when the best-known villas fill with repeat guests. Summer and autumn are quieter, and hurricane season brings cancellations.

We tell clients to treat rental income here as a contribution to costs, not the reason to buy. A well-run villa with good reviews, a manager on the ground and a clear rental file performs best. If you want us to manage it, see our rental management.

Who Terres Basses suits

• Families who want a house for several generations, with land and beaches within walking distance.

• Buyers with a long horizon who value the estate's strict rules, which protect the neighborhood from dense development.

• Owners who will use the villa often and rent it in high season.

It suits buyers less well if they want to walk to restaurants, or want a low-maintenance condo to lock and leave. For those buyers we would look at Baie Nettlé, Marigot or the Dutch side.

Questions we get

Is Terres Basses a gated community?

Partly. The estate is private and runs its own security service. Some areas inside it are gated or guarded, others are not. Ask about the specific road.

Can I build a second house or split my plot?

The original rules allow one main house plus staff quarters per property and prohibit condominium or timeshare division. Read the current cahier des charges and ask the notaire before planning any change.

Are the beaches private?

No. Baie Rouge, Plum Bay and Baie Longue are public beaches. The estate around them is residential.

Can foreigners buy in Terres Basses?

Yes. The purchase follows the normal French-side process with a notaire, in euros. The island guide has more on the western end of the island.

If a Terres Basses villa is on your shortlist, talk to us before you make an offer.

Sources: ASL des Propriétaires des Terres Basses (aslterresbasses.org); "Les Terres Basses : un point d'histoire", Le 97150; Saint-Martin Tourism Code article D351-1 on declaring furnished tourist rentals, as reported by SXM Breaking News, February 2024; Collectivité de Saint-Martin tax office note on seasonal rentals (impots-saint-martin.fr).