Property management in Sint Maarten & Saint-Martin · Andreu Realty

You own the home. We run it. Here is what Andreu Realty's property management covers, what it costs, and what owners owe on each side of the island. Written by our team at 36 Airport Road, Simpson Bay, licensed on the Dutch and the French side. Updated October 2026.

Know it all. Before you hand over the keys.

What a property manager does here

The island is small. A rental still needs someone at the door within the hour. Our management covers six jobs:

• Short-term and long-term rental: guests by the night or week, tenants by the year.

• Rent and deposit collection, with deposits held and returned on written terms.

• Maintenance and inspection: repairs, cleaning, landscaping and seasonal upkeep.

• Financial reporting: a monthly statement of income and every cost.

• Marketing and distribution: photos, listings, pricing and fast replies to enquiries.

• Check-in and check-out, and someone who answers the phone, day and night.

Salt air is hard on air-conditioning, appliances and metal fittings. We catch small faults before they cost you a booking. Or a new compressor.

What it costs

One flat fee: 20% of rental revenue. The first month is free. No upfront costs.

The fee pays for our work, not for running the home. Owners pay these directly:

• Association (HOA) fees on a condo. On the 29 homes we had for sale with a published monthly fee on 9 October 2026, fees ran from $350 to $1,500 a month, median $700. Our condo fees guide goes building by building.

• Windstorm insurance, and its deductible, often a percentage of the insured value.

• Electricity, water, internet and TV. Air-conditioning drives the electricity bill.

• Cleaning, laundry, guest supplies and booking-platform commissions on short stays.

• Repairs, replacements and taxes.

A unit that earns less but costs far less to hold often nets more. We run the numbers with you before you sign.

Short-term or long-term: two different jobs

Short-term rental is hospitality. We price by the calendar (high season runs roughly mid-December to April), welcome every arrival, turn the home around between guests and answer every review. Higher income per night. Higher costs, too.

Long-term rental is a landlord's business. We screen tenants (identity, income, references), write the lease, hold the deposit and inspect. Demand is steady: residents, professionals on contract and students at the American University of the Caribbean in Cupecoy. Our rental market guide compares both.

Taxes and registration, side by side

Dutch side, Sint Maarten. Turnover tax is 5% of revenue, and entrepreneurs, non-residents included, register and file monthly returns (Grant Thornton). Room tax applies to guests who are not registered residents of Sint Maarten; revenue on which room tax has been paid is exempt from turnover tax (Government of Sint Maarten, 17 July 2026).

French side, Saint-Martin. Any home rented to visitors, main or second residence, must first be declared to the Collectivité de Saint-Martin as furnished tourist accommodation. Since March 2020 the tourist tax has been replaced by the TGCA, the territory's general turnover tax.

Rental income is taxable on both sides. Rules change: confirm current rates with the Tax Administration or a local adviser before your first guest. We set it up with you and your adviser from the first booking.

Hurricane season is part of the job

The season runs from 1 June to 30 November. Every home we manage needs a written plan: who closes the shutters, who brings in the outdoor furniture, who checks the property after a storm, who sends you photos and helps with the insurance claim. Our hurricane season guide has the full checklist.

What goes in the management agreement

Whoever you hire, get these points in writing before you hand over the keys:

• The fee, and what it is calculated on: gross rent, or rent after platform commissions.

• A spending limit for repairs without your approval, and how emergencies are handled.

• Monthly statements with receipts, and where rent and deposits are held.

• Who owns the booking-platform accounts and the guest reviews if you part ways.

• The building's rules on short-term rental, checked before the first booking.

• The notice period on both sides, and the hand-back of keys, codes and files.

Buying to rent? Start with the building.

A manager can only work with the home you buy. Building rules come first: some associations restrict short stays or set minimum lengths. Location does most of the rest. Simpson Bay, Maho and Cupecoy sit closest to the airport, the beaches and the restaurants. Browse the condos for sale, read the buyer's guide, then ask us what the unit could earn.

OWNERS ASK US

How much does property management cost in Sint Maarten?

At Andreu Realty, 20% of rental revenue, with the first month free and no upfront costs. Association fees, insurance, utilities, cleaning, platform commissions, repairs and taxes are paid by the owner on top.

Do I need a local property manager if I live abroad?

Someone on the island has to handle guests or tenants, repairs and storm preparation. You can build your own local team or hire a manager. Either way, agree the duties and spending limits in writing.

Do I have to register a vacation rental?

On the French side, every furnished tourist rental must first be declared to the Collectivité de Saint-Martin. On the Dutch side, expect turnover tax registration and room tax on guests who are not registered residents. Confirm with the Tax Administration or an adviser.

Can every condo be rented short-term?

No. Some associations restrict short stays or set minimum lengths. Read the house rules before you buy, and before the first booking.

Do you manage homes on both sides of the island?

Yes. Andreu Realty is licensed on the Dutch and the French side and works from its office at 36 Airport Road, Simpson Bay. Call +1 721 550-0150 (Dutch side) or +590 690 08-2220 (French side, WhatsApp).

THE FULL OWNER'S GUIDE

Sources: Grant Thornton, indirect tax guide, Sint Maarten; Government of Sint Maarten, Tax Administration statement on room tax, 17 July 2026; Collectivité de Saint-Martin, declaration of furnished tourist accommodation; Outremers360, 6 March 2020. HOA fees: Andreu Realty listings, 9 October 2026.