Seller's Guide
A practical guide to
selling property in Antigua
Selling property in Antigua and Barbuda takes more than putting a listing online and waiting for the right buyer. A strong sale depends on pricing the property correctly, presenting it well, reaching the right international buyers, and coordinating the transaction carefully through to completion. This Antigua real estate seller's guide sets out how the process works, what it typically costs, and how MORA positions and manages a sale from first appraisal to handover.
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The Market
Why sell in Antigua now?
International interest in Antigua real estate remains strong. The buyers active here are a varied group — some lifestyle-led, some relocating, some investment-minded, and some weighing citizenship alongside a property purchase. That breadth of demand is one of the things that makes a well-presented Antigua property genuinely sellable to the right audience.
Quality inventory in the strongest locations is limited, which matters for sellers: a property that is priced and presented well, in a desirable area, stands out in a market where serious buyers are often comparing options across the Caribbean before they commit.
That comparison is exactly why pricing and presentation carry so much weight. Buyers looking at Antigua are frequently also looking at other islands, so your property is being judged against a regional field, not just a local one. We don't promise a particular price or a particular timeline — no honest advisor can. What we do is help you position the property so it competes well for the attention of the buyers most likely to value it.
Local Context
What makes selling in Antigua different
Selling here is not the same as selling in a large domestic market. A few realities shape how a sale should be approached.
Many buyers are international
A significant share of serious buyers will form a strong opinion of your property online, often before they ever set foot on the island. The first viewing is frequently a screen.
Presentation does heavy lifting
Photography, video, written copy, and an overall sense of confidence in the listing matter more here than in a market where buyers can drop in casually. Good materials are not a luxury; they are how the property is first judged.
Buyer qualification matters
Not every enquiry is a genuine, ready buyer. Qualifying interest early protects your time, your tenants if any, and the momentum of the sale.
Viewings work around real life
If the property is rented or in use, viewings may need to be scheduled around bookings and guests. This is manageable with planning, and we coordinate it.
Much of the process can be handled remotely
For off-island sellers, the legal process and completion can, in many cases, be managed remotely with the right coordination and your attorney's guidance.
It is a relationship-driven market
Antigua runs on local knowledge and relationships. Knowing the active agents, the genuine buyers, and how deals actually get done here makes a real difference to the outcome.
Presentation
How we present your property
Most buyers meet your property on a screen long before they stand in it. That makes presentation the first viewing, not a finishing touch, and it's where MORA gives your sale an edge.
Depending on the property, we arrange professional photography, a video walkthrough, and drone footage that shows the setting, the views, and the approach: the things an overseas buyer can't judge from a floor plan. For land, or a home still being finished, 3D renderings show buyers what the space can become. Before anything is shot, we give practical staging advice so each room shows at its best without an expensive overhaul.
The result is a listing that buyers abroad can judge fairly. That tends to bring better-qualified enquiries, and fewer viewings that go nowhere.
Our Role
How MORA works with sellers
We act as your local source and coordinator throughout the sale — not just as a listing agent. In practice, that means we handle or manage:
Pricing & valuation guidance
A grounded view of where the property sits in the current market — honest Antigua property valuation, not a number designed to win the listing.
Market positioning
Defining who the property is for and how it should be presented to them.
Preparation recommendations
Practical, cost-aware suggestions to help the property show at its best before it reaches the market.
Photography, video & marketing coordination
Organising the Antigua property marketing materials that make the all-important first impression.
Buyer profile targeting
Focusing exposure on the buyers most likely to value this particular property.
Agent & network exposure
Putting the property in front of the right local and international channels and contacts.
Inquiry handling & qualification
Filtering and managing enquiries so your time goes to real, ready buyers.
Viewings
Coordinating access and showing the property well, around any rental or owner use.
Offer & negotiation
Managing offers, protecting your position, and keeping momentum toward agreement.
Legal coordination
Working alongside your attorney through due diligence, exchange, and completion.
Completion & handover support
Seeing the transaction through to keys-in-hand.
Off-island logistics
Where you are not on the island, we can coordinate access, keys, and local logistics on your behalf.
The Process
The property sale process in Antigua
Every sale is a little different, but most follow a recognisable sequence. Here is how the selling process in Antigua typically unfolds, step by step.
Initial appraisal & strategy
We start with an honest appraisal of the property and a clear strategy: a realistic price position, the likely buyer profile, the right timing, and how the property should be presented to compete.
Preparing the property for market
We advise on practical, cost-aware preparation — what is worth doing to help the property show well, and what is not worth the spend before listing.
Photography, video & listing materials
We coordinate professional photography, video where appropriate, and well-written listing materials, because for international buyers these are the first viewing.
Launch & marketing
The property is launched through the right local and international channels, targeted at the buyer profiles most likely to value it, rather than marketed indiscriminately.
Viewings & buyer qualification
We manage enquiries, qualify genuine interest, and coordinate viewings — around rental bookings or owner use where needed — so your time is spent on real buyers.
Offers & negotiation
We manage offers, advise on terms, and negotiate to protect your position while keeping the deal moving toward agreement.
Legal process & exchange
Your attorney handles due diligence and contracts. On exchange, the buyer typically pays a deposit, and the agreed terms are set out in writing. We coordinate between the parties to keep things on track.
Buyer's NCL or CBI process (where applicable)
Where the buyer is a non-citizen, their purchase generally proceeds via the Non-Citizens Land Holding Licence (NCL) or, where citizenship is part of their plan, the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) route. These steps sit on the buyer's side, but they affect timing — so we keep them coordinated and visible.
Completion & handover
On completion, the balance is paid, the relevant taxes and fees are settled, and title transfers to the buyer. We support the handover — including access, keys, and local logistics if you are off-island.
Costs
Antigua seller costs to plan for
Selling has its own set of costs, separate from the sale price you receive. The figures below are typical and indicative at the time of writing, and your individual position should be confirmed with your attorney and accountant — but we would rather give you a working picture than leave you guessing.
| Cost category | Typical figure (at the time of writing) |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty / transfer tax | Around 7.5% of the sale price |
| Agent commission | Typically 5%–7% of the sale price |
| Seller legal fees | Typically 1%–2% of the sale price |
| Outstanding property costs | Any unpaid utilities, management, repairs, or handover costs to settle on completion |
| Land Value Appreciation Tax | May apply for non-citizen sellers — confirm your individual position with your attorney/accountant |
Rates and individual circumstances vary, and some taxes depend on factors specific to you and the property, so final figures should be confirmed at the time of sale with your attorney and accountant. We will help you build a property-specific picture before you go to market.
Estimate
What you would net from your sale
Enter an offer to see the typical costs of selling taken off the top, line by line — and what reaches you at closing.
Enter the accepted offer in Eastern Caribbean dollars. US$ figures use the fixed peg of EC$2.70 = US$1.
Legal fee rate
Commission rate
Offer price
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Estimated fees & disbursements
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Transfer tax, legal, commission, ABST, certificate
Net to seller
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- Government transfer tax (7.5% of offer)
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- Legal fees (2% of offer) estimate
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- ABST on legal fees (17%)
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- Real estate commission (5% of offer) estimate
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- ABST on commission (17%)
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- Chief Surveyor's Certificate
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- Total estimated fees & disbursements
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Excludes any outstanding property tax, which is settled at closing if applicable. Rates as of September 2026 and subject to change. Confirmed at engagement.
Indicative only. Legal fees and commission vary by agreement, and figures exclude variables specific to your sale, such as outstanding property costs or Land Value Appreciation Tax. MORA does not provide legal or tax advice — confirm your position with your attorney and accountant before you commit.
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to sell property in Antigua?
It depends on the property, the price position, the location, and the strength of the market at the time. Well-priced, well-presented properties in strong locations tend to attract serious interest sooner, but no honest advisor can promise a fixed timeline. We set realistic expectations at the appraisal stage and keep the process moving.
Do I need to be on island to sell?
No. Many sellers are off-island for some or all of the process. With the right coordination, viewings, the legal process, and completion can largely be managed remotely, and we can handle access, keys, and local logistics on your behalf.
Can I rent my property while it is listed?
Yes, and many owners do. It does mean viewings have to be scheduled around bookings and guests, but with planning that is entirely manageable. We coordinate access so marketing and rental income can run alongside each other.
What if my property is already listed but not selling?
That is often a question of pricing, presentation, or positioning rather than the property itself. We can review how it is being marketed, where it sits against comparable options, and what could be adjusted to re-engage the right buyers.
Who pays the agent commission?
In Antigua, the agent commission is generally paid by the seller, typically as a percentage of the sale price. We will set out the terms clearly and in writing before you go to market, so there are no surprises at completion.
How important is pricing?
It is one of the most important decisions in the whole sale. Buyers here are comparing across the Caribbean, and a property priced ahead of the market tends to sit while better-positioned listings sell. Honest pricing at the outset usually serves a seller far better than starting high and chasing the market down.
What should I do before listing?
Speak with us first. Whether you are selling a home in Antigua or an investment property, we will give you a grounded view of value, the likely buyer profile, and the preparation worth doing — so the property launches well rather than being adjusted after a slow start.
Get Started
Start with an honest conversation about your property
The best first step is a private, no-pressure conversation about your property — its likely value, the right timing, how it should be positioned, the buyer profile most likely to want it, and the next steps. We'll give you an honest read of where things stand and how we would approach the sale.