British Virgin Islands Removes Testing Requirements for Travelers

In a major shift, the British Virgin Islands has removed pre-testing requirements for travelers, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

That means travelers no longer have to show proof of a negative test to enter the British overseas territory. 

Travelers are also no longer required to be screened upon arrival for Covid, according to the latest health update from the destination. 

The British Virgin Islands is now following the neighboring US Virgin Islands, which made the same move back in May.

It could be a big boost for the British Virgin Islands, whose tourism industry has struggled significantly since the onset of the pandemic. 

A room at the Anegada Beach Club, the BVI’s top boutique hotel.

“Travelers are urged take appropriate precautions to prevent the infection of the virus where necessary such as general sanitisation and hand washing measures,” the British Virgin Islands’ government said in a statement. “The wearing of face masks/coverings are no longer mandated by law, but are allowed as a matter of choice in public spaces, or as a policy of a business place or other establishment.”

The British Virgin Islands is now part of a growing collection of destinations that require no testing or vaccination proof in order to enter. 

That includes the US Virgin Islands, Grenada, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao and, most recently, Belize. 

A number of other destinations have dropped testing requirements but continue to require proof of vaccination in order to enter. 

For more, visit British Virgin Islands Tourism.

The post British Virgin Islands Removes Testing Requirements for Travelers appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

Caribijornal, Island Life

In The Bahamas, Embracing Another Side of Exuma’s Staniel Cay

In The Bahamas Out Islands, Staniel Cay, Exuma is well known as a mariner’s crossroads.  

And everyone knows The Yacht Club, the Grotto and the Pigs.  

But few people know the secret serenity of the other side of Staniel Cay, where some of the most beautiful beaches and secluded nature await the adventurous traveler. 

That includes Pirate Beach and Staniel Cay Ocean Park, two beaches as different as they are beautiful, where you’ll almost never see another soul on the sand. 

Pirate Beach.

Even on a tiny island, it’s a different universe than the energy of the storied Yacht Club, a place that retains its longtime position as a Mecca in The Bahamas. 

The portal to this secret side of Staniel Cay is at the family-owned Embrace Resort, a mix of seven cottages, all with full kitchens and a commitment to delivering the authentic Bahamian experience. 

The pool area at the Embrace Resort.

There are five one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms and a three-bedroom cottage, all ready for you to move right in for a day or week or two. 

It’s also adjacent to the island’s tiny airport, making for the romantic hum of arriving prop planes during the day. 

And even better When you leave, you can check in at the airport, head back to the hotel and wait for your flight. 

The blue of Pirate Beach.

It’s a locally-owned, locally-run resort, one built by dedication, hard work and 30 years of perseverance. 

“What makes Embrace Resort so unique is that fact that once you arrive you’ll have a friend in paradise,” says owner Natajia Miller. “We’re like a down-to-earth luxury, you can come as yourself and let your hair down while having us there every step of the way to make sure your stay is memorable.” 

.The Ocean Park beach

And that’s a near certainty, whether your’e visiting the famous pigs, swimming in the Grotto, chasing after iguanas, fishing, diving, sailing, snorkeling or just spending your days on the impossibly beautiful sands of Pirate Beach or the Ocean Park. 

It’s the other side of Staniel Cay, and you’ll have it all to yourself. 

For more, visit the Embrace Resort.

The post In The Bahamas, Embracing Another Side of Exuma’s Staniel Cay appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

Caribijornal, Island Life

Belize Just Removed All Testing and Vaccination Requirements for Visitors

In a significant move, Belize has become the latest Caribbean destination to dispense with all of its travel health protocols. 

That means travelers to Belize no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter the country, regardless of vaccination status. 

Belize has also made the purchase of Belize Travel Health Insurance optional, although officials said it was still encouraged a as a form of protection against incurring medical and non-medical emergency expenses. 

The Raye Caye resort in Belize.

The only remaining protocol is that travelers must continue to book their stay at a Belize Tourist Board Gold Standard-Approved Hotel. 

“With the emergence of weaker variants of COVID-19 and with the global trend of restrictions being relaxed, the time has come to take the pressure off of our health systems,” said Kevin Bernard, Belize’s Minister of Health and Wellness. “We’ve reached a level where it’s now everyone’s personal responsibility to decide whether they want to be vaccinated or not.”

The Turneffe Island Resort.

In light of new variants, Belize officials said vaccines remained the best form of protection against the virus. 

Belize joins a now-growing community of destinations that do not require testing for visitors, regardless of vaccination status. 

That includes, most notably, Jamaica, Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire and Grenada. 

For more, visit Belize. 

The post Belize Just Removed All Testing and Vaccination Requirements for Visitors appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

Caribijornal, Island Life

Are Cash Offers For Houses Legit?

If you want to sell your home, you may have noticed all kinds of cash offer options. But are cash offers for houses legit, or are they another kind of scam?

This is a common question that homeowners have as the fear of being scammed has only grown. Especially as there are options out there that can seem too good to be true.

You have probably seen we buy houses ads that offer cash offers as an incentive. But it can be hard to know if cash for houses is a scam or a legitimate option.

To find out about all of the sell your house for cash scams and how to avoid them, keep reading.

Are Cash Offers for Houses Legit?

Cash offers for your home can be completely legitimate options for homeowners looking to sell their homes. While we buy your house for cash scams do exist, there are also legitimate cash offers you can take advantage of.

Cash house offers eliminate much of the time-consuming details that go along with selling your home. Sure, you will probably not get as much money as you could get, but there are a lot of benefits to selling your home for cash.

Going this route can be a safe and effective way to sell your home quickly and get the money handed directly to you. You have to be aware of offers that are legitimate and those that aren’t.

Sell your house for cash scams are out there, but there are plenty of legitimate options. So it is possible for homeowners to sell their home for cash.

How Do You Know If a Cash Offer Is Legitimate?

The best way to make sure you don’t fall for any buy your house for cash scams is to do your research. Look into what types of investors there are that offer more trustworthy options.

There are all kinds of people and companies claiming to pay cash for houses, but they may not be legitimate. It is best to find either a website or a company that is reputable.

You can request an offer that aligns with what you think the house is worth. This is an easy step as you do not have to stage or show the house like you traditionally would.

The buyer may want to have the home evaluated, then you should review the contract that they send over. You should also ask for proof of funds to ensure that they have the money to pay.

As long as the proof of funds request goes through and the right documentation comes back, you are generally safe. This is proof that the buyer does have the funds and isn’t trying to scam you.

You can also make sure they are a Better Business Bureau member and check their ratings. This will show you the positive and negative feedback that they might have gotten.

Once you are sure of this, the rest of the selling process will go by pretty quickly. This is a much faster and easier process than selling your home the traditional way.

Common Types of Cash for Houses Scams

You may be wondering, what is a cash offer scam? There are all kinds of scams out there, and there are even scams having to do with selling your home.

These sell your house for cash scams are common, but there are specific signs to look for. If a potential buyer is showing any of these red flags, you may want to cut contact with that individual.

False Claims

Some house scammers may try to make all kinds of claims to get you excited to sell to them. This is often in the form of them saying that they are a government entity.

They may offer you foreclosure relief or another kind of relief from a hardship having to do with your home. This is a potential buyer that you should immediately cut contact with as they are most likely a scammer.

Paying Before the Sale Closes

Some scammers may try to create trust by sending you money before the sale has been finalized. They may also send over financial information without you having asked for it.

You may even receive a check for the home before the potential buyer asks for a refund because they paid too much. This is common, and usually, the check ends up being worthless anyway.

In a legit cash offer, no money should be exchanged before the sale has closed. This ensures that both parties are safe and do not lose any money during the process.

If someone is too eager to send you money or even ask you for money, this is a sign that this might be a scam.

Random Fees

Some small-scale scammers may scam you by pretending to be a buyer, only to scam you out of fees. These could include all kinds of things that they say have to do with the house.

Being charged some fees is normal, but these should always be agreed upon by both parties. Then the buyer will pay the fees once the house sale has closed.

You should not have to pay anything before the sale closes, otherwise, that is a red flag. No money should change hands before the sale has been completed.

No Physical Visit to the House

Most buyers will want to see the home before they finalize the details of the arrangement. This is because they want to see what they are getting and make sure the home is what they want.

Some online companies may not need to do this, but this is a necessity for individual buyers. If your potential buyer does not want to visit the house, there may be a reason why.

Some scammers may not live in the US and cannot physically visit a house. They also may not want their identity known if they intend on scamming you.

This is why it is a good idea to look into them further if they do not want to see the house. You should also review the contract to make sure there isn’t anything that could later fall back on you if the buyer ends up being unhappy.

Types of Investors That Pay a Cash Offer

What is a cash offer scam? A cash offer scam can include many things, from charging you all kinds of strange fees to letting the deal fall through last minute.

There are all kinds of buy your house for cash scams that you want to watch out for. The best way to avoid these scams is to only deal with certain types of investors.

Try to only focus on reputable investors, and don’t be distracted by deals that sound too good to be true.

iBuyers

House buying companies like iBuyers, buy houses by offering a cash offer to the homeowner. If you are asking, are cash offers for houses legit, this is a great option to go with.

Companies like iBuyers evaluate homes that are for sale and will offer a cash offer to the homeowner. This is a quick way to sell your home and is safe if you go with a legitimate company.

This is also a great way to get as high of a cash offer as you can going this route. It may not be as much as you could make by selling traditionally, but it offers a much easier way of selling.

House Flippers

House flippers also tend to buy houses for cash as they intend to remodel them and give them a home makeover. While this is a legitimate option, it can be a little riskier.

You will be dealing with individuals rather than a company, making cash for houses scams a bigger risk. You will need to be very cautious when selling to a house flipper.

You want to know for sure that they are who they say they are and that they do have the necessary funds.

Buy-and-Hold Investors

Buy-and-hold investors purchase homes that are for sale and convert them into rental properties. This is another we buy houses option that is legitimate in most cases.

These buy-and-hold investors look for homes to buy that would make good rental properties. Because they do this for a living, they usually have cash in hand to help the process go by faster and easier for everyone involved.

Buy-and-hold investors can either be large-scale companies or individual buyers. You will want to do your research before taking any cash offers from a buy-and-hold investor, just to be on the safe side.

Are Cash Offers for Houses Legitimate or Scams?

Cash offers for your home could be a realistic option for many kinds of homeowners. Though you may wonder are cash offers for houses legit, many can be legitimate options.

Cash Offers on your home?
You’re in the right place!


Get My Cash Offers

The secret is to be aware and on guard, as you are looking into cash offers. Try to go with reputable sources and not just any individual who offers to pay cash for your home.

Are you interested in selling your home for cash? Submit your address here at iBuyer.com to get a no-obligation cash offer on your home.

The post Are Cash Offers For Houses Legit? appeared first on iBuyer Blog.

Powered by WPeMatico

Ibuyer Feed