Chestertons Global has entered two of the Caribbean’s most sought-after luxury property markets, partnering with Bellegarde Estates in St Vincent and the Grenadines and MOD Realty Ltd in the Cayman Islands. Each firm will operate under the Chestertons name while retaining its local ownership and on-the-ground expertise.
The two destinations sit at different ends of the Caribbean luxury property spectrum St Vincent and the Grenadines is among the region’s most private markets; while the Cayman Islands is considered one of the most established and globally mature. What they share is supply scarcity. In both, land is limited, development is tightly controlled, and international demand is high, with attractive long-term value.
Bellegarde Estates, founded in 2016, advises buyers across an archipelago of 32 islands and cays that has retained a low-density character increasingly rare in the Caribbean. The market appeals to those who place a premium on privacy and seclusion, with a long-standing reputation among sailing enthusiasts and discerning second-home buyers. The agency specialises in luxury villas, resort and commercial properties, private islands and development land across St Vincent, Bequia, Canouan, Mustique and the wider Grenadines. It is led by owner Michelle Bellegarde, who spent more than two decades in senior marketing roles at IBM and AT&T before moving into Caribbean real estate, and who holds several international property designations including Certified International Property Specialist.
MOD Realty Ltd, founded in 2019 and based in the capital of George Town, Grand Cayman, operates in a market defined by stability and scarcity. The Cayman Islands combines a British-based legal system, political stability and a tax-neutral environment, with no annual property tax, capital gains tax or income tax. Prime supply is tightly held, particularly along Seven Mile Beach, where undeveloped land is increasingly rare and strict planning controls restrict new development, factors that continue to support values at the upper end of the market. The office is led by broker Athena Nicole Smith, named Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 by the Cayman Islands Business Development Centre. Its current portfolio includes INDU, an oceanfront residence in the South Sound community of Grand Cayman, guided at 2.7 million US dollars.
Mohamed Mussa, Managing Director of Chestertons Global, commented: ''The Caribbean is too often treated as a single market, when in reality it is very diverse. St Vincent and The Cayman Islands both have a clear place in our network. One offers genuine seclusion and scarcity; the other offers stability and an established framework that has made it a long-standing home for global capital. Bellegarde Estates and MOD Realty were handpicked as leaders in their respective markets, and together they give our clients credible representation in two destinations where local knowledge is paramount.''
Michelle Bellegarde, owner of Bellegarde Estates, commented: “St Vincent and the Grenadines remains one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean, and the buyers who find their way here truly value that discretion. We are delighted to partner with Chestertons Global –an internationally recognised brand that connects our islands, and our clients' properties, to an expanded global audience''
Athena Nicole Smith, Broker at MOD Realty Ltd, added: “Our buyers are exacting and almost entirely international, so they expect a brokerage that understands both the Cayman market and the cross-border process behind every purchase. Aligning with Chestertons Global, a brand with more than 220 years’ heritage, lets us pair that local expertise with a recognised global standard, which matters to the high-net-worth clients and investors we work with.”
Both affiliates deepen Chestertons Global’s footprint in the Caribbean and reflect the firm’s strategy of working with proven local firms in markets with growing international demand.
