By Neil Hartnell

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian realtor yesterday asserted it is “full steam ahead” for this nation’s property market after his company generated a monthly record with 49 sales completed in October 2025.

John Christie, HG Christie’s president, told Tribune Business that the firm will beat its traditional annual average of 400 real estate sales per year in 2025 as he described the 49 closings as a “wow” moment. He added that this exceeded its typical monthly completed sales average by between 32 and 63 percent.

“We usually do about between 30 to 37 a month; something like that, which is still really high, but being at 49… We sell around 400 listings a year, sales, every year, so that 49 it’s like ‘wow, look at that’,” Mr Christie confirmed. “It’s good. It shows the market is still going and is full steam ahead, both international and domestic and across all the islands.

“It’s really nice to see that number come across in a month. It’s a record for us.” Mr Christie was quick to affirm that the number did not mean HG Christie and its agents had sealed 49 separate real estate deals during October, as it represented completed - and not contracted - sales.

The time typically required to complete real estate deals in The Bahamas can often extend well beyond 90 days to six months or even longer, and Mr Christie said the 49 completed transactions would have included sales contracts/agreements signed two, five or many more months prior.

“It just happened that they all came together,” he added. “We will definitely be above that [400 completed sales] this year for sure. The volumes are already higher than last year today. Things are looking good. It’s been a good year.

“I think the Bahamian market is strong, everyone seems to have enough money to buy what they can afford. People are buying where they can, and we’re getting a lot of people out of Europe for high-end luxury.

“Our only problem in certain markets will be a lack of inventory. There’s a lot less inventory than there was, but that is helping people to buy because if they don’t buy they will miss out. We expect a good year next year.”

Morley Realty’s market report for the three months to end-September 2025, drawing on data provided by the Bahamas Real Estate Association’s (BREA) Multiple Listing System (MLS), which is thought to capture at least 60 percent of transaction activity, said the period was highlighted by reduced inventory and “more uneven sales activity” across the five major island markets.

“In the 2025 third quarter, the Bahamian real estate market showed signs of slowing with fewer properties being listed and sales activity becoming more uneven across the islands,” Morley Realty said of real estate sales activity. “Many sellers held back this quarter, creating tighter supply overall.

“Abaco homes saw the steepest decline in new listings, down nearly 70 percent compared to last quarter, while Exuma homes also slipped. Land supply fell in most regions as well, particularly in New Providence and Grand Bahama, though Eleuthera was a rare exception, with slightly more new land listings hitting the market.”

Assessing the market’s outlook for the year’s last few months and heading into 2026, Morley Realty added: “Overall, the 2025 third quarter highlighted a market with fewer options for buyers and growing selectivity in purchasing decisions.

“Eleuthera and Abaco homes led the way with strong performance, while land markets were far more volatile, swinging between strong pricing power and sharp slowdowns. As the year closes, both buyers and sellers will need to navigate a market where limited supply, longer selling times in certain areas, and shifting price trends are all key factors.”

Morley Realty, in its 2025 third quarter report, said MLS data showed listings of New Providence homes were down 10.2 percent compared to the same period in 2024 and by 23.8 percent when measured against the 2025 second quarter.

Contracted home sales, where purchase agreements have been reached but the deal has yet to close, were down 1 percent and 5.7 percent when benchmarked against the year-before third quarter and 2025’s second quarter, respectively. Completed New Providence home sales, while up 9.1 percent on 2025 second quarter figures, fell by 14.3 percent year-over-year.

As for vacant New Providence land, new listings dropped by 38.3 percent year-over-year and by 12 percent compared to the 2025 second quarter. Contracted sales for the three months to end-September 2025 were flat year-over-year, but off by 27 percent against the 2025 second quarter, while completed land sales fell by 32.5 percent year-over-year. They were also down 20.6 percent on the 2025 second quarter.

“Sales activity told a mixed story,” Morley Realty said of the 2025 third quarter. “Eleuthera homes were the standout, attracting stronger buyer demand. Contracts jumped 80 percent compared to last year, and completed sales rose more than 60 percent.

“Abaco homes also performed well, with closings rising by a third. In contrast, Grand Bahama homes saw a sharp decline in completed sales, and most land markets slowed noticeably. Eleuthera and Exuma land, in particular, both posted significant quarterly declines in sales.

“Prices moved in different directions depending on the island. Abaco and Eleuthera homes rebounded strongly, with average prices up 57 percent and 36 percent quarter-over-quarter, while Exuma homes gave back much of their earlier gains, falling more than 35 percent.”