What it costs to buy property in Sint Maarten
A foreign buyer should budget roughly 5.0%–6.0% of the purchase price on top of the price itself. No licence or permit is required.
What you pay
- Transfer tax4.0% of the price$20,000
- Civil-law notary1.0%–2.0% of the price$5,000–$10,000
| On a purchase of | $250,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax | $10,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 |
| Civil-law notary | $2,500 – $5,000 | $5,000 – $10,000 | $10,000 – $20,000 |
| Total on top of the price | 5.0%–6.0% | 5.0%–6.0% | 5.0%–6.0% |
Can you buy as a foreigner?
No licence required
No licence and no restriction on foreign ownership — freehold is freely transferable, and a non-resident buys on the same terms and at the same rate as a resident. Transfer completes before a government-appointed civil-law notary, who handles the title search, the deed, the escrow and the registration.
No approval to wait for
With no permission to obtain, the timeline is set by conveyancing rather than by a government queue.
Take it with you
These figures as a PDF, worked out at the price you enter, with every source and the date it was checked.
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Nearby markets compared
What a foreign buyer pays on top of a $500,000 price, here and in the markets around it nearest in cost.
- United States Virgin IslandsNo licence1.4%
- Sint MaartenNo licence5.0%–6.0%
- Saint BarthélemyNo licence6.0%–7.0%
- SabaNo licence7.1%–8.1%
- Sint EustatiusNo licence7.1%–8.1%
An estimate for budgeting, not legal or tax advice. These rates are traced to published sources but have not been reviewed by a practitioner in this jurisdiction. Confirm the current position with an attorney before you commit.
Sourced from established local agencies rather than a government schedule. Sint Maarten levies no annual property tax and no capital gains tax, so the purchase cost is close to the whole cost of holding.
Sources: [1]