Introduction to Cape Verde
At the moment Cape Verde real estate offers you a very exciting investment opportunity to maximise capital growth, rental yields and of course enjoyment.

The closest tropical islands to Europe; just off the north-western coast of Africa, only 5.5 hours flight from the UK and just an hour south of the Canary Islands you will find these enchanting Islands basking in the sun.

Cape Verde is a glorious archipelago of 10 islands boasting a colourful Creole of African and European cultures for you to enjoy.

Each island has its own individual characteristics and distinct beauty and once you visit the Islands you are bound to fall in love with them.

The unique Islands offer a mix of stunning pristine environments with beautiful white powdered sandy beaches, lush vegetation, breathtaking mountain landscapes, and awe-inspiring coastal views.

Quite simply an island paradise now easily accessed from Europe and just waiting for you to discover and explore.

In addition to its stunning location, Cape Verde is now well on the way to considerable GDP growth through international tourism, which in-turn is creating a strong property market.

The low cost of living and recent introduction of direct low cost flights make Cape Verde even more accessible which has had a direct impact on the number of tourists and property investors who are now discovering the islands and looking to purchase Cape Verde Real Estate.

Tourism Industry
Huge government and private investment is also well underway. The tourism sector is developing rapidly; driven by significant growth in foreign direct investment (FDI).

The Government has licensed nearly 109 investment projects with a total capital of $416 million invested in hotels, residential resorts and other tourism-related construction: through the third quarter of 2006, tourism exports almost doubled and Foreign Direct Investment increased by roughly 60 percent compared to the same period of 2005.

Further support has come from public investment in infrastructure and better external transportation links. This rapid expansion offers today’s investors outstanding opportunities.
In summary Cape Verde is the rising star of overseas investment property with a justifiably growing reputation among investors.

Intro to Cape Verde Real Estate Market
The property market in Cape Verde is still in its very early days although the islands have been receiving a good amount of media exposure for the past year now. Many overseas property professionals and investors have tipped as the Canary Islands 15 - 20 years ago the early stages of development in Cape Verde make it an ideal time to invest.

We agree with this but not all the islands are equal, its is the island of Sal which is the most developed in terms of infrastructure and facilities for tourism and therefore for the time being in our opinion has the most potential for property investment.

It is a strong tourism demand that will ultimately have a positive impact on the value of good residential tourist property developments of the like that are being built on Sal.

Sal Island
Sal is the main island of Cape Verde with spectacularly beautiful coastline and beaches. Some would say Sal has the best beaches and most certainly the best facilities of the Cape Verde isles, and as such is the most suited for tourism.

As the most popular of the Islands, Sal already has a well-defined tourism infrastructure and within Cape Verde isles themselves, it is the island of Sal that represents the definitive investment opportunity

Santa Maria is the main tourist town and the beach is always a hive of activity boasting a colourful atmosphere with locals and tourists a like.

While Sal boasts a wealth of natural and geographical advantages over its neighbours, it is the development opportunity that really excites. Sal has been identified as a genuine potential rival to the tourist capitals of the Canary Islands, and is experiencing strong investment to achieve this aim.

The Cape Verde Government is investing significantly in creating a modern and contemporary destination, making now the right time to invest in Sal

With its year round sunshine and tropical climate, easy accessibility from Europe and fast-rising tourism, Cape Verde ticks all the right boxes for phenomenal property rental and resale potential.

Also with very positive capital growth of 20% - 30% a year and excellent rental potential due to the rapidly increasing number of tourists the current property developments will enable you to make good money and also have fun and enjoyment from the properties you are investing in.

Economy
Cape Verde has been able to develop a successful economy based on tourism, transport, and other services and, to a lesser extent, on light manufacturing industries.

Since 1989, the economy has become increasingly open. The Government is committed to integrating the country into the global economy primarily through foreign investment in export-orientated activities.

Strong economic growth is also the result of Cape Verde’s impressive economic reforms, which began in the mid-1990s, when the country embarked on a vast privatization program that included utilities companies and the entire banking system.

In 2006, Cape Verde was considered by the Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation one of the countries with the most economic freedom in Africa, after Botswana, and it ranks among the top 50 in the world.
Real economic growth in Cape Verde has been an average of six percent over the past few years. The political stability of the country, the absence of exchange-rate risk (CVE pegged to the Euro), coupled with successful fiscal reforms – in particular the implementation of a VAT system - led to excellent results in the last two years.

Openness to Foreign Investment
Cape Verde’s government looks to private investment as the engine for the country’s future economic growth. It seeks to attract investment that will modernise the country’s economic structure and stimulate all appropriate business activities. The greatest emphasis is placed on tourism and export-orientated industries.