Owning a private island. It’s not a topic usually aired among friends talking about their next vacation. Most of the time you’ll hear it at gatherings of would-be adventurers reciting their Things-I’ll-do-when-I-win-the-lottery lists.
Contrary to what most of us believe, though, owning a private island is not the exclusive domain of shipping magnates, CEOs of world-class corporations, celebrities and superstars. So if you’ve been dreaming about an isle of your own, it can be affordably true.
Toronto, Ontario, is home to Private Islands Online, the world’s largest directory of private islands available for sale or rent. It’s probably impossible to know about every available private island on the planet, but PIO lists 500.
Whether it’s a small tropical island in the Caribbean or a pine-covered hideaway on a Canadian or Midwest lake, PIO’s Chris Krolow says, “Private islands are no longer just for millionaires. We make islands a possibility for everyone.”
Indeed they do. And I found some for less than $30,000. Now, I know what you’re thinking—remote, no improvements, stark and barren. That’s certainly true in some cases.
But others are located near population centers, come with homes and are equipped with full services. It all depends on what you’re looking for or what you value as an island adventure.
PIO says: “If you’re shopping for an island of your own, don’t rule out islands somewhat off the beaten path. You’ll spend a bit more in transportation to get there, but you’ll save a fortune in the long run.
“… if you’re willing to forego a sandy beach for a mountain vista and some pine trees, Canada with its million lakes and thousands of kilometers of coastline, has more islands than any other nation.
“It’s not unusual to find a Canadian island selling for one third the price of its American equivalent, or one-tenth the price of a similarly sized Caribbean property.”
Private island ownership seem a little impractical? You might consider renting instead. While there are fewer islands for rent, they are available.
It’s really not much different than signing up for a remote cabin on a lake. The only difference is that your accommodations will be in the lake. Literally.
Nineteen states have islands listed on PIO’s directory. And you might be surprised at which ones. In the West are Alaska, California, Oregon, Idaho and Washington.
The East has Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Virginia. Rounding out the list are South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. In a later post, we’ll take a look at some specific islands.
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