There are moments in a nation’s life when the clock seems to stop ticking. Not literally, of course — time carries on — but everything familiar, everything predictable, everything routine is suddenly suspended. In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica entered one of those moments.
For many Jamaicans, Melissa was not just a storm. It was a line in the sand. Before. After.
The truth is plain: Jamaica has survived many hurricanes, but Melissa left a different kind of mark. This was not simply a weather event; it was a national shockwave that tore through the electrical grid, telecommunications networks, housing stock, livelihoods, and the psychological well-being of our people. And as the days stretched into weeks, that shockwave reshaped the very landscape of real estate, development, and community life.
Whether you lived in Kingston, St. Thomas, Manchester, St. Elizabeth, Clarendon, St. James, or anywhere in between, you felt it. And even now, as the country claws its way back to steady ground, we continue to feel it.
This is the state of affairs in Jamaica — raw, real, resilient — as we rebuild our homes, our industry, and our sense of normalcy.
1. A Digital Silence: When 2–3 Weeks Became a Lifetime
“To say that 2–3 weeks without electricity and internet was crippling is an understatement.”
Those words echo across communities everywhere. In 2025, losing electricity is one thing — losing internet is another. The two together, for such an extended stretch, created a kind of quiet that Jamaica has not known in decades.
The modern world is digital. Jamaica is digital. Realtors depend on digital platforms. Bank systems depend on digital verification. Attorneys process titles and contracts online. Developers monitor progress remotely. Ordinary Jamaicans communicate, work, study, and earn through the internet.
And then — suddenly — all of that vanished.
Some communities sat in complete darkness for up to three weeks. Others had flickers of restoration only to have service cut again. Even after Jamaica Public Service (JPS) restored pockets of power, the internet lagged far behind. Fibre was down. Cellular towers were damaged. Microwave links were misaligned. Backup systems were compromised.
Today, many Jamaicans still do not have consistent internet. And some households may not see stable electricity service until early 2026, depending on the complexity of the repairs. No one wants this to happen, and every Jamaican hopes against it, but we must face it: the grid and telecom networks took a beating few anticipated.
Businesses that operate online slowed to a crawl. Real estate agents who relied on WhatsApp communication were largely cut off. Families abroad couldn’t reach loved ones. Even emergency coordination became a challenge.
Jamaica experienced a digital blackout — and the effects were national, not just regional.
2. Human Stories Behind the Headlines
As we discuss the real estate industry, rebuilding costs, valuations, and interest rates, we cannot forget the human beings beneath the paperwork.
There are realtors who lost their own roofs. There are engineers whose homes were flooded. There are project managers now living with relatives because their communities became unsafe. There are lawyers whose offices were destroyed. There are clients who had pending closings but lost their homes entirely. There are elderly Jamaicans with no power and no way to call for help.
Across the country:
- Families sleep in partially damaged rooms.
- Children do homework by flashlight.
- Breadwinners rebuild before going back to work.
- Community members share outlets to charge phones.
- People line up at standpipes for water.
- Neighbours cook in groups to conserve fuel.
It is important to understand that the people serving you — the realtors, engineers, assessors, attorneys, surveyors, valuators, and contractors — are also navigating personal loss. Some lost homes. Some lost vehicles. Some lost family members or friends.
It is not business as usual. And it should not be expected to be.
As one homeowner in St. Thomas said online, “We are trying to rebuild while grieving what we’ve lost. It’s not easy to do both at the same time.”
3. The Real Estate Market Under Pressure
a. Housing Damage and Shifts in Property Demand
Hurricane Melissa reshaped the housing landscape in several ways:
- Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed.
- Roofing, fencing, septic systems, and water infrastructure took a major blow.
- Coastal and riverine communities suffered significant erosion and flooding.
- Some areas were deemed unsafe for immediate rebuilding.
This is already influencing property demand. Areas considered “low-risk” have seen an uptick in inquiries. Properties with solar backup systems have become high-value assets. Gated communities with underground utilities have gained new interest. And older homes with outdated building standards are now under scrutiny.
b. Property Prices: A Complex Picture
Some expect prices to drop due to widespread damage. Others anticipate a spike because construction costs will surge, materials are now more expensive, and labour is scarce.
The truth lies somewhere in the middle: It depends on the area.
- Resort and hospitality regions are recovering unevenly.
- Urban centres may stabilise faster than rural zones.
- Flood-prone areas could see a decline in demand.
- Properties designed with resilience in mind may appreciate in value.
c. Delayed Transactions and Slower Closings
Real estate transactions slowed significantly because:
- valuations were delayed
- attorneys lacked internet to process documentation
- banks couldn’t verify client information
- insurance assessments were backlogged
- surveyors couldn’t access certain communities
- communication was inconsistent
For some, a 24-hour response was impossible. For others, even a 5-day turnaround could not be guaranteed.
We must ask for grace during this period — not because professionals are unwilling, but because the machinery of the industry itself is healing.
4. Banks and Loan Relief: A Small Light in the Chaos
Several financial institutions announced temporary loan-relief initiatives, including:
- deferred payment options
- temporary interest adjustments
- penalty waivers for late payments
- special recovery loans with lower rates
- restructuring options for impacted homeowners
This matters. For a Jamaican family already paying a mortgage on a home that no longer has a roof, relief is not kindness — it is survival.
But while relief is welcome, many will need long-term solutions. A country recovering from damage equivalent to nearly one-third of its GDP cannot rebuild with short-term measures alone.
5. Telecommunications Breakdown: The Silent Crisis
Jamaica’s telecom infrastructure suffered immense damage:
- towers collapsed
- fibre cables snapped
- transmission sites flooded
- backup systems malfunctioned
- power outages prevented equipment from cooling, causing failures
The result? A country that depends heavily on online banking, digital marketing, remote work, communication apps, and online school was thrust back into a pre-digital reality.
Realtors could not upload listings. Lawyers could not access files. Clients could not send documents. Developers could not coordinate with offshore partners. Banks could not perform critical digital checks.
Jamaica discovered that telecommunications are not a luxury. They are an essential part of national infrastructure — as vital as roads, bridges, and water supply.
6. A New Normal — and What It Means for Jamaica
When people say “things will return to normal,” they may not realise that for many, normal no longer exists.
Communities will rebuild differently. Businesses will restructure. Families will relocate. Professionals will adapt new ways of working. Developers will re-evaluate project sites. Municipal authorities will enforce stronger building codes.
Some people will stay in the homes they’ve always known. Some will move to safer ground. Some will reconstruct with climate-resilient features. Some will build anew with reinforced materials. Some will choose solar independence over reliance on the grid.
This “new normal” is not a burden — it is a transformation.
It is a reminder that Jamaica is a living, evolving society, and resilience is not just survival; it is reinvention.
7. A Message to Jamaica: Patience, Understanding, and Compassion Needed
We must be mindful — deeply mindful — that:
- Many Jamaicans have lost everything.
- Many are still without electricity.
- Many are still without internet.
- Many cannot respond quickly because they are rebuilding their lives.
- Many professionals in the real estate industry are facing personal crises of their own.
As realtors, engineers, project managers, developers, valuators, surveyors, and attorneys, we are here to serve. But we are also human beings navigating the same national trauma.
Empathy must guide the next few months.
If someone takes longer to respond, consider the possibility that they are dealing with:
- a destroyed home
- a sick relative
- no power
- no water
- no connectivity
- a damaged road
- emotional exhaustion
This season calls for grace.
8. Jamaica’s Strength: Rising Out of the Rubble
And yet — even in hardship — Jamaica stands tall.
We are a people of unusual strength, a country built on the backs of survivors. Every corner of this island carries stories of communities lifting each other up in the dark, sharing food, charging phones at neighbours’ homes, clearing roads by hand, rebuilding roof by roof.
Realtors are volunteering in communities. Engineers are helping rebuild homes without charge. Teachers are printing worksheets for children without internet. Farmers are sharing produce. Neighbours are checking on the elderly. Church groups are delivering aid. Professionals who lost their own homes are still helping others.
This is the Jamaica the world never sees, but the Jamaica we live and breathe every day.
9. Two Thought-Provoking Quotes from Dean Jones, Founder of Jamaica Homes
“A hurricane can break a house, but it cannot break a people who choose to rebuild together.” — Dean Jones, Jamaica Homes
“Real estate is not just land and buildings — it is the story of the people who rise after the storm.” — Dean Jones, Jamaica Homes
10. Looking Forward: Hope Rooted in Resilience
Even in the midst of disruption, Jamaica’s real estate market will recover. Our digital networks will return. Our communities will rebuild. Our industries will reopen. Our homes will rise again.
Jamaica is more than roads, more than towers, more than buildings. Jamaica is a spirit — a stubborn, determined, creative, unshakeable spirit.
And that spirit is alive.
So while Melissa shook us, she did not defeat us. While she exposed our vulnerabilities, she also revealed our strength. While she disrupted our systems, she awakened our unity.
The state of affairs may be difficult, and the road ahead may be long, but Jamaica has never been a country that stays down.
We bend. We buckle. But we get back up.
In the weeks and months to come, as light returns, as signals strengthen, as roofs rise, as families regroup, as communities rebuild — we will not simply restore what was lost. We will create something stronger, safer, smarter, and more connected.
Jamaica will rise — not in spite of Melissa, but stronger because of what we learned from her.