A show home can be a seductive thing.
The lighting is warm. The tiles gleam. The kitchen has never seen a burnt pot. The landscaping is immaculate, the air-conditioning hums politely, and not a single crack, leaking pipe or drainage problem interrupts the performance.
But a show home is not necessarily the development. It is the development’s representative—the polished version sent forward to make the introduction.
Like the first person you meet when dating, everything may be genuine. But you have not yet met the whole person.
Recently, my cousin came to Jamaica looking for an investment property: somewhere capable of producing value today, but also somewhere he might live later in life, perhaps for part of the year. It was not simply a purchase. It was a foothold in Jamaica and a possible chapter in his future.
He viewed close to ten developments. Some were substantial schemes; others were smaller, niche projects consisting of three, five or ten homes. I did not attempt to cast a shadow over anything he viewed. Small does not mean unsafe, just as large does not automatically mean sound. Some of the most careful developers in Jamaica are self-funded operators who take enormous pride in their work. Equally, some impressive-looking projects are little more than expensive confidence tricks wrapped in porcelain tiles.
What I told him was straightforward: the developments I introduced would come from developers who could be identified.
I might not know each developer personally, but there should be a background that can be examined, connections that can be verified and people who can be contacted. There should be evidence of previous work, professional advisers, proper accounts, a functioning business presence or some other credible trail.
A website is helpful, but a beautiful website is not a foundation. It cannot hold up a retaining wall.
The real question is what happens when something goes wrong.
“Do not judge a development only by how confidently it is sold. Judge it by how safely your money, your title and your future are protected when the unexpected happens.” — Dean Jones, Founder of Jamaica Homes and Realtor Associate
After the viewings, we quickly narrowed the search to one development and an offer was made. But the speed of that decision came after comparison, questioning and elimination. It was not the product of urgency, excitement or a fear that another buyer might “take the last unit”.
There is an important difference between making a prompt decision and making an uninformed one.
Not All Developments Are Built the Same
Buyers often compare two developments as though they were comparing identical tins on a supermarket shelf. One three-bedroom home costs J$45 million, another costs J$55 million, and the immediate conclusion is that the cheaper property represents better value.
It may. But it may not.
One development may include better drainage, deeper foundations, more substantial reinforcement, superior waterproofing, properly compacted ground, reliable sewage arrangements, adequate water storage, stronger windows, more durable fixtures and properly constructed internal roads.
The other may simply have more attractive tiles.
The cost per square foot does not reveal what is beneath the floor, behind the walls or under the road. It does not tell you how the structure responds to prolonged rain, salt air, ground movement, blocked drains or years of Jamaican sunshine. It does not tell you whether the roof was properly detailed or whether cracks were repaired cosmetically before you arrived.
I have seen shoddy construction. I have also seen decent construction and genuinely impressive building techniques. I have watched excellent tradespeople take pride in details that most buyers will never notice. I have also seen work completed with a level of carelessness that would be almost comic if somebody’s life savings were not tied to it.
The difficulty is that finishing can conceal almost anything.
Fresh paint can hide cracking. A ceiling can conceal poor roof detailing. Landscaping can disguise drainage weaknesses. New cabinets can divert attention from badly planned plumbing. By completion, even an experienced observer may struggle to determine how carefully the earlier stages were executed without drawings, records, inspections or specialist advice.
A house built on a weak foundation may still photograph beautifully. Scripture’s warning about building on sand was not written as a property-investment guide, but the principle travels remarkably well.
Investigate the Developer, Not Just the Décor
Ask who the developer is and how deeply involved that person or company has been in the project.
Do they understand the land, design, infrastructure and construction, or are they interested mainly in closing transactions? Can they explain the water supply, sewage system, stormwater management, road ownership, boundaries and maintenance arrangements? Can they identify their architect, engineer, contractor and attorney?
A developer does not personally need to pour concrete or design reinforcement. Good development is a team activity. But the developer should understand the product being sold and demonstrate an intelligent interest in how it was created.
If someone appears to love selling more than building, architecture or the completed community, pay attention.
“A developer’s character is eventually expressed in concrete, drainage and after-sales service. The marketing may speak first, but the building will have the final word.” — Dean Jones
Track record matters, but it must be interpreted sensibly. A first-time developer can produce an excellent project by appointing competent professionals, securing proper approvals and managing construction rigorously. Meanwhile, a well-known name can still deliver a disappointing scheme.
Reputation is therefore not a substitute for due diligence. It is one part of it.
Registration, Approvals and Prepayment Money
Where buyers are paying money before a development is completed, registration and the handling of those funds become particularly important.
Jamaica’s Real Estate Board and Commission of Strata Corporations registers development schemes and monitors developers in relation to advertising, prepayment contracts and trust accounts. The Board states that an unregistered developer is prohibited from entering into prepayment contracts. It has previously prosecuted a developer who accepted money for lots in an unregistered scheme—one purchaser was reportedly left unable to obtain a title for the land he occupied. Buyers can request a search of registered developments through the Board’s published forms.
This does not mean every unregistered person who builds and sells a house is automatically a cowboy, nor does registration guarantee beautiful workmanship. The legal position depends on the nature of the project and transaction. However, where a scheme should be registered—particularly when pre-completion payments are being collected—a vague answer is not good enough.
Ask for the development’s registration details. Ask whether subdivision, building and any required environmental approvals have been obtained. Ask whether individual titles exist, are pending or are intended to be issued later. If it is a strata project, establish the status of the strata plan and corporation.
Do not settle for, “The titles are coming.”
Coming from where? At what stage? Based on which deposited or strata plan? What remains outstanding? Who controls the parent title, and what encumbrances are registered against it?
The National Land Agency expressly advises purchasers to conduct an official title search rather than relying solely on the owner’s duplicate title. A current search can reveal ownership, mortgages, caveats, easements, restrictive covenants and instruments awaiting registration. For strata properties, searches should also cover the strata plan because important rights and restrictions may be recorded there.
Your attorney should investigate these matters before you become emotionally or financially committed.
Jamaica’s Slowness Is Not Always the Enemy
Returnees and overseas buyers frequently arrive with a sense of urgency. They live in faster systems. Documents are signed electronically, responses arrive within hours and property searches can feel almost instantaneous.
Jamaica can be slow. The bureaucracy can be exhausting, and unnecessary delay should never be defended merely because it is familiar. But speed is not always evidence of efficiency, and paperwork is not always pointless obstruction.
Some processes exist to protect ownership, planning, boundaries, public infrastructure and purchasers’ money.
Trying to outrun every safeguard can mean outrunning common sense.
Using four or five realtors simultaneously may feel as though it increases access, but it can also create noise, duplication and pressure. Not every person in a transaction will examine risk with the same care. Some may concentrate solely on getting the offer signed and the deposit paid.
That is why the buyer should have a competent attorney acting independently and, where appropriate, an independent engineer, quantity surveyor or building inspector. A realtor can raise concerns, ask questions and help coordinate information, but should not pretend to replace legal or technical professionals.
“The purpose of due diligence is not to kill the deal. It is to find out whether the deal deserves to live.” — Dean Jones
Before You Fall in Love With the Show Home
Before paying a reservation fee or signing an agreement, establish:
- Who owns the land and what appears on the current title search.
- Whether the developer and development scheme are appropriately registered.
- What planning, subdivision, building and environmental approvals apply.
- Whether prepayment funds are being handled through the required arrangements.
- Whether titles exist and, if not, the documented route and anticipated conditions for issuing them.
- Who designed, engineered, built and inspected the development.
- What exactly is included in the purchase price.
- Who will own and maintain the roads, drains, gates, sewage systems and shared areas.
- Whether warranties exist and who will respond after completion.
The answers should be supported by documents, not only assurances.
There are excellent developers in Jamaica: large and small, registered companies and careful individuals operating within the requirements relevant to their projects. There are builders who treat every home as part of their reputation. There are also shortcut-takers, opportunists and outright cowboys.
That is true in Jamaica, Britain, America, Turkey and almost everywhere buildings rise from the ground.
So admire the entrance. Enjoy the sea view. Open the cupboards and picture yourself on the veranda. But remember that you are not buying staging, promises or architectural renderings.
You are buying land, structure, legal rights, infrastructure and accountability.
The show home may be the representative. Before committing your money, make sure you have met the development itself.
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