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ISLAND.LYPrivate island brokerage

How an island transaction actually runs

Islands are not hard to sell because they are unattractive. They are hard to sell because access, water, title and permitted use are separate problems that all have to be solved before a buyer will commit. This page sets out the process on both sides.

For owners

Selling or letting an island

  1. 01

    First conversation

    You describe the island: country, size, ownership, access, buildings, water and power, and what you want to achieve. We tell you immediately whether we can help and what we would need.

  2. 02

    Written agreement and confidentiality position

    Mandate, commission and the level of disclosure you will allow — anonymous, NDA-gated, or public. This is signed before anything leaves our office.

  3. 03

    Preparation of the file

    We assemble a factual presentation: location at the level of precision you allow, size, tenure, access, utilities, what is included, and any known constraints. Where documents exist — title, survey, permits — they go into a data room.

  4. 04

    Targeted approach

    We contact named buyers, family offices, existing island owners and brokers who cover the region. Every approach is logged. You receive a report of who was contacted and the response.

  5. 05

    Qualification and viewing

    Interested parties provide proof of funds and, where relevant, an NDA before receiving the full file. Serious viewings are arranged with the logistics planned in advance.

  6. 06

    Heads of terms, due diligence, completion

    We stay in the middle of the negotiation and coordinate with the buyer's and your own lawyer, surveyor and notary until the transfer is registered.

Start with your island
For buyers and tenants

Finding and acquiring an island

  1. 01

    Brief

    Purpose, region, budget, access requirements, development intent, timeline and constraints. One page, sent through the form or by email.

  2. 02

    Search

    We search the open market and our own mandates, including confidential islands presented anonymously. You hear about the ones that genuinely match — not everything that exists.

  3. 03

    Shortlist and validation

    We ask the awkward questions first: title quality, access rights, water, environmental restrictions, foreign-buyer rules, real running costs. Options that fail are dropped before you spend money.

  4. 04

    Introduction and due diligence

    Documents are released under confidentiality, and you appoint a local lawyer and surveyor. We coordinate the introductions and the timetable.

  5. 05

    Negotiation and completion

    We negotiate commercial terms and coordinate through to registration and handover, including staff, utilities and any transition arrangements.

Send your brief
Due diligence

The seven documents that decide a sale

If any of these is missing or unclear, expect the transaction to slow down or the price to be renegotiated. Gathering them before marketing is the single highest-value preparation an owner can do.

  1. 01Title deed or lease agreement, and confirmation of how the island is registered
  2. 02Survey or plan showing boundaries, and whether adjacent seabed or foreshore is included
  3. 03Legal right of access: airstrip, dock, mooring, easements and any shared infrastructure
  4. 04Environmental or planning reports, permits and any restrictions on construction
  5. 05Utility arrangements: power generation, water source or desalination, waste treatment, connectivity
  6. 06Any encumbrances: mortgages, charges, boundary disputes, third-party rights over the island
  7. 07Inventory of what is included, plus staff arrangements if they are to continue

Fees and who pays what

Listing is free for owners: our commission is success-based and agreed in writing before marketing. Buyers and tenants using us to search pay us nothing. In cross-border transactions, each side's legal, notarial and registration costs are their own, and local transfer taxes may apply — your lawyer will confirm the amounts.

How long it takes

Preparation and the first approaches take weeks. Finding the right buyer can take months, and occasionally years for unusual islands. Once terms are agreed, legal completion typically takes one to several months depending on the jurisdiction and how complete the title documents are. Anyone promising a fast sale of a remote island is guessing.

Questions before you start

Ask us anything by email athello@island.ly or on WhatsApp. We answer straightforwardly, including when the answer is "we are not the right people for this".