My husband and I started our ‘5 year plan’, to retire to an island, about 9 years ago.
It took about 7 years for that plan to come to fruition.
Yes, there are some hoops, and yes things take longer than we are used to in the US. But all in all, we couldn’t be happier with our choice!
In preparation, my husband searched every available listing online before we left for the island on December 21, 2019. With a list in hand and a couple of suitcases of essentials, we boarded the plane. With plans to rent from a friend for a few months or as needed, we hit the ground running. Well, not really, it was the holidays, and those last until after the first of the year on Aruba. Island time is a real thing.
Our process from start to finish, meaning from the day we landed up to the day we closed on the house, was exactly 3 months. Not bad!!
Edwin and one of his associates were wonderful realtors to work with.
Edwin has since gone on to open his own Keller Williams Real Estate branch on Aruba. Their team currently consists of 27 people ranging from agents, to property managers and a photographer. Here is a quote from one of his marketing specialists at KW.
“Born and raised in the Netherlands, Edwin moved to Aruba with the Dutch Marine Corps. Afterward, he worked for the Criminal Investigation team in Aruba. However, Edwin decided to focus more on his family. This meant a new and exciting challenge which also allowed for more time with his family.
Together with Marianna, his former colleague from a different real estate company on the island, he started his own real estate company: Keller Williams Aruba, in July 2020, and it officially opened on October 1st 2020. His past experiences in the Marines, Criminal Investigation, and real estate were of great value. He gained valuable skills such as practical negotiation skills, commitment, collaboration, and the importance of trust and honesty, which is a great asset for the market.”
Now, get ready for the added bonus that comes with doing business with KW.
Edwin’s wife, Manon, is a property manager on Aruba! So when you buy your beautiful home away from home, you can hire Manon’s company to manage your place while you are away. Whether you wish to rent it out while away, or if you prefer to not rent it but need someone to check on it weekly for your piece of mind, Manon and her team, Marianne and Allan are FANTASTIC!
Here is a little bit of a backstory on Manon as quoted by one of the marketing specialists at KW.
“After switching between Aruba and The Netherlands, Manon moved permanently to Aruba over ten years ago. She first worked as a cosmetologist and yoga instructor. Not only that, but she also has a Bootcamp school called “Bootcamp Aruba”. In 2014 she started to manage properties for short term rentals, it began with one property, and it soon became three, five, and seven properties because everyone thought she was amazing. She got good reviews regarding the properties and the property manager. Together with Marianne, Manon established
Best Rentals Aruba in July 2020. It soon went from seven to 30 properties.”
If you are interested in learning more about buying property on Aruba you can sign up here and receive a free copy of
It is our great pleasure to not only have had such a great home buying experience on Aruba with Edwin and Manon, but to also now call them our friends.
If this is something you are considering, start by doing your homework. The internet is a very powerful tool! Make lists, study maps, read up on the culture and laws. Do everything you can to be prepared in advance and the rest will fall into place with the help of Edwin and his staff.
Remember to also bring your patience. The government here does things differently and some things just take more time. Being prepared and as knowledgeable as possible will be extremely helpful.
Bon Bini!
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