The Tribune

Two Bahamas Realty agents have teamed with a yacht charter firm to marry high-end real estate with luxury cruising through this nation's islands.

Elite Bahamas Team, formed by Ana Wassitsch and Silvina Andrews, has partnered with Island Yachts to fill the gap between land, sea and air for residents and visitors alike.

"During our property tours, Ana and I are often asked about the best ways to experience the islands of The Bahamas, and chartering a yacht is our immediate answer," said Mrs Andrews.

Their high-end clientele is interested in exploring the possibilities of island living, and Ms Wassitsch added: "Our clients want to fly to Andros for lunch, or sail to Exuma for sunset dinners. They want to invite their friends and family to swim with pigs, turtles and sharks; to see the iguanas; dive through Grottos; powerboat through creeks and walk on 'print-less' powder-sand beaches. They want to wake up, hop on and sail off."

The duo thus approached Peter Maury of Island Yachts with the idea to offer luxury charters as part of their portfolio. "We frequently have clients asking about real estate investment opportunities in The Bahamas as well as tax and residency advantages," Mr Maury said.

"They also inquire about private islands and the best options for a second or third vacation home. Answers to these questions require the expertise of a local real estate agent."

The services provided by both parties complement each other. Island Yachts has a fleet of yachts, powerboats, sports fishing vessels and a helicopter, covering a wide range of destinations and "experience" packages, while Bahamas Realty is a full-service residential and commercial real estate and appraisal company.

Both Ms Wassitsch and Mrs Andrews are Certified International Property Specialists (CIPS), and have the added benefit of speaking three languages between them, having lived in six different countries.

"We do the work together by successfully leveraging our individual strengths and specialties, and our new partnership further advances us with its added resources, people, ideas and solutions," said Mrs Andrews. "By working as a team we are able to ensure our clients get the attention they deserve 100 percent of the time. There is not a moment that our clients can't get in contact with us."