Exuma Real Estate Market 2026: Where Lifestyle and Rental Performance Meet

by Lou Jupp

Exuma has long attracted buyers for its extraordinary water, boating, and relaxed island lifestyle. The latest data now adds another dimension: higher-value residential activity is strengthening at the same time as Exuma’s vacation-rental sector is recording particularly strong performance.

For buyers considering a second home in The Bahamas, that combination matters.

Our analysis of Exuma MLS activity over the past two years, alongside current AirDNA vacation-rental data, suggests a market increasingly relevant to buyers who want to enjoy their property themselves while potentially generating income during periods when they are away.

Exuma’s residential market is moving upmarket

Through August 2026, Exuma recorded approximately $32.55 million in residential sales, compared with $20.26 million during the same period in 2025.

That represents an increase of approximately 60.6% in recorded sales volume, despite the number of transactions declining slightly from 14 to 12.

The explanation lies in what buyers are purchasing.

The median recorded sale price moved from approximately $614,000 during January–August 2025 to $2.4 million during the same period in 2026.

This should not be interpreted as a 291% increase in Exuma property values. Rather, it reflects a significant change in transaction mix.

In 2026, 8 of the 12 recorded sales were above $2 million, and those transactions represented approximately 86.5% of total recorded sales volume.

Chart: Exuma recorded sales volume

The chart makes the shift clear: transaction count softened slightly, yet total dollar volume increased materially because buyers were active at higher price points.

The $2M–$5M segment stands out

Across our two-year MLS sample, 14 properties sold between $2 million and $5 million, representing approximately $41.7 million in recorded sales.

Add the two transactions above $5 million, and properties priced above $2 million accounted for approximately 74% of total recorded sales volume during the period analysed.

Notable 2026 transactions include Narikela Estate in Staniel Cay at $9.5M, Sandcastle in Farmer’s Hill at $3.35M, Silver Beach House in Moss Town at $2.9M, Vista Del Mar in Hooper’s Bay at $2.8M, The Reserve at Hooper’s Bay at $2.8M, Boundless in Cocoplum at $2.6M and The Cut Beach in Little Exuma at $2.2M.

Chart: Where activity is concentrated

This is an important distinction. Exuma is not simply seeing more activity overall. A meaningful share of recent transaction volume is concentrated in the premium segment.

Demand is geographically diverse

High-value activity is also spread across several submarkets rather than concentrated in one development.

In 2026, recorded sales volume includes approximately:

$9.50M in the Exuma Cays
$5.60M in Hooper’s Bay
$3.35M in Farmer’s Hill
$2.90M in Moss Town
$2.60M in Cocoplum
$2.20M in Little Exuma
$2.00M in Bahama Sound
$1.89M in Michaelson

Chart: 2026 sales volume by area

Exuma Sales Volume per area

For buyers, this matters because Exuma is not a single market.

Staniel Cay is fundamentally different from George Town. Hooper’s Bay differs from February Point. Emerald Bay differs from Little Exuma.

The data nevertheless shows that premium demand exists across multiple parts of the island chain.

Buyers still have choice

A strong market does not mean an indiscriminate one.

Our dataset currently shows 54 active properties, with a median asking price of approximately $1.54 million.

Of those, 21 are asking $2 million or more.

There are also nine pending transactions in the dataset, including four properties asking above $2 million.

This creates an interesting environment: meaningful activity at the upper end, but sufficient inventory that buyers can remain selective.

Location, waterfront position, condition, infrastructure, boating access and pricing all matter.

Exuma’s vacation-rental performance adds another dimension

The residential data becomes particularly interesting when viewed alongside Exuma’s vacation-rental market.

According to AirDNA’s August 2026 data, Exuma currently carries a 98/100 Market Score.

AirDNA reports:

$122,500 average annual rental revenue
$779 average daily rate
54% occupancy
+59% year-over-year average revenue growth
+18.5% year-over-year occupancy growth

For a second-home purchaser, perhaps the most interesting relationship is between occupancy and nightly rates.

Average daily rates increased by only 2.3% year over year, while occupancy increased by 18.5%.

This suggests that stronger rental performance is not simply the result of owners charging substantially higher rates. Available nights are being absorbed more effectively by the market.

A different way to think about a second home

For many of our clients, the objective is not to purchase a conventional investment property and maximise occupancy 365 days a year.

They want a home they genuinely want to use.

The investment question becomes:

Can the property generate meaningful income when I am not there and help offset the cost of ownership?

That distinction is particularly relevant in Exuma.

A waterfront residence may provide boating access, privacy and a base from which to enjoy the Exuma Cays personally, while professional vacation-rental management can potentially monetise periods when the owner is elsewhere.

This hybrid model can make ownership more efficient without requiring the investment thesis to dictate the lifestyle.

For boaters, the equation becomes particularly compelling

Exuma is fundamentally a water-driven destination.

For a boater, a property’s dock, mooring and access to Elizabeth Harbour can therefore be more than attractive amenities. They can be central to the way the property is used.

That is where Villa Victoire in George Town provides an interesting example of the type of opportunity now available.

Offered at $2.4 million, Villa Victoire is a four-bedroom, all-en-suite residence overlooking Elizabeth Harbour.

The property includes a private dock, floating platform and private mooring, providing an established base for enjoying Exuma by water.

It is also offered substantially turnkey, including a Zodiac Yachtline, BMW X5 hybrid, paddleboards, kayaks and other water toys.

Practical island infrastructure is already addressed with a whole-house propane generator, Starlink, smart-home wiring, rainwater harvesting, a 1,000-gallon water tank and city water.

For an overseas owner, those details matter.

A home first. Income second.

Villa Victoire has been enjoyed primarily as a private residence rather than operated historically as a vacation-rental business.

We therefore do not present the broader Exuma AirDNA averages as a projection of what Villa Victoire will earn.

Any serious rental analysis should consider the property’s specific bedroom configuration, amenities, location, management structure, owner-use calendar and directly comparable rental properties.

Nor should AirDNA’s $122,500 average annual revenue be confused with net investment income. Management, maintenance, utilities, insurance and other ownership expenses must be considered.

But the wider market data establishes something important:

There is an active and growing premium vacation-rental economy in Exuma into which the right property can potentially participate.

For a buyer who already wants the Exuma lifestyle, particularly one who wants to be on the water, rental income can therefore become an additional component of the ownership strategy rather than the sole reason for purchasing.

The Exuma proposition in 2026

The current data points towards a market with several characteristics working together.

Premium residential activity: approximately $32.55 million in recorded sales through August, with 86.5% of that volume coming from transactions above $2 million.

Strong vacation-rental fundamentals: a 98/100 AirDNA Market Score, with average revenue and occupancy both increasing substantially year over year.

Lifestyle scarcity: waterfront position, boating infrastructure and turnkey properties remain inherently difficult to replicate.

Income potential: owners may have an opportunity to offset a portion of their annual carrying costs by renting during periods of non-use.

That does not make every Exuma property a good investment.

It does, however, make property selection increasingly important.

For buyers seeking a second home, we believe the most compelling opportunities are those where location, lifestyle, infrastructure, resale fundamentals and rental potential intersect.

For boaters in particular, that intersection can be especially attractive.

Considering Exuma?

If you are exploring Exuma as a second-home market, we can help you assess individual opportunities through both a real-estate and ownership lens, from comparable sales and current inventory to boating considerations and realistic vacation-rental scenarios.

Residential market analysis based on Bahamas MLS data supplied to the Jupp Team, covering the two-year period through August 2026. Vacation-rental statistics are based on AirDNA market data through August 2026. Market-wide rental statistics are not projections or guarantees of the performance of any individual property.