Working a Market That Has Changed Its Mind
In Jamaica, a hurricane does more than damage roofs, roads, and utilities. It disrupts confidence. And confidence—more than price, more than supply—is the real currency of any property market.
After a major storm, the Jamaican real estate agent is no longer operating in a familiar cycle of listings, viewings, negotiations, and closings. Instead, they are navigating a different type of market altogether: one shaped by hesitation, emotional attachment, cultural landholding practices, and a quiet but firm refusal by many sellers to accept what they perceive as a “loss.”
This is not a crash market. It is not a boom market. It is a waiting market—and surviving it requires a fundamental shift in mindset, strategy, and role.
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1. Understanding the Psychological Shock of the Market
After a hurricane, buyers do not disappear because they lack money. They disappear because they lack certainty.
Questions dominate the buyer’s mind:
* Is this area safe long-ter…
