Grenada, known as one of the Spice Islands, has always been known for its crystal clear waters, vibrant culture and hospitality. There’s one Black woman however, who wants to add to that narrative.
The island also offers fantastic opportunities for investment, with its unspoiled landscapes — and thanks to the powerhouse that is Kandace Douglas, major players have begun to take notice.
Douglas is a Grenadian-American senior executive who is bringing attention to Grenada as a major destination where she oversees Silversands Villas, a new collection of private homes designed in collaboration with the five-star hotel Silversands. Her aim: increase exposure for the organization and put Grenada on the market.
“I think the pandemic has caused a lot of people to reassess and reevaluate their lives, and figure out what’s important and ultimately try to find balance,” says Douglas. “And I think something about Grenada is very grounding, and I think people feel that.”
Douglas proves that you don’t need to be an Alpha Dog to master the art of the deal.
“I kept asking myself, if not me then who?” says Douglas. “Because just like any of these islands, they have something very authentic and true to who they are. And oftentimes, just like neighborhoods, they can be gentrified really quickly, if it’s not handled by the right people. And I just started thinking about what I wanted Grenada to be for when my son comes, and to be in the room when these discussions are happening, about development and even people that are coming to the island, to have some sort of input on what that looks like and what that becomes, started to really ring true for me.”
In an industry dominated by white agents and brokers, Douglas has thrived. She began her career in luxury real estate in New York 14 years ago working with one of New York’s top firms, Douglas Elliman. She specialized in downtown condominium sales, new development and interior design. Through this role, she developed more than $7 million in properties and is focused on building generational wealth for the next generation, uplifting women and people of color in real estate, and making transformational changes in the communities in which she invests.
“Wealth has always been synonymous with white men, and it’s not the case anymore,” she says. “There’s a lot of minorities that have wealth. There’s billionaire women, and I just want to make sure that we are included in the conversation.”
In an effort to boost the real estate economy in Grenada, Douglas is also working with the Chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority on the WISH Foundation, which is helping to impact the lives of her fellow Grenadians as well as revitalize the tourism industry that was devastated by COVID-19. The West Indies School of Hospitality (WISH) Foundation offers Grenadians 6,000 free hospitality courses taught by the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, the world’s leading institution for hospitality education and research.
“I always said to myself, I could never live in Grenada for longer than three months at a time,” she says. “And then since moving down here, it’s just been like food for my soul. And just a way that I can’t even put into words, I just feel more at ease here. I feel less anxiety. It just feels right. And I think a lot of people get that when they come here.”
She continues, “I think the Bahamas feels like an extension of Miami and St. Barts is pretty much tapped out, as far as real estate is concerned. Grenada’s great for the boating community as well. We have tons of yacht splits and the yachties tend to come down here after the new year. We’re below the hurricane belt, so you don’t have to worry about that. There’s really a lot of pieces that sort of come together. And I think what’s going to determine what Grenada becomes over the next decade, is really how we put those pieces together and position ourselves.”
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