There are plenty of places for ex-pats to live in Gambia. Fajara is popular with people working in NGO and diplomatic jobs while Brusibi and Yundrum have modern estates of small compounds which are great for holiday properties. There is a Tourist Development Area (TDA) which means that private houses cannot be built within 800m of the sea. Many people retiring to Gambia live further from the hotspots of the Senegambia Strip. There is a good 'black' (tarmac) road along the coast which gives good access to the villages of Gunjur, Sanyang, Tejuring and Tanji. Prices are much cheaper than Europe and range from £25,000 for a 2 bed house in a 20m X 15m compound to over £250,000 for a luxurious mansion. There is a 4 bedroom house in Sanyang with solar power and a swimming pool in an 85m x 85m plot just outside the TDA on sale for £185,000.
Some people buy a plot of land and try to build their own property. Although building materials are easily available, it can be very difficult to find a reliable team of tradesmen who will manage the project in the owners' absence.
