Cayman’s leading real estate professionals were honoured at the Realtor of the Year awards ceremony, hosted by CIBC on Sunday, 22 March.
Held at Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman, the award ceremony recognised the stars of Cayman’s real estate sector. The winners were drawn from realtors that work with CIBC in the jurisdiction.
“With more than 230 active agents, the Cayman Islands ranks as one of the most active real estate markets in the English-speaking Caribbean,” said CIBC Caribbean head of country for the Cayman Islands, Gemel Sobers.
The winner of the Realtor of the Year Award 2025 was RE/MAX Cayman Islands. Broker/owner Kim Lund brought the RE/MAX franchise to the Cayman Islands more than 30 years ago, when it became the first RE/MAX office outside the US and Canada.
The Excellence Award for 2025 went to Yoana Bonilla of Century 21 Cayman Islands. Originally born in Cuba, Bonilla has lived in the Cayman Islands since she was three years old. Despite having less than five years’ experience in the real estate industry, Bonilla has become established as a prominent realtor in Cayman.
“My true passion in real estate lies in the journey I take with each client,” said Bonilla. “From that first exciting conversation to the unforgettable moment I hand over the keys to their dream home.”
The Partner of the Year Award for 2025 was won by Gemma Haylock of Williams 2 Real Estate Cayman. Originally hailing from the UK, Gemma’s journey to Grand Cayman was marked by a career transition from the world of high-end cosmetics to the realm of real estate.
The profile of the award winners demonstrates how the real estate industry in Cayman has a strong international component. Yet Sobers was keen to emphasise the local benefits that it brings. He hailed “supporting partners”, such as government ministries, “who play such an important role in helping to make homeownership possible for many Caymanians.”
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I’m all for celebrating personal success…but…Realtor of the Year awards? …the stars of the real estate sector? It seems like a superficial and vanity-driven affair.
What exactly are the achievements of real estate professionals? High sales volume?
These awards feel “off” or disingenuous to me.
I don’t remember a ‘Nurse of the Year’ award ceremony ever taking place.
Essential workers are the foundational, often unrecognized, undervalued and unappreciated labor force that keeps society functioning, and their absence can quickly lead to systemic disruption.
They include first responders, health care workers, sanitation workers and waste management, food supply chain staff. Without these individuals, key societal systems would grind to a halt.
I bet there are Caymanians who hold the above-mentioned essential jobs, yet they are never recognized or celebrated.
How can we attract young Caymanians to these jobs while they remain undervalued?