Research method
What an island asking price does and does not tell you
An asking price is a seller’s advertised figure at a particular point in time. It is useful context, but it does not establish a final transaction price or tell you what a payment in another currency would cost.
Keep the original amount, the currency and the date together. If any one is missing, record that gap rather than filling it in from the location or a currency symbol.
Read the currency, not just the symbol
A dollar sign alone does not identify which dollar is meant. If a source says “$2 million” without naming a currency, keep the currency as “not stated”. If it specifies USD, CAD or another currency, preserve that label with the amount. A price on request is not zero; it is an unknown asking price.
For a hypothetical example, a page might show “$2 million” and a separate search result might show “USD 2 million”. Keep both descriptions and their sources until the currency of the offer is clear. Similar-looking figures do not settle the question.
Give the price a date
Write down when you saw the price and, separately, any date the source gives for the listing or change. A listing date, an update date and the day you viewed the page can mean different things. If the source does not explain its date, do not assign it a meaning.
A crossed-out previous figure can be useful history, but it does not tell you when the change happened or whether the current figure remains available. Keep a conflicting price as a separate dated observation until it can be reconciled. The fact that an advertisement is visible is not proof that an offer is still available.
Keep conversions separate
A conversion can help make a rough comparison, provided the original figure remains visible. Record the rate, its source and date, the direction of conversion and the resulting approximate amount. A simple illustration: if an entirely hypothetical rate is 1 unit of currency A to 2 units of currency B, an advertised 100 A converts to approximately 200 B at that rate. It is not a quote.
The European Central Bank describes its euro reference rates as information-only and discourages their use for transactions. The Bank of Canada likewise calls its rates indicative averages. A real transaction can use a different rate and may involve charges. A converted display is therefore a comparison aid, not a promise of the amount payable.
Keep the question open
Before relying on a figure, check the currency, the price’s date and whether it is a current asking price. If a conversion is shown, keep it beside—not in place of—the original amount. Record what remains unclear, and seek a current quote and appropriate local advice when a decision requires it.
For the surrounding evidence, see our notes on keeping the original source and understanding what an offer includes.