Shermel A. Jeffers Chandwani is a professional real estate broker and the owner and managing director of SAJ Interior Design & Real Estate Services. With over 13 years of experience in banking and 10 years in real estate, Shermel has positioned SAJ as a premier consultancy in St. Kitts and Nevis, globally recognized for its client-first approach and unmatched portfolio.

Chandwani’s Background and Inspiration

Shermel began her career with RBC Royal Bank of Canada’s branch in St. Kitts, where she was recognized as a top personal lending officer and won over 25 awards for “Royal Performance” in sales from 2005 to 2012. In 2013, she served as secretary to the FND Credit Union Supervisory Committee. Though she continued in this position for the next four years, Chandwani was inspired to change her path in 2014.

“I was revisiting my career path in the banking industry,” Shermel shared, “and was inspired by a dear friend to open my own business and venture into real estate. He was aware of my ambitions, experience, and qualifications. I can clearly remember his words. He said, ‘Shermel, you are great with people, and you can sell [anything], you should do it.’”

Founding SAJ and Becoming an Industry Leader

On January 1, 2015, Shermel launched SAJ, and her consultancy quickly grew into one of the leading real estate agencies in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. She has been recognized as a top broker agent, with multiple property listings and a portfolio of over $300 million. Her foundation expertise in banking and real estate has enabled her to lead her company to success.

“My company not only offers real estate services,” Shermel states, “but we pride ourselves on being able to counsel or guide potential buyers on the financial services, particularly mortgage financing with the local banks. My qualifications and extensive knowledge of both the financial industry and real estate investment market have allowed us to offer an elevated level of client service… unmatched within the real estate industry in St. Kitts and Nevis.”

Awards and Accolades: SAJ, Best of Best

In 2024, SAJ was recognized as the winner of the “Best Luxury Boutique Real Estate Consultancy in St. Kitts and Nevis” by the Luxury Lifestyle Awards in New York. That same year, the consultancy was selected as one of the “Top 100 Real Estate Brokers of the World.” These achievements reflect Shermel’s remarkable contributions to the industry but are surpassed by the award her company received this year.

In March 2025, SAJ was awarded “Leading Luxury Real Estate Consultancy for Personalized Investment Guidance in Saint Kitts & Nevis, the Caribbean” by Global Elite Awards in Switzerland. This awards program recognizes only the most prestigious businesses that have demonstrated innovation, leadership, and impact. Shermel acknowledges this as one of the greatest achievements of her company.

Fast forward to May 2025, SAJ has successfully won the “Best Luxury Boutique Real Estate Agency in Saint Kitts & Nevis” award by the Luxury Lifestyle Awards in New York. SAJ has also been nominated for the Global Elite Awards 2026 and the Top 50 Award by Global Elite Awards in Switzerland. 

Striving for Success

Looking to the future, it is clear that Shermel’s successes have hardly stifled her ambition. She aims to become a powerhouse in the real estate industry, locally in St. Kitts and Nevis and throughout the Caribbean region. In doing so, she hopes to make SAJ synonymous with excellence in the industry.