2010 Caribbean Oceanfront Villas
Š 2010 by Edward Rivas
Golden Treasures Luxury Villas 8/5/2010
CARIBBEAN OCEANFRONT VILLAS Travelers Edition EBook* Oceanfront villas are the most desired properties in the real estate market, be it in Italy, Greece, France, Switzerland, the Hamptons or the Caribbean islands. The ones in the tropics offer yearround, close to perfect weather and a lot of advantages over the ones in Europe or the Mediterranean. Islands such as the Dominican Republic, Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, St. Thomas, Aruba, Jamaica, St. Martin, St. Croix, St. Lucia, and Grenada (just to mention a few) all share the beautiful landscape and gorgeous beaches.
Caribbean oceanfront Villa Rentals Choosing a Caribbean villa is not that difficult if the website or printed catalog advertising the villa is open and informative, detailing location and structure condition. Some of the basic information a listing should include when detailing a villa for sale or rental:
Land size Covered area size Swimming pool Jacuzzi Number of bedrooms Number of bathrooms Bed Sizes ( # of King, Queen size beds ) Sofa beds, if included Distance to beach
Important amenities details for
villa rentals
are air conditioning, cable TV, Internet, backup
power, maid service, security, a kitchen with appliances you can use, BBQ, and music player or speakers ( because most travelers carry their music in iPods or similar devices these days ). One important issue is to make sure that you get the check-in tour and that all the services are tested (phone, cable TV, Wi-Fi, water, gas, A/C ) before you take over the house. Also, make sure you get a contract prior to making a deposit, specifying a reimbursement policy in case of cancellation or rescheduling of the trip. Almost all of the
Caribbean villa
rental properties are listed with the initial photos taken when
the villa was first constructed or rebuilt, sometimes many years ago; so you need to get updated information on the condition of the property in real time, and request updated pictures if needed. The island of Dominican Republic has an active vacation rental market that offers some of the finest villas in the Caribbean, especially in the North Coast.
Sosua and Cabarete both are
beach side towns with active water sports and night life, and take about 70% of the villa rental market. Cabrera, Rio San Juan and Samana offer larger, more luxurious villas. Page 2
Cofresi has a large density of Mediterranean style oceanfront villas with dramatic views to the bay and the beach below. Ocean World Marine Park built a marina, disco and restaurant that have become the focus of visitors to this beautiful tourist destination. Cofresi has such demand that it is forcing investors to build more villas, especially in high season when all the rentals are taken. Puerto Plata itself centers activity around Playa Dorada, which is the first destination that initiated tourism in the Dominican Republic 20 years ago. This large beachfront complex houses several resorts and an oceanfront golf course, including shopping malls and fine restaurants. It seems that Playa Dorada is also transforming some hotels into self catering apartments, because of the low numbers in all-inclusive visitors due to the world economic crisis. This new market is being dubbed “real estate tourism� because a lot of tourists are buying condos and villas in the North coast that they rent when not using them. This rental income market has been a driving force in the economies of Sosua and Cabarete, also other areas such as Punta Cana and Bavaro, though in a lesser extent because the Eastern part of the island is 80% all inclusive hotels and the oceanfront land is hard to find because of resort developments. Real estate firms like Golden Treasures provide rental income figures based on real data from existing rentals, and also provide rental income if the client adds the villa to their rental pool.
Caribbean oceanfront villas for sale When it comes to buying a villa, it requires a more complete research that should include all the above, except furniture or artworks if not included. The clear attractiveness of having an
oceanfront villa lies in the fact that you get beautiful views and amazing sunsets, every day and from many areas of the property. But having a house or villa so close to the sea makes it also a maintenance issue that will require a lot of attention. One of the aspects to consider is to avoid iron as a decorative and construction element, and if an existing villa already has it, coat it with special epoxy-based paint that will keep the rust away from the iron or metal for a long time. Wood is also an issue with the
moisture and salt,
so you need to make sure that a marine
varnish coat is applied to all the wood elements to keep them from ruining the house façade in the short term. There is a new type of wood deck made of synthetic material that imitates wood, with a high grade of resistance that lasts for long. A professional
property management
company will suggest top grade materials and keep
the house in pristine condition. One way to cope with maintenance costs is to add the villa to a rental pool so you can make around US$60-90,000 per year (after expenses) so instead of spending you are investing. Finding the proper oceanfront villa also will depend on the usage and number of people you want to accommodate. Some properties are compact in size, while others are quite large. Some examples of compact and large oceanfront villas in the Dominican Republic can be seen in the next pages. Page 3
The oceanfront Dominican Republic villas sold by Golden Treasures are high standard properties with excellent rental income and resale value. Here we show some of the properties.
This oceanfront villa is a 5 suite home built in a private spot of Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic. Currently listed for under
US$600,000.00, which is a
bargain. This Dominican Republic villa for sale is one of the best sellers in the Golden Treasures Luxury villas.
The quality of workmanship applied to the construction of this French villa shows off once you visit the property, with unobstructed views of the ocean from every angle inside the house, and the swimming pool just a few meters away from the ocean. The pergola with the vines adds that pure European touch to this cozy Caribbean villa.
The villa has high ceilings with shingles in the outside and plain, simple white washed walls in the outside that perfectly frame the pergolas. A small tiki hut at the edge of the pool area overlooking the ocean shore cliff serves as a bar and reading area. The photos below show the antique looking interior and some of the features in this Dominican Republic villa for sale. If you prefer to be in a secluded location that will be worth a lot more in a few years, this is the one.
Page 4
This villa is a beachfront property with a hefty price tag of
US$1.9 mm,
with 5 bedrooms and a splendid view of the ocean. Just steps away from the beach in Sosua, and about 5 minutes away from Cabarete beach.
Recently remodeled to turn the tanning pool into a poolside lounge with a new deck area, this beachfront villa in Dominican Republic looks as good as any such property with an austere, simple design that embraces the unique views of the blue ocean in front of it, rimmed by golden sand in a secluded beach frequented mostly by tourists.
The villa is one of the few beachfront homes left in the Sosua-Cabarete area, with an adjacent lot for sale that is the same size as the villa`s (2,000 mt2) excellent for expanding the garden or building more living areas. Central air conditioning and wall-embedded audio system are some of the amenities.
Priced close to 2 million dollars, this listing has a uniqueness in terms of location and design that will draw attention from discriminating buyers who prefer to buy instead of going through the process of building a new villa from scratch. The Ldesign allows 4 suites to have direct ocean views, and the villa size is just the necessary for a vacation home. This villa is not far from the world class Sea Horse Ranch community, famous for having award-winning luxury villas in the North coast.
Page 5
This is one of the best looking and feeling oceanfront villas in the area, a balance in design, decoration and remote location for a true connoisseur. Priced
close
to
US$4.0
million
dollars. A high profile owner would love the quiet, undisputable low key privacy.
One of the most iconic oceanfront homes in the North coast area, this villa in Cabrera is the first one built on Sea Tree Estates, built in an exotic Balinese style with the very highest, luxurious finish that singles out just a few villas near it. Some might say that this villa feels and looks like a small spa hotel instead that just another posh house with a view. Harmonic lines and Zen-inspired gardens bring purity and serenity to the surroundings.
The house has spacious living areas, with
a central Palappa
that connects all the structures together,
keeping each suite in total privacy from each other, as in most Balinese villas in Indonesia. The kitchen area of the villa is a delightful place to be, and the master suite with its own spa area feels like a boutique hotel nicely wrapped with Japanese gardens and tropical coconut palms.
Page 6
Looking more like an oceanfront hotel, this villa faces the oceanfront in Cabrera, with lap pool and diverse garden areas that turn it into a cozy ocean pad at a modest price tag of US$1.3 million. Set in a a quiet cliff next to the ocean, this is the quintessential family gathering villa.
Featuring six oceanfront suites, six bathrooms, a lap style swimming pool; and very nice green gardening surrounding the house structure. This beautiful villa in the Dominican Republic`s Cabrera area has a lot of privacy, set in the main road but having the living areas facing the ocean front, same for the pool areas.
The interiors of the villa allow a lot of nice views to the sea, and the large dining room has exquisite parquet wooden flooring that complement the ceramic floors in the bedrooms. The decoration is simple but refined, with hickory furniture made by the finest Dominican artisans. Clearly, this villa is all about socializing.
This villa is one of the best rentals that is up for sale, Golden Treasures Luxury Villas shows the information for those who can afford this Caribbean piece of paradise. Cabrera is about 1.5 hours from the
Puerto Plata
international airport, and about the same time from the Catey airport in Samana ( used
more by private jet owners ). Page 7
If your income bracket affords a
$10
million dollar villa, we welcome you to the Ultra VIP club. This fantastic oceanfront villa has 5 suites, 6 bathrooms, very high end location, design and decoration. Simply put, this is a villa anyone would love to have, if you can afford it.
Luxury can be defined in many ways, though not all the luxury homes and villas for sale in the Dominican Republic fall into the Ultra VIP category. This home stands by its quality in design, fine furniture and splendid setting in one of the finest gated communities of this island. Seeing the photos make you a witness to its grandeur and the dedication of the owners to make it a luxurious private retreat like only a few.
This
Villa in Cabarete
is on the top ten luxury villas list (ranked #4) published by Golden Treasures in
2010. Finish materials are of the highest quality including black granite, marble, coral stone, mahogany and oak wood, wicker furniture and expensive signature fixtures and lighting. The swimming pool
ocean
is just steps away from a secluded beach with golden sand and palm trees.
Page 8
facing the
Few villas in the world share the exclusivity of being cut from a rock, to make room for a dazzling oceanfront complex. This is the most private villa retreat in the Dominican Republic, with tennis court, bar area, outdoor pool and Jacuzzi.
Its 12,000 square ft. of living space include 10 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a large kitchen, oceanfront Jacuzzi with cave, swimming pool overlooking the sea with 220 degrees of paradise views. The villa seems to have been adapted to nature, instead of the other way around. The photo above shows its magnificence and style.
Stone and wood are key elements in the construction of this villa, as you can see in some of the photos. The interiors are decorated with natural materials and the tones are earth and clay. This villa has a
access
in Cabrera, Dominican Republic. Seeing it up close and personal is quite a nice experience.
Page 9
private
Built atop a sea cliff rock near one of the best areas in Rio San Juan, this villa is a landmark. Breath taking vistas, nice swimming pool, spacious living areas and complete privacy make it a much wanted property in the area. Also available as a vacation rental.
Rio San Juan is very close to
Playa Grande Golf Course, which is the best in the country. There are
many natural beauties in Rio San Juan, besides the beaches. This villa offers a serene environment for the owners, and also a constant cash flow from its rentals if you decide to add it to the rental pool.
Two balconies offer the best views, and the rest of the house is designed with the outdoors in mind. When you sit in the spacious living room you can see the
ocean blue, the same from the suites and lounge areas.
Page 10
Having seen some of the ocean front villas and its features, we must comment on the various configurations that make a villa stand out from its competitors. Rating an oceanfront villa would mean evaluating its size, construction, design, decoration and total land area, including
the floor plan.
Distributing the living areas is as important as all of the above. Here we show the floor plan of villa 0732 which is the first feature we saw in the list above.
Villa Emile floor plan, Rio San Juan Clearly, the Jacuzzi that was originally planned next to the pool was scrubbed; somehow the owner decided he would have enough with just the swimming pool. This villa shows a configuration that faces the ocean from all the bedrooms and other areas such as the dining room. Only the kitchen, maid`s quarters and garage have a less visual perspective of the ocean. Building a villa to your personal specifications takes time, but in the end it will fit like a glove. Most buyers of land for building purposes should do some research of existing Caribbean villas in order to be informed and make better decisions when constructing an oceanfront villa. Like we said at the beginning of this handbook, weather-resistant, ocean-friendly materials are as important as good workmanship. We will be complementing this Dominican Republic villa hand book with additional information to be published soon. Page 11
Golden Treasures Luxury Villas DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Related links: Dominican Republic villas for sale Villas y casas en Republica Dominicana http://www.trendir.com/house-design/tag/beachfront-homes http://www.besthousedesign.com/2009/12/12/oceanfront-house-rolf-ockert-design-architects/ http://niriti.com/architecture/luxury-oceanfront-villa-design http://www.balibeachfrontvillas.net
*This Travelers Edition EBook is also viewable with Amazon Kindle, Apple Ipad and other eBook readers.
Caribbean Oceanfront Villas Š 2010 by Edward Rivas
Golden Treasures Luxury Villas Real Estate and Vacation Rentals Pedro Clisante #12 El Batey Sosua Dominican Republic Telephones: 809-377-2038 / 829-477-2038 Fax: 809-571-1001 Web: www.goldenkeymanagement.com 8/5/2010
Page 12