by Scott White
There is a hidden jewel in St Thomas called Caret Bay. Caret Bay is located on the lush tropical rainforest section of St Thomas. It is only two bays over from Megans Bay and one bay away from beautiful Hull Bay. Most tourists are very unfamiliar with this area of St Thomas. They typically rush to see the things that most tourists do. They travel to Megahans Bay and downtown for shopping.
New homes are being built in East Caret Bay. These homes are going to be built on land that sells for 250,000 so cost to build a home will be in the millions. It is certainly a great area to be in. So far none of the lots are sold because the real estate market is somewhat down. But they will be a very good investment in a few years.
Caret Bay is home to many locals. Homes range from 200,000 to the multi millions. Most homes offer water front views and have been owned by the same families for many years. You will find the locals to be very friendly, courteous and helpful.
Wouldn't it be great if tourists could see all of what St Thomas has to offer, including Caret Bay? You can rent some beautiful Caret Bay Villas on the North West section of the island. They include 14 luxury villa rentals and are waterfront property. There are 14 villa units varying in size. Some of the units are two bedrooms while others are four bedrooms. They all offer waterfront views and are very private.
What is great about the area of Caret Bay is the privacy and seclusion you get on the very busy Virgin Island. This is tough to come by on St Thomas as it is a very busy island. The population of the island is 50,000 but at any given day there could be two to seven cruise ships in. This increases the population of the island by up to one hundred percent. Most tourists do not even know that Caret Bay exists. Some of the local taxi cab drivers take many of the cruise ship tourists by cab up to the North side of the island because of its beauty. This is really nice because some people will get to see the beautiful side of Caret Bay.
Some other interesting things to do in Caret Bay are surfing. The waves come in from the north and can be quite large. Many locals will rush to the beaches when a North swell comes in. It is great fun just to watch them all riding in the waves. Some of them are really nice and will give you lessons while other surfers do not want you stealing their waves.
St Thomas is a small island of about forty two square miles. The roads are windy and very hilly. Driving to Caret Bay from the airport could take you minutes just to go a few miles. This is because the roads do not go straight like the crow flies but instead go up and down and wind along the hillside. If you left Caret Bay and wanted to go to the East end of the island the trip could take you more than an hour to get there. That is a long drive for a tiny island.
The sunrises are absolutely phenomenal in Caret Bay. It is really stunning to see the sun come up every morning at seven AM, the sun is really strong. They also get beautiful rainbows over the bay which is awesome. Then there is sunset to the west which is breathtaking.
Now is a great time to invest in this hidden jewel. If you are interested in some property you might want to speak to a local real estate agent to see what is available. Because the real estate market has simmered down just about everywhere you could probably get a really good deal. The property would most definitely increase in value over a short period of time.
Another unbelievable feature is the aquamarine water that is right outside your door. The water is truly amazing and cannot even be described. The temperature of the water never goes below seventy eight degrees. That is pretty warm water.
So consider Caret Bay the next time you are on vacation when in St Thomas. It is really a very pristine, untouched part of the island that you will most definitely enjoy. And if you are in the market to purchase a home, land or both then you should most definitely consider that area of the island.
About the Author
Villa Nicoletta is located in Caret Bay. If you're looking for Caret Bay Villas for rent then this is the luxury villa for you.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
No Snow Drops Andorra Tourist And Property Numbers
by Roger Munns
Having spent tens of millions of Euros on new and improved facilities for skiiers, European country Andorra was looking forward to a good 2007 season, increasing the near ten million tourists that have been visiting in previous years.
But the one thing the country really needs to entice ski tourists hasn't been coming - snow.
Over the last decade Andorra has been blessed with an abundance of snow, making for perfect ski conditions. But while the snow has started falling as early as the last week of October in previous years, none has fallen so far for the 2007 ski holiday season.
'The snow making machines have been working overtime since the beginning of the season', comment a local travel guide, continued 'They have allowed a depth of around 20cm of snow for popular Andorra ski resorts like Soldeu, but while it's an effective substitute for many skiiers it's still not the real thing. It's allowing skiing for people who booked their holidays a while ago, but last minute bookings are well down as people read the ski reports and head elsewhere this year.'
Press reports in the UK, Andorra's top market, have indicated that some tour operators have already cut their prices, some by nearly 50 per cent, to entice the skiiers back to the Principality.
'It really is the market for later in the season that's in danger of being hit', say the guide, 'If they see now there isn't much snow in Andorra this will influence their booking even though it could be a different story altogether when they get to go on their ski holiday'.
The ski tourist is also an important factor for the real estate agents in Andorra, with a percentage wanting to buy a holiday home after a visit.
'So far there has been little change in the demand', claim an Andorra property company who specialise in Andorra property for sale, 'A lot of the buyers at the moment are those who visited last year, but it might have some impact from mid October onwards 2007'.
Andorra Real Estate
Buying a property in Andorra is often seen as a route to residency, which entitles people to live in Andorra and benefit from her tax haven status.
To obtain residency in Andorra, applications need to be submitted in Catalan. A notarised copy of the applicants passport, birth certificate and a certificate of good conduct from the home country are submitted at the same time. Residency normally takes between three and six months to be approved.
Once residency is granted, residents are supposed to spend six months a year in Andorra, but this isn't policed.
One of the drawbacks for those looking to become a resident in a tax haven when considering Andorra has been that the country has no airport of its own, and is unlikely to have ine future given that it is located in the Pyrenees. The nearest airports are Barcelona and Toulouse.
Recent improvements in the road from Barcelona to Andorra though have cut the travelling time by some thirty minutes to two hours fifteen minutes.
About the Author
YourAndorra.com provides a guide for Andorra including Thomson ski holidays and other Andorra skiing holidays
Having spent tens of millions of Euros on new and improved facilities for skiiers, European country Andorra was looking forward to a good 2007 season, increasing the near ten million tourists that have been visiting in previous years.
But the one thing the country really needs to entice ski tourists hasn't been coming - snow.
Over the last decade Andorra has been blessed with an abundance of snow, making for perfect ski conditions. But while the snow has started falling as early as the last week of October in previous years, none has fallen so far for the 2007 ski holiday season.
'The snow making machines have been working overtime since the beginning of the season', comment a local travel guide, continued 'They have allowed a depth of around 20cm of snow for popular Andorra ski resorts like Soldeu, but while it's an effective substitute for many skiiers it's still not the real thing. It's allowing skiing for people who booked their holidays a while ago, but last minute bookings are well down as people read the ski reports and head elsewhere this year.'
Press reports in the UK, Andorra's top market, have indicated that some tour operators have already cut their prices, some by nearly 50 per cent, to entice the skiiers back to the Principality.
'It really is the market for later in the season that's in danger of being hit', say the guide, 'If they see now there isn't much snow in Andorra this will influence their booking even though it could be a different story altogether when they get to go on their ski holiday'.
The ski tourist is also an important factor for the real estate agents in Andorra, with a percentage wanting to buy a holiday home after a visit.
'So far there has been little change in the demand', claim an Andorra property company who specialise in Andorra property for sale, 'A lot of the buyers at the moment are those who visited last year, but it might have some impact from mid October onwards 2007'.
Andorra Real Estate
Buying a property in Andorra is often seen as a route to residency, which entitles people to live in Andorra and benefit from her tax haven status.
To obtain residency in Andorra, applications need to be submitted in Catalan. A notarised copy of the applicants passport, birth certificate and a certificate of good conduct from the home country are submitted at the same time. Residency normally takes between three and six months to be approved.
Once residency is granted, residents are supposed to spend six months a year in Andorra, but this isn't policed.
One of the drawbacks for those looking to become a resident in a tax haven when considering Andorra has been that the country has no airport of its own, and is unlikely to have ine future given that it is located in the Pyrenees. The nearest airports are Barcelona and Toulouse.
Recent improvements in the road from Barcelona to Andorra though have cut the travelling time by some thirty minutes to two hours fifteen minutes.
About the Author
YourAndorra.com provides a guide for Andorra including Thomson ski holidays and other Andorra skiing holidays
Friday, June 8, 2007
Property In Malta Rising Fast Before Euro Introduced
by Michael Johnson
Villa and apartment investors have done well on the Mediterranean island in recent years, with good annual increases in prices over the last ten years.
But with EU membership now two years old, and questions last year about Malta staying as a mainstream holiday destination, future potential became questionable.
Estate agents on the island though seem fairly confident that the rises will continue for a while yet. At the beginning of the year two leading international estate agents predicted ten per cent inflation for 2007.
One factor that investors could be taking into account when looking at the possibility of buying a property in Malta is that Malta is joining the Euro at the end of the year - something that has caused other countries real estate market to gather pace in the past.
Malta's low taxes are also inceasingly attracting new residents this year. With tax at less than half of many other EU countries, buying real estate in Malta often makes economic sense, as well as being a home in the Mediterranean for many.
Buyers from the UK in particular often cite Malta's low tax regime as one of their primary motives for moving to the island.
Visitor numbers for Malta have been encouraging for 2007, with rises on 2006 for each of the first three months of the year. March showed a ten per cent increase. An increased pool of visitors will almost certainly translate into more sales from overseas, with a knock on effect on housing prices.
European Property Investors
Ryanair's new routes from London and Dublin to Malta have proved a success both for the airline and for the island since the launch in November of their Luton flights. Initial estimates of an extra 80,000 tourists due to Ryanair might be much lower than the true figure when results are published. Reports suggest that Ryanair might be considering further cheap Malta flight deals from different destinations. Whether this will be from the UK or elsewhere isn't clear yet.
But hopes that popular low cost airline easyJet would provide further impetus for the Malta holiday trade seems to have been dashed with reports in the island's press that talks have stalled, and a proposed London Gatwick route has been shelved.
A new low cost London Gatwick route would have provided competition for the island's national airline, Air Malta, and possibly have reduced the cost of flying to Malta further.
Air Malta, the island's national airline, has run a successful campaign to sell seats, and has opened up a new route from the North-West of England, flying from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport.
The advantage Malta has for UK and Irish visitors is that they drive on the same side of the road and English is spoken, and for non British Isles visitors Malta has well known language schools where they can learn English.
A 2 bedroom apartment in the popular Malta holiday resort of Qawra is currently on the market for LM 72,000, and a three bedroom two bathroom apartment in equally popular Mellieha for LM 138,000 negotiable.
'With lower fares, Malta becomes a destination viable for 3 and 4 days trips a few times a year from the UK, and that will attract buyers to look at Malta in the same way they do France and Spain when considering where to buy a holiday home abroad. The weather in Malta and low fares could be a magnet for buyers', commented one local travel guide recently,
There is a warning however from some that property prices on the island might not necessarily escalate in the same way that regions of France have seen when low cost airlines have started flying to their districts.
About the Author
More information about Malta is available from on-line Malta guide YourMalta.com
Included is a Malta map and information for real estate investors and Malta property
cheap Malta flight
Villa and apartment investors have done well on the Mediterranean island in recent years, with good annual increases in prices over the last ten years.
But with EU membership now two years old, and questions last year about Malta staying as a mainstream holiday destination, future potential became questionable.
Estate agents on the island though seem fairly confident that the rises will continue for a while yet. At the beginning of the year two leading international estate agents predicted ten per cent inflation for 2007.
One factor that investors could be taking into account when looking at the possibility of buying a property in Malta is that Malta is joining the Euro at the end of the year - something that has caused other countries real estate market to gather pace in the past.
Malta's low taxes are also inceasingly attracting new residents this year. With tax at less than half of many other EU countries, buying real estate in Malta often makes economic sense, as well as being a home in the Mediterranean for many.
Buyers from the UK in particular often cite Malta's low tax regime as one of their primary motives for moving to the island.
Visitor numbers for Malta have been encouraging for 2007, with rises on 2006 for each of the first three months of the year. March showed a ten per cent increase. An increased pool of visitors will almost certainly translate into more sales from overseas, with a knock on effect on housing prices.
European Property Investors
Ryanair's new routes from London and Dublin to Malta have proved a success both for the airline and for the island since the launch in November of their Luton flights. Initial estimates of an extra 80,000 tourists due to Ryanair might be much lower than the true figure when results are published. Reports suggest that Ryanair might be considering further cheap Malta flight deals from different destinations. Whether this will be from the UK or elsewhere isn't clear yet.
But hopes that popular low cost airline easyJet would provide further impetus for the Malta holiday trade seems to have been dashed with reports in the island's press that talks have stalled, and a proposed London Gatwick route has been shelved.
A new low cost London Gatwick route would have provided competition for the island's national airline, Air Malta, and possibly have reduced the cost of flying to Malta further.
Air Malta, the island's national airline, has run a successful campaign to sell seats, and has opened up a new route from the North-West of England, flying from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport.
The advantage Malta has for UK and Irish visitors is that they drive on the same side of the road and English is spoken, and for non British Isles visitors Malta has well known language schools where they can learn English.
A 2 bedroom apartment in the popular Malta holiday resort of Qawra is currently on the market for LM 72,000, and a three bedroom two bathroom apartment in equally popular Mellieha for LM 138,000 negotiable.
'With lower fares, Malta becomes a destination viable for 3 and 4 days trips a few times a year from the UK, and that will attract buyers to look at Malta in the same way they do France and Spain when considering where to buy a holiday home abroad. The weather in Malta and low fares could be a magnet for buyers', commented one local travel guide recently,
There is a warning however from some that property prices on the island might not necessarily escalate in the same way that regions of France have seen when low cost airlines have started flying to their districts.
About the Author
More information about Malta is available from on-line Malta guide YourMalta.com
Included is a Malta map and information for real estate investors and Malta property
cheap Malta flight
Sunday, June 3, 2007
International Property Investment Hotspots
by Mark Walters
Property investment is one of the securest, and most recession proof methods of investing. However, many personal investors limit their portfolio by looking close to home.
Many investors have made millions. British investors started investing in Spain in the late 1990s. Now, many of those properties, purchased for less than $50 000 are now worth more than 1m.
At first glance, many new real estate investors are attracted to hot spots. Unfortunately, many areas, like the Black Sea coast are over developed, or where construction is a full time nuisance.
Spain is another long time hotspot. However, things cooled last summer when more than 100 new homes were sold to retired foreign residents for more than $200 000 each. Within months the government demanded they be demolished because they were built on rural land, not zoned for residential development.
Bulgaria is another 'worn out' hotspot. Property investors need to be willing to hunt down good deals. It was the 'hot spot' for property investors until it lost its appeal due to over construction.
The price quality ratio is out of balance in Bulgaria, especially in places like Sofia. A savvy investor can still find a good deal in a prime location, but the imploding population is causing concerns. Investors are worried that no one will rent the 3-4 bedroom "luxe" apartments in a country where the social trend is leaning toward childless couples. There is a risk that the supply will soon exceed the demand.
Investor analysts still suggest that a good location will generate more profit when rented to American tourists. The devaluation of the US dollar makes unusual tourist areas more attractive. US travel agencies now report a steady interest in both Bulgaria and Romania. They cite diversity of entertainment, and low cost air fair to many Baltic states by German and US airlines.
This means that investors who are looking for long term profits may find that a bed and breakfast, or renting to tourists, will earn a profit in the interim, while protecting their equity.
Arlette Adler from the Federation of Overseas Property Developers, Agents and Consultants (FOPDAC), claims that Bulgaria's property market has reached saturation levels. This means that there are still some deals for first time buyers hoping to invest abroad, but little for the serious investor.
"The more serious buyer is looking at [other eastern European] countries and considering them," said Adler.
"The thing that is bothering many of us [about Bulgaria] is that they are building all over the place," she added.
Specialist house TRI Investments warned property investors to avoid European holiday destinations such as Bulgaria, France and Italy.
FOPDAC also announced that the emerging markets in Croatia, Montenegro and the Czech Republic may offer fast profits for daring investors.
South Africa remains a hotspot for investors who are willing to put some effort into building their portfolios. However, no one has to step in blind. Experts are suggesting that investing is moving beyond South Africa. Growth in other areas of Africa is precarious, but promising. The risks are higher, as is the potential for profit.
Investors who want to minimize risk are following the lead of the large property management companies in South Africa, taking advantage of their 'inside' knowledge of the continent and its growth trends.
About the Author
Mark Walters is a third generation entrepreneur and author. He offers free training and investing videos designed to speed you towards financial independence at http://www.CashFlowInstitute.com
Property investment is one of the securest, and most recession proof methods of investing. However, many personal investors limit their portfolio by looking close to home.
Many investors have made millions. British investors started investing in Spain in the late 1990s. Now, many of those properties, purchased for less than $50 000 are now worth more than 1m.
At first glance, many new real estate investors are attracted to hot spots. Unfortunately, many areas, like the Black Sea coast are over developed, or where construction is a full time nuisance.
Spain is another long time hotspot. However, things cooled last summer when more than 100 new homes were sold to retired foreign residents for more than $200 000 each. Within months the government demanded they be demolished because they were built on rural land, not zoned for residential development.
Bulgaria is another 'worn out' hotspot. Property investors need to be willing to hunt down good deals. It was the 'hot spot' for property investors until it lost its appeal due to over construction.
The price quality ratio is out of balance in Bulgaria, especially in places like Sofia. A savvy investor can still find a good deal in a prime location, but the imploding population is causing concerns. Investors are worried that no one will rent the 3-4 bedroom "luxe" apartments in a country where the social trend is leaning toward childless couples. There is a risk that the supply will soon exceed the demand.
Investor analysts still suggest that a good location will generate more profit when rented to American tourists. The devaluation of the US dollar makes unusual tourist areas more attractive. US travel agencies now report a steady interest in both Bulgaria and Romania. They cite diversity of entertainment, and low cost air fair to many Baltic states by German and US airlines.
This means that investors who are looking for long term profits may find that a bed and breakfast, or renting to tourists, will earn a profit in the interim, while protecting their equity.
Arlette Adler from the Federation of Overseas Property Developers, Agents and Consultants (FOPDAC), claims that Bulgaria's property market has reached saturation levels. This means that there are still some deals for first time buyers hoping to invest abroad, but little for the serious investor.
"The more serious buyer is looking at [other eastern European] countries and considering them," said Adler.
"The thing that is bothering many of us [about Bulgaria] is that they are building all over the place," she added.
Specialist house TRI Investments warned property investors to avoid European holiday destinations such as Bulgaria, France and Italy.
FOPDAC also announced that the emerging markets in Croatia, Montenegro and the Czech Republic may offer fast profits for daring investors.
South Africa remains a hotspot for investors who are willing to put some effort into building their portfolios. However, no one has to step in blind. Experts are suggesting that investing is moving beyond South Africa. Growth in other areas of Africa is precarious, but promising. The risks are higher, as is the potential for profit.
Investors who want to minimize risk are following the lead of the large property management companies in South Africa, taking advantage of their 'inside' knowledge of the continent and its growth trends.
About the Author
Mark Walters is a third generation entrepreneur and author. He offers free training and investing videos designed to speed you towards financial independence at http://www.CashFlowInstitute.com
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