Overseas - October, 2007

Amanda Shiel takes a look at some top notch developments offering the very best facilities for skiers

Sofia, Bulgaria

The Vitosha Mountain, which acts as an imposing backdrop to the city of Sofia, is home to the Aleko Ski Resort which is swiftly accessed from Sofia’s Simeonovo district by way of a 22km cable car ride lasting less than half an hour. Aleko is the highest ski resort of Bulgaria, has 29km of ski runs and is environmentally protected as the country’s first Natural Park. During the winter months the snow begins to cloak the Vitosha Mountain in December and remains stable till late Spring reaching a thickness of 1.5 metres. This impressive 120-day ski season has temperatures dipping down to -6ºC, ideal conditions for slalom and cross-country skiing. After the thaw visitors can enjoy trekking, walking and the clear mountain air plus some terrific slopes for paragliding.

Comprising studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, each property commands a view of the imposing mountains or the attractive cityscape. Facilities at Sofia Ski Resort are numerous ranging from indoor and outdoor swimming pools, children’s pool and playground, spa and sports centre through to a kindergarten, restaurants, coffee shop, pharmacy, shops, bars and nightclubs. Properties themselves boast gas central heating, ski equipment storage, internet and phone connection, cable TV and fitted kitchens and bathrooms. Underground parking and furnishing packages are optional.
Prices at Sofia Ski Resort start from £40,100 for a studio, £38,200 for a one-bedroom and two- bedrooms from £87,200. Several payment options are available with installments payable up until completion scheduled for October 2008 and the developer has implemented a rental guarantee of five per cent for the first two years from completion. Contact Dream Homes Worldwide on UK freephone 08000 193 847, Irish freephone 1800 805 006 or Spain 00 34 952 908 803. Alternatively, visit dreamhomesww.com.

Ontario, Canada

Red Leaves is a five-star resort community located in 1,400 lovely acres in Muskoka, Ontario. The resort is set on a mile of coveted Lake Rosseau waterfront. It is convenient to get to from the UK, being about a two-hour drive from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
Muskoka has the reputation for being the most luxurious holiday home destination in the province; indeed it is not hard to find £1.5 million price tags. Yet you will also find good-quality properties for as little as a tenth of that price.

It has year-round facilities: in winter you’ll find cross country skiing, snow tubing and snowmobiling in a 700 acre nature reserve; the rest of the year there visitors can enjoy a Nick Faldo-designed championship golf course, as well as kayaking, waterskiing, hiking, mountain biking, swimming pools and a sauna and spa.
Visit redleavesmuskoka.co.uk or call 0845 130 8768.

Newfoundland, Canada

In Newfoundland, over half of the buyers at Humber Valley Resort are from the UK. This all-season holiday destination, located in the western part of the province, is an excellent spot for both enjoyment and investment.
The resort is accessible via a five-and-a-half-hour flight from the UK, followed by an easy 20-minute drive. The fact that there is a time difference of only three-and-a-half hours makes it even easier to adjust.

Visitors can choose from an amazing list of activities, some organised and others at the whim of the holidaymaker. For golfers there is an 18-hole championship River Course designed by Doug Carrick. For dining and relaxing there is the Eagle’s Perch clubhouse and restaurant and the Beach House bar and restaurant, all overlooking the sandy beaches of Deer Lake.
Buyers here are given the best of both worlds: they can use the apartment for up to 30 days a year without forfeiting the annual rental guarantee of six per cent of the purchase price; this deal applies for the first two years.
Prices currently range from CA$360 to CA$525. Call 020 8605 9530 or visit newfoundproperty.com.

In Quebec, Mont Tremblant is Canada’s oldest and most established ski resort – and it is bringing in the buyers. And these purchasers have the choice of a range of properties, from lovely chalet-style homes for under CA$200,000 to jaw-droppingly luxurious estates priced at more than CA$5 million.

Mont Tremblant is the highest point in the Laurentians, which is the world’s oldest mountain range. Skiers will find a top-notch experience – after all, Tremblant has been recognised as the top resort in eastern North America. Golfers are also well served, with championship golf courses. And water sports enthusiasts will be delighted by the wide range of activities available on the 14km Lac Tremblant. Tennis, equestrian, fishing – pretty much every sport or activity you can think of is catered for.
With the new Mont Tremblant International Airport, the resort is very well connected to a range of UK cities. And with billions of dollars of investment by the Canadian and Quebec governments, the infrastructure and level of amenities in this already excellent spot are set to get even better.
Visit monttremblantrealestate.com to find out more.

Switzerland

Thermes Parc in the Portes du Soleil and Leukerbad will comprise of 128 spacious and fully furnished one- and two- bedroom luxury apartments.
Residents will be able to enjoy 650km of skiing located near to development. Geneva Airport can be reached just under two hours. Prices start from £160,000.
Four-bedroom, four bathroom chalets are available at Leukerbad, the largest Alpine thermal baths and spa resort. Properties are south facing, measure 150m2 and are located five minutes from the village. Priced from £390,000.

For investors focusing on challenging skiing, then Les Collons in the Four Valleys offers access to Verbier, through a network of 400km of slopes and 92 lifts. At an altitude of 1850m and views of the famous Matterhorn, this resort has retained its village charm. Under two hours from Geneva, the pistes offer superb, uncrowded skiing.

Three-bedroom apartments in Les Muses, located 400m to the lift, are available from £315,000. Four-bedroom, three3 bathroom chalets, situated 50 metres from the village, are priced from £520,000.
Those Investors looking for an as yet undiscovered location should look at the beautiful chocolate box village of Vercorin in the stunning Val D’Anniviers, which offers 220km of skiing for all levels. At an altitude of 1350m and under two hours from Geneva, this traditional village is very popular with the Swiss and offers investors a real taste of the ‘true’ Switzerland. Hameau de Liches comprises three luxurious three-bedroom chalets with magnificent views of the valley and village. Prices start from £385,000.  
For more details visit alpinepropertyinvestments.co.uk.

Three Sisters Mountain Village, Alberta, Canada

Three Sisters Mountain Village is a four-season alpine resort community covering approximately 2,000 acres of land within the town of Canmore. It is located in the Bow River Valley at the foot of the Canadian Rockies, five minutes east of Banff National Park and an hour’s drive west of Calgary.
The developers creating this community are offering a wide range of properties, including detached family homes, townhouses, apartments and mountain chalets.

The Stewart Creek Golf & Country Club, designed by Gary Browning, features an 18-hole course that plays to a par-72 and provides mountain views every step of the way. Measuring some 7,195 yards from the back tees, the course provides vistas of the Rocky Mountains and offers 18 expertly-designed holes that wind through some of the world’s most spectacular terrain, creating a unique golfing experience. Featuring exposed bedrock formations, rock outcrops, rolling creeks, towering firs and lakes, it provides an engrossing round for every level of golfer.
Prices start at CAD $580,000 (approx £253,126).
Contact Newfound Property International on +44 (0) 20 8605 or see newfoundproperty.com.

Dubai as a buying destination has indeed shot to the top of the international market, in tandem with its full-on pursuit of a 15 million-visitors-per-year tourist trade. And if this goal sounds a little far-fetched, that is only because you are not factoring in the quite staggering self-belief that this jewel of the United Arab Emirates has.

Peter Riddoch, CEO of major developer DAMAC Properties, says, ‘It’s grown at an exponential level; it’s not stopping. They do say “Build and they will come” – and that’s true.’
Crucially, he says, infrastructure is keeping pace – and a far-sighted approach to ensuring the best possible air connections is also set to pay off. The forthcoming Dubai World Central International Airport in Jebal Ali will, on its completion in 2020, be able to cope with 125 million passengers a year. ‘They’re making Dubai a regional hub,’ he says.

When the 15 million people arrive, there will be no shortage of things to do. There is the world class golf course at Arabian Ranches Golf Club, camel racing, horse racing, polo, water sports of all descriptions, 70 kilometres of beautiful sandy beaches, incredible shopping – even snow skiing and tobogganing at a fabulous indoor winter sports centre at the Mall of the Emirates. There is, in short, everything. And it’s an extremely high-quality everything – and however crazy Dubai can sometimes seem, the components also make a strange kind of sense.
Buyers face a wide choice of properties, from smart apartments to roomy family villas. A new development seems to be announced daily, each exhibiting the astonishing ambition that Dubai is quickly becoming known for.
The world has seen several markets open up to foreign ownership in the past decade or so: India has become quite a force within the world property scene, while others such as Egypt and Cape Verde are also attracting buyers. Dubai remains the destination, however, Riddock says. ‘The reason Dubai will always be at the front of this is it has marketed itself so well. It’s not the only place that allows non-residents to buy but it’s the one that when people do buy there, they know that everything will be fine.

Certainly, those who invest will know that every marketing muscle will be strained to make sure that there are tourists to fill the investment properties. Its year-round appeal makes it perfect for those who want all-season occupancy.

‘We don’t have seasons in Dubai,’ says Abdullah bin Suwaidan, deputy manager of missions  for Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. ‘We have high season and very high season.’
But where to buy? The prospective investor is by no means deprived of choice. And that is not set to change anytime soon, if DAMAC Properties has anything to do with it. Riddoch has announced plans by the company to triple the company’s annual output, from 3,000 to 9,000 by the year 2010. He says, ‘DAMAC Properties will continue to develop in Dubai across the residential and leisure sectors.’
DAMAC Heights is a 90-storey tower in Dubai Marina which features exclusive penthouses, duplexes, and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Designed by world-class architects Aedas, the tower offers world-class amenities such as men’s and women’s health clubs, steam and sauna facilities, gymnasium, swimming pools, nursery and day-care centres, barbecue area, banquet area, golf simulator and games room.

Owners of the penthouses and duplex apartments will have access to a luxury yacht maintained by DAMAC Properties, a private cinema, personal gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, jet spa and sauna. Prices at DAMAC Heights start from £254,000 for a one-bedroom apartment.
For further information about DAMAC Properties visit damacproperties.com or call 0207 499 9001.
Meanwhile, another iconic Dubai location is The World, where Landmark International is
selling property. The World is a master development made up of a collection of 300 man-made islands in the shape of the world, just off the coast of Dubai. In keeping with Dubai’s can-do attitude, The World can be seen from space.

Also from Landmark International is Pentominium, located in Dubai Marina. The development, which will be the tallest all residential building in the world, will promote a new concept of unabashed luxury, with a stylish penthouse apartment on each floor measuring over 6,000 sq ft. The views of the Palm Jumeirah will be absolutely stunning.
This project is already drawing buyers from the world of the hyper-rich, and is expected to be completed at the end of 2011.
For further information on any of Landmark International’s developments call 0207 377 9889 or visit landmarkint.co.uk.

Amanda Shiel looks at what’s on offer on these popular islands.

Praia, Santiago

The Aguia and Santa Maria apartments are situated next to each other in the heart of Praia, close to Gamboa beach, with numerous cafés, restaurants and bars nearby. Several golf courses are currently under construction in the local area and the international airport is just 5km away.
Aguia incorporates 13 four-bedroom duplex apartments, all of which are designed and finished to a high standard. Each apartment has ceramic mosaic floor tiling throughout and includes a kitchen/dining area with fitted cupboards, worktops, cooker and extractor fan as well as a washing machine. There is also a large open plan living and dining area. Bedrooms are of a generous size and there are two fully fitted bathrooms, some with jacuzzis. The development also benefits from a private swimming pool.

Santa Maria incorporates a collection of 36 three-bedroom apartments. Each apartment has ceramic mosaic floor tiling throughout and includes kitchens with fitted cupboards, worktops, cooker and extractor fan as well as a washing machine. There is also a large open plan living and dining area. Bedrooms are generously proportioned and each apartment has two fully fitted bathrooms with spa baths. 
Completion of both Aguia and Santa Maria is planned for late 2007.  Prices at Aguia and Santa Maria start from €114,000. Contact Avatar International 0800 035 3537 or visit avatar-international.com.

Santa Maria, Sal

Vila do Atlantico will be built on a plot just 100 metres from the best beach in Santa Maria on the island of Sal. Its prominent position serves as a natural link between the town centre and the hotel zone of the town.

Vila do Atlantico will include different styles of apartments, built to European quality standards, with air conditioning and satellite TV systems. More than a third of all apartments will enjoy a view of the stunning beach of Santa Maria while others will overlook swimming pools and internal gardens.
The build is scheduled to commence in December 2007 and is due to complete in December 2009. Prices start at just £55,400 (€82,000).
Commercial units are also to be included on the map of Vila do Atlantico. Exceptionally light, airy spaces equipped with bathrooms and outdoor area will be located at the front of the resort and can be purchased from £60,810 (€90,000).

For details and information on the recently launched programme of inspection call consumer enquiries on 020 7872 5690 or 00238 242 8108, Noscasa Mortgages enquiries on 020 7872 5690 or visit noscasacv.com for more details.

Boavista

FM International is developing two large resorts on the island of Boavista under the Sands brand. The developments offer a range of accommodation from studio apartments to luxury villas.
Properties at Creola Sands range from €84,000 – €355,000. Properties at Sabi Sands are priced from €90,500 – €389,400.

An apartment at either Creola Sands or Sabi Sands would be expected to increase in value by 17 per cent each year. FM International offers a rental guarantee of five per cent for two years, with the option to leaseback the property after this time. To ensure private investors receive more than just financial benefits, the guaranteed monthly rental income allows property owners four weeks of the year to enjoy the property themselves.

There are now direct flights from the UK (Gatwick and Manchester), Amsterdam and Portugal.
For more information call 0131 226 4135 or visit sands-capeverde.com.
Santiago

The Sambala Resort comprises a mixture of two- and three-storey townhouses built in a colonial style, within 20 square kilometres of privately owned mountain valleys and coastline.
When finished the development will incorporate four tourism villages, a five star hotel, tennis courts and two 18 hole golf courses. The development benefits from eight km of Atlantic coastline with a white sandy beach incorporating a marina, diving centre and a fishing lodge. The international airport at Praia is only 15 minutes away, providing easy access for holiday home owners and tourists.
Phase One is close to completion. Two-storey, two-bedroom townhouses set in private residential gardens with a communal swimming pool are available from £165,000 / £111,590. A five-year leaseback scheme, with a guaranteed rental income of five per cent per annum is available for those seeking a hassle-free investment.
Contact Assetz Cape Verde on 0845 430 5201 or visit assetz.co.uk/capeverde.

Algodoeiro region, Sal

Cotton Bay Bay Golf and Resort will have 10 key residential areas - all sympathetically designed to reflect the Cape Verdean culture and personality with an emphasis on open spaces and light.  
Many of the villas will enjoy an enviable front line beach location and will range in size from 120m² to 350m² with two-, three-, four- or five-bedrooms. There will be one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and duplexes with gardens and terraces on the ground floor, terraces on the first and second floors and a communal swimming pool.
Cotton Bay will also include a 36 hole golf course as well as a marina and harbour boasting 600 yacht moorings.  A specially created seaside area will be complemented by a beautiful promenade. Visitors to Cotton Bay will be able to enjoy a whole host of onsite recreational facilities and activities including a selection of shops and restaurants, a casino, children’s playground and sports centre.
A simple and structured payment plan is in place to ensure investors enjoy a hassle free purchase process. Prices start at €124,000.
For further information on Cotton Bay contact Emerging Real Estate on 0845 601 7293 or visit         emergingrealestate.com

Emerging Real Estate Launches Cotton Bay Golf & Resort in Glorious Cape Verde

Property investors looking for a stunning development with strong anticipated rental income and capital appreciation need look no further than Cotton Bay Golf and Resort in the Algodoeiro region on the south-west coast of Sal, Cape Verde, which has just been released by Emerging Real Estate. The development has been designed with an awareness of the environment and it is bordered by palm-fringed beaches and clear blue seas and enjoys year round sunshine - a true paradise.

Cotton Bay will have 10 key residential areas - all sympathetically designed to reflect the Cape Verdean culture and personality with an emphasis on open spaces and light.  Prices start at €124,000.

Many of the villas in the development will enjoy an enviable front line beach location and will range in size from 120m² to 350m² with 2, 3, 4 or 5 bedrooms.  There will be 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and duplexes with gardens and terraces on the ground floor, terraces on the first and second floors and a communal swimming pool.

This outstanding and ambitious project will be one the first developments on Sal to introduce a number of eco-compatible measures, for example, there will be a high ratio of green natural land to development area, salt water will be used in all the water features as well as an onsite nursery where indigenous plants will be cultivated for sole use in the resort.

Cotton Bay will also include a 36 hole golf course as well as a marina and harbour boasting 600 yacht moorings.  A specially created seaside area will be complemented by a beautiful promenade and central to the resort will be the waterways that will enhance and harmonise the whole development.  There will be lakes, waterfalls and streams dotted about the golf course and residential areas.

Visitors to Cotton Bay will be able to enjoy a whole host of onsite recreational facilities and activities including a selection of shops and restaurants, a casino, children’s playground and sports centre with two football fields, eight tennis courts, public pool and an Olympic size swimming pool.

The resort itself sits within 417 hectares of stunning countryside and this multi-phased development will eventually incorporate a 5 star international standard luxury hotel as well as three other quality tourist hotels, a water park and a botanical park.

A simple and structured payment plan is in place to ensure investors enjoy a hassle free purchase process which they will be guided through by one of Emerging Real Estate’s dedicated sales team.  
Pelle Langli, chief executive officer of Emerging Real Estate commented; ‘Cape Verde is one of the world’s most exciting property hotspots. It’s close proximity to Europe, as well as its stunning coastline, interior and climate make it the perfect holiday destination.  This is great news for investors and those looking for a tropical bolt hole. We’re extremely proud to be part of such a pioneering and ecologically aware development’

The Cape Verde Islands are located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, some 450 kilometres to the west of Senegal, off the west coast of Africa, making them Europe’s closest tropical islands.  The archipelago includes 10 inhabited islands which form two classic island chains and enjoy stunning weather all year round. The capital of Cape Verde is the island of Santiago which is spectacularly verdant and has fertile lush valleys and dramatic mountain ranges.  Sal Island is renowned for its surfing activities and the World Windsurfing championships were held there in February this year.

For further information on Cotton Bay, interested investors should contact Emerging Real Estate on 0845 601 7293/ info@emergingrealestate.com/ www.emergingrealestate.com

Johnny Turner visits two of Portugal’s most prestigious forthcoming golf developments

First impressions about a prospective overseas holiday home or investment are made before the buyer gets to his destination. In fact, getting there – its ease or difficulty – is the first impression. And in the car between two upcoming developments and their respective airports I begin to see how simple, how eminently doable this is. A flight of less than three hours, and a quick, straightforward car journey and there you are.

First, in the Algarve, Oceânico Group is bringing to the market Vilamoura Golf & Gardens, a resort so luxurious, and so thoroughly figured out, that buyers are sure to make a beeline. The emphasis is on golf, but there is much more to it. The properties, for which infrastructure works are to begin by the end of this year, will be an excellent example of the specification and lifestyle options that are perfect for both investing and relaxing.

For golfers, this is heaven. There are presently five courses on the doorstep, recognised as being among the best in Europe – indeed, the Oceânico Victoria course hosts to the PGA Portuguese Masters 2007 to 2009. And as if that weren’t enough variety, two more courses, designed by Nick Faldo and Christy O’Connor Jnr, are to open in autumn next year in a location just 20 minutes away.

The architecture has a Moorish influence, with quiet courtyards, graceful arches, lakes and pools. The 170 acres of landscaped gardens make up 80 per cent of Vilamoura – and, in a move that is characteristic of the care taken over every aspect of the resort, these are created by the renowned garden designer Diarmuid Gavin (see page 32 for more).

Properties at Vilamoura include: two- and three-bedroom apartments with access to communal pools: two- and three-bedroom linked villas with private pools; and four- and five-bedroom villas with private pools and gardens. Prices range start at €485,000 for the apartments and €965,000 for linked villas, while the villas are priced from €2 million to €2.5 million.

Oceânico Prestige is a luxury range of high-spec that come packaged with a luxury lifestyle, including a Home Intelligent System, use of a Sunseeker luxury cruiser, access to an executive car service to and from Faro airport, a choice of four Diarmuid Gavin-designed garden types, and membership of seven world-class golf courses. The fact that many of the British Ryder Cup team have opted for this package says much about the level of lifestyle this plan offers.

In the future, the Vilamoura Beach Club will have a private beach concession to which Vilamoura Golf & Gardens owners will have access. The sea is only a five-minute drive away, giving holidaymakers and owners the choice of a wide range of activities.
Those who buy for investment will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing the property is secure and well managed. Oceânico Resorts & Leisure, the property rental and management division, lets owners get on with their lives without the day-to-day worries that come with running an overseas rental property. The rental service gives holidaymakers a luxury holiday experience, while the owners are provided with a high annual rental return.

Meanwhile, on the Silver Coast, only a 45-minute drive from Lisbon, the Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort will appeal to those in search of golf and the good life. Set in 336 acres of beautiful undulating scenery among pines and eucalyptus trees, this luxurious development will offer a mix of contemporary homes, including two- and three-bedroom apartments and two-, three- and four-bedroom villas.
Golf is a central focus here too, with a premier 18-hole championship golf course designed by the legendary Seve Ballasteros; buyers enjoy membership of the course.

Royal Óbidos is situated 650 metres from the Atlantic coast near Lagoa de Óbidos, a wonderful spot for water sports. Facilities at the resort will include private and communal swimming pools, tennis courts, spa facilities, cycle paths, restaurants and bars, as well as shops and a hotel/conference centre.
Prices start at €365,000 for a two-bedroom lock-off apartment and €945,000 for an exclusive four-bedroom villa. A full launch of Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort will be held at Windlesham Golf Club in Bagshot on 9 October.
For more information on these and other Oceânico Group projects call 0871 990 3388 or visit oceanicodevelopments.com.

With the high profile he has gained from appearances in such programmes as Home Front In The Garden, Diarmuid Gavin has spread the word about good garden design to millions. Now, with his work on the landscape design for the forthcoming Vilamoura Golf & Garden development, he moves garden design to a whole new level.For this project he has explored the Moorish history of the area, taking cues from Islamic design while also letting himself be guided by the character of the land itself. ‘The Islamic word for Paradise is Jidda – garden,’ he says. ‘It’s a magical site, it undulates.’He laughs at the irony of being commissioned to design the gardens of a development that is geared towards golf, when his first job was a not-very-satisfactory stint as a teenage caddy – ‘doing three hours’ work for 50 pence’.But back to the present, and the ancient ideas and shapes that inform his latest project. ‘Islamic gardens are a wonderful thing to with with, and they’re very simple.’ He points out that the afterlife, as portrayed in the Islamic faith, ‘is to live in this wonderful garden with sleet-smelling flowers. That’s what we wanted to create here.’Another consideration is the climate in which he is working, with limited rainfall. His aim at Vilamoura, he says, is ‘to lift it, to create some excitement – and to reduce reliance on water. We work with Portuguese species and other Mediterranean species. We want to lift the game with this one.’He is sourcing crafts from Marrakech, showing particular enthusiasm for a type of Moroccan-made lantern that he hopes to use for this project. ‘The crafts there are second to none. I went there with Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen for the Home Front programme. He left after two days, said it was boring. But I was transfixed.’There will be planted boundaries but the parts will still be interconnected. ‘We want to create a journey throughout the space. You can stop off at little areas, where you can get away from the kids and read a book.His mixture of curiosity and enthusiasm is childlike, which bodes well for the gardens. ‘This is like a botanic gardens with houses on it – that’s how I see it.’