2010

© 2010 by Edward Rivas

Golden Treasures Luxury Villas

8/5/2010

Caribbean Oceanfront Villas

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 year-

round, 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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 L-

design 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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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 ).

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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.

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 facing the

ocean is just steps away from a secluded beach with golden sand and palm trees.

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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.

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 private

access in Cabrera, Dominican Republic. Seeing it up close and personal is quite a nice experience.

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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 © 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

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