Recently in RE-Villas Category

If there is a single word more alluring than Italy, then it must be its own heart and soul... Tuscany. Always so much more than a place, Tuscany, Italy is first a way of life, each present moment infused with two centuries of the world's favorite art, culture, food and wine.

In the rolling Tuscan hills not far from the mythic cities of Florence, Siena and San Gimignano is one of the largest private landholdings in all of Italy. Vineyards and orchards of olive trees pattern the hillsides. Two grand cypress-lined lanes ascend to a historic castle. Dotting the Castello di Casole estate are restored Casali farmhouses each with dramatic glass-tiled private pools.

For many, no dream is more enticing than to own your own home in Tuscany. To travel and explore every season; to leave behind the worries of reservations and logistics and upkeep; to return to a comfortable, exquisite surrounding, now also known as home...

Castello di Casole makes this dream an infinitely closer reality, for not only does it offer what are surely Tuscany's most remarkable villas and surrounding estate, but also the choice of whole or partnership interests ownership.

For those not intrested in ownership you can still enjoy the beauty of Castello di Casole... there will also be a beautiful boutique hotel opening in Summer 2010.

And Casali farmhouse rentals are also possible.

Source: Timbers Collection, Castello di Casole

Dozens of vacation villas, apartments and farmhouses in Italy are inviting guests to enjoy a complimentary two nights stay on a seven-night holiday rental. This Free Summer Weekends in Italy promotion offered by www.ParkerVillas.com of Massachusetts translates into nearly a 30% discount across the board. From apartments in Rome, Florence or Venice to villas and country farmhouses in Tuscany, Umbria and the rest of Italy, there is a wide range of choices for both small and large groups.

What allows Parker to offer such uniform promotions in the highly fragmented vacation rental market is that every home Parker represents is under exclusive contract. Parker ensures renters end up with exactly what they see. Mario Scalzi, founder and CEO of Parker explains: "The primary advantage consumers gain by using exclusive agents like Parker Villas, as opposed to the do-it-yourself rental portals, is knowing each rental home is thoroughly inspected and certified." According to Scalzi: "Parker not only sets competitive market prices based on measurable criteria, but as a U.S. company it organizes foreign property owners to act as one in meeting and exceeding customer expectations."

Parker Villas has been in business since 1993 and has been favorably reviewed by dozens of major media outlets throughout its history. Even more reassuring to the consumer, Parker Villas takes pride in exceeding a 99% client satisfaction rating year after year. With the cost of air travel dropping, a stronger dollar overseas and promotions such as this, there seems little reason to forego that much needed Italy vacation this summer.

Source: Parker Villas

The Beach Villas at Ko Olina, Oahu's most elegant beachfront property, has created a once-in-a-lifetime final sales event where the remaining villas, including the resort's most desirable beach and ocean front villa locations, can be purchased at significantly reduced prices.

The developer, Centex Destination Properties, will host a one-time, priority selection sales event at The JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa on June 6 and 7, 2009. A Priority Reservation is required to participate in the sales event, and selection priority will be based upon the order in which Priority Reservations are received.

"This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime to own a luxury, whole ownership beachfront residence on the island of Oahu, with all the great lifestyle amenities you'd expect at a world-class resort community," said Bruce Sloan, division president for Centex Destination Properties, Hawaii. "There are some beautiful choices still available at a variety of prices, and each is just a few steps away from perfect white sand beaches and the warm Pacific Ocean."

The Beach Villas at Ko Olina, located on the sunny west coast of Oahu, are just steps from an inviting crystal clear lagoon overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This is an ideal place for the whole family to enjoy a day of swimming, snorkeling or simply relaxing on the white sand beaches. These two- and three-bedroom luxury whole-ownership residences are approximately 1,365 to 1,904 square feet of total interior living space and lanai. Premium upgrades are standard, and each villa includes a signature kitchen designed by Hawaii's renowned chef and restaurateur, Roy Yamaguchi.

Beach Villas at Ko Olina features world-class lifestyle amenities. As an owner, you'll be able step outside for your morning swim in the warm Pacific Ocean, the elegant glass tiled lap pool or the tropical lagoon style pool. The fitness center features state-of-the-art Lifefitness(R) equipment, as well as men's and women's locker and lounge areas that offer flat screen televisions, wet and dry sauna rooms and all the amenities one might expect from a well appointed health club. The on-site management team at the Beach Villas complements the owner's lifestyle experiences by providing First Class services that include concierge, valet, and security along with optional enhanced services that are tailored to meet an owner's individual needs.

The Beach Villas are centrally located in the Ko Olina Resort and Marina making for easy access to the resort's private, 330-slip Ko Olina Marina and the JW Marriott(R) Ihilani Resort & Spa with its fine restaurants and the full-service Ihilani Spa. Golf enthusiasts extol the virtues of the resort's 18-hole championship course. Designed by Ted Robinson, the course offers exceptional water features, multi-tiered greens and beautiful ocean views.

For more information, buyers should call 808.792.5005 or visit online at www.koolinabeachvillas.com.

SOURCE Centex Destination Properties

I hope I have captured your imagination with the wild allure of the Galapagos islands. Since I have already talked about package tours I thought I should say a little about the kinds of accommodation you are expected to find there.

Galapagos is well prepared for travellers of any kind. From villas, cottages and beach houses to condos and homestays, your stay on the islands will be comfortable and memorable (for all the right reasons of course!)

For a complete step by step guide of the things you must do from the time you take your flight visit this website.   

If you want specific information about a vacation home or villa you can check out this site. For a luxury vacation stay visit this website that also offers its patrons, tours of the islands.

To go on a special familt wildlife tour check out this link.

Everybody doesn't have a positive experience when they go on a vacation. When they do have a good time, they have extremely amusing stories to tell. To read one such story check out this website.

A 3 bedroom villa steeped in history comes with landscaped gardens, private verandah and native timber construction. Originally built in 1860, the villa has been restored with good heating and outdoor entertainment area. There is even a paved barbeque area. A shower and 2 toilets, a workshop and an extra lounging room in addition to the large ornate bedrooms make this property worth the $595,000. It's even got a nice white picket fence!

The Browning Street Villa in Auckland is a beautifully finished double bay brick affair. With 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, massive living room, laundry room, pavilion and a swimming pool, this property is a great choice.
Extensive outdoor spaces are available as well as landscaped gardens. The interior is luxuriously spacious with wooden floors and light streaming in. The expansive old charm has mingled well with modern ideas and it can be yours for a negotiable price of $1,300,000- $1,600,000 NZD.

The 3 bedroom Tauranga Villa in the Bay of Plenty can sleep 6 people and comes with a glorious 180 degree view over the city, harbor, sea and Mt. Maunganui. The home was built in 2004 and has won an award in 2006 as the "House of the Year" and comes with a Master Build New Home Guarantee. With plaster finish and colorsteel roofing, double glazing in the family room, the house is designed for modern, environmentally conscious living. All the living areas open on to a concrete deck giving you awesome views. The swimming pool is on the deck. A courtyard/barbeque area and an ornamental pond with bubbling fountain and stepping stones is also part of this grand villa. The lounge is particularly stunning with wall to ceiling windows and doors that open on to decks on 2 sides. A fireplace is an added attraction in this room.
Pure wool carpeting has been used in the lounge, library, hallway and bedrooms. The kitchen has equipments of the highest quality and opens out onto a second deck and eating area on the east side for you to enjoy a lovely warm breakfast.
There's a guest wing on the west side of the house with 2 double bedrooms.
The bedrooms with their bathrooms are the last word in luxury.
This villa is priced at $1,250,000 NZD and a report from Registered Valuers in Tauranga, dated 17 March 2006,is available on request.

A lovely early 1900's villa with river views is up for auction. An auction is an exciting way to buy something and this house
has a unique charm worth an auction. Spread out with high ceilings, lots of timber work, the villa has 4 bedrooms in addition to the lounge and family rooms. There is also a sunroom justified by the fact that this property has an elevated 1452m2 situation. You'll get all the modern conveniences including light fittings, TV Aerial, Stove, Washing Machine Taps, Alarm, Waste Disposal and more, as well as double garaging.

An exotic villa in the Italian style is available for a negotiable $4,450,000. Besides the house and additional deck area, there are 11 acres of land as part of the property with an additional 5 acres available on adjacent grounds.
The main house has 3 bedrooms, the usual lounge and family rooms, , dining and kitchen area, a sunroom and even an office. But as an extra high point, you get a billiards room cum library too! External loggias and various storage rooms are other factors. Across the courtyard, above the garage is a 2 bedroom unit ideal for guests. With timber and Italian tiles and marble, the house is lovely. The swimming pool is rather up to date and fancy with swim jets, an automated chlorination system and laser lighting. The property has its own lakes and waterfalls and a spa in natural surroundings. There is space for a tennis court or a helipad. This is a really lovely property and if I had the money, I'd certainly grab it up.

Of course, there are more villas to choose from.

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

If you're renting property in Madrid, you'll come under legal provisions that are contained in the new Law of Urban Lettings.

When signing on the dotted line keep in mind what you rental contract must contain with different rules for short-term and long-term leases.
The rental contract may be made before a notary and recorded at the Spanish Property Registry.
Short-term rental contracts require that the tenant vacate the property when the contract ends.
A long term contract is one which exceeds 1 year in duration.

On signature of the rental contract, tenants are required to pay the owner a deposit (fianza) equal to 1-month's rent payment.
Considerations about repair of property, subletting, expenses also are important.
Tenants may be required to sign an inventory of the property contents and the state of them.
Conditions under which the contract might be rescinded are also detailed.
Make yourself conversant with the nitty-gritty of renting property in Madrid.

And look out for more flats and detached chalets while you're at it.

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

When you purchase a Madrid villa you pay an IVA tax which is 7% of the villa value and legal Fees that are approximately 3% of the villa value.  The Legal fees get split between the Solicitor, the Town Hall (to register your villa), and the Notary who is independent of both parties to ensure that everything is above board.  Notary's also draw up wills and it is advised that you get a Spanish Will when purchasing a villa in Spain because if you pass away without one, the villa will be repossessed by the Government.  The reason being the cost of finding overseas next of kin are high.  Check the laws valid in Madrid for different regions of Spain can have different laws.

A 6 bedroom villa is available in Las Rozas for 2,500,000 euros. With chocolate colored granite floors, oak paneling and mahogany inlaid work, the villa is a symphony in brown. A Library with space for over 4,000 books looks down on the main living area. The house has been detailed so lovingly that you need to see it to really appreciate it. The bathrooms are done in off-white marble and roof is of antique tiles. The main door is also an antique and the patio has an Arabic fountain and barbeque. Besides the formal dining and living room, there are also the maid's quarters, studio, laundry and TV theater like rooms. The place is spread over 2 stories which are pet friendly. Outside is a beautifully landscaped garden with a small greenhouse, woodshed and gardeners shed.
In addition to this are the terrace, swimming pool and small pavilion. cable TV, high-speed internet and 24-hour security are the other advantages.

A terraced 5 bedroom villa 20 kms from the center of Madrid has fenced private grounds with lawn, swimming pool, arbor, patio and garden furniture to make it all easily enjoyable. Going for about 630 pounds a week, it has a living and dining room, equipped kitchen, TV, washing machine and a garage next door with reserved parking. The bus stop is just 20 m away and the Warner Brother's theme park is also just a short distance away.

A villa in the Retiro district has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms and is for sale at 1,700,000 euros. The house comes with marble flooring and is air-conditioned with 10 built-in wardrobes in the rooms. The bathrooms have hydrotherapy showers and baths. There is a sitting room and open terrace looking out onto the courtyard. You'll get parking space included in the price and an alarm system. There is an independent satellite dish too. Most attractive to me is of course the wine cellar and the fireplace.

Or you could find yourself a villa to rent in the center of the city.

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

Villa shopping in Aruba is like any other shopping there... you'll be spoilt for choice.
Start with a villa loacted a very convenient 7 minute walk from Eagle Beach and just 5 minutes away from Oranjestad keeping you close to supermarkets, shops and restauarants. The villa has 5 bedrooms and three bathrooms, a modernized fully equipped Europeran style kitchen with granite counters and spacious living room with light streaming in. There is a large terrace for entertainment with a pool and a covered pool bar.The master bedroom boasts a jacuzzi and a balcony with ocean views. The place is up for $449,000.

A lovely yellow villa in an upscale neighborhood has 3 spacious bedrooms and a ballroom sized master bedroom. Hmmm... ballroom sized?!! Italian tile has been used and the property is fenced in with good quality ironwork. The living and dining rooms are also big and the kitchen is a high quality Alno affair. Though the villa is not furnished, the light fixtures have been built in and the ceiling is prettily finished with trims and mouldings. The place is fully airconditioned with a remote controlled garage. What makes it a great deal is the two room apartment or office attached to the villa with kitchenette and bathroom that has a separate entrance. There's even a full service maidsquarter.
To find out more about the house and its price you need to fill in a form.

Miss Belinda's Arubian Villa has three bedrooms and is a unique wooden style hillside home in the countryside. Three words there that just sold me - hillside, wooden and country. On top of this, it's just 10 minutes away from a beach and close to restaurants and shops being located in Noord. The bedrooms are airconditioned and the kitchen is amodern affair with a breakfast bar for you to trudge in and hook yourself to a chair as you drink your morning coffee. You'll find lounge furniture besides a nicely landscaped garden with a riot of flowers and ahammock hanging in the patio for dreaming purposes.
The place is for rent and has different rates in different season spanning $2395 a month to $2895.

Villa Alexandra is one of few beachfront villas in Aruba. You could walk out the rear gate and find yourself on glorious white beaches to snorkel at one of Aruba's best reefs. With 6 huge bedrooms the villa is ideal for family gatherings, weddings, reunions, et al. Go with a fun gang and make full use of the fully tiled swimming pool, private beach area (!),  hammocks, lounging chairs with ocean views, entertainment patio with barbeque, beachside gazebo and open air verandah. You'll laze and catch up with friends while holding a book in one hand or look at stars from the gazebo while someone barbeques you a meal! The place comes with a full time cook and housekeeping staff, a ping pong table for fun and even an exercize room! For the golf enthusiast... you're just minutes away from a world renowned gold course. There's an office study and two studio rooms too. All bedrooms have TV and cable!! Two gazebos by the pool make for exquisite dining. The villa is available for anything between $5300 a week to $7000.

A mediterranean style villa in Tierra Del Sol has 5 bedrooms that can sleep up to 15 people. Th evilla is fully furnished. Tierra Del sol is a gated community of 600 acres which includes a resturant, Lounge located at the clubhouse, a world class spa and fitness center and an 18 hole golf course! The stucco exterior and grand views of surrounding natural preserves from the multilevel terraces, A Sunset House extending out from the pool with bath, floor to ceiling arched windows, custom designed kitchen, laundry room, maid's quarters, a powder room, media room, a double garage and storage are all combine to make this house a very grand affair. A terrace called the Star Deck is the clincher. The house comes fully furnished with oriental rugs, lamps and design trends from the leading names in the industry. The villa is priced at $2,999,900. Wow! There's a lot going on in that house.

Find more Aruba villas and luxury homes in different areas.

I give up. Aruba is the place for Villas. Forget homes and cottages. Since I can't seem to escape them... here are more of the same.

A villa in the Bubali area is a 3 bedroojm single family home with a large covered porch, a pool and garage. Close to Eagle beach, it's close to Ocean resort and the casino.

A jewel of a villa in the Tierra Del Sol vicinity  has 3 bedrooms and bathrooms and offers you great ocean views. Having just recently been constructed, you could purchase it for $695,000 for the present villa or $785,000 for a 4 bedroom 4 bathroom deal, which will take an additional 3 months to pull off. Brand new microwaves, fridges, stoves and dishwahsers are part of the deal, other than the exquisite carpets, chandeliers and furniture that adorn the home. Lounge chairs and a patio set are placed in the gazebo outside. You can reserve the property with a down payment as low as $95000. If you decide to rent it out, you could get as much as $3500 per week.

A luxury home in Noord has 4 bedrooms, bathrooms with showers, a study, living room, laundry room, huge dining room with a fully functional and lovely kitchen. The beautifully landscaped tropical yard with palm trees can be viewed from your wrap-around patio which has a large pool, gazebo, barbeque and shower. There's a double covered garage and total privacy if you want to rent out one side of the house while occupying the other. A great way to earn from your investment while living there!

A great place to rent is a 4 bedroom Mediterranean style home of which one bedroom is part of a self contained apartment. So you could rent just one part of the house or all of the 4 bedrooms. Th ehouse is extensively equipped and furnished having been built in 2004. It has a pool with bar, barbeque and a parking lot. The property is fenced in and come with cable connection for those who don't want to take advantage of the proximity of pristine beaches and watersports.

A beautiful house with landscaped garden is for sale in the Seroe Blanco area. A Regent Park home with 4 bedrooms with walk-in closets, a large swimming pool, carports, kitchen and storeroom comes with a security system. There's a TV room and laundry room in additon to the fact that the home has an apartment system.

Soledad is a perfectly finished house with 3 bedrooms with built in closets, a huimongous living room to lounge in and a comfortable kitchen with large dining. There's an additonal laundry room and a great garden with gazebo and a big pool. The gazebo comes with jacuzzi and small kitchen and bathroom. The house has a very rustic atmosphere and has been built in a Dutch-Aruboian style guaranteeing warmth while the slpit air conditioning cools all the rooms.

You can look through purely rental choices like the flower clad Casa Catalina or the 1 bedroom Sunset villa that can sleep 10 people or the cottag-y looing Aruba 500 Resort villa and many more homes and villas and apartments within villas.

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

A lovely detached villa just 500 meters aways from the sparkling sand of the white Dinai beach has 2 bedrooms and is built along ecological lines. Surrounded by holiday regions you can indulge in all kinds of sports and safaris. The property itself comes with 2 swimming pools, swing, sand pit, garden seating and a garden worth the seating! The walled in property is festooned with bougainvillea and the garden is ripe with mangos, passion fruits, papayas, mangos, coconut palms and flowers. It invites even multi-colored birds who twitter away. Maid service, linen, staff, well furnished dining and living areas all make for a great slumping place after a hard day of lion watching!

Villa Madagaskar is a really pretty hideaway with its conical roof and palm-shaded blue pool. With 5 bedrooms that can house 8 people, a humongous living terrace with a view to the pool where you can entertain your guests and all teh basic amenities like fridge, grill ,oven, barbeque, DVD, audio player and more, this house is vacationer's paradise. It also has a telephone and a living room to that can comfortably seat 17 people!What I find a big plus here (besides the lovely garden of fruits and flowers) is the chalet style guset house that comes with the property. 

A double storey villa in the high class Runda area comes with numerous rooms including 5 bedrooms, 2 office rooms, guest wings, 2 sitting rooms and an indoor bar. The house has a swimming pool, sauna, steam room and staff too. Security is absolutely top-notch too!

A Swahili mansion along the traditional lines is up for grabs on Lamu island $323,124. If you've been keeping track, you know that Lamu doesn't allow motor vehicles on the island which leaves you a host of narrow streets to explore. Hijani House is tucked away in one such street in the stone town. Made from coral limestone with traditional doorways with arches and plasterwork, roof beams and painted mahogany, the house is spread over three floors with 3 bedroom. the master bedroom boasts a cathedral ceiling. The terrace garden has a dining area besides the fully equipped kitchen with its eat-in space. It's a great buy for it's location and architecture... which is a mix of the traditional with all modern conveniences factored in by the American owners. In the bargain you'll also get some Swahili antiques and local artwork as part of the sale.

Villa Patwa is a 5 bedroom villa right on Bofa beach. The bedrooms are all double bedrooms with three ensuites. Besidses the dining room and lounge are, there is a hige veranda with a bed and sofas to sprawled around it. The landscaped swimming pool is in addition to the laid out lawn and garden with beach-facing gazebo. Many cooks are welcome to spoil to the broth in the large, warm kitchen and there's arecetion are for you to pretend to be lord of the manor. There's a garage and ample more space for parking, 24 hour security, a chef and housekeeping and... insect screen everywhere!

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

The Keep is a 7 bedroom villa situated at Point Lookout. With that fascinating smuggler-worthy location, The Keep is the highest place on the Point, giving you great views across the ocean, Moreton Island, offshore rock formations and the Glasshouse Mountains. The house comes with covered decks and the option of a nursery off the main bedroom. But what's really a USP is the whale-watching towers that can be reached from the main deck. The Keep is ideally located for watching the migrating whales from land. These observations towers serve as a great place to lounge over a breakfast or sunset even when there are no whales to be seen! The furnishing and fittings are virtually new and you'll find the Keep a very comfortable stay.

The Solaz self-contained villa at Mermaid Beach just south of Broadbeach is available for $3,200 to $4,500 per week with possibly higher rates during Christmas and holidays. Spread over three levels, the villa comes with a elevator and underground parking space. With oversized bedrooms, balconies overlooking the ocean, gourmet kitchen and a spectacular penthouse suite with spa bath and walk in wardrobe, this place is a steal. The living room flows out of the pool and you have a lounging room thrown in. There's even a wine cellar! (Which you can use for more mundane storage).

This one bedroom villa at Benowa is being rented out at $190 per week at the moment but is up for grabs from a discerning investor for $189,000. Besides the ensuite King's size room and a modern kitchen, you'll also get a private courtyard, a garage and salt water pool! Besides the pool, there is a heated sauna and spa, a mini gym and a barbeque. It's spacious, comfortable and centrally located... really a good investment.

The Runway Bay Villa is a single level 2 bedroom affair. The rooms are reallyspacious and carpeted with a two way bathroom. You can buy it for $199,000 and rent it out for about $230 per week. The villa is really pretty with it's warm red sloping roof, green trim and purple flowers. Besides the private courtyard at the back, there are landscpaed gardens with a swimming pool and barbeque area. 

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

There have been restrictions of foreign ownership and on buying holiday homes in certian areas. Permissions are required to buy property from the local authority office. But since joining the European Union, Austrian rules will change to apply equally to EU and Austrian citizens.

When buying real estate in Austria, a deposit of 10 percent is usual though not mandatory and it will be returned if the deal falls through. A common solicitor can handle the deal for both parties and when purchase contracts are signed, the funds are deposited with a trustee till the completion.

The price of a studio apartment is about $75,000.
A small apartment can come for anything from $87,500.
Large apartments are priced at around $145,000.
Detached homes can be about $365,000.

The cost of living in Austria is high but the EU membership should start to reduce the cost of imported goods.
Ski resorts and sumer holiday homes in hiking regions are popular with buyers.

You can find your own ideal apartment, farmhouse, chalet, castle, villa or just a plain simple home by exploring all the possibilities.

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

The Hohe Schule is a self-catering 2 bedroom villa situated in Loosdorf. It's quite an exciting property, being part of an 16th century former school building as is built together with with a closely situated church and castle. It has a dining room, royal gardens, front yard and a hall which comes under monument care! It's just 60km away from Vienna and close to beuatuful mountain hikes, convents, vineyards. All this grandness can be yours for 296 to 610 euros per week.

A lovely 3 storey villa in Baden gives you breathtaking views of the town and the mountains. The villa has played home to famous guests like King Saud and Bryan Adams. (I wonder if he composed a suitably lilting song while staying there?!)
The villa is priced at a negotiable 3,300,000 euros and with features like an elevator tat can take elederly people from basement to roof, three terraces for enjoying the sun at different times of the day, a winter garden enclosed by glass (I have no clue why the words 'winter garden' always strike me as very pretty and hopeful), indoor swimming pool with sauna and more make it well worth the price!

Villa Marie on the outskirts of Vienna is nestled among woods with a glass verandah overlooking rolling hills. The 2 bedrooms can sleep up to 5 people and the kitchen comes fully equipped with grill, fridge, dish washer, et al. The garden comes with barbeque and garden chairs and teh house keeps you in touch with broadband, satellite, cable, DVD and radio. Getting to St. Stephen's square in Vienna will take you as less as 30 minutes so you can keep up with your sightseeing and cultural events while you cocoon yourself in greenery at the Villa Marie.

This villa with the unfortunately imaginative name of Obj. No. 2273 (like something out of an Ayn Rand book) is one hell of an impressive residence with wainscoting ad tapestry and rooms straight out of some regency set. The white facade looks over a nice big garden and there are lovely green plants in the verandah with a solarium and indoor pool to boot. Object number (amusing isn't it?) 2273 is on the block for 5,100,000 euros.

Villa Seeblick in Upper Austria is divided into three separate properties - the Lakeview Main House with 6 bedrooms, the Lakeview Studio with three bedrooms and the garden apartment with three bedrooms again. The villa in St. Georgen overlooks Lake Atter beyond a beautiful landscaped garden with chairs. All possible facilities and luxuries are available from central heating to saunas and jacuzzis, bicycles thoughtfully provided to open galleries and firplaces. It's a lovely place and just a km away from shops and restaurants with Salzburg and Linz no more than 50 km away.

The late 19th century Harruck villa has been recently renovated with modern conveniences while keepingin mind the grand flavor. Ten bedrooms spread over four floors inside a V -building with a tower at its center make for atmospheric living. Pine forests and meadows aside, you'll also have the free run of your own spa, tennis court, gym, wine cellar (hmm...), believe it or not... 25 rooms other than the bedrooms!!! (might as well have a wedding here) and magnificent views. It's priced surprisingly lower than other villas i've mentioned at 980,000 euros.

A 3 bedroom villa in the Styrian region with beautiful wood facade and red tiled roof decorated with green creepers and red leaves is available for rent. It has a one acre garden and is close to historical sites, vineyards, mountain trails (for which bicycles have been provided) and other acitivities.

There are many villas and luxury homes - choices and choices in the varied beautiful regions of Austria. This is just the beginning.

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

Kalpitiya Split are 2 to 14 acres beach front plots available with developers planting coconut,banyan and ehella trees, Placed on a lovely west cost beach, you have the option of getting your own house built by the developers who are also trying to attract boutique hotel managers so that the headache of maintenance is off you.

Two beach front villas for US $450,000 in the South of Galle are up for sale. With one bedroom each and common kitchen, they're perfect for a family setup. Water, electricity and telephone line is available as is a lovely huge garden, view to the ocean, a little courtyard, red floor, wood and cane furniture for a warm, earthy feel to the house.

A stone facade lagoon house in Negombo with 3 bedrooms is up for grabs for US $160,000. With a seating arrangement at the end of the pier leading into the ocean, lovely huge wood and glass windows, tree filled garden and small terrace looking over the back garden, the house is a pleasant nap dream.

A 75 acre beach plot on Kalkudah beach is going for US $19,500 per acre or US $1,462,500 in total. Two of the neighboring properties have been sold to foreign investors as they offer a potentially huge return on investment.

The Purple Sand Beach house is built on 3.5 acres of land. With enough land to build a hotel or spa, I'd rather just renovate the colonial house and enjoy the soft, clean beach, swim, wind surf, snorkel and take the 20 minute drive to the nearest market town when the need strikes! And this peaceful dwelling for US $420,000.

A beachfront old house damaged by the tsunami on a coconut plantation is available for the low price of US $50,000.

For a lot of beach front land and homes, you can make a selection based on which coast of Sri Lanka suits you best - the sandy south or the rocky north, the popular west or the low priced east.

Picture Courtesy: www.flickr.com

Sri Lankan villas situated close to the many beaches are aplenty...and lovely to boot.
La Menara is a luxury villa with 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, fully furnished with a swimming pool. If you rather plunge into salty natural waters, jus take a 30 minute walk to sandy palm-fringed beaches.
2 large covered terraces, separate staff quarters, laundry room, fully equipped kitchen and for the environmentally conscious... a solar powered heating system.
The house come attached with a guest bungalow. Both living quarters come with mosquitoe nets and tv/dvd players, stereos, two telephone lines and linen. In addition to a beautifully landscaped garden, you could also use extra land to construct tennis courts or additional bunglows. The villa and its land is priced at 325,000 euros.

This villa near the Hikkaduwa beach is brand new with 3 bedrooms and 2 acres of walled garden. As per your preference a chef, maid and chauffeur can be provided. Far away from tourist noises and commotion, it's an ideal home for a quiet self paced vacation. Close to Hikkaduwa you can indulge in snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing at your leisure.

Villa Kaeferstein, also in Hikkaduwa is a beautiful white coated, red roofed place with 4 bedrooms built in 1911. Fully furnished with an additional office room, it comes equipped with a dishwasher, TV, telephone, private garden and swimming pool. Lovely wood furniture and crystal chandeliers, colored glass windows give it a very colonial appeal. This property is available for 700 euros per week.

An absolutely stunning and humongous villa is situated in a picturesque valley near the Victoria Golf Course. Spread over three floors with 6 double bedroom, a spa terrace, roof garden and a separate two bedroom house on the property... this estate is well worth the US $450,000 of its price. All round views of the mountain ranges, garage space for 5 cars, domestic housing arrangements, larders, scullery, fitted kitchen, a patio from where you can see the sun rise all contrive to make it both beautiful and convenient. You'll need to book it fast!

Villas by Alangkara Resort Group are built on identified beachfront locations best for investment opportunities.
With an eye for comfort, modern conveniences and detail blended with the intrinsic attributes of nature, these villas are masterpieces in a premium lifestyle. Spacious, well lit, with different specifications - from one bedroom rooftop garden houses to ocean front villas priced from US $265,000, they are worth considering for your vacation home.

The Wallawwa residence is a 150 year old structure re built of solid timber. It's about 50 km from Kandy. The house is full of history with a military safe from World War II in the tree filled garden and instruments of punishment from the 18th century also in the house! With 3 bedroom sand 4 other rooms, a split level TV room leading out into a garden and verandahs circling the house, it's a beautifully old fashioned home. An inner garden surrounded by stone benches that could seat 30 people and a dining room with similar seating capacity,makes it a great house to spread out in.
Choose from more listings based on city preferences and find your luxury vacation villa.

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The variety of homes in Mallorca will spoil you for choice. From villas, apartments, beach homes, town houses to pretty and ever popular fincas, there's so much out there that it's practically impossible not to find something to suit you.

Looking through all these homes is almost an exercize in resisting temptation. Take your time though before you book your patch of sand under an olive tree.

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A really charming stone facade villa could be yours for 3,40,000 euros. It's fully furnished and equipped with garage, private swimming pool, three bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Comfy counches, stone terraces, light seeping through,cabinets, TV, oven, you could rent it too.

An absolutely ravishing villa in the city of Cala d'Or is available for a dropped price of 930000 euros. It has not only two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, storeroom, office, living room with fireplace (imagine the marshmallow type possibilities!) but also a guest apartment with separate entrance!! This villa also has a roof, sauna and barbeque set up with the most gorgeous view considering the property has direct access to the sea.
A dining room and living room huge enough to make you feel like you're practically touching the blue water outside, fully furnished and with such a luxurious feeling of contentment, you should snap it up now!

The Son Vida Villa reminds me of something straight out of a Cary Grant movie where he's illicitly using someone else's property as his own (or so we believe!) This property comes with a most fantastic vista choices - would you rather look at the Belver Castle or the cathedral of Palma? It's sheer elegance with panelled walls and fireplaces, pillars and winter gardens (makes me think of frosty white flowers and lamps in the twilight). To cap it all, there's not just a swimming poll but even a tennis court! A plethora of bedrooms and two living rooms, additional guest apartment, furnished, air conditioned - whatever the price is, if you have the money it's worth it!

The main attraction of the Son Serra de Marina villa is the well-kept garden. The palm trees really put you in the Mediterranean holiday mood if you're not in one already. The white facade with brown shutter windows cocoons 2 bedrooms, living room with fireplace, dining room and equipped kitchen. For sun bathing or just sea gazing there are open and covered terraces.

The villa in Puerto de Andratx overlooks the port of the city and the Bay of Marmacen. The house has ground floor rooms as well as lower level, lower ground level, staff areas and exterior attractions. Arched windows looking at the skies and seas, some looking out at a conservatory with retractable roof and screens, a TV room with access to covered terrace and swimming pool, 4 bedrooms and many more rooms at the different levels, this villa is the last word in comfort... well, luxury too.

Look at more villas to make your choice. Specify your criteria for the best match.

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If Villas are more your style, then take a look at these two villas located in Bebek. Both the properties are three storey villas with views to the sea. A well looked after garden and sprawling space are their main attractions. Though the villas need renovation, they could be revamped well if purchased by someone with an eye to using the land surrounding it artistically.

A home that you should not miss if you can get it is a two storey house placed with a marvelous view of the Bosphorous, positioned right in the middle of it with a chance to wonder for ages over the single bridge connecting two diverse cultures. With full access to the main road and close to a leisure club, you could while away many a day just hiding away near the Bosphorous.

For condos, you could keep a check on The Senator and Club Pera Palas for their listings on available condos. If you choose you could be instantly notified of new condo listings.

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Living in Istanbul is a life of indolence and energy, efficiency and warmth - it is like sharing your room with a person who has two distinctly different but enagaging personas. Europe and Asia meet in all their glory in this city separated by the dazzling Bosphorous.

Simeon Mitropolitski, a Canadian analyst quotes an old saying that assures you that in a bazaar in Istanbul you can find anything at all - even milk from a chicken - and in this case, residential real estate to suit anyone's pocket. He gives us a rundown of the real estate scene in Istanbul with per square meter and per month rates ranging from $150 per month to $25,000 per month!

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If you’re like me, you like to spend at least 6 months in one place, soaking in its people, culture, atmosphere. You want to be recognized by its people and speak haltingly in their language.
You want to be part of the breath of the city and you may as well start right by living in an authentic Venetian house. Home after all does define who you are. And for a short while, you could be Venetian.
Staying in a city of doges and palaces, artists and their garrets, it’s only fair that you live like one of them. Whether you want a one bedroom apartment or a palazzo, feel like a native by renting an apartment, big or small, palatial or homely.

If you’re looking for a one bedroom place that could easily sleep four people, I particularly like one called Ca’ Vitturi located in the heart of the city at San Marco. The very tones of the apartment are enough to put you in a holiday mood… warm oranges, deep blue curtains, wooden beams gracing ceilings and spacious white flooring and walls invite you in. At 930 euros for 7 nights, the price of the apartment includes gas, electricity, linen and final cleaning.

For a pallazi experience, take a look at Ca’ Grand Canal. This ground floor apartment near San Marco, as the name suggests, boasts a spectacular view of the Grand Canal. You could stand on a terrace over the canal and toast the stars or keep company with the Salute Church.
What really sold me on it though, was the private garden.
Brick red tiles, dark and faded adorned with fresh green creepers, a lounging chair for a lazy afternoon or breakfast on a fresh morning… had this vision not been enough to tempt me, the practicalities such as the three doubled beds, 2 single beds, bathrooms and spacious living area certainly appealed at 5800 Euros for 7 nights.

For a more graceful choice, I’d suggest Ca’ Giulia. Though one of its rooms seems a trifle over-green for sleeping in, the lovely striped living room with its huge windows promising breathtaking views and sunlight pouring in does make you feel like a cat finding warm, soft contentment. Situated at Cannaregio, it can house 6 people for 3000 Euros over 7 nights.

I think my predilection for wood is going to become apparent with my fourth recommendation – Ca’ Vidal. (and to think I recycle paper!)
This third floor apartment with lift overlooking the Academia Bridge and is situated on the top floor of a palazzo on the Grand Canal. With a double bedroom, twin bedroom and completely furnished kitchen done up deliciously in gleaming wood and stone, this place is like a retreat. Whether you imagine you’re a princess locked in the tower or a small ruffian hiding in the attic, the slanted ceilings do add to the adventure of the place.

For more choices and details on one and two bed roomed as well as large apartments take a look at the homes on offer. I trawled through a great many of them just for the pleasure of looking (!!) and I can tell you most are pretty darned… pretty! Check out locations and grab a place near your interest… whether it’s the Fenice theatre, St. Mark’s Square or a quiet little neighborhood.

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