Wetag International Insights Luxury Property, Architecture, Culture and More

Sitting here on beautiful Lago Maggiore (Ticino, Switzerland) and thinking about my next travel plans. Right now, I would like to opt in for some lazy and relaxing beach vacation where I can relax in the sun, enjoy crystal blue waters and get my batteries recharged before ski season kicks in all over the Swiss Alps which starts right in my front yard.

It’s been far too long since I have been on my best beach vacation ever – Soneva Gili Maldives. Sweet memories are attached to that trip and I always wanted to go back there again. Maybe it’s just going to be the right time for doing so since I heard that the 1st ever residences to foreigners in the Maldives are becoming available and this would be a perfect time to check them out. Located within one of the largest lagoons and smallest islands in the Maldives, set in the Indian Ocean, Soneva Gili by Six Senses is the first in the country to offer foreign ownership. There are 14 luxury over-water villas planed to be sold as “Leasehold.” Each of them offers 4 bedrooms, spacious entertainment areas, private sun decks, an over-water pool and many more distinctive highlights. Leasehold, by definition of Wikipedia basically means: “A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord. Leasehold is a form of property tenure where one party buys the right to occupy land or a building for a given length of time. As lease is a legal estate, leasehold estate can be bought and sold on the open market. A leasehold thus differs from a freehold where the ownership of a property is purchased outright and thereafter held for an indeterminate length of time, and also differs from a tenancy where a property is let (rented) on a periodic basis such as weekly or monthly.”

In this particular case of the Soneva Gili resort, the owner is entitled to sign on a 50 year leasehold with an option to extend to 90 years. This form of ownership is very common in Asia and with the extension to 90 years it’s an even more comfortable situation for the owner. Ok, so Maldives might be a option for my next holiday vacation and if you would like to know more about the Maldives real estate ownership opportunities, please feel free to contact me at .

Posted by: Peter Rabitz

According to a recently published study by Forbes, European country of Austria is the best retirement haven. Forbes also states that there is no overall paradise and each country is unique. The ranking is based on a variety of criteria ranging from safety to retiree-friendly visa requirements to decent medical care. Earlier this year, Vienna already gained first place in a ranking for cities offering the best quality of lifestyle so the country’s ranking doesn’t come by surprise. Austria scores with high standards in lifestyle and medical service. The countries private clinics are world-class. The charming architecture in Vienna impresses thousands of tourists each year and some choose the city to stay there for a longer time. Thailand holds the second position for being the best place for retirees considering its comfortable warm climate and best buys for quality health care at reasonable cost within Asia. Thailand is perfect for living on modest budgets. Thailand also features great upscale living with exciting architecture. Dolce Vita in Bella Italia makes Italy come in third. Without a doubt, Italy is well known for its famous food with its olive oil, grilled vegetables and homemade pasta as well as all the beautiful cities with its old and charming architecture, but what is quite new to me, it also scored with the less known fact that it is supposed to have one of the world’s best health care systems. One of the most sought-after regions to life is Tuscany with its famous Tuscan style villas and farm houses. The unappreciated 4th place is taken by Panama. Well known for its low taxes, the country also offers year-round sun, massive discounts for seniors, quality private hospitals, a dollar economy and great accessibility from the US and Europe. Panama City is also considered safest of all Central American cities and last but not least it’s a great business centre in Central America not only because of the famous Panama Canal. Real estate is considered good deal with high standards. The list of the 10 Best Retirement Havens is continued by Ireland, Australia, France, Malaysia, Spain and Canada. I am just wondering what place Switzerland comes in, but maybe the overall quite higher cost of living are the fault to have Switzerland not making it in the top ten.

Posted By: Peter Rabitz