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Luxury Idylls For Later Living
09.08.23Jane Slade discovers some sunny, sandy, tax-friendly havens designed for retirees
There are more choices than ever for prospective homeowners seeking a stunning retirement enclave overseas. Excellent tax and financial benefits are available in many destinations too - if you know where to look.
A top hotspot in the Caribbean is the island of Barbados, which is now home to many retirees who discovered the island’s lively vibrant scene when they were younger. Beachfront properties at St Peter’s Bay on the North West Platinum Coast are enticing older people seeking a safe and secure turnkey home with five-star concierge facilities.
All 57 apartments have large en-suite bedrooms as well as outside terraces, offering plenty of space for family and friends. And the development is just a five-minute walk from Speights town with its great restaurants, spas and leisure facilities. Prices range from USD $1.65 million to$5.5 million.
Down the road, the sporting haven of Royal Westmoreland, one of the oldest and most exclusive addresses in the Caribbean, has been attracting retirees to townhouses and apartments on this magnificent 250-acre gated estate for nearly 30 years. You can even buy a plot and design your own villa in the latest phase. There’s also a golf course, private beach club, spa, tennis centre and restaurants.
The islands of Antigua and Barbuda are undergoing a transformation, having attracted a large amount of foreign investment in recent years. The historic isle of Antiguais particularly popular with retiring Brits. Its attractive citizenship investment programme means property buyers are not subject to income tax nor taxation on worldwide income, capital gains, or inheritance tax.
Pearns Point, a new community under construction, hopes to entice retirees with a choice of 49 beachfront, oceanfront or ocean-view lots remaining.
One spectacular residence The Great House priced at$7million, includes a separate Beach House and an elevatedTreehouse Suite, both with their own private plunge pools. It isdesigned by the award-winning architect Richard Hywel Evans.
Further north the tax-free haven of the Bahamas has been a compelling attraction for retirees seeking a quieter Caribbean enclave.
The seven-bedroom Manchester Villa in Lyford Cay on Nassau and Paradise Island has 12,000 square feet of interior space and over 625 feet of canal frontage. Sotheby’s Realty is marketing the property for an eye-popping $19,850,000.
At the heart of the community is the Lyford Cay Club, a private retreat offering a tennis and fitness centre, an 18-hole golf course, sailing, fishing, water sports and spa services.
Its stunning design sets your pulse racing. Homes at the St. Regis Los Cabos on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula will take your breath away. Packed with architectural wow factor, this gated resort within the community of Quivira, cascades down dramatic hillsides, meanders through secret gardens and courtyards, ending up on a private beach.
The 74 residences include oceanfront villas with glass walled living rooms that open onto a grand terrace. Homeowners also have access to a concierge, seven pools, fine dining, spa and a golf course.
Mexico is hugely popular retirement destination for Americans, Canadians and Brits. Its excellent healthcare system and low cost of living enable even middle-income retirees to live like kings. The vast majority head to bustling beach towns like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. But there are also many hidden gems in the interior such as the UNESCO World Heritage site of San Miguel de Allende.
Off the coast of South Africa, nature-loving retirees are flocking to Heritage Villas Valriche a lush tropical resort in Mauritius with 30 freehold building plots remaining out of 288 overlooking the sea, golf course and mountains.
Preferential tax and other benefits are available to homeowners aged over 50 including permanent residency and no capital gains tax.
Anton de Waal, CEO at HVV explains why retirees are attracted: “The art of ‘hands-free living’ has been perfected here through facilities management that homeowners own and control.
“This ensures that the mundane household tasks of gardening, pool maintenance, and other duties are taken care of, so that homeowners can focus on enjoying the myriad of activities within the five-star Heritage beach, golf and wellness ecosystem.”
In Europe, Portugal continues to come out top as the best destination for retired folk.
The Annual Global Retirement Index from International Living 2023 listed Portugal among the top five retirement destinations; followed by Mexico, Panama, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
Portugal’s year-round warm weather and excellent, affordable healthcare are among the key attractions.
The Quinta do Lago estate in the fashionable Algarve is building 27 luxury villas and 62 apartments with Mediterranean-style private gardens. There’s a clubhouse, residents lounge, restaurant, golf course, trendy Padel courts, and access to 14 restaurants and 13 kilometres of golden sandy beach.
The home with the pulling power here is Villa Atlantis, a seven-bedroom property with five different pools, roof terrace with a bar and hot tub. It also has innovative heating and cooling systems with radiating walls. The price? €14,500,000.
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