Understanding Ocean View Villas and Bungalows

First Published Date: Aug 21, 2010

When you want to retire, or just get away from it all, you have a choice to make. First, if you are retiring, do you want to live in an old age home as your golden years pass you by? That doesn’t sound that great, so why not consider something like an ocean view villa, where you can live your golden years in the golden sunshine in a tropical country where things like snow are non-existent. Likewise, if you enjoy taking long vacations, why would you stay in a hotel room that is going to cost you an arm and a leg? You can instead choose an ocean view bungalow that gives you your own home away from home, as well as an amazing view of the ocean.

Ocean view condos and villas are becoming increasing popular around the world because they offer you something that you can get in few other places. Relaxation, peace and quiet, and an amazing view of the ocean. Whether you are looking at the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, or Atlantic Ocean, when you see the sun go down over the sea, lighting everything in a deep red and orange, you will know that you have made the right choice.

First, let’s look at the difference between villas and bungalows as some people do not know the difference between these two types of buildings.

A villa initially came from the ancient Romans, it served as an upper-class country house that leaders and the rich could escape to when they wanted to get out of the city. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the villas became farming compounds that would be used by feudal lords and monasteries. Gradually through the Middle Ages, the villas again began to be used by the upper class. These days, a villa can mean a wide type of homes but it is generally considered a wild-land urban interface zone reference. What this means is that a villa is a place where you can go to get away from the city, while still being in an urban environment. When you are in a villa, you will feel as though you are nowhere near the city, even though you sometimes are.

A bungalow in contrast is a type of house, with many different meanings depending where in the world you are. A bungalow is sometimes considered to be a detached low-rise and a house with a veranda. The term of Bungalow came from India, where it was used to describe a small, one story, thatched roof house. The term made its way to England where it was used to describe where sailors of the East India Company would stay, and these bungalows were not considered to be very nice places. Eventually though, bungalow came to mean spacious homes or lodgings for upper class individuals.

These days a bungalow is considered to be a residential house, detached, one to two stories high, with a sloping roof. The houses are relatively small but some are larger and come with everything that you need in a house including several bathrooms.

In terms of where to buy a villa or bungalow that gives you an ocean view, you should consider these countries. We should note that we are not going to cover the United States or Europe as these areas are extremely expensive, and if you are retired you may find it difficult to afford to stay in these bungalows for an extended period of time.

· Costa Rica: This country is actually well-developed for a country in Latin America. They have a great deal of incentives to get westerners to move there and the bungalows and villas are relatively affordable. The ocean views are stunning and you will be hard-pressed to want to leave this country.

· Mexico: A bit more expensive, Mexico is a favourite place for villas and bungalows with ocean views by Americans and Canadians. However, it should be noted that Mexico has become a rather dangerous country to be in, and you may want to consider a different country. In addition, there are many hurdles in place for foreigners who are buying property within the country.

· Philippines: The Philippines are an amazing country with some beautiful ocean views that you can take in while you sit on the deck of your bungalow or villa. If you want to buy property in the Philippines, there are some things to consider. To own property in the country, you must own a company within the country where a Filipino partner owns 60 percent of the company at least. You can also own property within the country if you are married to a Filipino spouse. Villas and bungalows here with an ocean view are much more affordable these days after the Indian Ocean Tsunami. It is an earthquake prone region, so you should be aware of that and take it into consideration.

· Thailand: Just like the Philippines, Thailand has plenty of amazing places to see and visit. The locals are very nice in the country if you move there, and the views you will see will astound you. Ocean view villas and bungalows are relatively cheap in this country, making it a favourite for westerners to travel to. However, to buy a property within Thailand, you need to either own a Thai Limited Liability company, which costs about $100 per month to administer, or buy the property through a leasehold agreement.

Ocean view bungalows and villas are beautiful, cheap depending where you buy, and the perfect place to vacation and retire to. You will love seeing the sun rise or set over the ocean, and you will know you have made the right decision to move to these countries, buy a property, and enjoy your years living in a place that seems like heaven. Your biggest thought is how much you want to pay for the bungalow, and where do you want to live. Also, you need to consider whether you want a bungalow or a villa, not a bad thing to be trying to decide over.

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