Issue 12 | Feature brought to you by Samui Living
‘Far From the Madding Crowd’ is the title of an eighteenth century novel and it’s also the slogan of the state of the art Samui Living development. The link between an ultra modern tropical development and a story set in the Victorian era might seem unlikely, but the synergy is obvious.
The Thomas Hardy novel which bears this name depicts a rural community in an idyllic yet isolated location in the West of England. This sense of isolation is equally strong at Samui Living, which nestles in the lush exclusive enclave of Bophut Hills and offers unprecedented ocean views.
However, whereas in Victorian England it could take days or even weeks to travel from a sleepy village to an urban centre, Samui Living is just a few minutes’ drive away from the beach, international schools, major supermarkets, award winning restaurants and an international airport.
It gives guests and residents the feeling of being isolated from the crowds on one of Thailand’s most popular islands without having to make any concessions in terms of convenience and accessibility. Developer James Schwegler thinks this is what helps Samui Living really stand out from the crowd;
“It is truly exceptional in many ways. Firstly the location is amazing, centrally located within minutes to the beach and all amenities you need such bars, restaurants, spas, supermarkets, international school, international hospital etc. Each villa will enjoy stunning sea views of the Gulf of Thailand and Koh Phangan, which were designed by award winning architect M-System Architecture in Hong Kong to be contemporary, elegant, stylish and truly unique.”
The credentials of the team behind Samui Living are outstanding and the construction company, designers and developers all have superb reputations according to Schwegler.
“The development company is financially backed by the most respected private investment company in Australia, Jagen Pty Ltd, a group run by Mr Bori Liberman that has assets in excess of US$ 3 billion. The builder is PJC Wood who has been well established in Thailand for almost 15 years, with over 200 employees; and has been involved in the construction of some of Samui’s finest developments.”
With such a prestigious team behind the project, interest in these luxury villas has already been high and Schwegler has been dealing with inquiries from all over the world;
“We believe that we will get a truly international pedigree of investors. Some are seeking a pure investment as part of their overall property allocation, focusing on capital growth and rental returns, while others will look at this opportunity to acquire a home, be it a holiday home or a more permanent situation. Some will look at doing a combination of the two.”
The location was carefully chosen and as a family man, Schwegler had a vested interest in ensuring that Samui Living could cater to the needs of everyone from school age children to retired couples;
“Given I have a family with five children it was important to be close to all the amenities and the international school, though we wanted to have the tropical life in an area that was not overcommercialised.When I saw the land, it was love at first sight; and that is why I decided to move there together with my family.”
It means that anyone who purchases a villa at Samui Living will find themselves living next door to the person behind the project. This means buyers will benefit from the personal touch when they are completing the paperwork that is required for foreigners to own houses or land in Thailand.
The process might seem complicated but Schwegler promises the team at Samui Living will guide buyers through it step-by-step using their own personal experience;
“As part of our sales process, we will offer buyers the company set-up and advice on how to acquire the land under Thai Law free of charge. It seems at first glance an onerous and complicated process, but with our 10 years’ experience, we will make it seamless and straightforward for the buyer. The developer’s family will also be living within the project and will guide its buyers for years to come.”
The average cost for these luxury villas is 50,000-60,000 THB per square meter including the land – well below the market rate. Investors who don’t plan to move in immediately can also expect to receive net rental returns of 10% per annum or more with a bespoke maintenance service available to take care of all the maintenance.
The project’s emblem is Picasso’s Dove of Peace, a simple drawing which became an iconographic symbol for the peace movement. In this context it represents the harmony and tranquility that makes Samui Living such a unique destination and experience.
However, Schwegler is in no doubt what the key selling point of Samui Living is that potential buyers will be blown away by the beautiful location;
“In my view it is the best location on the island. This is why our slogan ‘Be Far From The Madding Crowd’ was used, as when you are in the hills enjoying the gentle breeze while looking at the stunning views; you can forget all the hustle and bustle of urban life yet the project is close to everything you need. The best of both worlds.”
