Seychelles
Seychelles is the most popular holiday destination in the region. The archipelago is located in the western part of the Indian Ocean, a little south of the equator, northeast of Madagascar. Of the 110 granite and coral islands and islets, only 33 are inhabited. Both cyclones and malaria bypass the Seychelles. The largest islands are Praslin, Silhouette, La Digue and Mahe, the latter is the capital city of Victoria, which has an international airport.
Magnificent sandy beaches, pristine nature, mild ocean climate offer excellent opportunities for diving and yachting. Seychelles guarantees yachtsmen a year–round season, developed infrastructure and tax benefits when registering ships - the islands are an offshore zone, which helps yacht owners to reduce taxes. Charter yacht companies are located on the islands of Mahe and Praslin, there is also a marina on the artificial island of Eden Island.
"Seychelles is good for getting a flag and registering yachts and ships," says Maria Karaulova, a lawyer in the field of foreign law at Proconsul. – Separate vessels for use in the Seychelles (for fishing, for tourist activities) and vessels operating outside the Seychelles. Registration of the second category allows you to avoid taxes on the activities of the vessel, on the salaries of the crew, on the income from the sale."
For buyers of houses abroad, Seychelles is also interesting due to the already mentioned climate, as well as the rapid development of the tourism sector, which the real estate market is keeping pace with. "Seychelles is the only country in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean where a foreigner can buy property in private ownership without a cost limit," says Sofia Aksyutina, Director of International Projects at Eurofirma. – There is an acute shortage of hotels on the islands right now. Real estate is getting more expensive. More and more luxury projects are being built. There are even islands on sale, for one of which the profitability for 20 years was 450%. The average payback of the villa when renting it out is 8-10 years. In addition, the local population knows and loves Russians, as the country used to work closely with the USSR."
Among the most interesting projects in which real estate can now be bought, the experts of Eurofirma note a complex of villas on the island of Mahe, on the territory of a luxury hotel. The area of the mansions ranges from 162 to 435 sq. m., and prices start from $ 1.5 million. In the south-east of Praslin Island, villas with an area of 325-550 sq. m. apartments in a fashionable complex cost from 3 million euros. And luxury residences with an area of 612-880 sq. m, located on a separate island together with a 6-star hotel, can be bought from 2.78 million euros.
Mauritius
Mauritius has a worldwide reputation as a destination for luxury holidays. This state is located on the island of Reunion, in the western part of the Indian Ocean, 800 km east of the African island of Madagascar. There is no sweltering heat here, the temperature rarely rises above 28 C, but the island is prone to cyclones and hurricanes.
Mauritius is surrounded on all sides by a coral barrier reef. Therefore, there is rich deep-sea fishing, good places for diving and ... big problems in order to swim to the shore, often it is possible only on a flat-bottomed boat. This is due to the slow development of yacht tourism – there are not many marinas on the island. The only seaport of Mauritius is located in the capital of the country, the city of Port Louis. The main yacht club of the island Grand Bay is located in the bay of the same name. A large yacht port is under construction in the southwest of the island in Cornish Bay.
"This island is like another civilization, with its own distinctive culture, nature and atmosphere," says Olga Pimenova, head of the Department of Foreign Real estate at the company Mainstream. – Islanders are very concerned about the preservation of nature, so there are restrictions on construction. There will not be too dense development here."
Until recently, it was impossible for foreigners to acquire real estate in Mauritius. But in 2006, the government's Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS) program came into effect, allowing individuals not only to buy houses, but also to obtain citizenship provided they purchase real estate worth $500,000 or more. The objective of the program is to increase private investment in the country and stimulate the development of the luxury real estate sector.
The first project, a participant of the Tamarina program, demonstrated a 100% increase in the value of real estate (now villas cost from $ 1.6 million). To date, according to Olga Pimenova's experience, the cost of real estate in a ready-made project has increased by 1.5 times over several years.
The global crisis affected the local market – by the end of 2008, real estate prices fell by an average of 20-30%, but in 2009 they began to rise again. Now villas in the south of the island at the Valriche resort cost from $950,000, apartments in the Emerald Heights complex, also in the south, start from $275,000. Foreigners can take advantage of mortgages, and different banks offer different financial conditions, often changing.
Maldives
The Maldives are located southwest of India and Sri Lanka. Tourism and fishing bring the main income to the country. Maldives is unique in that all the islands of the archipelago, of which there are about 1200, are of coral origin. Four-fifths of the country 's territory rises above sea level to a height of no more than 3 m. For these reasons, the Maldives is one of the most popular places for divers around the world.
Yachting on the islands is developed, but most yachts are designed specifically for diving safaris. The best time for yachting is from November to April, when the sea is calm and there are no torrential rains. Yacht and charter companies are located on the main island – Male. The uniqueness of the island is fraught with dangers. Maldivians are concerned about global warming, which leads to an increase in the level of the world's oceans and can flood the islands. The second danger is marine erosion.
Foreigners can purchase real estate on the islands, but not the land on which it stands. The land can only be issued for a long-term lease for a period of 25 years. If the investment amount exceeds $ 10 million, then you can discuss the lease term for 35 years.
Goa
Goa is the smallest Indian state on the shores of the Indian Ocean. This is a very colorful place, visited by different categories of tourists, but not by yachtsmen. Unfortunately, there is practically no yacht infrastructure here. But the real estate market is developed, especially since its prices are lower than in other countries of the region.
According to the legislation, non-residents are allowed to purchase real estate in principle, but subject to a number of restrictions. Thus, a foreigner must stay in the country for at least six months, personally attend all stages of the transaction, and he will be able to sell his property no earlier than 3 years after the purchase. In addition, the sale of land to foreigners is legally prohibited in Goa. You can get around these difficulties by registering the purchase of real estate for an Indian legal entity – but it must be really valid, and not exist only on paper.
