Ask most expat residents in Phuket about where Khanom is, and you often get a somewhat wild array of answers
In a nutshell the coastal area of Khanom and Sichon face the Gulf of Thailand and are south of Surat Thani.
The prime areas are located in southern Surat Thani Province and Northern Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Access remains easy from airports in both of the Provinces gateway cities.
In Nakhon oil giant Chevron has a large commercial and residential base for offshore drilling which is a key economic indicator for the area.
But in reality it's all about the beach and some of the finest are located south of Don Sak in Tong Ching and Phlai Dam. Sichon is my own personal favorite.
Looking for a new property adventure? Khanom and Sichon remain strong contenders for high potential movement in the future.
Phuket's international schools are continuing to play a large success factor in the island's property market.
Forget free luxury cars or use of yachts that might have been used to attract buyers in the last decade, now comes a more practical side.
Royal Phuket Marina's new La Reserve Residences are promoting an incentive which offers a 50% discount on school fees for two years, and waiver of entrance and application expenses.
Units which are elgible for the incentive start at 2 bedroom units which are priced from USD262,000.
Property figures into today's word watch, and an unlikely piece on Peru.
Experts estimate there are over 24,000 holiday homes on the southern coastline down past Lima.
Sales pace in resort project of 15 units a week? Hotel branded real estate. Apparently it's a property market on steroids
Development costs are not unlike our own Phuket, quoted in the piece at USD1,000 to 1,5000 per square meter.
As prices soar, rental returns are touted.
Seems down south in Peru,
Asia's stirring past decade resort property story is playing to the music.
News that Bill Heinecke's Minor Property Group have transacted a multi million dollar villa at The Estates Samui has re-ignited interest in the sector.
Part of the Four Season's integrated resort, the buyer of the villa was a Thai national.
This news comes after two sales and purchase agreements have been recently signed at the upscale W Retreat Residences.
Speaking to sales staff at both properties, there potentially are other deals in the pipeline that could close over the next few months.
Signs of life at the top end of the market is encouraging for a destination which has seen flat trading after the global financial crisis.
Spending some time on the island over the past few months, a number of developers are now relooking at restarting hotel and premium property projects again.
As the Eastern Seaboard markets of Pattaya,Jomtien and even Bang Saray becomes increasingly crowded, property developers are continuing down the coast on what could be termed a yellow brick road.
While the domestic surge continues in the aforementioned areas and throw in Hua Hin, Cha Am and Pranburi for good measure, easy access to the Rayong and Mae Phim area is creating a series of new offerings.
International hotel chains are already planting flags with Accor's Novotel and a recently opened Marriott drawing attention to the area.
It's a short two-hour drive from Bangkok, and you can completely bypass Pattaya on wide fast highways.
The Phupatara mixed use project which incudes a hotel, condominiums and villa has been a strong draw card.
As usual ocean views and sea front property are growing in demand.
Expect Mai Phim to rank up in the up and coming list in terms of land appreciation given its easy access to Bangkok and attraction to overseas buyers.
Understanding the market mix of nationalities working in Phuket remains an arcane science.
One key metric remains the division between statistics maintained for work permits between one group which includes Burma, Laos and Cambodia and everyone also.
An interesting read was Anand Singh's update in the Phuket Gazette which reported that construction companies remain the single larges employer of expats on the island.
The PPRO (Phuket Provincial Employment Office) last year said over 30,000 of workers from neighboring countries had legal employment status. To perhaps make matters more confusing they state that upwards of 50,000 can legally reside in Phuket.
In realistic terms its estimated that the number of illegal construction workers has a high multiple which certainly explains the inexplicable variance between the official population on the island and what many believe to be a figure over 1 million.
It had to happen sooner or later.
Evolving or revolving doors, emerging markets and the next big thing all packed into one big Cuba libre.
I've just finished reading up on a host of stories about the emergence of an actual real estate sector in the Caribbean country.
Despite a long-term banishment of all things capitalism, the screws are starting to loosen in Cubra's slow march towards free enterprise.
An article in the New York Times said, "over the past few months the state has reduced paperwork, stocked construction stores and legalized private contractors".
Is this really the beginning?
Late last year a new law now allows Cuban nationals to sell or buy houses. S
Reading more in the press, stories of offshore payments, nominee arrangements and lots of gray areas.
Sounds a bit like Thailand? A vacation and second home market is in the works to, driven but seaside locations.
Though its still early days and prices remain way up high, it would appear Cuba is in the early stages of an island property cycle.
Writing this piece I struggle to find an easy reference point for the cluster of islands out past the Eastern Seaboard meaning Koh Kood, Koh Chang, and Koh Mak.
We could investment a term calling it the Greater Far East Island Triangle. I've also heard it called the Northern Gulf of Thailand. And of course for simpletons, the absurdly direct – go past Pattaya and eventually hang a right turn out in the ocean.
Anyway a continued steam of mainly hospitality-led residential offering has turned up from the Soneva Kiri in Koh Kood, and local player X2.
Koh Chang and now Koh Mak have also hit the markets with independent developments offering mainly properties for investment yield and lifestyle.
Access remains the key obstacle for the moment, be it the lack of planes, trains and automobiles.
More flights to Trat have been seen, but you still need to get on a boat to get to the islands in question.
Airport access in Koh Kood is apparently on the horizon but the question of commercial viability remains a question mark.
Still without a doubt more developers are looking to launch mixed-use projects with hotels and investment units into this growing niche segment.
Leading property firm Jones Lang LaSalle (Thailand) have signed a deal to manage common areas for The Privilege Residences in Kalim.
The condominium project has 49 upscale units with views over Patong Bay.
Handover of the project from the construction phase is expected by August.
