Dennise Williams, Staff ReporterSOMETIMES YOU just need a break from the hustle and bustle of City Kingston.
Of course, you can easily pack up and head to one of the many inns, guest homes or hotels on the North Coast for a relaxing weekend retreat.
However, there may come a time when you want a more permanent arrangement and seek to own your own little slice of heaven.
And so in this edition of SPEND! we consider the option of buying property in the rural and resort
sections of the island.
Realtors at Don Juan Enterprise explain that the parishes of St. Ann and the coastal area of St. Mary are the hot areas.
"In St. Ann, the hot areas are in and around Discovery Bay, Browns Town and Bengal. These two areas are built up areas. In fact, one of the fastest growing areas is Browns Town.
In St. Mary, there is Tower Isle, Boscobel Heights, Huddersfield and Rio Nuevo."
These reasons for the demand, according to the Don Juan realtor is that, "These are the middle class residential area, they are quiet, clean, close to beach, have attractions such as Dunns River and in close proximity to hotels. Crime is almost non-existent and in general, these areas are 25 minutes from Ocho Rios and 40 minutes from Montego Bay."
For those who wish to venture a little further, there is Negril.
Developer of Negril Estates, Patrick Fletcher, explained that Negril's biggest attraction was its "very laid back pace of life. They call us the casual capital."
With the development consisting of 156 lots, Mr. Fletcher explained that Negril Estates was geared towards the professional who wants somewhere to enjoy while using the Internet to manage their affairs.
"This development is geared towards first world living. We are a gated community with patrol security to enhance the tranquility of Negril."
Mr. Fletcher presents a vision of a community of villas that is connected to the world with high speed Internet access and to the rest of Jamaica with the road network between Negril and Montego Bay.
Of course, there are those who want the best of both worlds - a retreat for themselves and an income when they are away.
Mr. Fletcher says that this can be easily done with the assistance of the Internet.
"First, you need to find a reliable housekeeper who will take care of your guests. Then you can build a website to advertise around the world. With the world opened up to you, there is the option of taking credit card payments so that your guests won't have to worry with cash. And if you cannot manage the day to day issue, hire an agent. This way you can earn from your investment."
In terms of the cost of entry, for the more budget conscience buyers there are studio apartments that start in price from US$35,000 (J$2,240,000). On the other hand, to just acquire a lot, the starting price is US$50,000 (J$3,200,000).
Your dream getaway is limited only by your budget and imagination.
