Dream House: Where & What would you buy

fokas said:
This thread will be absolutely useless as soon as those links become invalid.
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But we can still enjoy it now :D.

The one with the glass panels near the beautiful clear water just a few steps from the house would annoy me. How dirty would the glass get? (and... I know they probably have a pool man and a cleaner).

What a fantastic view. I don't think I'd bother with a swimming pool when you can walk a few steps to that crystal clear water.

I'd be happy with any of those houses on the water or with the views of Sydney.
 
I think if money was no object, even the best view would become 'old' because you have the means of trying something new.

I would focus on a decent PPOR that's more practical for day to day living (schools, shopping, transport) but then, learn about new places to go. I'm sure there are plenty of gorgeous properties I can rent for a few months at a time all over the world. A New England house in autumn, a Thai resort in winter, an Italian palazzo in the spring, a Cotswolds manor in the summer, perhaps?
 
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don't mean to be condescending but some of these houses being posted don't seem too far out of reach (i know its different for people in different financial circumstances) but if we're comparing median house prices in stock standard suburbian metro areas, a lot of these incredible properties slightly further out are definitely achievable if you were employed closeby to them or financially independant
 
Toby121 said:
I wouldn't buy the dream house in Aus
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I wouldn't either. I'd keep a modest 2BR apartment on the Gold Coast and one in Melbourne and spend most of my time in Bali managing these 5 villas. Price dropped from US$4.5m to 3.7m. Comes with 17 bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, and 5 car parks.

raywhiteparadise.com/for-sale/5-freehold-villas-in-seminyak-offered-for-sale-as-a-whole-complex.html

Situated just a couple of minutes’ walk from the picturesque Bali beach, the Villas is a luxurious sanctuary located in the Petitenget neighborhood of Seminyak, Bali. Set on 2000 m2 freehold land and Built on 2008 – 2009, All the Villas features top-quality fittings and finishes, applied throughout with unceasing attention to detail, including Teakwood cabinetwork built to last a lifetime, to state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances. Intelligent fenestration design and abundant halogen lighting mean you create the mood. Each Villa comes with its own unique look and feel.

Each spacious, three-story villa has every modern amenity but remains true to the luscious Bali lifestyle. Cool hardwood floors, goose-down pillows, expansive pools, indoor air-conditioned rooms and cozy outdoor living spaces. Every comfort you know and will grow to love. With natural fluidity, the living spaces will help you unwind during every moment of your stay in Bali.
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It's funny how what one wants changes as you get to experience different things.

Like many here, I wanted that mega-million $ mansion etc. Interestingly, I've been blessed to have the opportunity now to spend some very short stints living in 2 such properties. Both are beautiful houses - oddly enough both 3 story, both have lifts, both have pools,both have beautiful views of the sea.

One of them - a beach front house on the Gold Coast, I have written about before. This was where I got the first taste of beach front living such as:
  • Your insect screen gets coated in salt, and starts corroding real fast)
  • the glass fence on the swimming pool goes white real fast)
  • the massive floor to ceiling windows were made for unobstructed viewing from both sides - not good when every person walking along the beach wants a gawk in at all hours! (and this place had heavy beach traffic)

The other house I got to stay in is significantly bigger with a 10 car garage (with a beautiful "upstairs" garden on the roof of the garage!) - the owner was kind enough to lend us one of his "lesser" cars (near new Merc C class) during our stay to "get around town" (he drives a Bentley Continental - for those of you not familiar, that's a $400k+ car).

I can't put photos up here for you, to protect the owner's privacy but you get some idea from the link Player posted above.

We rolled up to the front gate - complete with guard in a guard house.

We drove up to "front door" - which was more like a hotel reception - this is one thing I noticed that IMHO once your dream home get's big size wise, it feels more and more like a commercial property i.e. a glitzy hotel. I have a photo of the front of the house - with a Hummer parked there looking for everything in the world like a Honda CRV due to the size of front doors....

I say we "lived there" for a few days - not "stayed there" - because the owners of the place had to go away, apologising for being bad hosts, and told us to feel free to ask the 2 full time maids of whatever we needed.

For those who like big kitchens - yes this place had it - BUT it was near empty (I was like, where's the oven and the fridge?). Apparently this was the "family kitchen" where they eat - the meals are prepared in the more industrial kitchen adjoining where the chef works. At least there was a kettle and I knew where the teabags were so I didn't have to bother the maids each time I wanted a drink.....

The guest's bedroom was bigger than our master, with an ensuite bathroom to match. Of the 3 or 4 lounges I saw, the most formal one looked more like an art gallery.

...and yet, I couldn't shake off the feeling that this was more "hotel" than "home". Maybe my tastes are too simple. Maybe it was the fact everything was so spic'n'span. Maybe it was the fact that there was always staff around - as you walk through the house, the maids are always cleaning and polishing (full time), and if you step outside, the gardeners are tending the immaculate garden.....

By the way, for those of you with some preconceptions of what the people who live in a place like this are like, you might be surprised. When the owners came back, they took us out for a beautiful dinner at a restaurant. We couldn't finish everything, so they asked the restaurant to doggy-bag the rest.

Next morning we reheated it and had a great breakfast with them in their big kitchen - now that felt more like home! :)

The Y-man
 
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