Fiji Real Estate - FijiRealEstate.co.uk | Friday, November 30, 2007 |
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Buying a home or villa in Fiji
It is possible for overseas buyers to purchase an existing home or villa in Fiji Islands and these do come on the market from time to time. Buying an existing property saves having to go through the process of building a home - such as site inspections, engaging an architect or builder, getting plans drawn up and approved, site inspections or engaging a project manager, etc. It isn't difficult to build in Fiji, but the processes as outlined can sometimes be time-consuming, especially for overseas buyers who may need to travel long distances to oversee the building process, or find temporary rental accommodation until the new home is completed.
Ready-built homes - where to find
So where does one look? And what can one expect to find?
- If you are coming to Fiji for work purposes, then this can be a determining factor, e.g. if you are working in Suva, then the Tamavua area or Suva Point are both popular parts of the city. Or maybe Lami on the outskirts, or Pacific Harbour about 45 minutes away. If you are working in the west (Nadi or Lautoka) then again you would need to source a home in either of those vicinities. In Nadi, look at Nasoso, Denarau (luxury homes here!), or Fantasea estate. In Lautoka, the hilltop locations overlooking the city are popular.
- On the main island, the Coral Coast is very popular - look for the Korotogo area, or further along towards Suva there are some other options, such as the Maui Bay Estates. Further along you will find the Waidroka area, where one can often find timber pole construction homes in particular. Not much beachfront here, but great views to the ocean and Beqa island.
- Next stop is Pacific Harbour, where there is a very large expatriate type of estate and many homes, lots of activities and a long sandy beach. This is only 45 minutes from Suva so convenient for banking, shopping, cinemas and government departments. The weather is wetter on this side of the island (compared to Nadi in the west) but on the plus side the surroundings are more lush and tropical.
- Still on the mainland, about 2 hrs north and west of Nadi is the Sun Coast and RakiRaki region. Dry climate and lots of sun. Look at the Volivoli Peninsula area, Wananavu, and also the island of Nananu-i-Ra just off the Fiji coast.
- If you are wanting something away from the mainland, then Savusavu has a vibrant expatriate community with many homes and villas for sale (as well as land), either in and around the town itself or strung out along the Hibiscus Highway, a quiet coastal road overlooking the Koro Sea.
- Another spectacular spot is the island of Taveuni close to Savusavu. This is a true paradise island and has one of the highest percentages of freehold land in Fiji. Investment areas to consider include Taveuni Estates at Soqulu, and the very popular Matei area up near the airport end of the island. Matei has some of the nicest beaches on Taveuni.
Homes in Fiji are generally called homes or villas. Sometimes they are known as vale, which is the Fijian word for house. Unlike what one expects in UK, a Fijian cottage is usually a small one- or two-roomed building called a bure and these are mostly used in the travel industry as accommodation rather than a vacation or permanent home. If you are looking for a Fiji bungalow this is very hard to find as the term is not used much in the Fiji Islands except, again, as a lodging option rather than a place to live.
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Fiji Real Estate