Be a Lone Ranger in your very own ranch or sleep with your head in the clouds in Milan, this is our pick of interesting properties this week.
1. Architect designed 
2. Villa by Daniel Libeskind 
3. View Paradise 
4. Richard Keating home 
5. Saddle up 
6. Japanese inspired 
7. Designed by James Biber 
8. By Kanner Architects
9. Chateau 
10. Penthouse in Milan 
We love a bit of name-dropping at Primelocation.com, and so today we delight in bringing you the former homes of not one but two truly top notch stars.
First up is everyone’s favourite Scottish 007, the suave Mr Sean Connery.
His former property in Nice is on the currently on the market for £16,213,500, and a home worthy of Bond it is too.
The three-storey cliff-side villa has exceptional views and comes with over 7,000 sq m of parkland stretching down to the sea.
Second, but by no means less worthy, is literary genius Truman Capote, the man behind Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the author of In Cold Blood, and the inspiration for the character Dill in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
His former estate in New York’s Sagaponack includes an ocean-view main house, a two-bedroom guest house, an artist’s studio and a swimming pool.
Don’t all those TV shows about setting up home in another country make it look so simple? They all follow one tried-and-trusted formula: buy a place for next to nothing, do it up, then live an idyllic-ever-after lifestyle. Just so long as you skip past the shouting, crying and going way over budget parts, of course.
In real life, unedited by some clever TV crew, there are a lot of legal hoops to jump through, and it is more difficult than it looks.
But if you are really, really serious about the total change in lifestyle, are prepared to take the plunge, and are looking for a property that should keep you busy for a few years, take a look at our pick below.
Bulgaria might not be top of your list of places to relocate to, but it’s hot on the heels of Prague and Croatia as the new hot country on the block, so get in now and bag yourself a bargain!
£3,558, six bedrooms
Yes, you read that right – £3,558 for six bedrooms. As you might expect, this house does need a lot of work, but surprisingly, we’re not talking about starting from scratch. One of the benefits of this house is that both electric and water are still connected to the mains supply, despite it being uninhabited for years. That’s a huge job already ticked off the list.
£2,676, four bedrooms
How would you like a little house in a lakeside village? Ok, so it’s not much more than a shell at the moment, but that means it’s a blank canvas out of which you can design your dream home. Sounds appealing when you put it like that, doesn’t it?
£2,846, one bedroom
If you’re looking for a little less work, this property looks promising. It’s almost pretty already, which means it’s much easier to see the potential. I reckon most of the work needed here is cosmetic. An awful lot of cosmetic, admittedly, but that’s half the fun surely!
We’re spoilt for choice on Primelocation.com when it comes to amazing properties from around the world. Feast your eyes on this selection – it’s our pick of the very best.
Modern masterpiece on Mulholland Drive
Live like the Flintstones on the French Riviera
Ocean and mountain views in Hawaii
Brand new villa near Monaco
Sand, sea and sky in a Californian oceanfront estate
Sweeping canyon views in L.A.
Work of art in Cannes
Asian-inspired Mallorcan villa
21st-century living in New York
The height of luxury living in Megeve
Quite frankly, if it’s good enough for George Clooney, it’s good enough for me.
Actually, the Italian lakes have always featured highly on my wish-list of locations, not just since every woman’s favourite ER doctor bought a home there.
It’s hard to imagine a home bathed in Mediterranean sunshine right now, but if I was to get organised now, I could be settling in to my new home just as the first of the spring sunshine creeps across the lake… Daydreams don’t get much better than that, do they?
Here are some fabulous lakeside properties in Italy.
Lake Maggiore – POA
This is two for the price of one (although I’m afraid I can’t tell you what the price is, as it’s POA).
The two 19th-century villas (one is three-bed, three bath and the other is four-bed, four-bath) offer views of all three Borromeo Islands from every single room – which is impressive considering there’s seven bedrooms.
It comes with parking, a boathouse and a pontoon with direct access onto the lake.
Lake Como – POA
These waterfront properties are all very secretive about their prices, aren’t they? But then, they are some of the most sought-after in Italy.
This property on the banks of Lake Como is a work in progress. On offer is a 5,000 sq m waterfront plot of land, and a villa and annexes (caretaker’s house, indoor pool, boathouse and garage) yet to be built.
You get to choose what interiors and fixtures go into your home – and then get the keys about a year later. So if you’re a fan of planning ahead and stickler for interiors, this might be the perfect home for you.
Lake Garda – £8,057,700
This property does have a listed price, although it’s a shame it’s one that makes your eyes water.
But, Lake Garda is one of the most popular areas of Italy – the water is so perfect and the beaches so natural that many people favour this area over a beach holiday – and this house comes with five bedrooms (and er… six bathrooms) and arguably the best views in Italy.
Worth every penny, if you ask me.
I’ve decided to embrace winter this year. Instead of moaning that it’s cold and hiding under my duvet like I usually do, I’m going to get out there and enjoy it, even if I do look like an idiot in my earmuffs (seriously, does anyone look good in those things?).
I’m even tempted to try a little bit of skiing – something I’ve never done before. And if I’m going to start skiing, I’m going to also start imagining what it would be like to own the ski chalet of my dreams: Les Hauts Lieux.
It’s actually a collection of four guest chalets and a staff chalet, which are all linked by an underground tunnel. I’m imagining Famous Five-style adventures!
It also has a library, barbeque house, lake, fountain, and swimming pool, so if you’re bored of skiing there are plenty of alternatives to keep you entertained.
It’s situated in Mont d’Arbois, enjoys spectacular views of the resort of Megève, is an hour from Geneva, and is close to all the ski slopes of the region.
Yes, it might be on the market for €40,00,000 (no, sadly I didn’t accidentally add an extra 0 onto that), but the weekly rental can be as much as €120,000.
I really think embracing skiing was a very good idea. If all ski chalets are like this, it’s going to be an awful lot of fun.
If you’re going to get a home abroad, you really should take advantage of the sweeping views on offer.
Why not find yourself a stunning home perched on top of a cliff? Nothing but stretching views and the seagulls to keep you company – what more could you ask for?
Here are some of my favourites:
Portugal: £1,621,424
This four-bedroom, four-bathroom villa sits on a three-hectare cliff-top plot with views of the Atlantic Ocean.
And it’s not just the views either. Heated swimming pool, palm trees, barbeque house, extensive terraces… It’s got everything you could wish for in a home in the sun.
Greece: £10,839,600
If the view from this 10-bedroom Mykonos property isn’t enough to tempt you, then the infinity pool just might.
There’s also a helipad and a private jetty on the complex, plus direct access to the beach via an underground elevator.
If you happen to have a few million stored under your mattress, hurry up and snap this place up.
Dominican Republic: £60,178
While it seems strange to write about an apartment for £60k in the same post as one for £11m, I can’t help but be impressed with this option.
The resort is 70m above sea level, you get all the benefits of having a property on a resort, it would be great for renting out and there are three golf courses to choose from.
This one-bed apartment is a great option for luxury living even if you’re not a millionaire.
Maybe it’s time for me to start getting over my fear of heights…
