Investment
In all of Sri Lanka’s history there can arguably be no better time than now to invest in this Paradise Isle. Sri Lanka has finally emerged from 25 years of unfortunate political and social turbulence. It has coincidentally done so at a time when it has an unprecedented opportunity in its history of learning from the mistakes of other countries that have followed the path of untrammeled development at the expense of culture, nature, lifestyle and national identity.
““Buying property in a developing country is very exciting and potentially it could be a great investment. But it could also be tricky and unfortunately sometimes very unpleasant surprises happened (false deeds/titles, wrong verification, boundary disputes…) Our invested companies have already bought three properties in Sri Lanka using LRE as our agents and we are very happy to recommend them based on the excellent service they have always provided us with.” Federico Caruncho – Vedanta Equity”
We are seeing unprecedented interest in Investment Properties all over the island, including the East coast, and with our experiences gained from being the first Island-wide Real Estate company in Sri Lanka, we are in a strong position to advise on investment and development opportunities all over the Island to responsibly minded and discerning clientele. We want to see this beautiful island develop in a way that is sustainable, environmentally and culturally sound and we hope you can help all of us to achieve this goal.
We can advise on:
1 Land and property search
2 Area specific risk vs return analysis
3 Title Search and Survey
4 Company ownership
5 Tax structuring
Investment areas we specialise in are:
SOUTH COAST
The coastline from Bentota to Matara is undoubtedly the most popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka. Whilst there are some lovely beaches that become very popular during the season from November to March, it is the convenience and proximity to Colombo and the airport that makes this the number one area for buying in the country. Prices of old Dutch houses in the world heritage site of Galle Fort have multiplied several times in the last few years and the availability of good beach land in this area is becoming scarce. There are still, however, some beautiful plots on the hills overlooking the coast and on Koggala lake that are very reasonably priced and beachfront bargains can still be found particularly beyond Matara. The new Southern Expressway from Colombo to Matara has drastically cut the travelling time from the capital to the lovely beaches on the south coast and the extension to Hambantota (scheduled to open in 2019) will bring many more areas within three hours drive of Colombo.
WEST COAST
The undiscovered West coast is one of the prime areas with development potential we have come across. In the past very few non-Sri Lankans bought anywhere north of Negombo but this is changing fast with small boutique hotels springing up in Alankuda and near the Kalpitiya Lagoon. The beautiful beach plots available along the Kalpitya spit and the proximity to the airport and the cultural triangle make this an area of great potential. Prices north of Chilaw are still a fraction of those on the south coast. The area is also becoming a whale and dolphin watching hotspot, with some of the largest pods of Sperm Whale sightings anywhere in the world. In what is considered the off season – from May to October – the winds pick up and Kalpitiya Lagoon becomes one of the worlds fastest growing kite-surfing destinations.
GALLE FORT
We have a large selection of modernised and unmodernised houses available in Galle Fort. With respect to the wishes of most of the owners we do not list all the properties publicly. Please contact us for details of Fort houses.
HILL COUNTRY
Kandy has always been a popular destination for foreigners touring the island and expats looking for a quieter life. Not everyone wants to live beside the beach, and the Hill Country offers the perfect alternative whether you are looking for a large tea estate or a simple bungalow in the hills overlooking Kandy town – the cultural center of the island. There is also a lovely golf course overlooking Victoria reservoir, half an hour’s drive from Kandy, with neighbouring building plots and some lovely houses for sale.
EAST COAST
The East coast has undoubtedly some of the best powder white sand beaches in Sri Lanka. The three most attractive areas – Trincomalee, Kalkudah and Arugam Bay – are amongst the fastest growing resorts in Sri Lanka. The government is pumping unprecedented money into infrastructure on the East Coast and many hotel applications have been made and several hotels completed in recent years.
Development
As a small company Lanka Real Estate offers a bespoke service for buyers looking to develop properties in Sri Lanka. We like to spend time getting to know our clients – and for you to get to know us – before committing to any development projects. Then after securing a property, we are available as much or as little as you desire. We can simply help with recommending architects, builders, surveyors etc. or we can take on the responsibility of the entire project from design through planning, construction and staffing to final property management and letting it out should that be your desire.
We are your eyes and ears in Sri Lanka and should you wish to discuss our project management services please do
ContactA few examples of our past and present projects:
Halcyon Mawella
Halcyon is an example of how vision, creative energy, and a little help from Lanka Real Estate, transformed a scrubby parcel of beachfront jungle into a luxurious boutique hotel. As is often the case, LRE’s involvement did not stop once the ink on the transfer deed was dry. Whilst the new owners were the driving force behind the project, we stepped in at various points of the journey, using our extensive local knowledge and contacts to deliver specialist services. These included gaining all the necessary permits, negotiating a “set-back” for the pool, and we were responsible for building the distinctive thatched roofs using local craftsmen. Read the full story here
Satori Villa
Satori Villa, a five bedroom jungle retreat near Galle was yet another whole lifecycle project for Lanka Real Estate. Having negotiated the sale we went on to direct and manage a top-to-toe renovation and refurbishment working to a tight deadline. The work was completed on schedule whence we welcomed Satori's first post-pandemic guests in late 2021. The relationship continues with LRE providing villa management, marketing and booking management for the villa which has reopened as a high-end holiday rental and retreat venue offering the best of both worlds with a cool and breezy hillside jungle location yet within minutes of the coast at Unawatuna. Visit Satori Villa for more details and photographs of this stunning property.
Tekanda Lodge
Having purchased a rundown tea and coconut estate in a spectacular hilltop position through Lanka Real Estate, the new owners engaged us to help them realise their vision of a hand-crafted, luxury eco-lodge. Lanka Real Estate led the 18-month bespoke construction project with the added challenge of working through a global pandemic. Tekanda Lodge truly embraces the "inside out, outside in" philosophy with open vistas from all the principal living and sleeping areas and is exquisitely detailed with the majority of both the structure and the contents being hand-made on site by local artisans. Visit Tekanda Lodge for more details and photographs.
The Gardens of Haldummulla
Up in hill country we have started a new project of sustainable living on our 50 acre organic tea estate near Haldummulla. The central focus of the land is a large natural swimming pool and a ten bedroom hotel. Currently, besides building the pool, we are completing one ‘old English’ style tea bungalow as a form of show home as an inspiration and example for 14 freehold plots which we will be selling for owners to build their own bungalow or cottage with our guidance and help.
Ginigala House
Another end to end project for Lanka Real Estate. Having sold the land and 100 year old derelict house to the current owners, we have managed and directed the sympathetic restoration and addition of a new landscaped swimming pool area and ambalama. For more information on the reinvention of this unique property do check out our blog post on the project and also the Ginigala House website
Haldummulla Estate
Haldummulla Estate is a 50 acre tea estate high in the hills near Haputale. Originally part of the Needwood estate it was the first organic tea estate in Sri Lanka. The Estate along with a dilapidated planters' bungalow was bought in 2017. The bungalow has been renovated and is now successful holiday rental and the adjoining cow shed has been transformed in to a one bedroomed studio - "The Library Suite" - along with staff accommodation. Click here to book a stay on the Haldummulla Estate
Ranawara Villa
Lanka Real Estate was engaged as advisors and project managers for the development of this oustanding 25 acre property on the South Coast. We also perform technical operation management for the owners and have recently overseen the building of a tennis court and extensive work on the swimming pool.
Villa Wambatu
Situated near Galle, this colourful, fun and light-hearted villa is opulent and sumptuous. Dominated by a soaring, open sided sitting room with double height Palmyra columns, all of Villa Wambatu's quirky furniture and features have been created on-site by local craftsmen. A greenfield project, conceived and executed by Lanka Real Estate, Wambatu redefines the "Bold, Contemporary Tropical" style.
The “Dome”, Colombo
This quirky domed apartment in the centre of Colombo arose from what had been an abandoned storage space for over 50 years. We gutted it, added a bedroom and bathroom, and invited a muralist friend to create a stunning seascape as viewed from under water using paints only visible under ultra violet light. The ultimate city pad!!
Bar Reef Hotel
Here we had a lot of fun creating a beach resort on the west coast. The aim was to keep it as simple as possible using the local vernacular and using wattle and daub, woven palm fronds, and as many building materials as possible that we could locate in this remote area. Coupled with a crazy100ft fibre optic lit pool!
Old Palm House
This was a village house near Galle that had been refurbished to an extent before our client bought it. Our challenge here was to extend the house and redesign it and landscape the garden with a minimum budget.
Pasyala Walauwa
Here we took a well known local 'Walauwa' - manor house - that had been abandoned for over thirty years, and transformed it with the the help and determination of our client into one of Sri Lanka's grandest and most spectacular ancestral homes. A huge undertaking for us at the time, but one that proved very rewarding and taught us how to create an exacting property by any standards in a remote Sri Lankan environment.
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