Phase 4 Community Meeting

Earlier this evening we found a letter posted in the external post box unit in the wall of our Block notifying residents of a Community Meeting on Thursday 23rd April at 7pm in the Club Hipico Benalmadena. The contents of the letter gave us some cause for concern. Unfortunately I know of only three couples who are likely to be on site on that date, ourselves included.

If anyone wishes to receive a scanned copy of this letter please pm us with your email address.

Ken & Jenny German

Phase 4 Block 3.

Hi Jenken,

                   I noticed that you made a post on 3rd April 2009,regarding the Golf course,if possible could you please update me on the progrees of the course and other promised ammenities,

Yours sincerely

samste

There has been no further work done on the Club House or on constructing tennis/padel courts.

A new company, Antequera Golf Hotel, have been working on parts of the Golf Course over the last few weeks following the devastation caused by a combination of last summers drought and the breakdown in the Sprinkler systems.

The greens on the course between the Phase 4 Blocks are looking better now ,although at least one has been invaded by a thistle type weed which has taken hold. They are being mowed regularly ,and the sprinklers seem to be on for large parts of the day ,covering our terrace, which overlooks the Phase 4 course area,  with a permanent fine mist of water.

I wouldn't think the course is in a condition where it will be available for use in the near future. There are one or two community meetings taking place this week so I'm sure questions will be asked, and reports back given, regarding the facilities on site, on both this forum and the dedicated Arenal Golf Forum.

Dear Jenken,

                        Many thanks for he information re golf course and ammeneties,i have an  apartment on phase 3 ,block 1 ,which overlooks our part of the golf course,i have had my keys for over 3 years,i very rarely get out to spain these days as to be honest i am so disapointed with the development and constant lies and promises from the developer/ and who ever is in charge now.Many thanks for your information and i shall be in touch again in the future,all the best.

Samste

 Phase 4s first Community Meeting took place yesterday evening. If you would like a copy of the notes that I took at the meeting please pm me with your email address.

Jenny

Dear Sirs,

                  I wondered if you could please update me with the state of the golf course on Arenal Golf ,the club house and general ammenities,i have asked before,but to be honest these are the only issues i am interested in,does it look like things are taking shape or not,many thanks i look forfard to your reply

Samste

Hi Samste,

There's very little further to report since my reply to your last post. Overall the site is looking much tidier now with work having been done or being done on the landscaping of the various roundabouts.

At the community meeting, three weeks ago, we were told that tenders were coming in for the maintenance of the golf course and the completion of the Club House.  Things move slowly here, so I wouldn't expect to see much happening for a couple of months, by which time it will be August when most construction companies break for a months holiday.

As sopon as I see anything worth reporting I'll make another post.

Jenny

This afternoon the new golf management company were on site. Apparently the plan is to charge an additionsal 15 euros a month on the community fees and to charge per round. The course is expected to be rehabilitated and up and running soon. A golf marketing company has been contracted to promote the course which suggests that it will also be open to non-residents. There will be a Golf Competition to mark the opening.

Dear Sirs,

                  Many thanks for the information,i realy hope that things get moving,we have all waited far too long for things to happen,i may pop over for a couple of days end of july and take a look,i know construction generaly finishes around august because the weather is too hot ,but as regards the golf course,summer months are perfect to get the course sorted ,and so it may start looking something like .also if the course does get done they may temporarily operate the running of the course from a portacabin ,until the club house gets built,lets keep our fingers crossed that work progresses,many thanks for your updates.

samste

so much for 'FREE GOLF FOR LIFE' then.  Another Arenal scam.

Actually, I'll believe it when I see it.  We've had our apartment on phase 1 for nearly 4 years now and in actual fact development of the course has 'regressed' not progressed.  A couple of years back it was looking quite promising (unless you have an apartment next to one of the holes) but they let it go to ruin.  Then they wonder why they can't sell anything!  If they'd have finished the club house a couple of years ago, got the course completed and people playing, and did the roundabouts it wouldn't resemble a ghost town.  Why haven't they got the driving range (anybody remember that) up and running at the very least?  That would bring in some money and wouldn't cost-a-fortune ;-)

Does anybody know whether that lump of wasteland near to the clubhouse is going to constitute part of the course or whether they're going to build loads more apartments nobody wants nor can afford?

Sorry to sound so negative but the dream has dwindled over these past 4 years and it could have been so different.  Maybe in another 4 years it will all be different.  The course will be completed, people will be playing it, the range and clubhouse will be open and some quality bars and restaurants will have opened up and be thriving.  Here's hoping.  Until then I'm stuck with Benalmadena Golf and Baboo (quality).

Dear Sir,

               Im sure that you used to be on the Arenal Golf web site,i used to quite like reading you posts,anyway thats another story,i hear wear you are coming from ,and i have read several posts from you on the eye on spain site,you are right in all that you say,i like you am very,very disapointed in my purchase,i was sold the dream and i realy believed it would be fine,i very rarely come over to spain these days because i know i am not going to see what i want to see,and every time i come over i come back to the uk more depressed than when i went,re - 9 hole chip and put at the top of the hill and clubhouse ( is this baboo,im sure it is) if we had anything that resembled that developement i would be more than happy.I try to take the possitives from a shambles.1.if the new promoter / developer hadnt come on board ( is it gerens ) then we would have been in a major situation as i believe the development would have been a nightmare,at least the apartments have been built,and there is no way in my mind a company of this size would invest so much and not finish the chip n put / golf course which ever way you want to describe it,i strongly believe it will be finished and the club house ( date of completion i wouldnt like to guess)your property on phase 1 ,i know the phase... very nice, only 1 problem which i know you wont want to hear ,i wouldnt like to guess what the properties are worth at the moment  , likewise with rest of the development,the only way out of this developement is to take a big hit,lots more to say but my fingers are tired,great to hear from you

samste

good to hear from you too.

You'll no doubt remember my postings complaining about the snagging, etc, and I got quite a bit of flack from some people who were buying on future phases who probably felt I was scaremongering or just a miserable so-and-so.  Well, never in a thousand years could I have predicted the mess that has become of this development.  It makes my snagging problems, now all resolved, seem trivial.  I don't want to say 'told you so' but I will :D

Propert prices on phase 1 have obviously dropped from their peak but that's the same across the board, much like the UK.  I'm obviously biased but I'd say phase 1 would be better placed to hold its value than any of the other phases because of the uniqueness of the complex.  It's practically a different development and is arguably more exclusive.  One things for sure though, when this doom and gloom lifts, the punters will be back because the area offers possibly the best quality of life in Europe, certainly the climate is. 

Anyways, in no way do we regret our purchase.  We just forget about the promise of free golf for life and the club house, supposed gym and tennis courts, and get on with our life on phase 1, hoping that life once again returns to the area and in time it will.

Baboo is the bar/restaurant located in Benalmadena Golf.  It's a classy joint and we've spent many an hour on the balcony there, overlooking the golf and bowling greens with views down to the sea.  If the golf course at Arenal ever gets completed and it is a fraction of this challenging little course, we'll be very lucky.

The meeting between the Vocales ( spokespersons) and the new Administrator took place last night. A range of issues were discussed. Any problems relating to communal areas should be reported directly to Jose Enrique Lara, the Administrator.

Of the four pools, only pool 4, the one between Blocks 8&9 requires a lifeguard. All of the vocales requested that work was done on the surroundings to pool 2, the one between Blocks 3&4. Pools 2&3 have yet to secure their licences, so currently only Pool 1 is in operation.

The area opposite Blocks 3&4, with planning permission for an aparthotel, is being cleared and roughly landscaped.

A letter to residents is being put in post boxes stating the payment that needs to be made since money was last debited from our accounts at the end of October/beginning of November ,following the resignation of the previous Administrator.

We were presented with the projected budget for this year. As is to be expected, the largest single costs are for lift maintenance and their emergency telephone systems,  for pool and garden maintenance , and for the cleaning of community areas.

Dear Sir,

               Thats the spirit,you say you couldnt imagine how bad it could be on Arenal golf when you got your property 4 years ago,when i got my property 3 years ago,i could certainly imagine how bad it was going to be right from the moment i got my keys i knew something was wrong,i am on phase 3 , block 1 ,the block that stands alone at the bottom of the hill,i am now happy enough with our block,and to be fare if the ammenties were completed i think it would be an ok developement ( although nothing like it was portrayed to be) i often look at the literature i was given when purchasing,have a good laugh/ cry and think thats one way to blow 200.000 euros ( what a mug i have been taken for) no i dont think you moan,you tell the truth,we all wish that we could post on here and say how fantastic our purchase has been and the that the developement is fine ( maybe one day we will) i am just so pleased that a new developer took this project on board otherwise i strongly beleive our investment would have been worthless ,and the state of the development let go into a state of disrepair,and so i am giving this new company another 6 to 9 months to sort things out,from my breif visits over to check my property they seem to be sorting some big issues out.You mention that the golf course looked half decent at one time,i agree, i used to come over walk around the developement and think its looking good,( yes why was the driving range not opened ) then one day i arrived and all of the grass on the golf course was dead,that did shock me,back to your point of phase 1. i am sure sure are right ,and it is like another developement ( stands alone) i have looked and i like,maybe it will increase quicker,i beleive property prices in Spain have dropted 40%, you live there,whats your feelings on this one.keep in touch, you make me laugh anyway.

samste

Dear Jenken,

                        Nice to hear from you,we seem to be making a few posts which is nice,i am on phase 3 if i didnt mention,block 1,the block that stands alone at the bottom of the hill ( near the bus stop ) i overlook the golf course ( when it gets done ) it did look a picture at one point , and then they killed all the grass off,when i come over i always walk th developemnt and so i have been down to phase 4 many times,the properties which overlook the course had lovely views ( until the grass was killed off ).Last time i was there i noticed workers clearing the land for the aparthotel,and i will not be surprise to see more apartments ,or the hotel being built,also i think more apartments will be built on the piece of land near the roundabout on phase 3/4 do you know were i mean, quiet a bit of excavating had been carried out ( they used to use this land for sales / builders portacabins.Sounds like you are getting your community sorted , i hope all goes well,let me know when you see the first people playing golf,i will come over.Have a nice summer.

samste

Hi Samste,

Our apartment is in Block 3 of Phase 4 ,at semi sotano level ,and overlooks the two lakes at the bottom of the golf course between the Phase 4 Blocks. Despite the problems with the golf couse ,which is now coming back to life again, the view remains great.

The area has become a natural haven for birds ,with many different species frequenting the lakes and wet land areas. In many ways we'll be sorry when the course eventually opens, as no doubt the variety of bird life will decrease.

You can be sure that as soon as I hear anything more about the golf course I will post the information!

Jenny

Samste.

There's a Penthouse (same design as mine) for sale on Phase 1 right at the top of the road.  It's been on the market long before the housing collapse.  It was on for around 500,000 euros a couple of years ago and is now on for 315,000, which is probably around what they paid for it off plan.  It seems like a destressed sale.

That's a 37% drop. It was overpriced back then though especially as it's probably one of the worst locations for a penthouse on that phase (overlooks the dustbins and entrance to the underground car park).  It's views are nothing spectacular and for most of the day it's out of the sun.  It's also exposed to the ferocious wind that comes down from the mountain.  One of our neighbours who's penthouse faces in the same direction has had his patio furniture literally blown off the roof!  He's had to erect loads of windbreaks around his apartment such is the ferocity at times.

I wouldn't have paid 500,000 euro's for it back then.  I would have paid that for mine though, which has probably one of the best aspects on the whole phase, having unsighted views of the lower pool, sea and mountains, whilst being sheltered from the mountain breeze and offering as much sun as you want and the nearest neighbouring block is about 50 yards away, downhill.  This doesn't mean it is immune from the forces affecting the market however.  No property is, but it only matters if you have to sell it, which fortunately we don't.  As I've said before, over time the punters will be back, chasing the Andalucian dream and the prices will rise again.  Just hope they don't see that as a sign to whack another ten thousand apartments up.

Dear Sir,

              Mindblowin......from what i read in various papers/net/etc i thought it was about 40% drop( ive just bought a new gun,mite try it out tonite..only joking ,youve got to laugh.keep in touch,when i come out we shall have to have a beer and have a right good moan.

samste

Hi Neighbour Samste

We have an apartment on Phase 3 Bloque 1 too and we come out 4 times a year and love it.  Of course it would have been nice to get everything we were promised but we have not let it spoil our holidays.  We love the area and have tickets for both sets of buses the one that runs through the complex and the one that you catch opposite the supermarket and we have been all over the place on the buses for very little money.  We stopped hiring a car about 18 months ago as we never feel the need for one now.  Hope to see you there one day.

Pam

Hi Pamela,

                   thats great ,good that someone from my block is on this site,we can keep each other informed on progress etc when we go out there,i am happy with the block i am in as there always seems to be plenty of people in our block every time i go out ,and so i feel my property is secure,which is a big plus.

Good luck

Samste