car wanted

We completed on our apartment on friday last week having snagged on thursday and collected NIE numbers last wednesday.Overall the experience was all positive.Polaris had the NIE process well organised and we had the whole trip and collection completed within two hours.The snagging items were minimal and Polaris were confident those items would be completed well within the thirty days.Polaris are also talking confidently about getting the utilities on stream within 30 days.We will await with keen anticipation.We were accompanied at the snagging and the signing by Parador Owners Club and feel that the cost involved was more than justified by their guidance and input.Thanks particularly to Gary and Kellie.We also had a very postive experience setting up bank accounts with CAM in Sucina.

The Resort itself looks excellent with a real feeling of space and good views across to the mountains.Polaris state that a call centre is being established at the resort next week and that should help communication.They also plan to have the shuttle bus connecting HR shortly.

BUT...work has not yet begun on the town centre and who knows when there will be much in the way of facilitiesThis may not be crucial for holidays but may well be a major problem for rental.We heard various stories of problems with planning,difficulty in getting a contractor to do the work given the historical nature of the building and changes to the layout.We raised the issue as part of the signing with the PW representative and were immediately contacted by PW customer services.They talked about builders being moved back onto the town centre now that the apartments were coming on stream but were vague as to when that would start .Given the lack of facilities  on El Vallee this is no great surprise.

Glad that your experience has been positive - we're due to complete on Phase 4 on 23 November.  Tell me - who will notify you when utilities are on?  Have you heard that you have to get the boiler commissioned once the gas is on?   And also - do you have shutters on the main patio doors and windows?  We understand they are only on the bedrooms - which isn't what we originally thought would be provided.

It's a very steep learning curve,  but it will be a great place to escape to!

Maggie

So, with all the BAD press on Hacienda Riquelme, who else is nervous, stressed, upset?
My HR Rep rang me today...and said the legal team will contact me re the completion of my apartment.

They wanted me to complete by 20th November but I said I couldn't do it.
I'm not ready to complete till January, but they are not happy. Nope, in fact I think they are pressurising me now.

I really have no idea where I stand on this...can I lose my deposit?
I don't even have my mortgage sorted out yet.

Who has completed and who is about to complete?
Is anybody else in the same boat.

With over 1800 apartments on HR, surely there must be more people with a view on this. Understandably, the majority do not read this forum.

AJ

Hi there Aj&Dee

We were supposed to complete during the October half term, but I said that we were already booked to fly out on 24th November and weren't prepared to complete during what would have been a more expensive time to fly.   They phoned me back within minutes to say that we could complete during the week we would be out in November.   We are going with the CAM mortgage (hopefully), but CAM's Head Office haven't  yet confirmed this so, should they not approve our mortgage, we will be in the same boat.   As we actually handed in most of the documentation the last time we were there, I am hoping that they get their act together pretty quickly.   If it is a case that they have lots of mortgages to handle then, if you are deciding to go with the CAM mortgage, you would need to contact them pretty quickly. 

I prefer to look at the positive side of the Watchdog programme and hope that the negative press makes Polaris World act to speed things up on Riquelme, otherwise it will be a bumpy ride covering the mortgage with what would be a much reduced rental potential.   Totally opposite to what we were led to believe as we purchased when they had started work on the Hacienda itself before any of the blocks were even started !!!   I can't wait to see what the maintenance fees are going to be, but would expect them to be greatly reduced as the only cleaning and repainting will probably be from the ongoing building work....for now at least.

LG

 

I would look at Mar Menor & La Torre for inspiration. El Valle is looking good even without facilities.

Also the whole backup, whilst having its problems, once everything is in place the Nicklaus Golf Trail should give PW a bigger draw than alot of the other sites.

PW are just wanting to get their money in ASAP, there are still people on La Torre (early phases) dragging out their completions, probably why PW are being a little heavy handed this time around on HR.

Re Watchdog there were only 3 people on there complaining.

Re mortgages, CAM have told us 2 weeks to sort the mortgage, so if you've already started the process it shouldn't take long. We've just got 28th December as our date on phase 5, despite being told only 2 weeks ago that they had no idea.

 

Try and get the bigger picture, PW have been poor in their communication for some time but have gradually improved alot of their processes. There are people in alot worse situations than this in Spain.

Mike

During a program like Watchdog they can only feature a limited number of people and they received many more complaints

My biggest concern remains of the doubt of the development of Hacienda Requelme and El Valle and the rental and resale potential for owners for the following reasons

There are 4 more developments due for completion around the same time as Hacienda, Sierra Golf, United La Tercia, La Peraleja and La Serena. All of these developments should have facilities open at the time, or shortly after completion including the courses and commercial centres, for example the coux¡rse at La Serena couse and clubhouse is opena and La Peraleja opens on November 24th

A percentage of RODA is now open so there is massive growing competition for rental customer and this has already resulted in rates being reduced to less than €200 per week as La Torre for apartments

Polaris I understand are now now offering reduced rates for owners or their clients where as the new courses will be offering special introductary prices and RODA certainly have special rates for owners

 With all of the courses so close to each other and all avaiable on a pay & play basis the decision  is then down to the facilities that the site offers and the close proximity of other facilitiesand I would score them as follows

La Torre, now well established with good facilities and low rental rates and OK course, acording to reviews but no special rates for renters

Ele Valle, good properties including villas and apartments and course, close enough to La Torre but no local facilities and higher rental pricing than La Torre

Hacienda Requelme, all apartments, remote location no local facilities, no facilities, no golf course

Mosa Trajectum  good mix of properties with reducing rental pricing since the recent release of new apartments, a couple of courses with special deals for renters, limited commercial facilities but the commercial centre and hotel are getting close to completion

RODA, good mix of properties, excellent course with upcoming PGA tournament, clubhouse about to open plus you can walk to outside bars and supermarket and short distance from beach. Rental proces seem higher than a La Torre

La Serena, course and clubhouse open but no properties being released till December 2007. Well reviewed course with lots of water and some special deals.  Location allows easy access to beach and local town of Los Alcazares

In conclusion I think that the rental market for owners on El Valle and Hacienda is going to be tough given the local choice now available and people need to apply real pressure on PW to get the facilities completed and even started on their resorts

There are another 16 golf resorts with approved planning underway in this area and I have ignored the established resorts with rental properties including Villamartin, Campoamor, La Finca, La Manga, Feuta Alamo all of which are now reducing pay and play rates and upgrading facilities as a result of the growing competition

 

We've stayed on the Mar Menor and La Torre,  and both were great experiences - excellent facilities and had a great time.   Yes you do have to look at the long term benefit,  and although we're looking to rent out our apartment,   we're not reliant on the rental income  to pay the mortgage.  We were all sold on the beautiful dream,  and most folk must have realised that there would be delays on the completions - but I agree it is very hard to rush through a mortgage at the last minute.   An 8 week lead time would have been ideal for most folk to put their affairs in order - and maybe this should be put to PW for future reference.  At the end of the day,  they want to receive payment for what they have built - which is understandable.  We've actually done a re-mortgage on our UK property within  3 weeks, which must be a record.

We'll be out there for a week from 21st November - and are hoping for a positive and relatively stress free completion, with few snagging problems, and  quick utility connection,  so that we, friends and family can start 'living the dream'. 

Postive and optimistic thoughts out there guys!

Maggie

In a nutshell Roy : Murcia in a years time will be a golfing Smorgasbord.

 

I would prefer a golfers paradise

Vast choice of courses at good rates with upgraded facilities able to compete with The Costa Del Sol

Only wish I had more time to play

 

Your right, Murcia a Golfers Paradise.

   We completed last week, flew out on Monday, done NIE Nos. and snagging and visited the Bank to finalise the Mortgage,on Tuesday. we went to the notary on Wednesday and all was complete in a few hours, Polaris seem to have all the second floor (in San Javier) and they are very efficient and helpful, there are also reps from the Bank - in our case CAM)- who check all the figures are correct before signing.

  In all we had a very good experience, we got the keys there and then and signed a form for Polaris to get the utilities connected.

 We also had some spare time to look at Furniture stores on Thursday, here again we found everyone very helpful and have got a few quotes. We visited our apartment on Friday before flying home on Friday evening and it looked like all the snagging was done but Polaris said it was still not complete in their system.

All in all a very good week and the resort looks great, we stayed in La Torre and we have have to remember we are at least a year behind them, time for grass areas to mature etc.

Hi John

You didn't mention whether you had a solicitor with you.   Did you use one?  Do you think you needed one.?    We will be completing shortly and have so far communicated directly with Polaris and CAM bank., although we have registered with a solicitor.

Regards

LindaG

 

Hi, No we did not use a Solicitor in the end, I wondered long and hard and I must admit I was a bit worried, but others who used one said it was expensive and all they did was translate. A girl from Polaris did the translation before the notary came in and the people from Cam bank double checked all the figures.

 The Bank people represent you from a financial point of view and the Notary himself goes through all the details with the bank people and polaris when he comes in, before you sign. I think for Polaris it is a production line and they dont want any problems.

 I cant advise anyone, but we didnt have one and all went ok. we felt they were expensive at a time when we had a lot of other payments to dish out, the fact that it was a huge operation like Polaris, I guess, gave us confidence. If it had been a private builder we would of course have used one, but with the bank representing us and the Notary as an Independant we felt it was a luxury.

What advice can you offer about the snagging? I'm completing in three weeks and will be going out on my own. I'm not a builder so is iot worth getting some local help mor does it look like most snags are relatively minor?

Hi, the snags we found were very minor, I am an electrician and do a bit of DIY, but  to be honest the small problems we noticed were mostly solved with a touch up of paint. The girl from Polaris actually noticed more than us because she was doing the snagging list in each apartment and she knew what to look for; doors catching in frames etc.

She did say;- although we didnt have time to confirm this, that there was a warrenty of one year for fittings etc and a longer structural warranty on the building. Perhaps someone could check up on this with polaris when out there, this would mean that the snagging inspection was not so critical. I personally think to employ someone else is unnecessary, I heard there were a lot of problems at La Torre but they have learnt from that, you will find that there are a lot of people offering their services, but at a cost. I wonder if anyone else who has completed feels the same way. I did hear of one case where there was suspected damp but that would be obvious by paint discolouration and if there is a warrenty it would probably be covered.

We have just returned from completion trip - completed Friday 23rd.  The snagging was very very minor,  and when we returned to the property the next day after we had completed - the snagging had all been put right,  kitchen window not locking properly, one kitchen cupboard door not aligned, toilet seat lid scratched (workman standing on it), plug chain to bidet not attached.  The air conditioning units to the bedroom that we had ordered were not installed, but we were told that would be done after completion,  they have to install the unit on the terrace, and put up the indoor units - and the workmen were at the apartement 3 days later undertaking that work.

Our trip was calm and very pleasant,  we did our furniture purchase, have found key holders who will be living on site,  and all in all had a great time.

By the way (my husband is a keen golfer) - the golf course is well on the way to completion,  the grass is well established in most areas - and make sure you practice your bunker shots because you will need them!

Good luck to all who are coming up from completion - it's really not as daunting as you might think!

Maggie

Maggie it's good to hear some encouraging news given the mix of doom 'n' gloommand some optimism on these sites. I am due out in two weeks to complete and will be looking for a key holder. Do you have any recommendations you can share?

George

I have just returned from a trip to inspect and complete. Some of the defects were so significant that I refused to complete and was advised by my Spanish solicitor NOT to sign the snagging list. Some examples:

1)  Air conditioner unit immediately outside door onto terrace some dostance away from wall, messy pipes and ugly fitting into wall. Drawing of apartment shows no unit on main terrace.

2) Terrace floor tiling - even I could have made a better job - uneven surface level & jointing finish, mortar all over the tiles; in my view needs whole of tiling taking out & relaying.

3) Handles to uPVC doors windows - 'plastic' likely to break after a little use; no shutters on living room & kitchen windows.

4) Kitchen fittings - what fittings?! - only one storage unit below worksurface & no drawers. Also what units & worktop that have been provided is probably the cheapest they could find. I see La Torre show apartment has more and better quality units.

This also does not take account of lack of commercial centre - which still apparently does not have planning permission  because the Hacienda is a protected building.

I.e. What completion!! I am involved in construction in UK and middle east, and I would be embarassed to claim  completion for a facility in this condition.

PW Customer Service is a joke, so I am employing a spanish archtect and solicitor to produce a report & advise appropriate action. Anybody else in a similar position that wants to join in?