La Serena Golf Resort Murcia

Has anybody got any info on La Serena Golf Resort maybe you have bought or know someone that has, any thought please good or bad ???

Re Serena, it's slap bang next to the motorway which probably has put lots of people off the development. Cheap properties now. I'm looking at buying around Los Alcazares area and there are lots of golf resorts sadly most have issues such as lack of development, courses no longer maintained, no open restaurants on site etc. 

given time I think a lot will turn out good but how long will it take ?

of golf resorts sadly most have issues such as lack of development, courses no longer maintained, no open restaurants on site etc. Which golf resorts do mean

Roda Golf did not have the 5 star hotel built despite foundations dug out, lots of groundworks for new phases of apartments which have been put on hold, beach club sold off.

corvera I believe has had the golf course not maintained for some time.

la torre, restaurants and hotel all currently closed, it's been described as a ghost town which is a shame as the villas look lovely

la serena, lots of apartments not sold, lots of roads, streetlights, junctions all built with no buildings.

mar Menor Golf Resort I believe is probably the best in my opinion because there is a active community, hotel and course active albeit apparently up for sale, restaurants and bars on site as well as lots of restaurants literally outside the front gate. Now is a good time to buy if you want a holiday home, not as an investment. 

Ok thanks

La Serena is by the AP7 and driving past it there are no signs of life except for the Hotel. 

Whilst Roda may have some foundations dug out it is a functioning golf resort, the whole place is busy, well maintained, the Golf course active and has a good clubhouse. It is also close to Los Alcazares etc.

Corvera is a disaster worse than many other courses in the area.

Take time and consider renting before buying. There are bargains being advertised but with numerous problems to catch out even the most carefull purchasers.

Mike.  

This message was last edited by MikeandHelen on 01/06/2015.

Of the 14 golf complexes built in the boom years around the Murcia region only 3 are now actually financially viable. Many are left abandoned, some are struggling to survive. La Serena I would put in that category although the hotel attracts custom during the summer season. Banks now own almost all the complexes except the individual properties that did manage to get sold. All the former Polaris World courses languish in the so called bad bank and are for sale currently including the hotels. I'm told they will not be sold off piece meal. The banks are seeking a sole investor. Quite who would want to invest millions into such loss making enterprises is beyond me. 

The problems for anyone buying a sole property on these golf complexes are the high quarterly maintenance charges. They are autonomous communities and the owners carry the entire cost of running and maintaining them. Ask yourself do you really want the financial cost of paying for the re painting of your neighbour’s property? There is also the uncertainty that the course and facilities may be closed down and the life blood of the community consequently gets sucked out.

The original idea for these gated communities around a golf course came from America where they work because of differing demographics in play. In Spain in the distant future they may work but that happy day is a long way off. 

Hi look for a place on a urbanisation rather than a complex I have 3 bed 3 bathroom villa with swimming pool on the Camposol urbanisation cost only 350eurosper year council tax and that's it we have a 18 hole well maintained golf course with golf club 20 euros a round for none members much cheaper if you are a member a larg hotel two small shopping center's plenty of bar's and restaurant's people live on Camposol Summer and winter we also have our share of holiday makers all year round so unlike so called golf resorts it is not a ghost town in the winter the Camposol urbanisation has turned into one of the most successful urbanisation in spain as it is run and maintained by the local council so whatever you decided on make sure the site is completed because I am afraid what you see is what you get  good luck.

This message was last edited by windtalker on 01/06/2015.

please contact me off forum, there are issues with the Cetificates of Habitation fpr the propertues om Serema Golf

Some on the comments I agree with, Corvera yep disaster, cheap properties but no course and it needs a lot of work when somebody eventually buys it or the developer goes bang and the banks take over but at lease the clubhiouse re-openned today

Most of the Polaris Resorts remain viable and selling verty well with prices now starting to increase, from very low levels but prices on the Mar Menor now start at around €145k

Look at places like Hacienda Del Alamo, some good value espacially with the villas, decent apartments from around €90k

RODA is still viable, busy and nice properties but again prices starting to increase, starting at just over €100k

One to watch is Mosa Trajectum because strong rumours around the acquisition of the course just waiting for paperwork and some nice large apartments, from tye banks, starting at €32k bit like Corvera and United Golf this would definatley be a punt, a cheap purchase but still a punt

The comments about being on an urbanisation around a course are good advice, all the benefits wthout the high community fees but cant quite agree about Camposol, really sorry

I agree Urbanisations like Camposol are not for everyone l have had a place on Camposol for 9 years and unlike the so called golf resorts that have fallen flat on their face with no way forward ,Camposol has developed into a community because real people live there all year round unlike the so called badly manage golf resorts that people are buying on because they are cheep and think that they can  live permanently on soon discovered that the place they have bought is surrounded by holiday makers that are on a Joly and ,  so  with no real people living permanently on the site  when the 3 months summer holiday season is over it turns into a ghost town and to save money the management will shut down all the facilities to save money because it is not viable to keep them open l really don't understand why so many white elephants have been built throughout Spain .

This message was last edited by windtalker on 02/06/2015.

            rainnedayz---sent you a PM

Spanishsteve------You say (la torre, restaurants and hotel all currently closed, it's been described as a ghost town which is a shame as the villas look lovely) Not totally true, yes the Hotel is shut and has been for some time ( so what ) most people go to the resort for the apts & villas anyway and play golf which is open, also there are bars and restaurants are open, and more will open in the next few weeks---El Roble (Tapas Bar) - reopens Friday 26th June and Bamboo - reopens Friday 26th June.plus other bars are open now. And as for a ghost town ,most resorts are OUT OF SEASON, because these places are second homes not full time homes. Steve have you ever been to La Torre ???

Newworld, yes I have been to LA Torre looking at property a few years ago. I am currently looking at property to buy online and MMGR is probably top of the list, however when i come  over 3 weeks today I will again look at LaTorre.

my plan is to spend winters in Spain so ideally want a community and places to visit on foot which are open in winter. 

The comments I have made on La Torre are taken from other people's experiences and comments when staying on. LA Torre recently. I have been trying to get info on different resorts with my intention to buy.

i thought MMGR was sterile and too much like a Truman show until I stayed there for a holiday, I don't want to have to get in a car every time I want to eat out, buy milk etc.

so getting back to my comment I was factually correct about the hotel and some restaurants, and that it had been described as a ghost town. And I do believe the properties there are very nice. Not quite a hatchet job on La Torre was it, nor was it intended to be, I commented on other resorts too. I hope this clarifies my comments for you.

If your going to spend winters in Spain i would go for MMGR, as it has more people living full time than most resorts and a good owners social scene well MM1 has anyway, i was going to to buy a Albor apt few years the little white apts on MM2 paid deposit but pulled out for a villa on La Torre is was the same price, but the villa was much better deal at the time. To me all the resorts are like the Truman show, more so out of season. If i was buying again a choise of a villa on LTGR or MMGR my choise would be MMGR all day but you will pay more for the property on MMGR.

Newworld, I agree with your comments re winter. I love the villas on El Valle, it's a shame that they did not build these on MMGR. When we were shown around some of the Polaris resorts around 2007 we thought long and hard about an an apt for 250k euros, I'm glad we did not go for one as the price reductions have been fierce.

if only we had a crystal ball.

Your right about the villas on EVGR they are to die for i was going to buy 2008 it was 400k at the time looked like a bargain,the wife thought the place was a bit to far out, i loved the place ( still do ) so glad i did not buy then. The wife was on the plane out to Spain ( 2008 ) with a women who bought a villa on EVGR for over a million euros how mad is that,those where the days, i dont think i will ever see the likes again in my life time. Anyway if they ever go to 150k i will. be back.

I'm not sure why some think the community fees on the golf resorts are high? Mine are around £250 a quarter. This pays for cleaning of the comunal areas of the apartment block, maintenance of the lifts, the communal gardens, swimming pools, the buildings, roads, perimeter security fencing, CCTV and other infrastructure. It also pays for the water and electricity required to light the community and water the gardens. In addition, the fee covers buildings insurance, 24x7 security guards (who are excellent)  amongst other things. When I compare this to a £2,100 pa charge for my apartment in Manchester (which doesn't have a pool or 24x7 security) I think it is a bargain!

Whenever I come out to my apartment it is for rest and relaxation. I don't want to be gardening, painting or anything else. I want to be lying in the sun. I also like that my apartment and the property is being well protected when I am not here.

The original poster didn't say he wanted to live in Serena or stay over winter. The fact is, for anyone looking for a bolt hole in the sun with maybe a bit of golf thrown in, apartments on golf complexes are very appealing with low maintenance, security and best of all currently very low prices.

You are right MrG. Golf resorts do work on the one level and needs you describe. However they are not places for much else such as long term living. Would you not have all the advantages you want simply by staying in a decent hotel? Only paying whilst you are there, avoiding all taxes and overheads and trying a different resort each year. Or even renting someone elses apartment in your own resort. Horses for courses I suppose.

IMO there are many advantages to owning over hotels. Hotels tend to be a single room and bathroom, no cooking facilities, fridges, washing machine etc. Once you take into account the cost of the hotel room, eating out or all-inclusive etc it isn't cheap! You also have to get up in the morning to let them clean the room! I decided to buy after spending around £4,000 on an 4* all-inclusive 2 week holiday in Cyprus. The location was poor, the room was bad, the food was very bad and the alcohol was not great quality. There was a wedding just about every night and the restaurants were closed for the receptions. IMO, it is just too much of a gamble and not great value living in hotels.

Advantages over renting are that you can leave stuff in your own apartment and basically just jump on a plane with hand luggage whenever you want at short notice. My community fees for a quarter are about as much as I would pay for a week's rental in low season. A 9 day break in high season would cost me just about the entire year's community fee once you add in the cleaning and utility costs. I can come out as many times as I like over the year for long or short breaks and I can get 9 days holiday for 5 days annual leave making my holidays stretch further. To be honest, I don't care if the resort is a ghost town over winter, I'm not there! As long as there is security looking after my apartment, I'm happy.

As for a single resort v multiple resorts, with a single resort you can get to know the area over time. I stayed on La Torre when I was out looking and looked at other resorts and to be honest there isn't much to do in any of them!  For me, the apartment is just a place to sleep, eat and relax. If I want to eat out there are plenty of local restaurants. I can easily get to Cartagena, Murcia or La Zenia in 30 minutes if I want to see the city or go shopping. I can get to Cabo de Palos and Mazarron in 20 minutes if I want to snorkel or dive, the Mar Menor in 15 minutes if I want to swim in the sea and relax on the beach, El Valle y Carrascoy in 30 minutes if I want to go walking. There are a number of good golf courses nearby, Saurines is on my doorstep, La Torre and Mar Menor are very close with others a little further.

There is plenty more to see and do within an hour's drive and it will probably take me years to really get to know the area. When I get to retirement, I can sell up the apartment, hopefully not at too much of a loss and maybe even a little profit, and buy somewhere more suited to my needs. If I want to over-winter I can pick a place safe in the knowledge that I will by then really know the area and can pick somewhere that works for me.

The other bonus to having the apartment is that you can let family use it. With 8 brothers, sisters, brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws and many nephews and nieces it will probably turn out to be good value.

Different strokes for different folks as they say.