Andalucian dream homes? have you used them?

I am also in the real estate business and based in Marbella. 4 years ago I saw what was coming down the line - having been very involved with the Uk estate agency business in the late 80's and early 90's! I set up an auction house and we try to accurately value properties to ensure they sell - we have been rather succesful. Many agents are now dealing in distressed sales but even well located properties beachside are hard to shift. Buyers are unsure what prices are or should be and are offering very low to see what they can get. Rentals are suffering as well with many people unable to pay their rent alongside a huge oversupply of stock.

I am very interested to know how exactly these increases are calculated as in most cases resales involve cash money and underdeclaration on the title deeds - therefore how can anyone know the true increase figure? It is all speculation.

Dont rely on any increase after all, the property is ONLY worth what someone else is prepared to pay for it, no more.

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With rgds to ADH, they are one of the best real estate agencies in the CDS and there´s not many (TRUST ME).

did you hear that Chris MacCarthy (Viva MD) has resigned. Does anyone know if this is true, or just another "Port of Abuse" Puerto Banus rumour?  wasn´t his brain wave to atually reduce his company comissions to 2%, I guess that did not pay off!!!

lol

 

 

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Info on viva resignation...................

 

http://millsbomb.blogspot.com/search/label/Spanish%20Property

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Thanks for all your opinions and sound advice, at least I know I have bought from probably the best agents on the CDS.

 

Cheers

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I read this post on manilvalife.com from someone who genuinely sounds like they have been to the site recently. Perhaps it will ease some worries - it did for me.

We bought in April 06 Ground Floor A Type 12B Portal 10 (Corner Unit) due for completion Oct 06.

We booked flights Dec 2th to 6th hoping that it would be ready ! No such luck so we stayed at Duquesa Suites.

I'll tell you, Duquesa Suites is not a patch on Arenal Duquesa.

Needless to say I was up every day checking on the progress (as if that made them work any faster) but from what I saw and heard the apartments are ready but the site still needs to be cleared and tidied, and final planting and grassing to be finished. Arenal say Jan 2007 and that looks do-able.

Some very nich touches I wasn't aware of - satelite connections in all rooms, the walk paving and wall materials look very very nice, and little wooden handrails in some of the walkways. It all adds to that feeling of something special, different to the run of the mill complexes that are springing up all around.

Underground garage seems the business, each space looks generous, and the automatic door is open meshed so letting light in.

The apartment seems bigger than what I first remembered. I know the show flat they had beside the sales office was useless - too small and over furnished. I suspect feedback from that made them change a few things.

Pools look substantial and excellent, street architecture (lights etc) all look very nice.

Phases 5 and 6 are going to be Aparthotels but at least that will be over the other side of the road and I don't think it will affect us in the complex.

I'm sure I will think of other things so I will post later.

By the way, early mornings and evenings a bit chilly, but the days were in the 19 to 23 degrees with full on sun.

Rock on

Will & Marianne



I hope this gives us all a little hope in these damp and dreary days in the uk

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We are also buying a property through ADH - Vinas del Golf nr Casaeres.  We are using the lawyers they recommended who seem very efficient.  So far all in going well and we certainly have no complaints - the development looks fantastic but we are still waiting for a completion date to be confirmed.

I think we were very lucky we visited their office in Puerto Banus.


Janet and David

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Yes .... they are rubbish and not to be trusted. We bought apartment and were told it would be SW facing .... left everything to them and 'trusted' them .... ho hum - I now find out NW facing ....
But who is to blame me:  never trust estate agents - do all the homework yourself . They live up to their shark reputation.  You the buyer are responsible for checking everything - try not to deal with estate agents - a good lawyer and buy director from seller.
Take the time to look around and spot the for-sale notices in the area you want. 
If you see an apartment for sale in an estate agent - approach the seller direct.
You are resonsible -
As it happens I can live with what I have and as they say every negative has a positive!

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As far as I am concerned ADH are sharks.......I went to the Manchester Gmex show after downsizing......(I am a woman on my own) Len Baje convinced me to go over to CDS and view apartments to flip....sell before completion...this was the sales patter.


I was picked up at the airport by Nigel Burnside who said Len was detained with some Irish guys (he had left the company for Majestic).

I was shown round two sites, on each 1 I was told that there was only 1 left (turned out to be lies!!!) I was shown a third site 'for future purchases' and, stupidly, I bought 2 apartments....both are causing me serious problems now. I could loose everything!

To cap it all I was taken back to my hotel, and handed a 20 euro note for a taxi to the airport as Nigel had family commitments so could not take me himself!!!
 
I am thinking about contacting the Sunday Times to publicise the problems and stop these companies coming to exibitions in the UK!!!!

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To gill_malouf. Sorry to hear about the problems. Is David Barnes still with ADH? A fast talking Londoner who's only interested in his commission, and worse still, they had a very suspect Partner, Peter Vorrencamp who's also a part time Promoter (not developer). They operate like Ocean Estates and a few others, all of which should be avoided like the Plague for misselling property.

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Hello Scambuster I think I know where David Barnes is. If you want to know pm me.

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ADH i find are NO GOOD WHATSOEVER,we paid our deposit on arenal golf 2 years ago we were told after paying our deposit ADH would be in regular contact regarding furniture packages and also help on renting  your accomodation , we have not heard one bit from ADH , ALSO AFTER PAYING OUR DEPOSIT THE AGENT WE WERE WITH WHO WAS CALLED GIOEL DID NOT EVEN TURN UP TO TAKE US TO THE AIPORT WE HAD TO MAKE OUR OWN WAY

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This message was last edited by JeansSis on 5/17/2007.

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At the risk of having my head bitten off I have to say to all the unhappy customers of ADH I am a happy one.

We purchased through ADH over 2 yrs ago and could find no fault with them. Were we lucky? I doubt it. I tend not to rely on luck for spending large amounts of money.

I have no doubt that there are 'dodgy' characters at any estate agents but equally there are good ones. Unfortunately, the tendency is that only people with bad experiences are charged up enough to post their opinion.

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I think you ill find the main difficulty with larger agents is the individual staff. They are on commission only in the main which means they are keen for their money.

However this doesnt mean all the staff are like that, or pushy - the only thing is that they will have targets to meet otherwise they are out on their ear.

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I think you will find they were all in timeshare. Chris McCarthy headhunted his original team from the timeshare resorts - he himself worked as marketing director for many years at 4 seasons!

His marketing guy at Viva was David honeyman - now one of the cheifs of ADH and he set it up!! Need I say more

And yes they should all be shot but not nicely!

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I always do - lived here for too long now but still get fooled by the odd conman!

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laverdad, I would be amazed if anyone could actually take you seriously, especially as you continously criticise evey agent on the coast.  You have spent most of the weekend spamming this forum with drivel about some book and have shown no sign of respect to me or the other users of this forum.  You have gone totally against the terms of use of this forum and I have had to delete many of your threads. 

I think you are in NO position to comment on the activities of any company when your own conduct on this forum has been nothing short of a disgrace.  How can anyone take you seriously?

Justin

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Well said Justin - maybe he is one of ADHs owners........

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This message was last edited by JeansSis on 5/17/2007.

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lewjan62, it's great to hear that you had a decent experience buying in Spain.  I think san miguel in another thread was right, we should start a "I had a good experience buying in Spain" thread...we just get so many bad comments these days and there are really many genuinely happy buyers out there.

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