We're over in March, looking at buying

So is it a ghost town, a good, growing community or a place to avoid?

Having read a number of the posts and responses it's a bit difficult to get a true picture. For sure it's clear that anyone that bought early on is suffering and it would appear that the sooner the remaining units are sold and the place full, all will benefit. Having a well run and well used golf course is always going to help. Obvioulsy if we buy it will be at the lower end of the market and as a golfer I am motivated by a good, well run course on site.

Yeah, it is a bit of a ghost town, but the golf course is great, and you have the benefit of the other 5 courses as well, all of which are different but all good. Feels quiet but secure. I'm sure things can only get busier as time moves on. Would be nice to have a place for lunch after a round of golf, but being an anti-social sort, it all works just great for me!

Adrian

Hi alanh,

I was over first week of December looking at properties. We rented an appartment in La Torre Golf Resort and viewed properties in Las Terrazas de la Torre with a view to buying. Here are my views:

Both resorts were very quiet but there were people about in both. Both resorts had a supermarket but the one in La Torre had much more variety of stock. La Torre had one Irish pub and one Italian restaurant open, the restaurant and pub in Las Terrazas had just closed it's doors but the word is it will open up under new management in the new year.

In short, both resorts weren't ghost towns, but were very quiet as you might expect in the first week in December. I was told they only really get busy in July/August. I spoke to a few people who were residents but it appears most apartments are holiday homes with a view to more use in retirement and this is exactly what I am looking for too.

As for the golf courses, there were plenty of golfers on both courses but it wasn't packed i.e. there was never any indication of anyone waiting for players ahead. The courses looked a good challenge, Saurines in particular. They looked well looked after with the ground staff regularly out and about mowing and raking.

I liked it enough to put a deposit on an apartment in Phase 1 and my lawyers in Los Alcazares are progressing the purchase on my behalf.

My thinking is it is a lovely part of the country, great weather all year round, great golf courses all around, reasonable choice of local restaurants within 5-10 minutes, the beach and tourist area within 15 minutes and Murcia and Cartagena within 30 minutes. La Xenia for more up market shopping should that be your thing is maybe 20 minutes away. Food and drink really cheap. Well served by budget airlines from most major UK cities to both Alicante and St Javier airports.

I think the properties at current prices are a steal and see a good future for the area in general and also Las Terrazas in particular. Even if I am wrong on that one, the downside is minimal in my opinion. You will be able to pick up a very nice apartment at a bargain price. You will get much better value at Las Terrazas in terms of bricks for bucks but this is due to only half of the resort actually being completed at this point in time.

Well worth a trip out to see the properties, the resort and the area in general. Even if you end up not buying you will have a good break.

I can't wait to complete my purchase and get out there again.

Duncan

You will find all these golf resorts are  ghost towns out off season, even the towns on the coast are dead out of seasons, the reason at the end of the day these properties are mainly  2nd homes, I have owned 2 properties on la torre and the resorts will never be bussy all year round,just the summer weeks.ive been onto most of the golf resorts over the years, a few have now lost the golf courses, a few have lost bars and shops.some resorts are better that others, the likes of  Las Terrazas being up with the bussy ones will not happen,the reason people will not live full time on this resort is because the apts are not big enough, ok for holidays but with no proper storage etc. For full timers, on la torre you will find many more people live full time & plenty of people are renting on that resort will, but mainly in the villas & townhouses, of which Las Terrazas does not have this type of property. Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort is all apts and the resort is finished but a again its a dead zone most of the year. But at the price you will be paying its worth the money. Do not rely on renting it out. Good Luck

Much appreciated local knowledge. We are looking at La Torre on the same trip but would rather have a new unit as the pre-owned seem highly priced in comparison.

Cheers Alan

Hi Alan,  we did a tour around many of the resorts in August and finally went for a new one (block 271) on Terrazas. As you say the cost difference between used and new is not much,  particularly when you factor in building and appliance guarantees. We are still awaiting (delayed) completion of the block but hopefully will be in there soon,  see block 271 thread for info. 

We liked terrazas because it is quiet, but with potential to improve. The lack of facilities is reflected in the price. If you take the plunge I can recommend LS Solicitors based on La Torre, ask for Amaya, and TorFX for currency transfer. 

Happy hunting. 

Jim

Yes if i was buying again i would go for a new property one thing i dont think you will have on  Las Terrazas de la Torre is gas central heating ( i think ) on La Torre ( you need pleaty of warmth in the winter) they have it, But having new is nice.On La Torre you can get 2 bed apts around 70k and must come fully furnished.

I would advise getting air con that heats as well as cools in all rooms. I believe it is about twice as efficient as a plug-in electric heater would be.

Adrian

Thanks Jim

Appreciate the feedback. Terrazas is top of the list at the moment. We were considering a full re-locate and propbably would of gone for La Torre as it's on the door step of the international school. However that's shelved so as a holiday home Terrazas seems to offer good value and potential, even allowing for Aircon/Heating and furnishings etc.

Thanks for the local legal contact and currency transfer info.

I saw the thread and pics. Good luck with the completion and maybe we'll be seeing you around next year :-)

We brought our little place on Terrazas - phase 12 last winter and have really enjoyed our visits in Aprl, May, August and October.  Although never busy there were people around each time we went.  

We brought on Terrazas because of the quietness and the security and the excellent outlook of the apartment (we can even see the Mar Menor from our terrace) on La Torre we would be paying 30k€ more for a view of other apartments.  The other resort we did like was Condado D''allhama - that has lots of people living there permanently with a range of resturarants and even a Saturday market.  You can get property there almost as cheaply as Terrazas.  The downside is its further from the airports until and unless corviera is opened - at which time I guess the value of properties there will rocket.  It's worth a look, but we still give our overall vote to Terrazas.  Just hope we get a bar back soon as it's nice to meet up with the community and exchange tips on places to go.

Enjoy your trip out

Tina and Gary 

Really appreciate the feedback.

Having owned a couple of bars, restaurant and boutique hotel in the past I know it is a tough game to be in, where ever the location. That said I'm sure a good bar/eatery, in the right hands, would do well at Terrazas and hope that, if we buy, it is part of the community.

Cheers Alan

Does anyone know what 12 months club membership is?

It's something in the region of €1800, plus you then have to pay €8 each time, except in the off season. They do 3 month and 6 month memberships too.