Costa Blanca Driving Warning

Hi everyone,

Although those of us who have bought apts on phase 1 are getting ready for completion, this development is not likely to be fully completed for another six months or so after that.  I am therefore presuming that Gardens of Manilva won't feature in the OVP travel bruchure until 2009.  (I do realise that assuming is dangerous so if anyone has any information to the contrary, please share :D)

So I wondered what the general thoughts are on this? 

I for one can't afford to pay a mortgage for a year until I might get some rental, so we have to make the investment start paying straight away.  So it follows on then that if I have to rent it out myself anyway for at least a year - why would I buy the OVP furniture package, pay their commissions/management charges etc etc etc.

I can get a nice furniture package for 9,000 Euro, have been recommended an excellent air con company and have a great contact in property management .  I am also going to use www.gardensofmanilva.com to offer rental.  So this is the route I'm taking as I feel I will have more control. 

I'd be really interested to hear what others are going to do.

Helen

Hi Helen, if you have been on the Gardens of Manilva website you should  find a letter on there (in the owners area) from OVTravel saying that Gardens of Manilva has not been given to them for inclusion in this summers brochure, so they will not be letting them out.   It says they are expecting to have them into their programme for 2009 and will probably start letting them in May 09. I am not sure that the whole site will be finished enough to let out on our own this year.   If they are still building especially the health club, swimming pool and outdoor facilities as well as some of the villas then I cant see that anyone would want to stay there, it may even be hazardous just  getting into the apartments.    Just a thought, I havent been down there so am only speaking from common sense.     I agree it is worrying having to take on  the whole mortgage for a year without any income, it has been bad enough just paying for the deposit for three years!    Someone on the other forums has talked about a long let, presume this means letting to someone who lives there and is happy to have it cheaper and doesnt want the facilities, sounds ok but there are an awful lot of apartments to let now in this area. 

I like the sound of your furniture pack at 9,000.00  Will it be "good enough" for oceanview travel , I would be very grateful if you gave me more details, either on this thread or a PM.     I am also going to use gardensofmanilva for getting rentals but again

 iam not sure they will let them out until the site is finished.   That will be part of the marketing blurb wont it ?????  you know ...... superb facilities etc.

Hi Ang,

You're right - I won't get a clearer idea until I go and have a look (flying out 12th March) but I think that the apartments in phase one are up at the top of the hill.  I know this means people have to potentially drive past a building site but the link villas that line the road will be next to complete (should be about 4 weeks after us) so it might not look too bad.  I am expecting phase 1 to be complete in terms of the entrance road and grounds - including the plunge pools between the apartment blocks.  I spoke to my solicitor today and he says complete means complete.

I am thinking about a long term let and will investigate a bit more when I go out and meet a few management companies.  Alternatively I'm thinking about letting to friends, family, business associates for a reduced rate on the understanding that all the facilities will not be in place.

I have a contact who runs a Real Estate company in CDS (wish I'd known him 4 years ago!) and he has put me in touch with some really good people.  It was him who told me about the furniture pack - he knows someone who works for Villapac but he also mentioned furniture express.  Again, I'm going to have a look at the quality of these when I go over (I'll take some photos to post if anyone is interested).

Interestingly he also told me that the property prices in the Manilva area haven't been as affected as further along the coast so he thinks our valuations shouldn't be that different from the purchase price.  Its raised my hopes in terms of not having to find a shortfall.  He also said that we'd be likely to find an 80% mortgage instead of the developers 70% so again this may help pay for some of the legal costs, furniture, mortgage payments(!) etc.  I'm talking to Bank of Santander in Estepona and also an independent mortgage broker on CDS for this.

Helen

Try Halifax in Sotogrande for your mortage, there is an english speaking lady there called Bernadette. They have some very good deals and if you have a halifax account in england there is no charge for transferring money to spain

Karen

Hi Helen was just searching for rentals and found these entries on another forum... I think I'll be going it alone (if I ever get a property)

We managed several properties on behalf of owners here and here are the issues.

OVP rented the properties without telling the owners. Keeping 100% of the money.

On one occassion the idiots charged for a clean and a car hire, when questioned they said it was for the rental. The statement showed the clean charges etc, but no rental!!!

They charge to oil locks on doors, that they do not do.

they charge to hold the keys each month, an extortionate ammount.

When keys are requested, they claim not to have autorisation even when I have a printed email showing the owner had sent it to that person at OVP and copied me in.

They charge 180 euros a night for a poor property and then claim that market conditions are stopping rental programs working! They still charge teh key holding during this period.

They still charge to oil locks in this period, yet when trying to access many locks are siezed or rusted.

Enough facts for one posting.

ther to pieboys mail regarding,OVP rentals.I to have a property in Duquesa which I visit regulary and on two occasions have noticed (as i always log the electricity useage ) that it had increased significantly, and on one occasion by over 150 units!! And we had only left three weeks earlier.
On challenging them, they said a light must have been left on! I said if that was the case I must be paying for all the lights in the complex! And I always switch the electricity supply off prior to leaving!
The second time it happened we were not so believing,to be then informed after several conversations that we had had two days rental.The increase in useage reflected that whoever was staying at the property must have had every electrical appliance on for 24hrs/day.
Or more likely they had been for much longer."BUT HOW DO WE PROVE IT "

Funnily enough, I found that very same post this weekend!  I had already decided on not using OVP travel - this confirms I really need to find a recommended management company because I'm sure this happens with lots of companies.

Helen