Another Recommendation

I like to give good news when it happens so here goes.

I recently bought a townhouse on La Torre which had never been lived in so needed to fit it out from scratch. I did a lot of research both on the internet and in person when I came out for 5 days at the end of May.

I eventually bought most of the major items from SFS - Spanish Furniture Supplies - in Pilar de la Horadada, just a short drive away and have found them to be excellent.

I believe that their quality is better than rivals I visited and the after sales has been excellent with no problem arranging visits to sort out minor matters, putting up pictures etc.

One of the best things is that Matt & Nicky, Mr & Mrs SFS, are really nice people to deal with and good fun with it. Also the communication was & continues to be excellent, with speedy replies to my endless emails.

A little tale before I finish. We liked a dining table that Matt has in the showroom but it is much too large for our townhouse. No problem and soon a prototype table was made with a marble base & glass top.

We absolutely loved it but given that we plan to rent the property we had slight concerns with the stability as, in a standing position if you leant on the corner the top would lift a little.

No problem - the table was collected, we discussed solutions, Matt offered to take it back and refund us (last thing we wanted) and soon we ended up with a fully functioning thing of beauty!

Go on, admit it - its gorgeous!!!









A final & pretty telling thing is that there were items which I thought I would buy elsewhere, going a bit down market and saving a few quid. Guess what, I couldn't find anything I liked cheaper and have gone back 2 or 3 times to buy them from SFS.

Anyway, to make a long story a little shorter, I can heartily recommend Matt & Nicky as good people to deal with, excellent follow through with aftersales and with a fanastic range of furniture. I don't think you can do better and at the very least take a look at their website and if at all possible visit the shop in Pilar.

Success - made it past security!!!

I am delighted to report that with some able assistants & a little subterfuge I have a last had the absolute joy of setting foot on Terrazas.

It was a scorching hot day and of course we chose midday as a good time to sneak past a sleepy security guard who was getting ready for siesta.

Security breached, it was time to see Terrazas from a penthouse so it was up to El Don & Tracey's pad in block 13. Picking the lock was easy despite the 24 bolts on the door and up with the shutters for a nice view all the way down to the Mar Menor and La Manga.


Nice pad guys & I particularly liked the awning - bit of class there Howard, did Matt sort it out for you? After a fruitless search for El Don's piles of cash we headed back from whence we had come. I stopped for a look out the rear of the block and was surprised to see that not only can you see the neighbours from La Torre but El Valle was also shimmering in the heat further back towards the mountains.

Expand the pic & you will see La Torre closer with El Valle back towards the hills.

We went for a stroll heading past the swimming pool and down the cart path towards Phase 2.

A couple of surprises, firstly the golf course looks like it is going to be a joy to play but the surprise was what good condition some of the fairways were in. Not too many but Rome wasn't built in a day - a bit like Terrazas I suppose.







Heading down the path the second surprise was the progress that had been made in the few weeks since I was here last. There was considerable additional brickwork since I was there in early July & since the pics that Mark sent me which were posted at the end of July.

View of soon to be drinking den from the soon to be Town Centre!

A view over the Town Centre to Phase 2

It is no exaggeration to say that 2 blocks have been completed externally. These guys are serious. I can also tell you that the traditional August closedown has not happened here this year.

One of several convoys

There were guys building and convoys of trucks bringing materials 2 or 3 times whilst Mrs Bangor and I were strolling around.

Mrs B on to her broker or maybe her bookie.

Back to the golf course again. I noticed that the areas were the golf course is most advanced are in the "visible" areas near Phase 1 & the in progress Phase 2. It obviously makes sense to have it this way to have an attractive outlook for those already in residence but also from the sales point of view for anyone visiting the site.

My only thought was how easy will they find it to cobble together an accessible 9 holes when they eventually open part of the course. No doubt they have a plan but from what I could see they have a lot to do to get to that stage.

There appeared to be many more grassless fairways than grassed but again I couldn't help but be impressed with what I saw on the advanced holes both in terms of condition and the landscaping and layout.



I am here for another 12 days so will try to get another scoot around the outside and hopefully see even more progress.

Keep your chins up folks - it is certainly taking shape & looking good, albeit with a long way to go.

More soon and if anyone has anything to add in either comments or photos please leave a comment and I will contact you.

New Terrazas Photos - Thanks Mark

I am very grateful to Mark Tyers for sending me 5 photos of Terrazas showing really impressive progress on Phase 2 - brickwork up on the 3rd level and also some much better shots of the golf course than I have seen previously.

I am off to La Torre tomorrow for 3 weeks and have finally organised to get onto the resort. Look out for another update & hopefully some decent photos in the next few weeks.

Thanks again Mark.

Hey... that is one decent looking fairway.

Not 100% sure of where the hole goes
but it looks well designed and in great condition

I think this is the closest of the blocks to Phase 1 currently being built.
Looks well progressed since early July when I was there.

Wider shoot of Phase 2

The view from Phase 1.

Another View of Terrazas

Many thanks to Tim a.k.a. "The 3 Longos" for permission to use this photo. It shows a fair amount of greenery on the golf course from the direction of Phase 1.

It is also possible to pick out the 9 blocks under construction on Phase 2. If you study the photo carefully you and have a look at the plan of the resort you may pick out the spaces where pool areas are to be and it is good to know that it is being constructed as per the plan.

Much more fairway is on view here , and looking in reasonable shape, than I could determine from any point around the perimeter so the latest estimates for some golf (Beginning to Mid 2010) may work out. I am still convinced that there is a long way to go however as Tim says they appear to be getting the finger out and making progress.

For more recent pics there are some excellent shots on http://www.fotothis.com/construction/gallery/terrazas/terrazastim/index.html

You must be a member to view galleries on Fotothis but joining is very simple with no downsides.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been looking at pictures of the Hacienda and there has been some change over the last month or so.


The roofs have gone as have several walls and some new block work appears to have been built as well.



As mentioned elsewhere there are rumours that the original plan for the clubhouse has been changed with the new location "closer to the clubhouse" - could this be it? With its location close to the lake it might well be an excellent place for it.

Going to La Torre on 1st August for 3 weeks so I will get an update then and with any luck I will finally gain access to the place!

TERRAZAS - JULY UPDATE ON PHASE 2 & RESORT IN GENERAL

I returned from Murcia last weekend having just completed my purchase of a townhouse at La Torre. It was a very busy week but I found time to take a drive around Terrazas to check on progress on Phase 2.

When I was last there in early June I counted 7 blocks under construction and am pleased to say there are now nine.














































These photos are taken from the far side of the resort. Driving down that road there is a fence being erected outside of the resort that will cut off the road at the far end of the resort from phase 1.

I had thought that this might be the last time I got the chance to drive around but fear not - I did a little further exploring and have found a few different routes so there is every chance that when I head over again on 1st August that I can get close to Phase 2 again.

I made it around to the other side and was slightly surprised to see that most of the 9 blocks had substantial brickwork started mostly to the ground floor but on one there was quite an amount to the first floor also.

























































































A final piece of construction news is that work has started on the crumbling building that was the "Old Manor House." Quite where it fits in the plans now is anybodies guess but I did see on another forum that there is a plan to move the clubhouse to a location closer to the Town Centre. Could this be it? Time will tell.


















If you enlarge the pic above you will see a guy working away on it. Below is a closer shot from the Godfather:

























As always Mi Amigo - El Don the Godfather has contributed his photos and as a Phase 1 owner he has access to the interior of Terrazas and here are a selection of his photographs.








































































These are taken from the smaller of the two Islands where El Don is due to take up residence.

He has also sent various pics showing progress or otherwise around the golf course. There are undoubtedly some substantial stretches of grass however it appears that PW are now telling people a range of possible dates from 9 holes open by Christmas to the entire course by mid 2010 and various other options - take your pick but as I have said before - don't book your clubs on a plane anytime soon with a view to playing Terrazas. Sorry - can't all be good news.























































































I hope to have permission to reproduce another picture soon which shows a much more attractive view.

SADLY, I AM JOINING THE NEIGHBOURS

I had been looking forward to my lovely corner apartment on Las Islas since signing in October 2007 but it seems it is not to be. I am deserting Las Terrazas for the fully built neighbour down the road.

I have bought a townhouse on La Torre, partly because I have always liked the "look" of the La Torre property and partly because I got a great deal on a townhouse with a great lake view.

With the recent improvement in the exchange rate and the drop in property prices it has been a good time to buy.

I have been concerned for some time at how long it might be before Las Islas are built and as we say in Northern Ireland " I'm a boy, well up in years" (translation: getting older) so I thought it was time to get out there to our own place.

All this does not mean that I am giving up on Terrazas or this blog, after all the "enemy" still have €70000 of my cash!!

I am booked for 4th July and will get another look at Terrazas when I am there. I expect to be pretty busy getting the house sorted out but if I have time I think I will pose as a potential buyer to get access to my investment!

CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE

Today has been a big day for me. I have had confirmation of a mortgage approval to purchase a townhouse on La Torre.

The purpose of this post is to thank my mortgage advisor, Sharon Wyndham, and also to recommend her service to anyone reading this who needs a mortgage.

A couple of months ago I placed a "topic" on "Eye On Spain" & "PolarisWorldForum" seeking a mortgage advisor for this purchase and was amazed to find that there didn't appear to be anyone locally.

Fortunately, a couple of forum members recommended Sharon to me & I had seen some of her postings on the forums - usually very much to the point (some of us could learn a lot!)

I had expected to deal with someone that I would meet when over in Murcia, not really someone miles away in Malaga. Distance has been no problem at all.

I have to say that from the outset I have had nothing but confidence in Sharon and can say that I have never enjoyed better communication in any business connection. Sitting in Northern Ireland, without such excellent communication arranging a mortgage would have been hugely more stressful. I am delighted by the service I have received and the product that was recommended.

For those of you who are unaware of how the hosts of this blog (Blogger/Google) operate I can tell you that they offer you the chance to place adverts on your blog to earn money. I have never had any interest in this as I write this blog as much for a record of events for my own benefit as much as a source of information for others.

I want to make it clear therefore that this is a personal recommendation and NOT an advert. I am paying Sharon a small fee for her service/expertise, not the other way around!

FINALLY ITS AS SIMPLE AS THIS: IF YOU WISH TO APPLY FOR A MORTGAGE I CAN STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT SHARON USING THE DETAILS BELOW.

Sharon Wyndham

sharon@tmasspain.com

www.themortgageservicegroup.com

The Mortgage Service Group

Avenida De La Constitucion, 3

Edificio ABC

Bajo 29120

Alhaurin El Grande

Malaga

Tel: 0034 951 315 414

Fax : 0044 (0)870 446 0185

Mobile: 0034 628 688 445

Skype: mortgagesg1