Golf Club Ibar Property Owners Forum! -bulgaria!

[nick clarke]

Hi I am new to this forum and we are buying 2 bed aprtment block 1 stage 1 ground floor. We are going out Saturday for a week to finalise completion. I have had some niggles re finishings such as fact they have not put in a door between the main living area and one of the bedrooms just an opening. They have said there is design fault which they are looking to rectify and I do not think the kitchen will be fitted. Sure it will all get sorted out.

I will post some photos when I get back

Does anyone have a good lawyer in Sofia as I have been trying to arrange meeting with mine for next week but have had contact problems. They were great in the initial contract negotiation stage but their lack of recent response is worrying and I want a contingency.

As we go Saturday if anyone has any ideas please let me know

If anyone wants a surveyor I can strongly recommend BG Surveyors. They provided a thorough report for me at reasonable costs. Contact there is Ivo Tanev or in UK Mark Davis who is also buying @ IBAR in stage 1!

Finally any suggestions re furniture would be appreciated. We will also do some research when we are out there so will post anything we find

Thanks

Nick

[deedee1]

Hi nick,

If you havent been before then Im sure you will like it -we was especially pleasantly surprised with sofia and the developments surroundings- very beautiful!

Your right- dont expect a fitted kitchen or fully finished bathrooms (as Ive heard someone else say)- If they are by the time you get there then thats and added bonus!

Also watch out it still may be 40o out there take your sunshades and cream incase!

I will PM you with my solicitors details!

See ya D

P.S-look forward to seeing the pictures when you get back!

[Jain and Chris]

Hi jpw, the reason I have not said much in this IBAR thread is that I know the golf courses on the coast much better than this development as I get over there more regularly. However, Deedee asked me this the other day too and I spoke with a good friend of mine who knows the develpment very well and visits more frequently than I ever do. Here is what he told me :
Pro’s:
Very cheap in comparison to any other golf course in the World, and most other property too.
Nicklaus Design ensures a top notch course
Located just 45 mins from Sofia and 25 from Borovets (this is also a con, see below)
SHOULD show good ROI, selling very well
No Buyers commission from most agents

Con’s:
Very cheap price is slightly reflected in the finishing’s, the quality is very average in comparison to other courses
It is (currently) the only golf course worth mentioning in the area, so it will be difficult to attract serious golfers to come on holiday as they like to play multiple courses
It is 25 mins from Borovets, which will put it to the bottom of everyone’s winter accommodation list.
Not got the best onsite facilities in comparison to the other courses, thus again detracting from the rentability.
Annual fees are very high in relation to property value and in comparison with other courses

Hope that helps?

[Jain and Chris]

Hi Nick

I can recommend the lawyers who write for the magazine and are based in Sofia. The name of the law firm is GPNG and the lawyer to contact is Asja Mandjukova. Her email addy is amandjukova@gpng-law.org

I am sure she will be very helpful to you.

I have heard good things about BG Surveyors too

All the best

[jpw]

Hello Jain, As always you make some interesting and valid points which will be of interest to the Ibar members.

[newguest]

A good Sofia law firm is Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. They are the Bulgarian member of Meritas (see the Meritas web site for details of what this is).

contact: mail@dpc.bg

[jpw]

Having digested some of the comments made by Jain and Chris and thier friend, can anyone who has been confirm that quality is poorer than other golf course complexes ?

Ibar 2 should attract the golfers they mention who want to play more than one course and I believe other courses are planned for the area.

Not sure it will go to bottom of everyones list as Im sure there will be those who want to get away from the bustle of the ski resort and maybe(weather permitting) have a game of golf as well ? I know many golfers who ski.

Suprised at the comment it has not got the best onsite facilities as from my investigations it seems(hopefully) that it is going to have the best of facilities. What do ther ibar owners think ?

Annual fees are high but it does include golf club membership which is an expensive item at any top golf club anyway.

Fianlly a question which may show my ignorance !! Is the golf course/driving range etc being turfed or seeded or a bit of both ?

[deedee1]

Hi all,

JPW- The genral finish of properties is a little poor , but these are only minor issues to deal with-so far nothing major and nothing a bucket of hot soapy water and a scouring pad cant sort out!

I think that maybe what she means is that other resorts will have more facilities and closer to all the action instead!

Saying that I dont like the idea that they have lined the communal pool and not tiled it and also the fact that the filtration system hangs into the pool at each end instead of being hidden elsewhere- as these things did look cheap to me??

But I have confidence in the RA for addressing and sorting out these kinds of issues so hopefully they will not build the rest of the communal pools this way?? Otherwise things like this will compromise the overall finish and specification which would lower the standards!!

See ya D

P.S- Anyone been there recently- any pictures to share with us would be nice??

[Jain and Chris]

Hi jpw et al....

I think Deedee has got it right when she talks about the quality - minor (or are they) things such as "that they have lined the communal pool and not tiled it and also the fact that the filtration system hangs into the pool at each end instead of being hidden elsewhere" do count when you want to rent or re-sell.

Meanwhile, as I said I have not been there for a while but the quality is definitely lower - but then so is the price. You get what you pay for!?

Courses are definitely planned but when will they be delivered? By comparison, if you visit the courses on the Black Sea coast, then they are much further ahead and closer to each other. Maybe take a longer term view on this development?

Golf membership is included in pretty much all of the developments.

This development is selling very well at the moment, indeed one agent told me it is their "best selling golf course development"

There is nothing at all wrong with this development, it's just that you make your own choice, that's all. All we've done is given the pros and cons - up to you to make the selection.

All the best

PS : Deedee, will be passing by in the next four weeks, if you want pics, let me know

[jpw]

Dee Dee, thanks for your info and I agree the lining and filters seem to be a poor option which hopefully RA (which I have just joined!!) will resolve.

Jain & Chris, thanks for your comments and agree you get what you pay for. As we have not yet been out to see the development I am just trying to pick peoples brains and get a feel for the place for when we do go there.