I know that property investment destinations have their "seasons" (Cape Verde, Bulgaria, Brazil ) and then everybody forgets about them, but what has happened in Morocco seems pretty unique.

The VAT went up last month, but that´s less of a rise than JDF or Oasis stuck on their prices in a week 12 months ago. Even 6 months back everybody was getting excited about Emaar and that never happened, so has the whole Plan Azur gone to pot or is something happening so quietly that it has passed me (and numerous others) by?

What about the rest of the Mediterranean coast, Tangiers, Fez, Marrakech? If anybody has any genuine information about the apparent death of the Moroccan market, please share it with us because all I see on here is adverts for properties that will never sell.

Thanks,

Emaar is well and truly alive but things are taking time. I know the sales manager of Hamptons that has been bought by Emaar. He says the reason for Emaar aquiring Hamptons is purely to access the high end UK market.

Plan Azure - Saidia progress photos (and now videos on Youtube) show good progress with about 3 hotels almost finished and the shoping centre and marina well built. Golf course one looks great on Azure devlopments website progress photo section.

The planning system seems far stricter than Ive encountered elsewhere which is one reason for delays however I think this is a manifestation of the Moroccans desire to create world class resorts rather than the ad hoc style of Bulgaria, Turkey and so on.

Already Ive noticed people I know going to Morocco for hols - this is new.

As with all things new, most people will not accept the new reality until it becomes part of the fabric of thier lives.

There is no reason why Morocco wont become as popular as Egypt as a tourist destination, afterall its a lot closer, and the develop far more ordered (the Egyptian stuff is very poor build quality - again this ad hoc free for all mentaility).

As you say, everything goes in waves. Cape Verde was high profile 2 years ago, but now I see litlle mention of it. I think this is just the lag between plans and completion.
The inital buzz of early investors dies down whilst thye wait for stock to be built.

Marrakech Im seeing featured on a number of TV property programmes.

If you are Andy from Property Showroom fame, Im surprised you say properties will never sell as you were very enthusiastic when you were selling Moroccan property in 2006 - I have the emails still and there are many posts for us all to see on housepricecrash where you sing the praises of Morocco.

Brazil - a long way to fly and dozens of 'luxury' developments that all pretty much the same, and nothing new. Nothing to match the uniqueness of the Plan Azure sites for facilities. Very seasonal also and why go off season when there's not the immense sports and leisure facilities to enjoy?

__________________
Been investing abroad a few years. Always amazed people invest in places that produce just a few months rent per year

How do you know they are not selling? if you look at thecompletepropertysolution.com site you will see two Moroccan offers, both researched to make sure investors get a capital gain and a good exit strategy. It depends what you want from an investment, or if indeed you are an investor. If you want holiday homes then these will always be difficult to sell on, since they attract only a tiny percentage of the available buyer market

I think properties are still selling in Morocco, but to get a good return on your investment may take a while. The infrastructure is still pretty poor, emergency medical services, flights etc. Rentals for the next few years will also be low, expect 2months max a year (North Morocco). However Morocco is making great steps to improve its infrastructure and imo it is at least a 5 year plan.
I have bought in Tangier City so my comments are based for North Morocco.

Rentals for a holiday property will always be seasonal. If you buy to let for local people you will have all year round rental at a good return! 30% deposit spread over the build and then 70-80% mortgages available. This is a service we can provide our investors.

Yes but access to the rental will determine the volume. I would be careful letting to locals, they have tennants rights and you could come unstuck.

Of course they do!! They have even more in the UK!!! Would you want a rental contract broken just because the owner wants to use the place for a couple of weeks holiday? The particular development we have attracts a middle class, and they will be looking after the property far better and without the hassle of having holiday let problems, changeovers to organise etc. repairs to attend to etc. You are in the UK (I assume) - what is easier, long term with all responsibilities for the client to pay water, electric bills etc, or holiday lets with all the responibilities that go with it and no guarantee that you will let for enough weeks to pay the costs?

Unfortunately you are talking rubish and I think you know this.
No I'm not residing in the UK but am English.
Would you prefer to let your property to a local?
A local will want the property for a long time, hopefully due to work commitments. The advantages of this is you will hopefully have a low monthly rental income.
The disadvantages are numerous, if they lose their job and cant pay the rent you cant just say goodbye to them. The legal system would take months to evict if ever.
Would you like that?
In an emerging market it is better, initially to rent for short term holiday letting.
Take care

Fine- if you have a holiday home then holiday lets are what you probably want - whether you will get enough of them to pay the mortgage is another thing! Whether you can find someone, or some agency to manage professionally all the responsibilities of holiday letting, get you your bookings etc, arrange to collect and pay your utilities etc, may well determine whether holiday lettings are all the agent who sold you on it, said it would be!! Holiday lets used to be around one month rent per week. After costs you will need around 16 weeks rented out, guaranteed, minimum , to give the same net return after costs of a long term let. Low monthly rentals = low capital cost, so what is the difference except the investment is NOT short term. In Germany for example the average tenant expects to live a very long time in the same property. YES check out all the options, particularly if you have borrowed money for your purchase, which seems to be the majority of cases.

No not borrowed money, but thats not really the issue. A long term let to a local over a longer period of time will obviously generate a low monthly return with no flexibilty to increace your own marketing.
As I said earlier there are big dangers in long term lets in an emerging market eg after they have rented for 12 months they have a right to rent the property for a further 5 years. This could present quite a few headaches.
Its not that long term lets should be out of the equation, it is just too early to go down that route. Long term lets are the last resort at this stage.