Golf Club Ibar Property Owners Forum! -bulgaria!

[vthills]

looks cool from the air!
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The Official Veliko Turnovo Hills Website

 

[paula]

Inspection Trip

Hi everyone

I have only a small investment in a studio in phase one and have not had time to do an inspection trip so I am very interested in discovering how everyone got on.

I have been chatting with a surveyor who will check the property for me, but am concerned about it not being fully complete. Perhpaps not concerned, but he is talking about checking tiling etc., and if this is not done, then I need to make arrangement to change his visits to a two phase process.

Any advice would be appreciated and thank you for all the interesting comments to date.

Paula

Hi chris,

Sorry I missed your post before you went to ibar!!

I am visiting tomorrow and coming back on sunday- my 1st trip there so Im really excited!!

I bought last year and it is almost complete so we ahve gone to take a peek!!

Stage 1 - is the nearest stage to all the facilities i.e- main clubhouses , spa, restaurants, bars etc so the location is better or should I say more convenient!! Although golf buggies will be at hand to transport people around anyway from a to b...!!

Catch up when I get back,
Speak and share pictures next week!!

D

P.S- ISKRA Looks good- but in general I think all who have invested and bought will do very well- it will be a 1st class resort and facilities with all year round activities and rental potential!!

 

[deedee1]

Re: Inspection!!

Hi all,

PAULA- It was nice to go to IBAR atlong last and the weather was scorching hot in its 40s out there which I wasnt expecting!!

The site is really pretty and is surrounded by mountains the site is taking shape and looking really good!!

We bought a 2 bed in stage 1 and all is looking well!!

I was forewarned by other owners before we went that not to expect full completion and everything fully completed!
The bathrooms were fully fitted and completed along with the rest of the apartment the only thing really was that the kitchen units had not been fitted yet!!
It had been tiled and all the connections ready to go just the units were not fitted yet!
But there was no mains water for the bathrooms and toilet connected properly yet- but I was told it was just switched off as they were still finishing some othere apartments in our block!!

You will most likely have to make a few trips or your surveryor to do a snagging list for you but then he will need to go back to check when all the jobs have been completed and do a final check for you!!

But you will need to visit once all is complete anyway to sign your notary deeds in person and complete on your property yourself!

But worth the trip- we stayed in sofia which was very cheap anyway we stayed at a 5* hotel 2 of us B&B FOR LESS THAN £60 PERNIGHT!
Dinner 3 courses and a bottle of wine between us cost less than £15!
So you can try get cheap flights aswell Ive heard some can get return flights for about £100 each!!

All the best-speak soon!!

Deedee1

Apart from that in general there was only a few minor cosmetic issues wrong with it- but nothing major at all!!

 

[W00tton]

Paula

I'm delighted that DeeDees apartment is so close to completion and looking good - maybe the developers are listening to us at last. It may also be that apartments are easier to complete than Villas - I don't know.

My Villa was 'completed' in March, but still doesn't have a driveway or garden marked out and I have just sent a list of about 7-8 snagging defects that still need to be remedied.

You will almost certainly need to have a number of visits by a surveyor before full completion, but this isn't particularly expensive.

Re Notary deeds, it is possible for your solicitor to sign these for you, provided they have Power of Attorney to do this on your behalf.

May I give a couple of pieces of advice - If you haven't already found the 'My Bulgaria' site it is worth doing so. There is a forum thread called 'Dolna Banya Owners Post Here' which currently has about 113 pages of information.

Also note that we now have a Residents Association at GCIRA - Golf Club iBar Residents Association Please take a look - we need as many owners as possible to join us.

Alan

 

[deedee1]

Re: Pickies!!

Hi all,

Thought Id try and post a few pictures I took on my trip to Ibar at the weekend!!

See ya D

 

[deedee1]

Re: More Pickies!!

Hi all,

A few more pictures!!

See ya D

 

[jpw]

Thanks for those pics DeeDee. Glad your happy with your apartment.If Im honest I would have expected the development to be a lot further on than the pictures show or are they misleading ? What is the current state of the golf course ?

 

[karenandwayne]

Hi we have just come back from Ibar a few days ago as well. There were a few minor things but nothing major. I would have to disagree with the person that wrote about the surrounding villages etc, we have a house in a village 10 mins from the club, there are lots of English people in the village already The people are lovely. We go skiing every year and it is not a 45 min journey to Borovets but around 25, yes even in the snow, the roads are well cleared and gritted. I also think people would travel to the slopes with a shuttle bus as there is no hotels with fabulous spa facilities in Borovets especially mineral water and Borovets is noisy at night some people will like to get back to peaceful surroundings.

My advice to Paula is you should check your studio, we also have a studio,there was grout on the terrace and paint on carpet, you will need to just make sure. we will be going back soon, can check for you if you can't get out there , can send photos.

Karen

 

[deedee1]

Hi guys n gals,

GOLF COURSE- So far it has all been scoped out and they have finished the irrigation system aswell! When we were there they were just starting to line the lake in the middle of the course which looks huge!!!
Also they are getting ready to lay the 1st grass next month on the driving range and practice facility!

CONSTRUCTION-Stage 1 properties-most are almost complete or nearing completion with the finishing touches etc! But a few frontline villas are still half way through construction and all apartments are very near to completion maybe a matter of weeks!

They have started laying the foundations for the villas in stage 3 and apparently they will not start stage 2 for a while yet until they have finished stage 1+ 3 first!

I Also didnt see any derelict cars rubbish and graffitti as someone described.
Also the local towns look fine to me and quite pleasant!
I also think that it will be a 30mins tops ride into borovets (although I havent actually been yet myself )

I do admit the trip was great and I was quite pleasantly surprised with bulgaria itself and the development aswell!
It was prettier than I originally thought and more developed than I imagined and the weather was great for summer !!!

Cant wait to see what its like in winter with all that snow on the mountains and cold frost on the golf course !!!

See ya - D

 

[jpw]

Im interested to know jain and chris's opinion of this complex as they have some thing to say on most threads but are conspicuous by their absence on this thread.

 

[nick clarke]

IBAR Stage 1

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 [email protected]

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]

Sofia Lawyer

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: [email protected]

 

[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.