#PROJECT-Ras Al Khaimah: THE ROYAL BREEZE

[beer51]

Actually i've just visited Al-Hamra few days ago (sorry don't have any pics and don't live in UAE) it is very beautiful. I am considering buying an apartment there while the price is low. I think because of Dubai/Abu Dhabi, RAK is over looked. How long will people keep paying silly money for Dubai/Abu Dhabi property. One think i've notice while dinning in the Al Hamra Hotel is that there were a lot of european people there.

[Yousuf27]

You're entirely correct beer51. RAK is the UAE's best kept secret! Hotels regularly run at 100% occupancy and never less than 90%. If you want to go shopping it's only 1 hours drive away. Otherwise why not chill out in peace and quiet away from the city! Sshhhh though - don't tell anyone otherwise it could end up like Dubai!

[Ibo79]

Hi everyone,

I was just there in Al-Hamra last week. It is a beautiful complex. Sandy beaches! Friendly people! Its considered offpeak season but the weekend (Thursday and Friday) was completely full, mostly with Arabs from Oman or Dubai. The rest of the week is mostly Germans and Russians.
On the Royal Breeze, they haven't started building anything yet, it's just sand for now. They said it could start by the end of the year, and complete by the end of 2010 There are still some properties available, but the prices have nearly doubled since last year. Good for investors but would be good to actually see some progress. The beach was less than a hundred yards away from the Royal Breeze site, they're still saying that we will have access to it despite plans for the private low-rise buildings along the main beach road. If you are planning on buying something because of the beach, I'd urge you to check the contract. I don't think it says there is guaranteed private beach access, nor does it offer any extra compensation (other than a refund) if the project is delayed (which it is).
I'm still cautiously optimistic, but there's still a long way to go yet.

[tarbooj]

Ibo79, not sure about prices doubling since last year, but agree with being "cautiously optimistic, but there's still a long way to go yet".

There are some RB progress (phase III) photos on the Al Hamra Village website. I think it shows the piling and readiness for construction of buildings 1, 2, 3.

Still looking up to 3 years to completion. Resale market should pick up in a year or so.

Any idea of what the 1 bed units are currently selling for?

[Ibo79]

Hi tarbooj,

I received a list from Al Hamra Real Estate for Royal Breeze 6 building. As of May 2008 they have the price for a 1 Bed T2 829sqft (without counting the parking area) as about 1.2m AED which is about the average (again, according to their list).
If you look at bhomes (am I allowed to point there?), they have the same property at about half the price... so I don't know if they haven't updated the site yet or the other prices are artificially inflated.

[beer51]

Developer prices are generally higher after the launch.......don't know why.

[tarbooj]

I had a chat with Hunt & Harris recently who told me that there is limited demand for RB resales (though it is picking up), and the premiums being asked are around 15% to 30%.

They did however say that we should be seeing healthy premiums nearer completion. It's a pity Al Hamra Estates are so laid back with regard to providing any sort of progress report.

Ah well, all good things come to those who wait....

[jooody]

Hi, did anyone visited the site and sow how is the progress going.

[Faraz Mirza]

Originally Posted by jooody

Hi, did anyone visited the site and sow how is the progress going.

Al Hamra Village is absolutely gorgeous. A great deal of the construction for the villas and Marina Apartments has been completed around the village.

Royal Breeze, however is about 3 years until completion. The payment plan is 20% down, 20% in six months and 20% again after 6 months followed by 40% on completion.

Here are some pictures:

[jooody]

Thanks Faraz, are you sure the royal Breeze need 3 years to complite they were talking about end of 2009. you have any pic for the Royal Breeze. thanks

[Dr Dubai]

So can anyone confirm if there will be buildings in front of royal breeze because if you look at the plan it shows the royal breeze buildings with a significant road in front another wide plot of land (to be built on) and then the beach although estate agents are claiming royal breeze will be the last and final project to be built at Al Hamra???

[Chantal Musch]

As far as I know there are no concrete plans for the land in front of Royal Breeze at the moment. This land does not belong to Al Hamra and therefor you have to take in consideration that something will be done with it eventually. Lets just hope that it is not too high.

There are still some very good deals on the resale market. I think that now is the time to get in and that the prices on the resale market are very competetive when you compare it to other projects in RAK.

I have a good availability of all kinds of units.

[Hiltod]

I was at RAK over Eid just to see how things are getting on as we own a 2 bed golf villa there (due to be ready Christmas 09). Lots of the villas look like they will be ready soon.
Can anyone recommend the best agents to buy/sell through down there? We would like to sell our villa and purchase a larger one which will be ready soon.
We were wondering about that land between the marina apartments and the beach as there is a large extremely ugly concrete block wall going up, must be about 2+ metres high between there and the beach!!! That's very interesting that Al Hamra do not own the land. There is a large area in front of the large villas on the lagoon that look like they will become public beach areas, is this true?

[Monument]

Originally Posted by Hiltod

I was at RAK over Eid just to see how things are getting on as we own a 2 bed golf villa there (due to be ready Christmas 09). Lots of the villas look like they will be ready soon.
Can anyone recommend the best agents to buy/sell through down there? We would like to sell our villa and purchase a larger one which will be ready soon.
We were wondering about that land between the marina apartments and the beach as there is a large extremely ugly concrete block wall going up, must be about 2+ metres high between there and the beach!!! That's very interesting that Al Hamra do not own the land. There is a large area in front of the large villas on the lagoon that look like they will become public beach areas, is this true?

Try Hunt and Harris (www.huntandharris.com) - Clare Osbourne. They have a lot in RAK and seem to specialise in it.

[Ben40]

very little is moving and if you paid in sterling you would have to expect 20% / 30% drop in price due to exchange rates.. sit it out if you can..

[victormeldrew]

Hi Ben, Thanks for your reply.
I worded my question rather clumsily I'm afraid. To expain better: If I sell,I'll be selling in AED. Since I've already paid some 70%, when I translate the proceeds of the sale back into £, then I will 'profit' by some 20-25% rather than the other way round. This gives me the opportunity to drop my price to achieve a sale. Does that make sense?
Your point about nothing much moving is taken though.

[victormeldrew]

As far as I know they are sticking to the staged schedule for R.B. , despite completion being some 2 years away so I hear. I was late with the last payment and I had to remind them - I was expecting some sort of contact, email or whatever from them to say that payment was due and didn't get one. I asked for a confirmatory email to say that payment was due prior to this next payment and haven't had one yet.
There are some owners on another site that are getting a little peeved at this lack of contact and are considering witholding payment until they get some feedback.
What are others doing?

[glover]

today, foundation work finished.

[victormeldrew]

Originally Posted by Hiltod

I was at RAK over Eid just to see how things are getting on as we own a 2 bed golf villa there (due to be ready Christmas 09). Lots of the villas look like they will be ready soon.
Can anyone recommend the best agents to buy/sell through down there? We would like to sell our villa and purchase a larger one which will be ready soon.
We were wondering about that land between the marina apartments and the beach as there is a large extremely ugly concrete block wall going up, must be about 2+ metres high between there and the beach!!! That's very interesting that Al Hamra do not own the land. There is a large area in front of the large villas on the lagoon that look like they will become public beach areas, is this true?

Hi Hiltod, just rediscovered your post. From what I gather, Hunt and Harris are certainly highly thought of.
I saw an email from this chap on another thread. They seem to be opening a branch in AlHamra soon. I've cut 'n pasted his contact details.It may be of some use.
Michael Sain - 050 300 2617

Executive Property Consultant - Engel & Voelkers

* New office in the Al Hamra Mall opening soon!

[laguna33p]

Any updates???